by Board Retailers Association | Aug 10, 2022 | Brick & Mortar, Industry, News, Predictions, Retail History, Retail Strategy, Skateboard, Women's Market
By John Stouffer | Published Aug 8, 2022 The skateboard industry is struggling with excess hardgoods inventory that’s affecting manufacturers, distributors, and retailers around the world. We talk to leaders at Arbor, Carver, Element, Eastern Skateboard Supply, PS Stix and more about the outlook for the skate market. This article is available to our Executive Edition members. Click here to login or click here to sign up for a free 30 day Executive Edition trial. We, at BRA, feel that the benefits of the SES Executive Edition Membership outweigh the cost. Be sure to visit the Shop Eat Surf website to view valuable Industry News and Resourceful Articles regularly via this link: Shop Eat Surf If you are not yet a BRA Retail Member, you can easily opt in to either Regular (no cost) or Distinguished ($100/yr.) Membership via this super simple join...
by Board Retailers Association | Aug 6, 2022 | Industry, Product Reviews, SUP, Surf, Women's Market
Photo: Christinamae Sheley. Nothing puts a damper on an epic surf session more than being cold. If you’re anything like me, being cold means it’s game over. Once the shivers start, it’s time for me to paddle in, regardless of how good the waves are. Although summertime delivers plenty of waves and warm weather, if it’s a dawn patrol session or the wind is up, I tend to get chilly. Wetsuit jackets are easy to throw on, making them the perfect way to combat the cold. After some testing, we’ve rounded up five of our favorite wetsuit jackets for women. For more gear guides written specifically for women who shred, check out our guide to the best women’s wetsuits, the best women’s springsuits, the best women’s surf suits and rashguards, the best stay-put women’s swimsuits for surfing, and the best surf leggings for women. What Are the Best Women’s Wetsuit Jackets? Kassia + Surf La Luna 2 MM Jacket ($158) Patagonia R1 Lite Yulex Long-Sleeve Top ($129) O’Neill Bahia Full-Zip Jacket ($100) Sisstrevolution Summer Seas Long Sleeve Neoprene Jacket ($105) NRS Ignitor Jacket ($90) What Makes a Good Wetsuit Jacket? ComfortComfort is my number one priority for most clothing items and wetsuit jackets are no exception. I want my jacket to be cozy and comfy so I can wear it for marathon sessions and not have to worry about it bunching or causing chaffing. StyleIf I’m going to be wearing it often, I want something that looks good, so I feel confident wearing it for surfing, diving, and everything in between. DurabilityWhen I buy a wetsuit jacket, I expect it to last a few years...
by Board Retailers Association | Jul 10, 2022 | Community, Surf, Women's Market
Maryam El Gardoum tears into a blue Moroccan wall. Photo: Femme Ocean. ‘Femme Ocean’ Tells the Stories of Four Women Breaking Boundaries in Surfing The ocean nearly took my life,” says filmmaker Annika von Schütz. “Now it’s giving me life.” Premiering July 9 at the International Surf Film Festival in Anglet, France, Femme Ocean profiles five women from Portugal, Morocco, and Sri Lanka, who fell in love with a sport long dominated by men. They are pioneers, athletes, adventurers, activists, and artists who share a unique bond with surf and the sea, pushing the limits of social convention. “Our relationship with the sea is a relationship of vitality,” von Schütz continues. “We take risks on the water. We trust in nature. We confront our fear and we begin to trust ourselves. We build that courage and take it with us back to the land, to our communities and beyond. Globally, women are an increasing part of the surfing community and surfing can be seen as a tool for women empowerment. So I went on a trip from Portugal to Sri Lanka to meet women who are making their own way.” The characters in the film bring with them a variety of perspectives. When Teresa Ayala started to surf 44 years ago on the Portuguese coast, there were only men in the water. Joana Andrade is fighting for her dream of surfing big waves at Praia do Norte beach in Nazaré. Also from Portugal, Lizzy is transforming her love for surfing into art and creating awareness for environmental topics. Maryam El Gardoum is a female surf pioneer in Morocco and Sithmi Nawodya, the daughter of...
by Board Retailers Association | Apr 12, 2022 | E-Commerce, Retail Strategy, Women's Market
Now over two years into the pandemic, the apparel retail category is steadily recovering following declines in 2020. With consumers returning to in-person workplaces, schools and social activities, the need for new clothes has been met with changes to the retail landscape and, inevitably, the role of digital vs. in-store shopping. A new report from Sense360 by Medallia uncovered emerging differences between online and in-store shoppers. Understanding these distinctions can help retailers win over today’s consumers. Key Findings Apparel’s recovery has been driven primarily by a sustained shift toward digital shopping, with in-store sales still trending below pre-pandemic levels. Though certain pandemic-induced habits have stuck, including consolidated shopping trips to accomplish more in each visit, in-store transaction volumes are still down compared to 2019 levels. However, the data reveals that consumers are buying more in each purchase, which could be a result of pandemic-induced habits. Online shoppers have some demographic differences from in-store shoppers and also have a higher degree of concern about COVID-19. Online visits are especially short, with the majority lasting just under 20 minutes, and almost one in five lasting under 10 minutes. Related story: The Trends and Disruptors E-Commerce Needs to Address Source: Sense360 by Medallia January Apparel Shopper Post-Visit Survey (n=1,501) With shorter online sessions, retailers have a smaller window of opportunity to convert browsers into buyers. They can use the following tactics to act more strategically: Deals: Online shoppers are especially motivated by deals when it comes to choosing a retailer (37 percent for online vs. 22 percent for in-store). Retailers should promote deals both before and during the online shopper’s visit to maximize conversion.Personalization: Retailers stand...
by Board Retailers Association | Mar 28, 2022 | Industry, Retail Strategy, Sustainability, Women's Market
The fashion industry is now tied for first place in destroying our beloved planet. In 2021, 54 percent of retail bankruptcies were in apparel. And 56 percent of online returns were apparel. In fact, overall return rates are up by 35 percent since 2011. Once merchandise is returned, less than 50 percent is resold at full price. What’s more, 73 percent of returns could be avoided by retailers being more proactive. What kind of business model is this? Missing the Point Many retailers are now focused on creating better returns practices. This is not going to revolutionize retail, but it may revolutionize the customer experience. Retailers don’t really have a choice. Many retailers in desperation to keep their consumers or gain new ones extended the holiday returns window well into February 2022. In some cases, coined as the “return-less refund” they’re not even processing the return, but instead issuing a refund and telling their beloved customer to keep it. But there is something fundamentally off with this policy: Here’s your refund but keep the shirt that doesn’t fit. Really? Who wins? In my opinion, no one, not the consumer, not the brand, not the landfills, and definitely not the bottom line. Many retailers are now focused on creating better returns practices This is not going to revolutionize retail, but it may revolutionize the customer experience. Fit Issues Fit is a problem: the third of 10 reasons for returns is fit, according to Coresight. Many other studies say its #1, and I tend to agree. But really, you have to ask, “Why” is she really returning it? Why aren’t the...
by Board Retailers Association | Feb 10, 2022 | Competitions, Industry, News, Olympics, Snowboard, Women's Market
Chloe Kim’s score from her first halfpipe run delivered her second consecutive gold medal in the event.Gabriela Bhaskar/The New York Times Kim was awarded with an untouchable score of 94. Queralt Castellet, of Spain, earned the silver medal, and Sena Tomita, of Japan, won bronze, neither seriously threatening Kim’s performance. Kim tried to ratchet the degree of difficulty in her final two runs, the way she had four years ago. She fell both times. It didn’t matter. The contest was over nearly as quickly as it had started. “Not to discount any of these riders, but she has a bag of tricks that not anyone else does,” Kim’s longtime coach, Rick Bower, said. “And she showcased that in her first run.”The victory felt less like a coronation for Kim, now 21, but a personal comeback of sorts. The lingering question as she scooted away was what happens next. Four years ago, Kim arrived to the 2018 Olympics and landed into the embrace of a warm South Korean crowd, a loving family and instant stardom. She was 17. It all seemed so easy. The 2022 Olympic halfpipe final had none of that, except in the pipe itself. There was no crowd because of the pandemic. Her family did not attend. And Kim is now 21. This is a different time and a different Kim. Chloe Kim fell on her second and third runs but still remained in first place with a 94.Credit…Gabriela Bhaskar/The New York Times The attention from the last Olympic victory, and some of the nastiness, even within snowboarding circles, nearly chased her from the sport. She didn’t strap...
