Use to be that I’d scurry home from Vegas in March with my extra backpack full of snowboard dealer packages and, like a kid at Christmas, throw myself into them to see what was new. It still takes an extra backpack (though a smaller one- fewer brands but a lot more pages per brand). This year, though, […]
The Retailer’s Dilemma; Are There Any Snowboard Shops Left? Read More »
In the early 90’s, when snowboards started pouring into the U.S. from the Austrian ski factories, there were claims that consumers wouldn’t accept boards labeled “Made in Austria.” Mostly, those claims were made by U.S. factories threatened by foreign production. If there was a marketing advantage to a board “made in the USA,” it didn’t last long,
Snowboards from Afar; The Potential Impact on Retailers Read More »
Over the last month, I’ve stopped by eight or ten snowboard retailers in the Northwest. I talked to the owner, manager, or whoever was around and not too busy to talk with me. The number of stores I went in probably isn’t large enough to be statistically significant, the stores were picked based on my personal biases,
Last month in this space I suggested a simple system for tracking your financial results with the goals of having better control and being able to react to surprises. If you use it for, say, six months, you are going to have some good information that will have helped you manage your shop. The next step, which
Minding Your Own Business; How’s Your Shop Doing? Read More »
As a snowboard retailer, you have a position in your market. You own it, and it’s yours to loose. The best way to loose it is to forget who your customers are and what they want. The other day I was in one of these warehouse stores. There was a snowboard with bindings for, I think, $299.00. The board
Who Are Your Customers? And Why Are They Buying From You? Read More »