http://www.snewsnet.com/ If it happens in the outdoor and fitness markets, SNEWS® is there so you can listen in. Always insightful, sometimes humorous, absolutely invaluable. No one covers the outdoor and fitness markets better than we do, period. In print since 1983, on the web since 2000, and now in audio for your listening pleasure. Interviews, special reports, event coverage, and more. en Copyright SNEWS® LLC, all rights reserved Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:15:02 -0600 60 http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/The_Lizard_Lounge_Way_Spring_merchandising_031710.html If you want your customers to feel good about spring and buying new products, you have to inspire them with creative merchandising in fresh, bright colors. The Lizard Lounge team has four great tips with superb visuals to help SNEWS readers navigate their way. http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/The_Lizard_Lounge_Way_Spring_merchandising_031710.html Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 MDT http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Mystery_Shopper_product_selection_doom_footwear_sale_031210.html Our Mystery Shoppers get frustrated when they encounter an outdoor specialty store that essentially carries one brand of boots, while its well-meaning salesperson struggles due to a lack of fitting expertise and tools. http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Mystery_Shopper_product_selection_doom_footwear_sale_031210.html Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 MST http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Merchandising_Tour_Natural_display_Winter_Market_031010.html It was interesting to see how much barn wood, rough-finished wood and pallets were used in booths at Outdoor Retailer Winter Market. It may be a reaction to the present state of the economy but, regardless of the reason, it worked. In this first of six articles from the Merchandising Tours at Winter Market, we have visual examples you can incorporate now in your store. http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Merchandising_Tour_Natural_display_Winter_Market_031010.html Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 MST http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Three_studies_reveal_shift_in_social_media_use_patterns_030810.html Three recent studies provide a window into a shifting social media market, with some surprising results. Could it be that middle-aged adults are actually using their mobile phones more than youth to access social media sites? Do you think social media users would rather give or receive product advice? SNEWS has the summary results and links to the studies. http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Three_studies_reveal_shift_in_social_media_use_patterns_030810.html Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 MST http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/SNEWS_Sales_Tools_Advice_Article_Finder.html We at SNEWS® want to make life easier for you, so we've developed this handy chart to help you find our many Sales Tools & Advice articles published since 2003. From Mastering Basic Sales Skills to the psychology of consumers, we have something for everyone in the SNEWS Retail College Sales Training Classroom. http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/SNEWS_Sales_Tools_Advice_Article_Finder.html Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 MST http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Fitness_How_To_Sell_Article_Finder.html At SNEWS® we want to make life easier for our retail friends, so we've developed this handy article-finder -- an index of our numerous Fitness How To Sell guides for retailers. With a quick glance, you can scan the chart to find the subject matter that fits your immediate training needs. Also, you can read a summary to make sure that the article provides the info you need for the job at hand. Simply click on the article headline link to access any article. http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Fitness_How_To_Sell_Article_Finder.html Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 MST http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Bitter_employees_leave_poor_service_impression.html Employees willing and eager to share their displeasure about their employer with their customers must be truly disgruntled. And that just isn’t good for business. Firing them isn’t a good choice since that’s akin to shooting the messenger.... Read about our latest shopping experience, and think about it. http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Bitter_employees_leave_poor_service_impression.html Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 MST http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Biz101_Retail_expert_George_Whalin_tips_for_retailers.html Retail expert George Whalin spoke frankly with SNEWS about today’s evolving consumer, strategies that are making retailers money, and retail’s prognosis for 2010…. It’s not all rosy, but you already knew that. We share his thoughts and tips. http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Biz101_Retail_expert_George_Whalin_tips_for_retailers.html Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 MST http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/The_Lizard_Lounge_Way_Holiday_clean-up_011510.html A bit of imagination and even a sense of humor can turn that post-holiday look into something special. Think of a sale as a celebration that serves as a promotion to bring in shoppers who might not have been thinking of buying...and we have five top tips to use. http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/The_Lizard_Lounge_Way_Holiday_clean-up_011510.html Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 MST http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/SNEWS_Retail_College_Outdoor_Retailer_Merchandising_Tours_011510.html A trade show is a gold mine of visual display ideas. Exhibitors spend numerous hours and many dollars planning how to display the products they sell. So why not take their hours of preparation and display ideas back to your store? http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/SNEWS_Retail_College_Outdoor_Retailer_Merchandising_Tours_011510.html Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 MST http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/SNEWS_Outdoor_Industry_Association_Retail_Training_2010.html SNEWS and Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) are partnering to ensure the highest level of retail training programs and content are available to outdoor specialty retailers...SNEWS Retail College launches. http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/SNEWS_Outdoor_Industry_Association_Retail_Training_2010.html Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 MST http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Outdoor_Products_How_To_Sell_Article_Finder.html At SNEWS® want to make life easier for our outdoor specialty retail friends, so we've developed this handy article-finder chart for our numerous Outdoor How To Sell guides. With a quick glance, you can scan the chart to find the subject matter that fits your immediate training need. Also, you can read a summary to make sure that the article provides the info you need for the job at hand. Simply click on the article headline link to access any article. http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Outdoor_Products_How_To_Sell_Article_Finder.html Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 MST http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Merchandising_Tour_Making_fixtures_010410.html It is not always easy to find the right fixture for a particular product, at the right price and in the right size. Cost is another consideration – fixtures can be expensive especially if they are custom made. Take a hint from Crumpler... http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Merchandising_Tour_Making_fixtures_010410.html Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 MST http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Biz_101_Networking_tips_for_finding_new_job.html As the U.S. unemployment rate hovers around 10 percent, a large number of Americans are seeking jobs, and networking has become a critical skill. But networking is a challenge for most unemployed people because it forces them to step outside their comfort zone. Check out the strategies to get ahead. http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Biz_101_Networking_tips_for_finding_new_job.html Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/The_Lizard_Lounge_Way_Holiday_displays_121609.html Let’s face it, Santa has it pretty good as he gets to hear firsthand what your customers want. Merchandising cues from the Lizard Lounge Way, though, will give you an upper hand. http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/The_Lizard_Lounge_Way_Holiday_displays_121609.html Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Mystery_Shopper_Chicago_Home_Fitness.html It was a chilly, fall day in Chicago. Dark skies indicated rain was coming. The wind was blowing. And that made it a great time to follow-up on the need for some indoor training equipment for expanding a home workout regimen. Our mystery shopper hit Chicago Home Fitness to test the sales staff's skills at selling home gyms. http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Mystery_Shopper_Chicago_Home_Fitness.html Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Biz_101_Strategies_for_faster_economic_recovery.html We may be headed toward an economic recovery, but recent headlines offer little encouragement that it’s going to be easy. Like an athlete who’s been injured, if we take the right approach to our recovery, we’ll be playing strong again quickly -- and there won’t be any long-term damage. http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Biz_101_Strategies_for_faster_economic_recovery.html Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Merchandising_Tour_Use_mannequins_cross-merchandising-120909.html The use of mannequins is always a good way to show how clothing will actually look on a real person. To make the display more interesting, and to help tell a visual story, Cloudveil cross-merchandised the clothing with equipment items. SNEWS Merchandising Tour leader Sharon Leicham offers tips taken straight from the floor of Outdoor Retailer Summer Market. http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Merchandising_Tour_Use_mannequins_cross-merchandising-120909.html Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Business_101_help_shoppers_avoid_waiting_in_line.html In our struggling economy, long checkout lines can put a smile on a retailer’s face. But waiting in line can make an impatient shopper frown -- and worse. To make the checkout process less annoying, take these tips to better understand the psychology of standing in line. http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Business_101_help_shoppers_avoid_waiting_in_line.html Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Merchandising_Tour_Get_creative_grab_consumer_attention-1209.html Wouldn’t it be great if everything in the store sold like hotcakes? There are always those items with less hanger appeal, less display appeal and less excitement. So how do you turn those products into winners? Get ideas and tips from our Merchandising Tour expert, Sharon Leicham. http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Merchandising_Tour_Get_creative_grab_consumer_attention-1209.html Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 MST