The snowsports organization, along with nearly 30 industry representatives from ski and snowboard companies, apparel brands, avalanche centers and backcountry gear brands met in Denver to discuss the future of backcountry skiing and riding, and how to capitalize on the growing trend.

“The more that we can have manufacturers, resorts, guide services and education providers all working together with common language and standard practice; it’s going to benefit the consumer,” says Charlie Lozner, Outdoor Research marketing director, who attended the Oct. 24 meeting.

Chad Perrin, Jones Snowboards; Cory Smith, Mtn Approach; Lisa Branner, Venture Snowboards; David Ingemie, SIA; Dave Wray, SIA (left to right)

While the original intent was to discuss how the industry can take advantage of the increasing numbers of backcountry travelers—whether skiers, snowboarders, snowshoers or any other adventurer—David Ingemie, SIA president, says much more came out of it.

Some of Ingemie’s key takeaways:

— Put together an expanded backcountry database to help disseminate sales and usage information.
— Establish a backcountry-oriented glossary that can be used by everyone in the snowsports industry to ensure common language.
— Organize a smaller committee comprised of various backcountry-oriented brands, avalanche centers, retailers, resort representatives, lawyers and insurance agents to discuss commonalities and how each can work together.

Many attendees could summarize their lesson learned with one word: education.

Vince Sanders, who does product development for Never Summer Industries, says educating retailers on how to take advantage of missed backcountry sales is key—and many snowboard shops don’t fully understand the growing trend.

Sanders already plans to take a group of key dealers on a backcountry adventure to help teach them what to put in a pack for a day trip, how to use a beacon, probe and shovel, and what it’s like to skin up a mountain.

“I already have a couple shops in mind,” he says. “They’re supporting the category with (split)boards, but that’s about it.”

But it’s not just educating the retailer. Brands want to see backcountry-oriented sales figures—especially snowboard-related numbers that aren’t compiled—and consumers need to know how serious, albeit fun, the backcountry can be.

Nearly every attendee could tell a story of skiers or snowboarders going through backcountry gates unprepared—sans avalanche gear, with skins on incorrectly, with splitboards not setup right, etc. And retailers and brands need to take responsibility for educating consumers before skiers and riders buy equipment and during the process.

Some of that starts with industry-accepted terms:

— Should sidecountry be used or is anything out-of-bounds considered backcountry?
— Where does the term slackcountry fall in?
— Is it backcountry safety gear or backcountry rescue gear?

“I think it’s going to be difficult,” Sanders says. Brands will likely have a hard time walking the line between hyping product and being responsible.

And Marcus Peterson, Ortovox product specialist, agrees that it’ll be difficult but necessary.

“How we translate that into an ad or a theme or something going forward that brands the brand? That’s another story,” he says.

But the conversations have started, which is a long way from where SIA was years ago, many in the room said.

“I would call it a good start,” Peterson says. “This is a big step for (SIA).”

Some of the discussions evolved around the SIA Snow Show and how the organization can better the Backcountry Experience area to help address the needs of the industry—and Ingemie says some of the suggestions will be implemented for this season’s show.

Brands such as Beyond Clothing, Wild Things and NWT3K have been pushing the boundaries of outdoor clothing by giving customers what they’ve asked for: custom ski gear.

However, some people say the thought of it becoming a trend is still rudimentary, yet there’s potential for it to grow.

“If this isn’t the future, it should be,” says Scott Jones, Beyond Clothing’s founder. “It is a win-win for everyone.”

Wild Things offers customizable ski gear.

With the perks of domestic production and minimal shipping costs, Jones sees custom clothing moving outdoor apparel to the next stage of its evolution.

Wild Things chief executive officer, Edward Schmults is confident that the industry is headed toward customization. He says, to some extent, the market is already there with companies such as Nike ID leading the charge.

By having the ability to pick sizes and specific features (like a hood or pit zips), customize measurements, and choose the color, Beyond Clothing’s Jones says they offer something that can’t be matched by big brands.

Other outerwear brands, such as Seattle-based NWT3K, are on board with custom clothing but say there are challenges.

Nick Marvik, NWT3K founder

Nick Marvik, the company’s founder, says not selling custom gear in ski shops poses a potential problem—especially for a new brand. Because custom outerwear is almost exclusively limited to online sales, brands say it limits their reach.

Beyond Clothing presents a possible remedy for this problem. Jones says the brand is working to incorporate a kiosk that allows customers to buy a standard Beyond Clothing jacket and customize it.

Customers could also go through the full process of having their measurements taken, choosing from a full range of accessories and colors, and achieving a customization that could previously be found only online.

If the kiosk plan works, Jones hopes it will combine the excitement of tangible shopping and the personalization of online jacket crafting into one behemoth.

And Wild Things’s Schmults considers implementing a similar system, though he says the lack of retailer accessibility is not a problem.

With custom apparel, the business sidesteps the risk of purchasing a designated amount of a product in hopes of selling it all. Instead, Wild Things purchases the raw material and produces only what is demanded, resulting in a more-efficient, less-risky business strategy.

With overseas factories and sprawling product distribution, it seems unwieldy for many big brands to tackle tailored outerwear. And while big brands may have the product to do it, Jones says many don’t have the method.

Though custom apparel has yet to make a large-scale swing into the outdoor market, NWT3K’s Marvik says the future is bright.

“Customers don’t know what they want until they see it,” Marvik says

“This year’s events are perfectly scheduled to provide prime advancement opportunities for athletes ready to take their freeskiing career to the next level,” said Barb Hamblett PPOS Event Director with Mountain Sports International, Inc. (MSI). “Spectators can expect to see exciting top level competition at all four PPOS stops this season.”  

All four PPOS events are part of the Association of Freeskiing Professionals (AFP) competition schedule. The Copper Mountain and Northstar California Resort stops will both be International Ski Federation (FIS) sanctioned NORAM CUP events with athletes earning FIS points. Athlete registration for all four PPOS stops will open Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012 at 10 a.m. MST.

“FIS is excited to be able to integrate The North Face Park and Pipe Open Series events in Copper Mountain, CO and Northstar, CA into the 2012-13 FIS Freestyle NORAM CUP,” said Konrad X Rotermund FIS Freestyle Continental Cup Coordinator-Americas. “These events will provide a great opportunity for athletes to get their needed FIS points to be part of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games qualification process and/or earn the opportunity to be the NORAM CUP Champion. Recognizing schedules are very full in North America, it is great to be able to cooperate with the already established PPOS events to give the athletes multiple avenues to meet their competitive goals in a single event.”     

Founded in 2010, The North Face Park and Pipe Open Series (PPOS) features slopestyle and halfpipe skiing competitions with $55,000 in total prize value up for grabs. As one of the only open-format event series, amateurs have the opportunity to compete alongside top pros.

“The North Face is excited to bring yet another season of freeskiing competition opportunities to athletes, both professional and amateur, across North America,” said The North Face Director of Sports Marketing Katie Ramage. “The progression of the sport of freeskiing is important to us, and this competition format is another way for us to support that movement.”

Slopestyle skiing takes place in a venue comprised of man-made features such as rails, boxes and jumps contained on a single slope. Halfpipe skiing takes place in a halfpipe similar to those used for halfpipe snowboarding. Skiers accelerate through the pipe to gain increased height jumping out of the halfpipe while simultaneously executing challenging grabs, spins, flips and other maneuvers. Skiers string together a series of aerials from the halfpipe in a single run. Judging is based on overall impression, including content, difficulty of run, style and use of park or pipe. Both slopestyle and halfpipe skiing will make their Olympic debut in 2014 at the Sochi, Russia Winter Games. The PPOS will work in conjunction with the Association of Freeskiing Professionals (AFP) on competition judging with Steele Spence serving as head judge for the series.

“The North Face Park and Pipe Open Series is very important for North American freeskiing athletes,” said Steele Spence, PPOS series head judge. “The series is a stepping stone for athletes hoping to progress to the top level of competition. The events are very well organized with a full panel of AFP certified judges and courses at world-class resorts.”

2012-13 PPOS Series Schedule

 For athlete or registration information visit www.thenorthfaceppos.com or contact Julia Jimmerson MSI athlete relations manager at jjimmerson@mtsports.com or (801) 349-4616.

Follow The North Face Park and Pipe Open Series on Facebook at  facebook.com/thenorthfaceppos and on Twitter at  twitter.com/TNFParkandPipe and #PPOS.

Ski New Hampshire has added a new incentive to its Free Learn to Ski/Snowboard Week – January 12 -18, 2013. The association and participating member resorts are offering a coupon for anyone who takes advantage of the free lift, lesson, and rental package. The coupon allows $10 off for a return lesson and $20 off for a return package. It is good for the entire 2012-13 season and there are some restrictions.

Ski Vermont is offering a $29 lift, lesson and rental package at all of its member resorts during January. There are some restrictions. 

In Oregon, Mt Hood Meadows is getting a jump-start on Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month with a special 2 for 1 beginner package deal from November 26 – December 21. Two people can learn to ski or snowboard together for the price of one. The package includes equipment rentals, a two-hour lesson and a beginner day pass with access to the “Fun Zone” serviced by an enclosed over the snow conveyer and the Buttercup beginner lift. The package regularly costs $75 per person. 

The Michigan Ski Industries Association again is offering Discover Michigan at its 23 ski and snowboard area members. The program includes: a beginner lesson, ski or snowboard rental equipment and a beginner-area ski lift pass or cross-country trail pass available January 2 through January 31, 2013. Discover Michigan program prices are: $20 for Discover Michigan Cross-Country Skiing; $30 for Downhill Skiing; and $40 for Snowboarding. The program is open to everyone 7 years and older.

In Colorado, Powderhorn’s learning program is designed for first timers ages 8 and up who are new to either the sport of skiing or snowboarding and ready to commit to three lessons. Those who complete all three sessions get a free pass for the rest of the season! Adult (19+) and Youth/Pre-Teen programs include lessons, lifts and rentals.  

What do you think?

While it’ll keep its office in Farmington, Maine, the brand is looking to open an office in Boulder, Colo. too.

So Skiing Business spoke with Bergman and Brooke Mackenzie, Kjus’ North American key account and marketing manager, to find out more about its North American push.

What’s Kjus’ focus on Boulder, Colo.?

Hans Bergman

Hans: Well two-thirds of our sales are generated within Colorado and Utah, and, for that reason, we need to be close to the accounts where we generate traffic to help build the brand. Boulder is also close to the SIA show, which is the show we value most. Boulder, as a city, whether it’s the outdoor lifestyle, fine dining, or anything, represents the Kjus attitude well.

Brooke: The people in Boulder are very athletic, outdoorsy and they appreciate the technology that Kjus has to offer probably a lot more than other areas. With Boulder being the hub of the outdoor world, and especially the outdoor winter world, it just makes perfect sense to have Kjus here.

We are looking to expand our showroom and put in some offices for Hans, myself and the other territory reps. We’re just going to have a larger showroom and a little more of a presence in Boulder for our customers.

What is the main push for Kjus in North America and particularly the United States?

Brooke: We’re doing some restructuring with the western United States, by dividing into smaller territories to have more Kjus people out there supporting our retailers.

Brooke Mackenzie is Kjus’ North American key account and marketing manager

Hans: As far as how we do business, we need to do much better at training and making people aware of what separates Kjus from our competitors. We need to tout our uncompromising performance, quality and going the extra mile of providing a garment that’s just going to work better on the slopes.

I don’t think we necessarily need to make a huge marketing push to get the word out about Kjus in the U.S. I just think we need to follow through and do it. Once our products come out, American dealers will realize.

Kjus recently went through a bunch of changes at the corporate staff level. What’s the root of that?

Hans: Unfortunately, Bruce Mackenzie passed away, which was a really big blow to the sales organization and its foundation. That really triggered a lot of exits, especially in that office. A legacy died, but now it’s time to revamp how we operate our sales and marketing departments.

Brooke: Bruce was the first sales rep for Kjus in the U.S. and had really helped the company grow until he passed away unexpectedly in April. I think that expedited the need for change. He was a huge legacy in the ski industry, so the new structure in the Western U.S. is to carry the torch and capture the retailer and the consumer.

I wouldn’t say there was a problem with things that we weren’t doing. But we’re very excited to have Hans on board because he knows how to address the customer to make them feel really special, and that’s what our brand is.

KJUS offers premium ski apparel.

Some of your competitors like Descente, Spyder and Patagonia are trying to attract a younger audience. What is Kjus doing to attract younger skiers?

Brooke: We understand that were not going to provide an inexpensive collection for that kind of customer. That’s not the kind of customer that we’re trying to attract, but we are very sensitive to that and the freeride look. Our FRX collection is more loosely fitting with a lot of shells that are meant for the extreme skier. We have a freeride team that helps us design this line, so if we have a consumer that is looking for top-quality gear that allows them to ski hard, we have products that are going to cater to that. It is our second season with this collection, and it has been selling well and starting to grow with young customers.

But are you guys worried about out-pricing other consumers?

Brooke: No. We’re trying to get somebody who understands premium. I think there is always going to be a place in the market for someone who appreciates quality and is willing to pay a little more for extra value.

We’re not going to cut corners in that sense to make a product that’s cheaper. Our philosophy from the beginning has been that we can create the best technology, fabrics and fit no matter what that’s going to cost. And we won’t stray away from that.

Kjus offers a variety of down jackets.

Hans: We’re not going to try to be something we’re not. We have to live to the fullest with the model of the vision we have for uncompromising performance and that means that our jackets will be made to the best of our ability.

Tarallo currently is the Executive Director for two national consumer initiatives – Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month and the Bring a Friend program – using her vast experience to increase snow sports participation by encouraging lessons from professional instructors. She works with many businesses and organizations within the industry on these extensive grass roots programs.   

Mary Jo Tarallo, left

“The success of Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month and now Bring a Friend is due to the unbelievable collaboration taking place among industry supporters. These initiatives work because so many different businesses and organizations have rallied behind a common goal to provide support in their own unique way. I am very fortunate to be involved at a very exciting time for the ski and snowboard industry,” said Tarallo.

For nearly twenty years, Tarallo held several positions within the SIA organization including Director of Public Relations and Director of Education and Special Projects. During her time at SIA she helped launch Snowlink, developed the successful Winter Feels Good program and worked with SIA members to extend the reach of Winter Trails, which introduced cross-country skiing and snowshoeing to consumers and significantly increased participation numbers. Tarallo has also tapped into her background within the industry and love of skiing to report on snow sports-related topics for media outlets including OnTheSnow.comand the Baltimore Sun.

“Mary Jo has always been passionate about snow sports and getting more people on the snow. Creating consumer programs, encouraging government policy, writing articles and working with varying industry groups for a common goal – Mary Jo has never stopped promoting snow sports in the 25 years I’ve known her,” said David Ingemie, President of SIA.

In addition to the Industry Achievement Award, SIA also recognizes specialty retailers, sales reps and industry suppliers in the U.S. and Canada who have excelled in fostering relationships, moving product and setting their brand apart from the competition while pushing forward the passion and growth of snow sports through the SIA SnowSports Regional Rep and Retailer of the Year Awards.

“This well-deserved promotion recognizes Brian’s many contributions to our success and growth over the course of his 26-year career at REI,” said Sally Jewell, president and CEO. “Linking our operations under one leader helps ensure we prioritize our investments and deliver the high-quality products and legendary service that our customers expect.” 

Unmacht started at REI as a store supervisor in 1986. In the years that followed, he rose through retail management to key leader roles, including regional district manager, director of retail operations, and senior vice president of Retail. In 2008, he was named executive vice president over Sales, Service, Store Development and Logistics. His elevation to chief operating officer weaves together his career at REI, which today includes 127 stores in 31 states, two websites (www.REI.com and www.REI-Outlet.com), award-wining REI and Novara gear and apparel, and REI Adventures, an adventure travel company. 

In addition to his role at REI, Unmacht currently serves as first vice chairman on the board of directors for the Outdoor Industry Association. He is also on the board of Seattle-based Bartell Drugs, the oldest family-owned drugstore chain in the nation. 

But should ski industry brands and ski shops succumb to it and devote social media marketing dollars to promoted posts and Facebook advertising?

Sara Lingafelter, digital and social strategy director for Verde PR, a major public relations agency in the outdoor industry, says there’s no clear answer.

“The Facebook situation for brands is in a constant state of evolution,” Lingafelter says. “And the same is true for ski retailers.”

Pelican Swim and Ski in Whitehouse, N.J., is one shop that has ventured into the Facebook ad world.

“We started doing Facebook advertising with the sponsored ads on the (sidebar) maybe two seasons ago,” says Cherie O’Connor, the shop’s co-owner.

And while she says the money spent on Facebook ads and promoted posts has been worth it, she says it’s hard to determine a direct return on investment. She has found, though, that Facebook ads work better for her shop than promoted posts because it increases the number of fans.

One problem brands and retailers encounter is knowing whether it’s better to buy ads that could increase “likes” or promoting posts that could engage a larger number of existing fans. Current reports say about 16 percent of fans see a given post—roughly half of what it was before Facebook changed its algorithm.

Jonathan Georger, digital media manager at Backbone Media, a media agency focused on the outdoor industry, says brands and retailers need to intimately know their fans in order to better engage them and, ultimately, increase sales.

Georger says businesses should create a survey on Facebook that sheds light on what its fans are buying, when, how often, and where. Knowing that will allow the brand to make better assumptions on what its fans want—even in terms of content posted.

But even if a business knows its social media followers, it doesn’t mean sales will increase.

Georger says it’s unclear whether specialty retailers can drive traffic to brick-and-mortar stores via Facebook. But being active on Facebook and even advertising on the social media platform keeps the retailer top-of-mind when the customer is ready to purchase.

Online stores, however, have an easier time converting Facebook fans to online shoppers starting with reviews, testimonials and ratings.

Either way, Facebook can support future sales because it’s often a place where consumers first learn about businesses—or go to learn more—before buying from them.

Ryan Corwin, advertising and marketing manager of Bob Ward and Sons in Montana, says he sees potential for Facebook advertising but isn’t totally convinced. His shop caters to customers older than 40, and he doesn’t think they spend enough time on Facebook to justify the marketing dollars.

Yet he’s trying to attract a younger audience, so Corwin is torn on whether to market where younger customers are in order to reach them, or get the customers and then market to them.

“I would say, if we wanted to devote enough resources, it would definitely be a smart investment,” Corwin says.

Promoted posts are seen by more fans—who, hopefully, will share or like the post, which will then be seen by more people and earn the business more “likes”—making them a good option for in-store events and sales. Facebook ads, on the other hand, can garner new likes which will broaden a business’s fan base and increase its potential reach, Lingafelter says.

But Lingafelter says a frequently raised question is: If businesses have to pay Facebook, then can those dollars be spent elsewhere? Georger says a small brick-and-mortar ski shop is likely best off spending money elsewhere.

However, O’Connor, who co-owns five stores, says marketing via Facebook is a gamble businesses need to take.

“I think you’ve just gotta do it,” O’Connor says. “If you’re not (advertising on Facebook), you’re losing out—and you’re losing out to your competitors.”

Skiing Business spoke with Juliette Rule, Sierra Trading Post’s social media manager, to find out more about its first live event that took place September 27, and how it’ll change the next one scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 25.

What is the investment involved in organizing STPlive?
In terms of resources, we pretty much had it covered internally. We even have a full-time videographer Chris Martin who is able to pull all of that together with our gear expert Ryan Pennock (who’s in the video). It did take a little bit of programming on the website just to plug everything in, and we promoted the event to drive people to our site.

It was really just a question of planning and making sure we knew what to expect. We tested and rehearsed because we wanted it to be smooth for obvious reasons.

For the first one, it took about three weeks of preparation. We weren’t working on it full-time because we have other things to do too, but we had five or six people involved. We just committed the resources, and the pay-off was big for us in part because we got great feedback from customers, and in part because it was so fun.

Juliette Rule

Why did you guys put in this much effort to engage your customers through social media and online?
We do have a long history at Sierra Trading Post of connecting one-on-one with customers, and the Internet is, of course, an extension of that. We think that doing STPlive is a powerful way for us to set ourselves apart from our competitors. It also gives our customers an opportunity to see that we’re real people behind the brand. Customer engagement is fundamentally what we’re about; from top to bottom it’s what fuels the company.

What have you learned so far from doing STPlive, and what do you think other shops could learn from it?
The biggest thing we learned (based on the response we got) is that we need to keep doing this.

We were really lucky on my team because it was fun too. It was risky because there was a possibility of big failure with all of the technology involved, but we had no problems because we rehearsed and practiced before doing it live.

I’m really happy with the work my team put into this, it was nothing short of a success for us. We’re good self-critics, so we saw some things that we’ll do differently next time; but that’s just the process of learning and I know we’re going to be really good at this.

It’s entirely possible for a shop owner to do this. The best advice I can give them is practice with your technology before the actual big event. Through a little preparation, you exponentially outweigh the risk of failure. No one wants to fail big, but I think when you risk nothing you risk even more. That’s true in life and business. And if you’re going to be active on the social web, then you have to know when to take some risks.

STPlive countdown and set-up page

You’ve said there’s value in talking with customers on the social web, but what do you see as that value?
Well, we really didn’t do a huge publicity push for STPlive because we wanted to experiment with it.

We didn’t know how to anticipate the response we were going to get. It’s really hard to predict whether or not we were hosting the event at the right time, and if we were going to get engagement.

The thing about the social web that I think a lot of organizations miss is that even if you’re not a part of the conversation, it’s happening around your brand. This is a great way for us to be visible, accountable and approachable.

There’s an opportunity to reach customers through social networks, and when those customers are talking to you on the social web they’re also reaching their connections—and it’s very inexpensive to do that.

What can we expect from the STPlive show on October 25?
As for the actual event on Thursday, we’ve got a new landing page up that makes the engagement piece so much clearer. The Twitter feed is next to the video, so that’s also a big improvement. We’ll have a lot more structure to the flow, which will lengthen the event a bit. We’re balancing preparation and authenticity, though, so we don’t want to come off like we’re rehearsed and just reading lines. That’s why we didn’t write a script but will spend a couple hours in rehearsal Tuesday afternoon.

It will be at 2 p.m. (MST). Marmot is the featured brand, so people can expect to get some tips on choosing the right jacket. We’ll use different Marmot jackets to illustrate what its applications are in certain winter conditions and talk about why.

Since we’re positioning ourselves as experts, we need to make sure we know the brand and its qualities inside and out. We’ve worked with Marmot for a long time, so our team is familiar with the brand. Marmot is also well known, so that gives our event a little lift too.

Shop: Peak Performance Ski Shop
Address: 2808 Killington Rd, Killington, VT
Website: www.peakskishop.com
Owners: Fred and Denise Coriell
Number of locations: 1
Year founded: 1989
Shop size: 3,200 sq. ft.
Number of employees: 15

Peak Performance has been a family-run shop since 1989. How has working with family and having kids that are ski racers helped keep customers coming back?
I think the fact that the owners’ boys were ski racers helps. Fred and Denise have hands-on experience with the racing world, and they know what parents of racers need. They know what parents’ issues are, which gives them credibility. They aren’t just a sell, sell, sell kind of shop owners. We’re more focused on giving racers and their parents what we know they need, and being a reliable source for them. We help them with anything from pointing young racers to helpful blog posts about ski racing, to looking for their gear.

Families are our main customers, so having a family-based staff gives us a trust that you can’t get anywhere else. In the store, we are all one big family.

We try to expand our customer base with the website, getting as much SEO as possible, but we do well enough with the community customers we have. We are very loyal to them.

Fred and Denise Coriell with Sadie the shop dog.

What do you do to keep up with the online push and guess where the industry is going from a technology standpoint?
We like to think we constantly keep our finger on the pulse. We’re on the web every day looking for new social media opportunities, researching trends in the industry and just trying to keep up with the game. We incorporate all aspects of social media from Pinterest to Twitter to Facebook. We do everything we can to stay at the front end of the new technologies because, in this industry, you need to have an advantage.

We use Pinterest and Twitter to target certain audiences, too. Pinterest attracts a lot of 18- 24-year-old women, while Twitter seems to attract a lot of young racer boys, so we try to use these demographics to further market ourselves.

What are your thoughts on rocker appearing more in race skis?
The rocker’s purpose is to initiate turns easier, making skiing and racing easier, so most companies are incorporating them into their race line in some way. The proof is in the pudding, so every company and racer is really paying attention to the new technology. I think the rocker is a good thing. The customers are realizing their potential, and are really enjoying skiing on them. I think they will become the industry standard.

What do you do to keep up with the rapidly changing ski industry?
We attend as many shows as possible. We also make sure everyone in the shop gets to test new equipment, so any employee can answer any question a customer has. We’re all different types of skiers in the office, so we get on as many different skis as possible in as many conditions as possible to really understand how the skis work.

What made you invest in a Wintersteiger Sigma Race 350 tuning machine and Trimjet Edge tuning system? And when did you see an ROI from its use?
It is the best machine in the industry. Fred and Denise were able to identify the need for high-quality tuning in a ski shop such as our, and they felt that investing in the system was the best way to give the highest quality tune. It is needed in the icy East Coast area. The quality of our tuning was always high, but these machines guaranteed the consistency of the tunes for the recreational skier and the very specific needs of our race customers.

I don’t have an exact ROI, but the machine has certainly paid itself long ago. The machines enable faster turn around time in the back shop, but, really, the key to faster turn around and less clutter is not completely based on the machines used. It’s based on the systems in place within the shop like organization, staff training, shop paperwork and ski storage.

Peak Performance’s tuning section.

How do you guys handle carry-over inventory?
Every Columbus Day, we have a big ski swap, where we take all of the old stuff and blow it out. If it doesn’t sell, we put it in the attic and try to blow it out next year for an even greater discount. We focus on new products mainly because racing products always change. The athletes are always updating their skis at the beginning of each season. Then, at the end of the season, we try to blow the season’s skis out for a discounted price.

Having older products at discounted prices helps clear inventory. It is important to have it because people always want discounts, but race skis from previous years aren’t as likely to sell as other older skis.

How do those discounts differ from what many racers can get straight from brand reps?
We offer USSA race price (the manufactured race pricing) to all athletes. This should match what the reps offer. All the ski manufacturers have rules of what can be offered at what price, so as long as we stick to what the manufacturer wants, we’re good. We don’t mark up the skis, and we try to be fair to our customers under the regulations given to us.

What brands are your best sellers, and what brands are you investing more in and why?
The narrower skis work best for East Coast skiing. The Blizzard skis have become very popular, along with the Rossi Experience 88. The boots with hike mode—the Green Lange XT130, Tecnica Cochise, and Atomic Redster line—sell very well to racer’s parents. These boots aren’t a part of racing yet, though, so we sell these to the parents who want to be comfortable watching their children zip down the mountain. They like wearing them for après ski, in the bars.

Inside the Peak Performance shop.

What are your expectations for your business in the next 12 months?
The most important thing is that the snow is better than last year. From there, we hope to really focus on marketing aspects that weren’t focused on before, such as bootfitting and ski tuning. We want to have a bigger push in getting the word out about our expertise in tuning and bootfitting because we have been doing remarkable jobs in these areas for years now, and it’s something that has never advertised, but should be.

In his new role, Saunders will head up all customer service functions as well as logistics, inventory management, warehouse management, IT, and all related core operational functions. With both Salewa and Dynafit emerging as industry leaders Saunders will be tasked with scaling the company’s operations and service to keep up with increasing demand.

Drew Saunders has been working for Dynafit/Salewa North America since 2008.

“I am very pleased to expand my role with Salewa and Dynafit.  We have a great deal of opportunity ahead of us.” says Saunders. “My goal in is this new position is to expand best-in-class customer service in the outdoor industry and to strengthen an already great team here in Boulder.”

In his previous position as Customer Operations Manager for Salewa North America, Saunders was instrumental in building a foundation for the current success of Dynafit and Salewa by managing the customer service team and handling key accounts while taking on increasing responsibility in the areas of inventory and operations.  Saunders uses his passion for the outdoors to relate to customers across the globe.  Saunders started with Salewa North America in November 2008.  Prior to working for Salewa, Drew worked in sales and product management at Kelty.  If you miss Drew at the office, he can be found skiing or mountain biking in the Front Range of Colorado and beyond.

“We’re excited to have Drew in this new role” says Jim Lamancusa, Sales and Marketing Director. “Our company is expanding in size and complexity, and Drew brings with him a wealth of knowledge, experience, and passion for our sports and brands that will be critical to our future success.”

The North American headquarters is the wholly-owned subsidiary of Salewa International, based in Bolzano, Italy.  Salewa International is a family-owned Italian-based business with operations around the world.  The North American business runs the USA/Canada sales, operations, marketing, distribution, and service for the premier alpine brand Salewa (based in Bolzano, Italy), and two of the world’s preeminent backcountry ski brands, Dynafit (based in Munich, Germany), and Pomoca (based in Aubonne, Switzerland).

While there are many more beyond these, here are a handful of slides we think you should see.

The first live stream event was on Sept. 27 and featured products from Alps Mountaineering and general care for camping gear.

Almost instantly the live stream received attention on Twitter from people using the hashtag #STPLive, and the event racked up 70 tweets and 60 “at replies” within 20 minutes, according to the retailer.

The next STPLive event is Thursday, Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. (MDT) and will feature products from Marmot and tips on choosing the right jacket.

Read the full press release below.

CHEYENNE, WYO — Sierra Trading Post hosted its first live stream event Sept. 27 and plans an encore event Oct. 25.

The event, STPlive, introduced the well-respected brand ALPS Mountaineering to fans via Google’s Hangouts On Air on SierraTradingPost.com. The Top 100 Internet Retailer used Twitter to stoke the conversational fires with the hashtag #STPLive, rewarding engagement with giveaways.

“Our goal was to interact with our customers by providing valuable information and answer questions in real time,” explains Juliette Rule, social media manager for Sierra Trading Post. “We focused the event on our three best selling ALPS Mountaineering products and general care for camping gear.”

In 20 minutes, the event racked up more than 70 tweets and more than 60 at replies, including questions for Sierra Trading Post’s gear pro to answer on air. STPLive also drove new visitors to the brand’s blog, the Sierra SocialHub, where a giveaway of ALPS product was promoted. (All questions tweeted during the event were answered in a follow-up blog post, STPLive: The Answers to Your Questions.) The 26-year-old eTailer saw a spike in time spent onsite during that time as well.

“We know the value of talking with customers on the social web,” explains Rule. “The hangout on air was the obvious next step for us. The feedback we got from influential tweeps like @bcoutdoor, @kevinsierath and @SusannaSpeier was hugely rewarding.”

The next STPLive will happen at 2 p.m. (MDT) Thursday, Oct. 25, and feature Marmot product and tips on choosing the right jacket for winter conditions. The event will use the hashtag #STPLive, encourage and reward questions from Twitter users with giveaways during the event and on the Marmot Brand Spotlight post following the event.

“In line with last year, we again saw later back-to-school shopping in 2012, but September this year did not see the early arrival of fall weather seen in 2011,” explained James Hartford, CEO and chief market analyst at The SportsOneSource Group, which manages the OIA VantagePoint platform. “Making comparisons against last September even more difficult was the consumer shopping that shifted from August to September last year after the hurricane interfered with Labor Day weekend plans in the Mid-Atlantic and New England states.”

Outdoor product sales fell 5.3 percent in the specialty retailer strata. The decline represented a sharp contrast from the mid-single-digit growth trend in August. Within specialty retail, only the specialty internet channel showed growth during fiscal September, in contrast to specialty brick-and-mortar store sales of outdoor products, which fell 7.2 percent.

Footwear eked out a small increase in September as a weaker specialty brick-and-mortar business offset solid double-digit gains in the specialty internet channel. Mall retailers, however, experienced the biggest downside impact due to sharp declines in the barefoot running category. Outdoor footwear sales were up just 1.4 percent to $257.2 million.

Hardgoods sales increased 6.7 percent to $448.2 million as double-digit growth in paddlesports, hydration, outdoor electronics and very strong growth in both technical and lifestyle daypacks offset a small decline in camping.

It was more of the same for the outdoor apparel as sales declined 7.7 percent to $222.6 million in fiscal September. Outerwear (by far the largest Apparel segment for the month) matched its percentage decrease from August, although sales volume more than doubled versus the month prior.

OIA VantagePoint is the first and only full market point-of-sale data platform built specifically for the outdoor industry. OIA VantagePoint monthly trend reports, published by the fifteenth of every month, provide the broadest and most timely view of outdoor product sales available.  Category reports are available at no charge to Outdoor Industry Association members and provide comprehensive visibility into the outdoor marketplace by tracking weekly point-of-sale data from more than 10,000 retail doors and websites that carry outdoor products, including nearly 450 outdoor specialty locations. It is the broadest view of both brick-and mortar-and Internet sales of outdoor products available in the market. In-depth sales information is available online within four days of the prior-week close — a competitive advantage for businesses who can shift critical resources and react quickly to ever-changing consumer preferences.

Outdoor Industry Association
Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association is the leading trade association for the outdoor industry and the title sponsor of Outdoor Retailer. OIA supports the growth and success of more than 4,000 manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, sales representatives and retailers of outdoor recreation apparel, footwear, equipment and services. For more information, go to outdoorindustry.org or call 303.444.3353.

The SportsOneSource Group
The SportsOneSource Group is a full service market research company delivering solutions through consumer insight research, retail insight research and retail point-of-sale trending and analysis. The company provides the most reliable, timely and comprehensive sports and outdoor industry information available in the market today. SportScanInfo is a SportsOneSource technology platform developed to compile, aggregate and disseminate aggregated retail point-of-sale information. SportsOneSource also publishes the Sports Executive Weekly and The B.O.S.S. Report executive newsletters, along with the SGB and SGB Performance print publications and their related online, email and digital products. For more information about The SportsOneSource Group call 303.987.3450 or go to SportsOneSource.com.