SIA The Intelligent Partner - Summer 2007 - (Page 25)

What is the biggest challenge for a sales rep in the snow sports industry? The biggest challenge I see out there is the changing face of retail. There are the existing ski/snowboard and specialty snowboard shops that have carried the torch and grew the sport of snowboarding, but now face challenges. Aside from the weather, there’s the internet and the box stores. Specialty stores still have the advantage because snowboarding is still a technical product. Customers want to touch and feel the product – like jackets, bindings – that will always be an advantage over the box store and the internet. But the specialty stores have to make sure they are completely dialled in on product so they can give the customers the info they need and want. Burton is very cautious about the internet and has selected very few partners to sell its products online. Burton wants its online partners to be the best in that channel of the business. What trends do you see looking into the next season? For product trends, Burton’s new EST (extra sensory technology) board/binding interface will change riding characteristics. Retailers are very excited. There is a new women’s performance twintip board, called the G Twin, which is making that category pretty exciting. In bindings, the new super lightweight mesh highback bindings are popular. Boots are also getting lighter and lighter in weight and the Speed Zone zippers have been the number-one selling system in the industry. They offer better heel hold. In retail trends, August was the strong month for retail traditionally. Now the consumer is buying closer to the time they’re using the product. While the number of sales is really strong, there is more of a compressed window. in helping with development] and I can see and feel some of my influence on products. Is there any one person in the industry who has had a large impact on you and how/why? Of course, Jake Burton – his inﬂuence is so obvious. He understood the next level of business a lot of people never understood. He had that vision pretty early on. He’s very team driven. We listen to team riders. I always admired how focused, passionate, and driven he is. He rides over 100 days a year. He’s around all the time and has a great vision and makes a great working environment. Everyone draws off of that energy. Besides, Jake: Michael Jager, of Jager, DiPaolo, Kemp agency. His creativity and his visionary standpoint on how brands are built, and how image marketing can inﬂuence a brand, has had tremendous inﬂuence on how I think and on how I run my business. He is an icon in the design world. d What is your favorite part of the job? One of the things I really enjoy is that I am so close to the product [involved Innovative Resin Systems, Inc. (IRS) is a custom formulator and manufacturer that supplies advanced adhesives to leading manufacturers in the United States, Europe and the Paciﬁc Rim. Our products are the next generation of adhesives for laminated construction which have High Cohesive Strength along with High Impact Strength and High Compression Strength while continuing to offer the athlete superior performance and the manufacturer improved processing characteristics. CONTACT US TODAY 70 Verkade Drive | Wayne, New Jersey 07470 973 465.6887 973 696.9658 fax | info@rez-cure.com www.innovativeresinsystems.com | S I A | T . I . P . | S U M M E R 2 06/2/07 | 01:38:25 PM 07 25 305388_Innovative.indd 1 11/30/06 8:29:10 PM 333468_Sport.indd 1 http://www.sportlegs.com http://www.innovativeresinsystems.com http://www.innovativeresinsystems.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of SIA The Intelligent Partner - Summer 2007

Contents Word off the Slopes SIA Staff Contributors SIA Business SIA Board of Directors Greening the Biz Want Instant Success? Just Add Snow Out and About Day in the Life – Supplier Day in the Life – Retailer Day in the Life – Rep Products & Services Index to Advertisers

SIA The Intelligent Partner - Summer 2007

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