To my fellow NSSRA members:

 

Time for another newsletter, and as Yogi Berra would say, "It's Déjà vu all over again." I mean we have some interesting subjects to report and again we include a letter from past Chair Brad Nelson that is worthwhile reading.  

 

Also we report on the new SIA Show dates for the buying season of 17/18.

 

One very important point I'd like to communicate: It seems to me that as I sit here in Vermont on December 17th, watching a downpour of rain on totally green landscape that we have a somewhat challenging start to the winter sports season. Not only is the weather causing stress but also, it seems, I constantly hear of new challenges to the snow sports specialty retailer.

 

Today it looks like my most troublesome and threatening competitors are my own suppliers. Every day, I am informed of new Internet sales programs that my own suppliers are implementing; they are targeting my own customers. Not only do they want me to stock my shelves with their products, but they also want to compete with me and sell to my customers, the same customers for whom I stocked the inventory.

 

What do I do about this? Here is my answer. If I think the supplier's program is totally unfair to me and that their Internet sales approach robs me of sales potential, I need to communicate my dissatisfaction. If my suppliers are unwilling to structure an Internet sales program that works for both of us, then I'm going to show my displeasure with my pen. I am going to reward supplier/partners and punish supplier/competitors.

 

We specialty retailers cannot just watch our own suppliers become our most aggressive competitors without reacting.

 

Think snow...and do it well!

 

Regards,