“Blanks are killing the industry.” “Yeah, but they give the skater a good deal.” “But pros are what builds the industry, and we can’t support pros on blank margins.” “The problem is that we have too many pros to support.” Etc., etc., etc. In this highly emotional debate, there’s some truth to everybody’s position. A lot of people seem to […]
Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde; The Dilemma of the Skateboard Factory Owner Read More »
It was three or four months ago that I stopped getting the nearly weekly calls and emails from somebody who wanted to open a new skate shop. As weeks dragged on without the sound of enthusiastic voices eager to make their mark in skateboard retailing I wondered if that wasn’t a sign of a market top.
Don’t Worry, Be Happy, Part II; Skateboarding will Survive a Slowdown Read More »
You might have thought I could have gotten around to this before now, but there were no more SnowBiz issues after Vegas, and I kind of forgot about this for a while. Sorry. As we’ve watched snowboarding evolve, we’ve noticed how closely products of different brands resemble each other. Differentiation is based largely on marketing and making
Three Business Models That Might Work; Ideas From Vegas Read More »
Following Vegas, in the last issue for the season of TransWorld Snowboarding Business, I wrote about trade shows and the issues we have with them. To make a long article short, I basically said, “We’re screwed!” Lot of people agreed with that, which was hardly a surprise. But I was bothered all spring and into early summer
Trade Shows Again, Kind of Read More »
I’m glad, I guess, that I’ve gotten to the age where I don’t feel completely compelled to take too much advantage of these “all inclusive, drink at much as you want of anything for free” conference packages. Because if I were so inclined, I suspect all the worrying going on at the conference might have driven
Death By Purple Wrist Band; Reflections on The Surf Industry Conference Read More »
Okay, let’s review the rules. 1) The consumer eventually gets what they want to the extent the market is capable of providing it. 2) Companies do whatever they perceive will give them a competitive advantage, or at least let them survive. 3) The less real differentiation there is among products in the same product
China- Whether We Like It or Not. What’s to Do? Read More »
It’s interesting how a handful of events and business trends seem to be converging in skateboarding at this time. They have, I think, the potential to change the industry and how it does business. The consumers, as always, will get what they want. For some companies- usually those willing to take a risk and do something a little
The “AHAA!” moment at the ASR show came early for me. I’d just flown in from the SIA winter sports show in Vegas and literally walked in the door at ASR when I heard that the ubiquitous ASR Board Trac seminar had already started. I was fifteen minutes late. When I walked in, they were questioning ten “typical”
We Win. Now What? Ruminations on the Future of Skateboarding Read More »
The box on this page contains, as most of you are no doubt painfully aware, this year’s trade show schedule. Pretty intimidating. But of course it doesn’t include any key account presentations suppliers might have to make. Or regional shows. Or shoe shows, or bike shows, or toy shows or whatever other shows some suppliers and retailers might need
Well, At Least It Can’t Be Any Worse Next Year; The Trade Show Schedule Read More »
Look, I’m sorry about this. I’d really rather write about upbeat, happy stuff. It’s not my fault we’re in a recession, or are going to be in one, or whatever. I’m not making up these lousy economic statistics we’re seeing, you now. I don’t just sit here and pull them out of my ass, damn it. Sure, sure, everybody just
Stuck In A Rut; Another Recession Article Read More »