Board Retailers Association Mourns Loss of Greg Bennett
Date: 9/29/2010
Owner of Birthday Suits and Founder of BRA Passes Away
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (September 29, 2009) - It is with great sadness that the Board Retailers Association (BRA) announces the loss of Greg Bennett. Greg and his wife Jill owned Birthday Suits, a specialty chain of North Carolina shops focused on swimwear. Greg was a founding member of BRA, a Board Member since 2003, a great retailer, and a close personal friend. He has been in business and active in the industry and his community for 25 years. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
"I have known Greg for almost ten years and I cannot express my deep sorrow for his family's loss. Greg was an amazing source of inspiration for me personally and the association during our formative years," said Mike Duncan, BRA President. "We would not be where we are today without his support and I am forever grateful."
Greg's memorial service was held Monday, September 28th in his hometown on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Relay for Life Outer Banks, c/o Jill Bennett at 322 Sir Chandler Drive, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948.
Documents: Greg Bennett.pdf
Board Retailers Association Announces 2009-2011 Co-Chairs
Date: 7/15/2009
Growing Association Restructures to Provide Bi-Coastal Representation
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (July 15, 2009) - The Board Retailers Association (BRA), a non-profit representing 550 independently owned surf, skate, snow and wake retailers, is pleased to announce Duke Edukas from Surfside Sports in Costa Mesa, CA, and Deepak "D" Nachnani from Coastal Edge in Virginia Beach, VA, as BRA Co-Chairs for the 2009-2011 term. Duke and D. replace Todd Roberts, from ZJ Boarding House in Santa Monica, CA, who successfully served as Chairman since 2007. Todd will retain his position as a Member of the BRA Board of Directors.
"It was a pleasure and an experience to represent my fellow retailers as BRA Chairman," said Todd Roberts. "I have no doubt that Duke and D. will continue to successfully lead the association through these tough economic times into the future."
"Todd was an exceptional Chairman and we are indebted to him for his service to the action sport specialty retail market," said Mike Duncan, President of BRA. "We are excited to welcome Duke and D. as co-chairs to better represent the diversity of our members geographically, as well as their size and product diversification."
"I am honored to serve as BRA Co-Chair with Duke," said D. Nachnani of Coastal Edge. "This is the first time in the history of the association that a Chairman has been from the East Coast. Being part of BRA, has helped me to grow personally, network with key industry leaders and grow my business. I look forward to sharing that experience with other retailers," continued Nachnani.
Over the next two years, BRA plans to continue to grow its retail certification program, educational offerings, industry research and charitable contributions. "The purpose of the association is to unite specialty retailers and serve as a voice in the industry," said Duke Edukas of Surfside Sports. "I look forward to utilizing my industry connections, experiences and over 25 years in business to build on the strength of that voice."
Please join BRA in welcoming Duke and D as BRA Co-Chairs at the upcoming Surf Expo and ASR tradeshows.
Documents: Co-Chair PR.pdf
Men's Apparel Forecasted to be Key Driver For Action Sports Specialty Retailers in 2009
Adapt accordingly. And, thrive in 2009. Specialty retailers look to the future.
Thank goodness 2008 is over. There wasn't a single place you could hide on this planet without being bombarded with bad news. And, unfortunately, the action sports industry did not escape the impact the economy has had on businesses in every industry sector.
According to specialty retailers who participated in the Board-Trac/BRA Quarterly Specialty Retail Research -- the Q4 2008/2009 Business Outlook, 58.2% indicated that their 2008 sales were down from 2007 levels. No surprise there. Like 2008, 2009 will be a challenging year. However, unlike 2008, retailers are going into 2009 better prepared.
29.7% of survey respondents said that apparel will be the most imortant category for their store's growth. However, apparel sales has also been one of the biggest challenges. Over-distribution of brands is the number one concern for specialty retailers. A topic that has spurred much debate at industry summits and trade shows. Private label will will continue to be a key weapon in the retailer's arsenal in 2009.
The economy will continue to be one of the biggest, if not the biggest challendge for retailers this year. Some of the biggest challenges a specialty retailer faces in 2009 are the brands they currently carry.
Documents: Specialty_retailers _thrive_in_2009 (4).pdf
3point5.com Addresses Word-of-Mouth Marketing at Board Retailers Summit
Date: 1/1/2009
SALT LAKE CITY, UT (April 27, 2009) - A recent NOP World study revealed that 93 percent of customers identify word-of-mouth as the best, most reliable source of ideas and information on products and services - a 26 percent increase from 25 years ago.
So it came as no surprise when an eMarketer survey revealed that 70 percent of Inc. 100 companies are planning a word-of-mouth marketing campaign in the next year - it's the No.1 growing marketing vehicle.
Addressing the Board Retailers Association Summit VI in Huntington Beach last week, 3point5.com Sales Manager Matt Ford addressed ways his company harnesses word-of-mouth marketing online.
"We target some of the most influential word-of-mouth sales influencers on the planet - retail salespeople," Ford said.
3point5.com builds online training sites for manufacturers and retailers in the Action Sports, Snowsports, Outdoor, Bike, Hunt/Fish, Golf and Tennis industries. Retail salespeople register and train for free, earning deep discounts on products they sell by passing "Edu-Games" testing brand, technology and product knowledge. More than 130 brands count training sites on 3point5.com, which is accessed regularly by more than 140,000 registered users working out of more than 16,000 retail locations.
BRA Retail Summit VI gathered retailers from across the country for three days of seminars on topics ranging from credit and debt management to the current state of the board sport industry. Interactive workshops focused on opening a dialogue between retailers and manufacturers as participants reconnected with old friends and built new business relationships.
"3point5.com is the perfect solution for a range of retailers - from large companies like REI and Cabela's on down to specialty shops with just a few employees," said Dave Stockham, Vice President of Retail and Member Services.
Firewire surfboards, Flow snowboards, SkullCandy and Hobie, Smith and Costa Del Mar sunglasses are among 3point5.com clients who serve board sports retailers.
"3point5.com was a natural choice for the Summit," said BRA Executive Director Melissa Clary. "Their proven online training method is an efficient conduit for product information and a hassle-free way for retailers to re-ignite their employee-purchase programs. This gets products into the hands of those who know them best."
Online retail trainer 3point5.com and the Board Retailers Association recently announced a partnership to build and promote Web-based training for the board sport industry.
Under the agreement, 3point5.com offer free sponsorship benefits on BRA-created training courses and delivers marketing capabilities to BRA, including the ability to conduct polls, surveys, offers, events and administrative functions. In addition, BRA retail members receive free three-month trial upgrades to 3point5.com subscription-based services and free hosting on one BRA-created course for a month.
In exchange, BRA endorses 3point5.com within the board sport industry as the online resource for its members' retail employees.
About the Board Retailers Association
The Board Retailers Association (BRA) is the unified voice and action group representing independent board sports retailers across the United States. The name Board Retailers Association reflects the multidimensional aspect that most retailers in our industry have. Surfboarding, skateboarding, snowboarding and wakeboarding all share a central theme as board sport retailers. BRA organizes and expresses the views and concerns of independent board sport retailers to manufacturer's associations and major trade show organizations in an effort to help promote our industry and support the board sports specialty retailer.
For more information:
Visit the Board Retailers Association Web site at www.boardretailers.org for more information.
Contact 3point5.com Sales Manager Matt Ford at mford@3point5.com or at 801 456-6981.
For a 3point5 demo visit: www.surfskate.3point5.com
Member ID: demosurf
Password: skate
SURF INDUSTRY RIDING OUT THE ECONOMIC STORM
Date: 7/21/2009
Findings of SIMA’s Retail Research Show Resiliency of the Surf/Skate Industry
The surf/skate industry is showing notable resiliency during recent global economic challenges, posting U.S. retail sales of $7.22 billion in 2008 according to the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA). In a third-party research study conducted by the Leisure Trends Group (LTG) and commissioned by SIMA, the 2008 SIMA Retail Distribution Study, findings released today indicate that the surf industry is holding strong.
The study indicates that the surf industry experienced a slight dip in 2008 with retail sales hitting the $7.22 billion mark compared to $7.48 billion in 2006 (a 3.5% decrease). Softness was most apparent in the fourth quarter of 2008, coinciding with the global economic indicators of that time. However, the surf industry has shown substantial growth of 10% for the last five years. The SIMA Retail Distribution Study is conducted biannually, and launched in 2004 with findings showing U.S. surf/skate retail sales at $6.52 billion at that time.
"While the surf/skate retail industry is not immune to the downward pressure on retail sales nationwide caused by the global recession, the resiliency of the surf/skate industry is very positive and promising," says Doug Palladini, SIMA President and Vice President of Marketing for Vans. "Powerful brands with close connections to their consumers will see us through these challenging times and put us in a strong position as the overall economy rebounds."
The 2008 SIMA Retail Distribution Study cites several key factors as driving the overall consistency of the surf industry, including: loyalty of core surfers and skaters to the lifestyle and sport; and, the increasing demand for surf/skate footwear and accessories as evidenced by the double-digit growth of these key categories.
Passion and youth largely drive the surf industry. Surfers and skaters view the industry as a lifestyle, not a passing trend. Because of this, core retailers often tend to feel the downward pressure of sales in tough economic time less than the larger retailers and chains as the core retailers attract enthusiasts. While large-scale retailers may attract customers seeking mainstream fashion trends, when times get tough, those customers often are not loyal. For core surfers and skaters their sport is a necessity and, while they might not be spending as much, they keep frequenting their surf and skate shops looking to fill-in on items such as accessories and replacing old or worn-out items. According to LTG, experience shows that sports industries are some of the first to recover from negative global events and previous recessions.
"There is evidence that the industry has underlying support from core surfers and skaters," says Sean Smith, Executive Director of SIMA. "Because passion drives us more than money, our industry is more likely to weather economic storms. Even when times are tough we're still going to surf, and we're likely to purchase the attire and equipment needed for us or our kids to pursue this passion. That's not to say that the past year hasn't been challenging as it has been for our industry and others, but this data shows we can be confident the future looks bright."
The foot is responsible for the largest double-digit growth noted in the 2008 SIMA Retail Distribution Study. The total footwear category (men's and women's shoes and sandals) experienced a hike of 15.6% since 2006 to $1.5 billion in sales recorded in 2008. While men's footwear and sandals contribute most to this category claiming 77% of sales ($1.15 billion), women's sandals saw a significant 3% increase in their contribution to the category during the last two years, growing from $143 million in sales in 2006 to $210 million in 2008.
"Shoes have moved to the center of the teen wardrobe, with classic and skate styles setting the pace in youth fashion trends," says Palladini.
The accessory category experienced the second-highest increase, climbing 13.1% over 2006 to a total of $561 million sold in 2008. Sunglasses and hats led the charge in increased sales, with duffel bags and watches also contributing strongly to the category's 2008 success. Of note, sunglass sales have been trending significantly upwards during the last five years, growing from $81 million in sales in 2004 to $151.5 million in 2008.
"Depth and breadth in accessory assortments have moved the category from ‘impulse' to ‘must-have,'" states Palladini. "The quality of design and production in areas such as hats and sunglasses among action sports brands has increased exponentially in the past decade."
Apparel (which includes men's and women's clothing, swimwear and boardshorts) has held strong as the largest category, generating the most sales overall with $1.7 billion (down just 0.8% from 2006). Men's/boy's apparel accounts for 62% of these sales ($1.0 billion). Men's boardshorts also continue to see growth, increasing to $204 million in 2008 sales, up from $124 million in 2004. Women's swimwear recorded significant growth as well, increasing sales by $34 million during the last two years to hit $85 million in 2008.
Top Surf Industry Trends
1. Footwear: The overall footwear category (men's and women's shoes and sandals) experienced the most growth in 2008 with sales of $1.5 billion - an increase of 15.6% from 2006.
2. Accessories: Continue to see strong growth in this high-margin product category, which includes sunglasses, watches, bags, hats, belts and wallets. Accessory sales grew 13.1% from 2006 with total sales of $561 million. Sunglasses, hats and wallets saw a gain in their contribution to the overall category.
3. Apparel: This product category generated the most sales with $1.7 billion (down just 0.8% from 2006), with men's/boy's apparel accounting for 62% of these sales. Men's boardshorts and women's swimwear have continued to see growth as well.
4. Wetsuits: Fullsuits continue to drive wetsuit sales. For the first time, the study indicates the average retail price for wetsuits is $214, with 82 as the average number of units sold per year in a surf shop.
5. Hard Goods: Skateboard decks are the highest volume seller with 821 units sold being average for a retailer. Surfboard fins are the least expensive hard good, averaging $52 and 507 units sold. Also, in surfboard sales, the percentage of hybrid boards (fish/eggs/funboards) significantly increased in 2008 compared to 2006.
Board Retailers Association Prepares to Host Annual Retail Summit
Date: 4/16/2009
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (April 16, 2009) - The Board Retailers Association (BRA) will host the Retail Summit VI next week in Huntington Beach, April 22 - 24, 2009 at the Hilton Waterfront. The Retail Summit is a three day educational conference with seminars focused on topics ranging from credit and debt management to pricing and discounting, interactive workshops focused on opening a dialogue between retailers and manufacturers, and fun networking opportunities. This is the first time this event has ever been held in the continental United States.
The Retail Summit will kick off Wednesday, April 22nd with a keynote address by Tommy Knapp, former Founder of Honolua Surf Co. and former SIMA President, speaking to retailers on strategies for winning in tough times. Since he has been both a retailer and a manufacturer, and is now an Adjunt Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies at USC, he can provide insight into everything from customer service to keeping the passion alive. Following Tommy, retailers will hear a presentation by Cary Allington of ActionWatch, State of the Skate Industry, a retail and manufacturer panel on pricing and discounting as well as a Skatetech Seminar by Professor Schmitt.
That afternoon retailers will be treated to a beach demo day where manufacturers and retailers alike take to the water for an afternoon surf session. Later that evening, Volcom is hosting a Welcome Dinner and Reception poolside.
On Thursday, April 23rd, retailers will begin the day with a presentation by Dina Cipollaro, from Fundamental Training Solutions. She is going to lead an executive coaching session focused on leadership training. She has spoken at a number of snow industry events and has a great reputation as an inspirational and motivational speaker. Also that day are presentations by Angelo Ponzi of Board-Trac, State of the Snow Industry by Ed Wray of SIA, State of the Surf Industry and a surf manufacturer panel. Both ASR and Surf Expo will be on hand to lead an interactive discussion and answer retail questions regarding the new tradeshow schedule and added show benefits. That afternoon Quiksilver and Roxy are sponsoring a retail shop tour.
Friday begins with a presentation by Charlie Cotton. Charlie is an energized speaker who will address merchandising and visual presentation. Following Charlie, Mike Duncan will speak on Twitter, Social Media, SEO and PPC. That afternoon retailers will benefit from a seminar on customer service and employee training, as well as an update from SurfAid, the specialty retail survey results and an ASEC sponsored panel on action sports industry growth amidst a volatile economic environment. That evening, retailers will attend the premiere of the film Waveriders as part of the 2009 Newport Beach Film Festival Action Sports Film Series. Following the screening, retailers will be invited to attend the Action Sports post-party at the Sole Technology loft, hosted by Etnies, the NBFF and ChopShop.
BRA would like to thank all the manufacturers and vendors that have supported and sponsored the Retail Summit with a special thanks to our Headline Event Sponsors: Surf Expo, ASR, Quiksilver, Roxy, and Volcom.
Click here to access the Retail Summit VI Schedule.
SIMA/BRA INDUSTRY BOOT CAMP HUGE SUCCESS
Date: 3/24/2009
Location: Huntington Beach, NC
Retailers and Manufacturers Join Together for a Day-Long Open Forum
Wrightsville Beach, NC (March 24, 2009) - The Board Retailers Association (BRA) teamed up with the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) for the first-ever Industry Boot Camp: An Open Forum for Retailers and Manufacturers on March 19th in Huntington Beach. Both sides of the action sport industry came together for a day of education, networking and an open dialogue to discuss issues such as customer service, marketing support, green products, merchandising, trade shows, distribution strategies and product innovation. This sold out day-long event is a continuation of efforts designed to bring retailers and manufacturers together as we work to promote the sport and lifestyle we all love. Special thanks to SIMA, Monster Energy, Transworld Business and Surf Expo for their support and sponsorship.
Retailers began the day with an opening address by Dick Baker, SIMA Chairman Emeritus and Todd Roberts, BRA Chairman and Co-Owner of ZJ Boarding House. Following breakfast, retailers had two back-to-back Breakout Sessions led by Alan Roseman of Strategic Results and Gregg Solomon, an independent consultant formerly with Quiksilver Retail. Roseman's detailed presentation focused on merchandise planning, utilizing POS data and inventory management, while Solomon led an interactive discussion on retail issues ranging from lease negotiations, financing and small business loans, financial forecasting, store operations, design and marketing. After a joint lunch with manufacturers, Boot Camp attendees spent the afternoon rotating through seven moderated roundtable discussions.
"The success of Industry Boot Camp was evident to all attendees. Between the high caliber of speakers, interaction amongst both retailers and manufacturers during the roundtable discussions, and the overall positive vibe, the joint event serves as a stepping stone for bringing the industry together," said Roberts.
BRA plans to build on the momentum of the Industry Boot Camp and the discussions started there at the upcoming Retail Summit to be held April 22 - 24, 2009, in Huntington Beach. The Retail Summit is an opportunity for retailers from across the country to gather for three days of educational seminars, interactive workshops and networking opportunities. In addition, the BRA Retail Summit will also include retail shop tours, a beach bonfire and dinner, as well as a movie premiere party at the Newport Beach Film Festival. For additional details, a list of seminars, presentations, and to register for the BRA Retail Summit click here.
Public Skatepark Development Guide
Website: publicskateparkguide.org
New Updated and Improved Second Edition Available
The Public Skatepark Development Guide, the indispensable handbook for public-skatepark advocates, is now available in an updated and improved second edition. First published in 2007 by the Tony Hawk Foundation, Skaters For Public Skateparks, and the International Association of Skateboard Companies, the ultimate guide for community-skatepark advocates was available for free, and supplies quickly disappeared.
The new 128-page second edition features updated information and expanded chapters, including skatepark vision, advocacy, fundraising, design, and management, plus several supplements and visual aids. Author Peter Whitley revisited the material and compiled updates from dozens of experienced skatepark advocates around the country to make the Public Skatepark Development Guide second edition even more informative and helpful than the original version.
At its meeting in December, the Tony Hawk Foundation Board of Directors voted to fund the printing of the second edition so that this valuable resource could once again be made available to the public for only the cost of shipping. To order the book, visit publicskateparkguide.org.
Board Retailers Association Renews Endorsement of ActionWatch
Date: 4/1/2009
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (April 1, 2009) - The Board Retailers Association has renewed its endorsement of ActionWatch, the action sports industry's POS-based market-tracking service developed by AA Data Company.
"ActionWatch is an important service to help surf and skate retailers stay on top of national trends in the industry and to provide benchmark data to compare our stores against," said Todd Roberts, BRA chairman and co-owner of ZJ Boarding House. "We encourage all action sports retailers to participate in this program - it's free to retailers and provides many valuable benefits to its members and to the industry as a whole."
The ActionWatch Retail Panel currently includes more than 200 independent specialty surf and/or skate stores throughout the nation. Participating retailers receive access to a series of over 50 relevant reports that are updated each month along with comprehensive annual reports that include detailed information on each significant product category and the performances of the top brands in each product class.
"In addition to the great benchmarking and trending data, one of the most valuable benefits to retailers is that ActionWatch helps increase the voice of the independent specialty retailer," stated Melissa Clary, BRA Executive Director. "As this is one of the main goals of the Board Retailers Association, endorsing ActionWatch is well aligned with our mission."
Retailers participate by providing monthly sales and inventory reports, which are translated into a product and categorization system, before being merged together. This process serves the purposes of combining the data into a usable format and also protecting the confidentiality of individual store's information. Participation can be automatic or require only a few minutes each month, depending on the POS software used by the retailer.
"Market-tracking programs like ActionWatch can't exist without participation of the industry's retailers, so we really appreciate BRA for encouraging their members to be a part of the program," states Cary Allington, co-founder of AA Data Company.
More information about the ActionWatch program can be found at www.ActionWatchReports.com.
BRA Conducts Retail Focused Survey on Tradeshow Schedule
Majority of Retailers not Initially in Favor of Moving September Tradeshows to August in 2009
WILMINGTON, NC, NOVEMBER 5, 2007 - In response to industry feedback regarding the dates of the Surf Expo and ASR Tradeshows, the Board Retailers Association (BRA) recently conducted a retail-focused survey to gauge buyer's initial response to moving the September show dates back to August. Over the past couple of years, apparel and shoe companies have begun to break their lines earlier, pushing up ordering deadlines and making the September tradeshows less timely. As a result, both ASR and Surf Expo are considering moving the September show in 2009 to the middle or end of August.
One hundred and fifteen retailers representing at least 240 store locations, as well as every aspect of the board sport industry from surf, snow and skate to boutique and resort replied to the BRA survey on the upcoming tradeshow schedule. 62.1% of the respondents were from the East Coast and Puerto Rico, 17.6% indicated they were from the Midwest while the remaining retailers indicated they were from the West Coast or Hawaii. Of the survey respondents, 81% indicated that they regularly attend the Surf Expo tradeshow and almost 40% attend ASR.
Of the 40% of respondents who attend ASR, a slight majority (57%) of retailers indicated that they preferred for ASR to remain in September after the Labor Day holiday. To affirm their position, 27% of these retailers indicated that they would not attend the show if the dates were moved to August, while almost half (43%) of survey responders indicated that they would attend the show no matter what dates were selected. 14% of the 40% that attend ASR actually indicated they were in favor of the show moving dates to August.
Like ASR, retailers who attend Surf Expo (81% of retailers surveyed) initially prefer for the show to keep its current dates in September. 13.2% selected the fourth week of August as a potential substitute and 12.1% indicated that they would prefer the show take place in the third week of August. Half (50.6%) of the retailers who responded to the survey and currently attend Surf Expo indicated that they would no longer be able to participate in the show if the dates were moved to August. 24.2% were neutral to the change while 13.2% actually preferred the move.
The Board Retailers Association will continue to work with tradeshow organizations as they collect, analyze and evaluate both retail and manufacturer feedback on the 2009 show dates. BRA would like to thank retailers for taking the time to complete the survey.