“They may put me out of business and they can’t even put a wax on a board!” said the snowboard retailer about the Zumiez down the street. I talked to him enough to know that he wasn’t kidding and he wasn’t being sarcastic and he wasn’t just trying to make a point. After a bunch of […]
Snowboard Company Business Models and Core Retailer Problems; A Basic Incompatibility? Read More »
You started it because it was going to be fun. You were younger- a lot younger. And perhaps just a bit naïve and optimistic. You didn’t know what it was about margins that made everybody think they were gross, but what the hell. If you could hang with your friends, do what you loved and have a few beers
Now What? The Established Shop Owner’s Dilemma Read More »
Last month, I wrote about surviving a downturn, suggesting that this wasn’t just a downturn but a fundamental change in industry structure, requiring a change in the way successful companies competed. This month, I’d like to be more specific about how I see the industry evolving. It’s perhaps a bit pompous to do this, because my
One Possible Future; An Industry Model for Skateboarding Read More »
In previous articles, going back to when skating was growing like the proverbial weed, I’ve talked about issues related to a downturn. Things like expense control, if you should sell your business, characteristics of a maturing market, cash flow management, the impact of a recession, and the potential impact of foreign competition. Given the continuing, current conditions
How to Survive a Downturn And Take Advantage of the Opportunity It Represents Read More »
It began, I suppose, a couple of months ago when somebody at Burton sent me their complete catalog, buying book, whatever you want to call it, including prices and terms. Damn near five pounds it weighs according to my handy, dandy bathroom scale including colorful blue binder. It contains all of the Burton Company’s brands and certain
Product Line Size; The Impact on the Way We Do Business Read More »
My very first article for TransWorld, which became Market Watch, was on foreign exchange. I guess in some sense we’ve come full circle. But it’s never much fun ending up where you started, so I want to ask your help in keeping Market Watch valuable to you and occasionally controversial. It use to be, when the pace
China’s Fixed Exchange Rate; What It Means for Snowboarding Read More »
Like the web site (www.boardretailers.org) says, the idea for the Board Retailers’ Association (BRA?) goes back to the mid eighties and has been discussed annually. But for the past year, Roy Turner, the owner of Surf City Surf Shop in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, and Mike Duncan of Sage Corporation, a web applications firm with roots
“Say, That Sounds Like a Good Idea!” The New Board Retailers’ Association Read More »
This article sort of popped full formed into my brain at the TransWorld Snowboard Industry Conference at Whistler in April. It happened in an elevator. A kid carrying a skateboard got in (Shows you what kind of lousy winter it was in Whistler). As the door closed, I asked him how often he replaced his deck. He said, “I’ve
Strategic Planning; Questioning Our Most Cherished Assumptions Read More »
It doesn’t seem fair. Okay, after the 90s, some economic slow down was inevitable and most industries are having to deal with it. Skateboarding, after a few years of simply spectacular growth was due for a consolidation, and we’re getting it in spades. War, of course, isn’t good for already soft consumer spending- too many people staying home to
Consolidation, War, and a Lousy Economy;Skateboarding Will Be Fine, Thank You Very Much Read More »
Flying in from ASR in Long Beach, where the consensus was that the number of retailers was down significantly, it was a relief to get to the SIA show in Vegas and see the place jumping. It was simply the best show since some time in the mid 90s. Not just by energy level but, in my
Hey! Look at All the Retailers! Good News From Vegas Read More »