Resources for skateshops and skateboard shop owners, with help and advice for how to run a skateshop.
Opening Your Own Skateboard Shop Help and Advice - get some easy simple instructions and advice on how to open your own skateboard shop from three guys who have been in the business, and who know what to avoid and what to do! Starting and opening your own skateboarding shop is easy - read this article for some advice to follow when opening up your own store!
Where is skateboarding going, and how must skateboarding evolve? And, what can skateboarding learn from Harley Davidson? A lot, actually! Michael Brooke, the man behind Concrete Wave, discusses how the skateboard industry needs to tap into the freedom and experiences that skateboarding creates.
Small skate shops can feel pushed around and strong-armed by big skateboarding companies. What should you do when your own skate shop gets pushed around like this? Bud Stratford did some research on the issue, and has some great advice for small skate shop owners on what to do.
MSRP stands for "Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Pricing", and online shops deviating too wildly from MSRP is having a dangrous effect on skate shops, and lack of MSRP communication is foolish. What should be done about it? Writer Bud Stratford tells us what he's seen and offers some suggestions to both skate shop retailers and skateboard equipment manufacturers.
As skateboard manufacturers continue to sell to mall chain skateboard shops like Zumiez, these chains can afford to undercut independent core retailers, killing the heart of the local skateboard scene. What should skateboard shops do about it? What can the small skate retailer do, and what should skateboard manufacturers do?
Any good, solid, legit skateboard shop will carry many, many choices of product categories, brands, and price points. Apparently, this is not happening. In the battle of skate shops versus online retailers, choices and variety are key to competition. Read more...
Along with product selection, brick-and-mortar skateboard shops have the huge hurdle of customer care to deal with. Customer service is an area that online shops don't need to worry about as much, and with your real skate shop, you need to provide great customer service to compete. And, with GREAT customer service, you can gain an edge!
When your skate shop is close to another, and you have a competition going with them, what should you do? A lot of shops drop prices, but Bud Stratford warns to never compete on price alone, and offers some other ideas for how to compete with rival skateboard shops and businesses.
BRA, aka, the Board Retailers' Association, is supposed to represent skate shops to IASC and other organizations. However, there are some problems with BRA, and there is no better time than now to either mobilize BRA or create your own skateboard retailer's association. You are in charge of your own shop's future - what will it be? Read this article by skate business writer Bud Stratford.
Chris Stevens, the founder of Old School Skates.com, tackles the issue of cheap mass-produced skateboards, and the impact buying them over hand made boards has on skateboarding, and the community. Chris also talks about he dangers of globalization, and the true value of buying a quality skateboard, as opposed to the cost to yourself and skateboarding as a whole to buy cheap factory skateboards from overseas.
