News & Features

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Cartoons & Humor | Editorials | Financial News | Fitness Headlines | Green Scene / Social Responsibility | Outdoor Headlines | Podcasts | Surveys | Other |

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Cartoons & Humor

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Corporate speak: Reach out, ping me, and conversate to run it up the flagpole…huh? Apr 29, 2009 Everybody sits in meetings and bobs heads in unison when told about running something up a flagpole or when asked to reach out to someone to vet out an idea, but what are they thinking inside? How they belong in a Dilbert cartoon perhaps? SNEWS® has taken a listen, polled others, and found a few pet peeves. We’ll present ours here... Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Cartoons & Humor articles

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SNEWS® Cartoon Corner: Reason number 3 to bury your toilet paper Sep 26, 2008 The SNEWS® Cartoon Corner -- And you thought it was teenagers who TP'd your home. By Jerry King. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Cartoons & Humor articles

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SNEWS® Cartoon Corner: Business tutorial from the mind of a dog Sep 19, 2008 The SNEWS® Cartoon Corner -- The dog's school of business lesson 1. By Randy Glasbergen. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Cartoons & Humor articles

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SNEWS® Cartoon Corner: Taking that love for work thing too seriously Sep 5, 2008 The SNEWS® Cartoon Corner -- Clues that might indicate you are working too much, part 2. By Jerry King. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Cartoons & Humor articles

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SNEWS® Cartoon Corner: What really happens when you think globally Aug 20, 2008 The SNEWS® Cartoon Corner -- Thinking globally requires unique courage. By Randy Glasbergen. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Cartoons & Humor articles

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Editorials

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SNEWS View: Is the fitness industry killing its own show? Jul 1, 2009 Rumors and questions about the potential demise of the Health & Fitness Business show started filtering into the SNEWS® offices as early as last fall, but the ol' rumor mill ramped up into high gear in the last few weeks. It began to feel like a junior high school dance. Sorry, not even mature enough for a high school analogy. Everybody is buzzing about whether the other person was going, then nixing attendance for fear they'd be the "only" ones there. Like a speeding swirl of water rushing down a toilet bowl, so the industry has started to flush its own show into oblivion. Is that a cold slap in the face? You bet it is. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Editorials articles

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SNEWS Special Report: A broken supply chain? The retail perspective Jun 8, 2009 The quest to help facilitate the discussion around finding a solution to a badly flawed outdoor industry supply chain began with an email plea to SNEWS® in March from a number of retailers. The email called out a list of challenges to the way we buy and sell, from a retailer's perspective. After months of investigation, we found one common thread in this complexly woven tapestry: Everyone shares some responsibility for how we arrived at the current supply chain problem and everyone must act collectively to find a solution. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Editorials articles

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SNEWS View: Industry needs to avoid finger-pointing, witch-hunting in treadmill tragedy May 29, 2009 In the hours and days after Mike Tyson’s 4-year-old died tragically on May 26 by strangling on a cord hanging off a home treadmill, the industry seems to have decided that a frenzy of finger-pointing and witch-hunting is the best response. Not only does this need to stop … now … the industry needs instead to use this accident as an impetus to band together and to educate the public. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Editorials articles

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Whatever happened to valuing time away from work? May 22, 2009 "There’s a long weekend ahead of us – Memorial Day. For me, it is three days of not answering my email, checking into the office, opening my laptop, or otherwise thinking about work. Finding time to take time applies to us all. My long-term creative energies, passions, imagination, and health depend on it. I would suspect yours do too, whether you choose to acknowledge that now or not. If your days are so full that you feel you cannot carve out time to listen to birds, watch a sunset, revel in the sound of a bubbling stream or the laughter of little ones, walk with a loved one, or simply sit and let your mind wander creatively, then your days are too full of things that don’t really matter in the long run..." Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Editorials articles

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SNEWS View: But the New York Times gave it a great review… Apr 24, 2009 Somehow, flogging a favorable review has become an acceptable and even favored pitch from companies seeking to gain our interest in reviewing a product on SNEWS® -- “The New York Times said it was the best,” “Outside magazine rated it tops,” or “Health magazine said it was a great buy.” Since when did we all become lemmings? Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Editorials articles

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Financial News

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Fitness financials: Hibbett shares dip after analyst downgrade, plus Sport Chalet, Finish Line Jun 29, 2009 Hibbett shares dip after analyst downgrade. Sport Chalet Q4 sales drop 12.7 percent, reports loss. Finish Line swings to Q1 loss. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Financial News articles

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Outdoor financials: Sport Chalet Q4 sales drop 12.7 percent, plus Hibbett Sports Jun 29, 2009 For both the fourth quarter and FY 2009, Sport Chalet (Nasdaq: SPCHA and SPCHB) reported decreases in sales as well as a net loss hurt by "macro economic conditions." Plus, Hibbett shares dip after analyst downgrade. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Financial News articles

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Fitness financials: Q4 profit for Nike drops 30 percent Jun 24, 2009 Nike (NYSE: NKE) said its fourth-quarter profit dipped on charges tied to its workforce reduction and other restructuring charges. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Financial News articles

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Free retail education seminars by NSGA stress 'surviving and thriving in today's economy' Jun 22, 2009 Especially in today's economy, retailers can use every opportunity to fill their war chest with information that will help them do better business -- getting it for free makes it even better. The first in a series of regional retail education seminars by National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) will be June 30 in the Chicago area, aptly titled, "How to survive and thrive in today's economy." Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Financial News articles

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Fitness financials: Finish Line to drop Man Alive business, expects Q1 loss Jun 22, 2009 Finish Line said it's severing ties with the underperforming Man Alive operations. It also reported that it expects a first-quarter loss from continuing operations. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Financial News articles

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Fitness Headlines

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Did you hear?...Health magazine announces fitness/gear award winners Jul 2, 2009 Now well-established, the fifth-annual Health magazine awards for fitness and gear for active people include a number of core manufacturers from both outdoor and fitness. Called “America’s Healthiest Fitness Awards,” the awards pick top products in six categories, including fitness equipment, apparel, shoes, gear, fuel and DVDs. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Fitness Headlines articles

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SNEWS View: Is the fitness industry killing its own show? Jul 1, 2009 Rumors and questions about the potential demise of the Health & Fitness Business show started filtering into the SNEWS® offices as early as last fall, but the ol' rumor mill ramped up into high gear in the last few weeks. It began to feel like a junior high school dance. Sorry, not even mature enough for a high school analogy. Everybody is buzzing about whether the other person was going, then nixing attendance for fear they'd be the "only" ones there. Like a speeding swirl of water rushing down a toilet bowl, so the industry has started to flush its own show into oblivion. Is that a cold slap in the face? You bet it is. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Fitness Headlines articles

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LeMond Fitness returns blow in court battle with Life Fitness Jun 29, 2009 In a legal fisticuff that began the end of May, LeMond Fitness has delivered a return right hook to Life Fitness, filing a suit against the behemoth company in federal court charging breach of contract over Life's multi-million suit that claimed LeMond's cycles were "lemons." Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Fitness Headlines articles

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Business Solutions Forum: It seems my biz life is one emergency after another…how do I break the cycle? Jun 29, 2009 Our Business Solutions Forum tackles the issues presented by retailers and business executives: I recognize the need to focus on the big picture, but everyday when I walk into work I am confronted with a non-stop stream of emergencies. I never have the luxury of spending time on the things that will make my business more successful in the future. How can I break this vicious cycle? Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Fitness Headlines articles

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Health & Fitness Business '09: Education, service and products all coming to Denver's last dance. Are you? Jun 29, 2009 In what is likely the last time around for the Health & Fitness Business Expo in Denver after more than a decade, show organizers have put together a menu of exhibitors, education, service, parties and other networking opportunities for the Aug. 6-7, 2009, show. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Fitness Headlines articles

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Green Scene / Social Responsibility

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An Earth Day contemplation on being green Apr 22, 2009 Today is Earth Day…a day of green proclamations and adoration for all those who stand upon green pedestals, real or perceived. A recent Sunday New York Times op-ed piece “How Green Is My Bottle” got me thinking even more about the color green as a metaphor. Is anything, really, green? Or are we simply dealing in various shades of the color wheel in the direction of green?... Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Green Scene / Social Responsibility articles

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Did you hear?... Study predicts 'green jobs' kill other jobs; objectivity questioned Apr 10, 2009 Part of President Obama's platform to jumpstart the country's lagging economy is the creation of "green" jobs through renewable energy initiatives, citing Spain as an early leader in these endeavors. Now a study by an economics professor in Madrid reports that every renewable job created by the Spanish government destroyed an average of 2.2 other jobs. Each "green" megawatt installed in Spain destroyed 5.39 jobs in non-energy sectors, the study found. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Green Scene / Social Responsibility articles

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Did you hear?...Global retail sales of organic cotton products up 63 percent in '08 Apr 3, 2009 Thanks to global brands and retailers, such as Nike and Pottery Barn, retail sales around the world of organic cotton apparel and home textile products shot up 63 percent in 2008, according to a recently released report from Organic Exchange. That year, sales reached $3.2 billion compared to $1.9 billion a year earlier, as reported in the non-profit’s "Organic Cotton Market Report 2007-2008." Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Green Scene / Social Responsibility articles

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Did you hear?... Recent Carnegie Mellon study indicates e-commerce more e-friendly…sort of Mar 11, 2009 In a report that is not necessarily great news for brick-and-mortar retailers, results of a Carnegie Mellon Design Institute study estimates that e-commerce retailers use less energy. Further, the study found that e-commerce retailers could claim a carbon footprint that was a third smaller than their brick-and-mortar brethren. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Green Scene / Social Responsibility articles

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Six ways to successfully promote your store's eco-conscious product mix Feb 25, 2009 Does your outdoor specialty store boast an array of eco-friendly products? If your merchandise mix does have green leanings, you could boost sales by making the consumers in your area aware of your specialty. Savvy green-oriented retailers are using everything from promotional mailers and catalogs to print advertising and street-side merchandising to get the word out about their eco-friendly product mix. Could any of these strategies work to strengthen your bottom line? Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Green Scene / Social Responsibility articles

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Outdoor Headlines

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Did you hear?...Health magazine announces fitness/gear award winners Jul 2, 2009 Now well-established, the fifth-annual Health magazine awards for fitness and gear for active people include a number of core manufacturers from both outdoor and fitness. Called “America’s Healthiest Fitness Awards,” the awards pick top products in six categories, including fitness equipment, apparel, shoes, gear, fuel and DVDs. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Outdoor Headlines articles

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Power Players' Lounge: Opportunity knocks -- do you hear it? Jul 1, 2009 Each week, through the end of October 2009, a new column will be posted to the Power Players' Lounge. It's intended to be a place where our industry friends can gather to read and hopefully discuss ideas for improving business -- especially important during these challenging economic times. We encourage you to interact with others while hanging out in the Power Players' Lounge and it's our hope their columns will inspire imagination and debate. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Outdoor Headlines articles

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Business Solutions Forum: It seems my biz life is one emergency after another…how do I break the cycle? Jun 29, 2009 Our Business Solutions Forum tackles the issues presented by retailers and business executives: I recognize the need to focus on the big picture, but everyday when I walk into work I am confronted with a non-stop stream of emergencies. I never have the luxury of spending time on the things that will make my business more successful in the future. How can I break this vicious cycle? Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Outdoor Headlines articles

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Will we be holding a Retailer of the Year party in your store? If you're one of the best, we will Jun 29, 2009 Last year, SNEWS® and Backpacker put out a call for nominations seeking the best outdoor retailers in the United States. The response was overwhelming -- but that was 2008. This is 2009 and we are putting out the call for nominations again. Do you think your store is worthy? Do your customers? Will we be holding a customer-appreciation party in your store to celebrate next year? Only if you are nominated because you have to be nominated to win. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Outdoor Headlines articles

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Outdoor financials: Sport Chalet Q4 sales drop 12.7 percent, plus Hibbett Sports Jun 29, 2009 For both the fourth quarter and FY 2009, Sport Chalet (Nasdaq: SPCHA and SPCHB) reported decreases in sales as well as a net loss hurt by "macro economic conditions." Plus, Hibbett shares dip after analyst downgrade. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Outdoor Headlines articles

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Podcasts

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SNEWS® Live: Black community leaders meet to discuss the role of minorities in the conservation movement Dec 12, 2008 African-American community leaders talk candidly with SNEWS® Live about the steps that could be taken to expose more people of color to wilderness areas and national parks. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Podcasts articles

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SNEWS® Live: Is outdoor retail recession proof? Maybe not… Nov 19, 2008 Outdoor retail store owners and managers around the country share their thoughts on the current economic crisis with SNEWS® Live. Economist Clyde Prestowitz, founder of the non-profit Economic Strategy Institute also chimes in with his perspective. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Podcasts articles

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SNEWS® Live: Chilean technical clothing maker Lippi plans US/European market invasion Nov 10, 2008 Senior management and distribution partners at Chilean technical apparel brand Lippi discuss with SNEWS® Live plans to promote its products in North America and Europe. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Podcasts articles

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SNEWS® Live: Bridgedale Socks supports Boo-Shoots solution to worldwide bamboo shortage Nov 3, 2008 Research scientist Jackie Heinricher discusses her plan to create a domestic source of bamboo for textile production and her company's new relationship with Bridgedale Socks. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Podcasts articles

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SNEWS® Live: Keen Footwear offers relief to earthquake refugees in China Oct 27, 2008 Earthquake-relief providers from Keen Footwear describe their impressions of recent efforts to help earthquake refugees in China. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Podcasts articles

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Surveys

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SNEWS reader satisfaction survey v.2 coming your way – stay tuned Jun 16, 2009 It’s time for a follow-up reader survey so we can ask you how we’re doing and ensure we are meeting your needs and expectations of us. The last survey took between 20-30 minutes to complete, and we hope this one will be less than 15 minutes of course. Please drop us an email at snewsbox@snewsnet.com so we can be sure to include you when we email the link to the survey. Your input is vital in our continued progress and in our continued dedication to meeting your needs. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Surveys articles

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SNEWS Mini-Survey gives glimpse at how stores view customer buying motivation Jun 15, 2009 The SNEWS® Mini Survey that ended June 15, 2009 asked, “What do you feel most motivates your customers to buy from your store?” We asked retailers to select from a list of 20 categories the top five motivating factors they believed drove customers to buy from them and not elsewhere. We were happy to see that 85 percent chose “customer service.” Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Surveys articles

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SNEWS Mini-Survey provides look at how industry folk are utilizing social media May 20, 2009 The SNEWS® Mini-Survey that ended May 19, 2009, asked, “Where do you get most of your business or industry news?” Perhaps not surprisingly, 85 percent answered “Business/Trade journal websites.” But things got significantly more interesting from there... Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Surveys articles

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SNEWS Fitness Retailer Survey deadline extended: Speak your mind now! Apr 24, 2009 Responses to the 2009 SNEWS Fitness Retailer Survey are multiplying quickly and we know the industry will again learn something from what its retailers say. But we are still missing some voices, so we've extended the deadline to do it -- or to finish it for a few who are half-done -- another week: Your deadline for having your voice heard in the seventh-annual SNEWS® Fitness Retailer Survey is May 4, so don't delay. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Surveys articles

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SNEWS Fitness Retailer Survey: Don't miss your chance to have your say Apr 20, 2009 We have had a flood of responses for our seventh-annual SNEWS® Fitness Retailer Survey since we swung open the doors two weeks ago! But wait, you haven't taken part yet? Yes, here is your reminder: Don't miss your chance to have your voice heard. We know your suppliers hope you'll take part (at least the ones you like). We all learn something every year from what we hear. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Surveys articles

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Other

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Merchandising Know-How: Enhancing your store appearance with appropriate fixture and product placement Feb 16, 2009 The key to creating a visually compelling store appearance is appropriate fixture and product placement. Even with limited fixture budget, improved results are easily achievable through better product placement. Making product more visible and providing easy accessibility to that product immediately impacts sales and improves the overall customer experience. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Other articles

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