Welcome to the new NSSRA Newsletter. This monthly publication will be sent to all NSSRA members via email and be posted on the NSSRA website, www.nssra.com.
We welcome your comments and ideas for articles in future issues. In addition, if there is an issue troubling you, this newsletter is the appropriate vehicle to bring that topic to the attention of your fellow retailers.
Wilbur Rice, Equipe Sport
NSSRA Chairman of the Board
Larry Weindruch
NSSRA President
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Mark Your Calendar
Join Your Fellow Retailers at the NSSRA Annual Meeting
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When: 5:30-6:30 PM, Thursday, January 28, the first day of the SIA Snow Show in Denver.
Where: Room 505, Colorado Convention Center.
Why: Meet the members of the NSSRA Board of Directors and hear how your Association is supporting specialty snow sports retailers. Learn about NSSRA's newest member benefits, including the POS Data Trending program. Network with fellow snow sports retailers.
Also: NSSRA will have a booth at the SIA Snow Show. We'll be in booth #4308, in the hardgoods section of the show, near the front of the exhibit hall. Please stop by and learn about NSSRA's member services and programs, including the new POS Data Program.
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NSSRA Chairman:
Some Things Are New;
Others Are More of the Same
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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,
Wilbur Rice
Equipe Sport
NSSRA Chairman of the Board
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A Perfect Storm That Could Change the Industry Forever
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There are three developments in the snow sports industry that could change it forever.
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SIA Moves Show to Early December in 2017
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SIA is moving up the dates of its annual SIA Snow Show in Denver by nearly two months to early December, starting in 2017.
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Let Us Know What You Think
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This newsletter covers a variety of issues that strike close to home for specialty snow sports retailers. We want to know what you think. Send your opinion to NSSRA President Larry Weindruch at lweindruch@nssra.com. It will help your Board of Directors better understand how we can help you solve the important challenges facing our industry.
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