Sportsman - Epicor · among Big Rock Sports customersÑand more than 300 of ... 12 VALUE I N VE...

SportsmanA C C E S S M O R E W I T H B I G R O C K S P O R T S

JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015 VOL. 80 $6.95

NEW FIREARMS FROM FNH USA

FOR 2015

EXCLUSIVE: STATE OF

THE OUTDOOR INDUSTRY

PG.8

THE POS ISSUECHECKOUT COUNTER DO’S AND

DON’TS THREE TACTICS TO REACH

MILLENNIALSFAST, SIMPLE AND EASY: HOW POS

SYSTEMS CAN HELP YOU

DENVER, COLORADO – Eagle Claw Fishing Tackle, Co. and Big Rock Sports announced a joint partnership of product development within the rod and reel combo categories in 2015. Eagle Claw® is the leader in the fishing industry and Big Rock Sports maintains the most comprehensive market knowledge and distribution network. Working together, the two companies aim to introduce several new offerings to the market under the rod, reel and combo categories.

While the rod and reels offering through Eagle Claw’s distribution will

remain the same, the products developed through this joint partnership will aim to fill certain niches and opportunities throughout the line that don’t exist today.

Mike Jackson, Sr. Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Eagle Claw had this to say regarding the project–“Eagle Claw is lucky to have strong customer partnerships throughout the industry and our relationship with Big Rock Sports is no exception. We realize bringing aggressive new programs to the market can create challenges, but Eagle Claw is always willing to try new programs that introduce exciting new products to the tackle industry. We are excited for this opportunity to work with Dave Martin and his team at Big Rock Sports as we look to expand the offering of Eagle Claw branded rods and combos available to the end consumer at retail.”

“This is an exciting opportunity for Big Rock and all of our customers. Together with Eagle Claw, we have put together a very strong product offering that will delight anglers and surely take a

prominent position in the marketplace. The product offering is unique and offers incredible value. We are convinced that Eagle Claw will take a leadership role in these important categories with their innovative approach,” said Dave Martin, Big Rock Sports Division President.

Retailers can expect to see the first wave of new offerings as soon as the January 2015 Big Rock Sports East and West Shows, with deliveries slated for Spring. Additional products will potentially be developed throughout 2015 and beyond.

For more information about Eagle Claw contact 720.941.8700, visit EagleClaw.com or connect with Eagle Claw on Facebook® and Twitter®.

For more information about Big Rock Sports, visit BigRockSports.com.

Eagle Claw Fishing Tackle, Co. and Big Rock Sports Partner on Product Development

Industry News

JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015 BIGROCKSPORTS.COM 3

State of Your Industry

EDITORShannon Farlow

[email protected]

Sportsman is the official publication of Big Rock Sports

LLC, 1141 Jay Lane,Graham, NC 27253 and is

available exclusively to Big Rock Sports customers for free.

Comments or questions may be directed to:

Big Rock Sports Marketing1141 Jay Lane

Graham, NC 27253Or email: Mitch Mitchell

Director of [email protected]

© 2015 Big Rock Sports, LLCAll rights reserved.

BigRockSports.com

� Editor Shannon Farlow spent his childhood hunting from Maine to Missis-sippi and fishing the coastal waters of North Carolina with his father. Now a father himself, Shannon enjoys spending time with his son and daughter outdoors.

JANUARY SHOW DATESBigRockSports.com/Shows

WESTJanuary 5–7

Las Vegas, NV

EASTJanuary 9–11Raleigh, NC

2014 Most Improved Magazine:

Big Rock Sportsman

Lowrance HDS-7 Gen 3 Fish Finder/GPSYour customers need the best information on where fish hold. Generation

3 is their answer. View life 500 feet below the surface. Structure map HD technology captures images of the underwater geography, so that charter

captain or recreational boater can know where to find the trophies.Order now: 0182-0988

W hether you believe in New Year’s resolutions or not, January is a great time to step back, take stock of your retail business and plan for the upcoming

months. To help you make the most of your planning, we recently conducted a State of the Outdoor Industry survey among Big Rock Sports customers—and more than 300 of you responded.

Have you ever wished you had insight into how other outdoor sporting goods retailers are preparing for the months ahead? What if you could gauge how other outdoor retailers feel about the health of the industry? Are they gearing up for increased traffic, or are they hunkering down to weather a potential slowdown? Well now you have that kind of exclu-sive information available to you.

We are pleased to bring you the first key findings from our survey (p. 8) in the January–February Sportsman. As you will see, outdoor retailers are increasingly positive about the industry for 2015. While only 27 percent of retailers expect the US economy to improve next year, 46 percent of those folks believe the outdoor industry will grow. And a telling 66 percent are preparing for higher sales. Another trend uncovered by our survey is the increasing number of female customers. Nearly half of respondents said they saw an increase in female customers in 2014 and a significant 55 percent expect to see more women in their stores in 2015.

These are just a handful of insights that you’ll find in Big Rock’s 2015 State of the Outdoor Industry Report, which you can pick up at the East and West Shows. Simply stop by the Dealer ACCESS booth to get your complimentary copy. You will definitely want to have it in hand as you plan for the New Year.


What’s Inside

6 INDUSTRY NEWS: ASA honors Gary Zurn with Future of Fishing Award, hunters donate 2.8 mil-

lion pounds of meat to the needy, striped bass harvest to be cut by 25 percent and more...

8 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY: Survey shows retailers expect year-over-year sales growth and increases in their

number of female customers.

10 RETAIL GUIDE: Make buying easy for your customers with a smooth POS system at check-out.

16 DEALER INSIGHTS: From ice fishing to fly rod casting, how offering classes creates sales today

and loyal customers tomorrow.

24 COVER STORY: Be first-to-market in 2015 with new ARs from FNH USA.

26 HOT PRODUCTS: A new line of crank baits, a standing blind, a jake-rousing decoy and more

market movers.

12 VALUE INVESTING: Technology can improve your business. A POS system is a short-term expense

with long-term rewards. 21CONNECT WITH CONSUMERS

BEYOND YOUR BRICK-AND-MORTAR:

How e-commerce targets new markets and grows your business.

28 ADVOCACY: National Park Service attempts to restrict fishing access off Cape Look-

out National Seashore and Biscayne Bay National Park.

30 MERCHANDISING: Train your staff—five tactics to make customers happy at checkout.

33 MARKETING: The biggest con-sumer age group, Millennials, has money to spend. Check out these

strategies to connect with young buyers.

34 SPORTING LIFE: Trophy photos from the leaders of the outdoor industry.

Block Vault Archery TargetFew targets have made use of science like Vault. Instead of

breaking tips, foam-material absorbs broadheads: field, fixed-plated or mechanical. Be they aluminum, carbon or micro-diameter,

Vault withstands all arrows. At 18 x 18 x 16 inches, your customers will find Vault easy to carry.

Order now: 1730-0128

6 BIGROCKSPORTS.COM JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015

Industry NewsCOMPILED BY ROB PHILLIPS

GARY ZURN, SENIOR VICE president of industry relations at Big Rock Sports, was recently honored with ASA’s Future of Fishing Award. The award recognizes industry leaders, advocates and journalists who have made outstanding contributions to preserve recreational fishing. ASA praised Zurn for his steadfast service to the industry and outstanding efforts in gathering retail data and critical information concerning saltwater fishing. Over the past decade, Zurn’s efforts have protected fishing access for

millions of anglers. “I am deeply and sincerely

humbled by this honor from ASA,” said Zurn. “We have worked hard to ensure that fishermen and -women will be able to prosper from and enjoy fishing for generations to come.”

In addition to financially supporting efforts to protect fishing, hunting and outdoor rights across North America, Big Rock conducts independent research and actively engages in political proceedings on both national and regional levels.

BIG ROCK’S ZURN RECOGNIZED BY AMERICAN SPORTFISHING ASSOCIATION

With the high cost of beef and pork, many shelters, missions and other places that feed the hungry are woefully short on being able to provide protein in their meals. Fortunately, during hunting season, hunters around the country help make up the shortfall with generous donations of protein-rich, low-fat venison that provide 11 million meals annually to the less fortunate.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation reports that, thanks to hunters, an estimated

2.8 million pounds of game meat made its way to food pantries, church kitchens and shelters and onto the plates of those in need this past fall.

With meat from one deer able to feed up to 200 people, it’s easy to see how important donations of hunter-harvested venison are to charitable food providers. Last year, for example, 4,500 Missouri hunters donated more than 227,000 pounds of venison through a state program.

HUNTERS PROVIDE MILLIONS OF MEALS FOR THE NEEDY

MYSTERY SHOPPERS SAY OUTDOOR RETAILERS CAN IMPROVE CUSTOMER SERVICE

Most retail operations could use a little improvement in their customer relations, but according to a new study done by the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation, boating and fishing tackle retail stores could use a bit more than most retailers.

The RBFF’s Retail Customer Experience Assessment shows that boating retail stores average a 75 percent satisfaction rate for overall customer experience, and fishing tackle retail stores average a 61 percent satisfaction rate. Both score lower than the general retail industry average of 77 percent and the retail specialty stores average of 80 percent.

The study was conducted by Mystery Shopper to assess the current retail environment for beginning, occasional and experienced boaters and anglers, as well as to identify opportunities for improvement in customer service and fishing license sales.

EAST COAST STRIPED BASS HARVEST TO BE REDUCED

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission recently approved implementing a 25 percent reduction in striped bass harvest for coastal states for both the commercial and recreational fishing sectors within one year. The harvest reduction will help to safeguard the striped bass fishery and prevent it from reaching overfished levels.

To achieve the one-quarter reduction, the commission supported reducing the coast-wide recreational bag limit from two fish to one fish while keeping the size limit at 28 inches. However, through conservation equivalency measures, individual states can meet the 25 percent reduction by implementing alternative regulations, including bag limits, size limits, slot limits and/or trophy regulations.

Working alongside non-profit groups and governmental organizations, Big Rock Sports surveyed independent fishing tackle retailers from Maine to North Carolina and the overwhelming consensus was that immediate reductions in striped bass harvest were needed.


THERE IS AN OLD saying that underscores the importance of first impressions. You only get one chance to make one. But in retail, the last impression you make on your customers is no less crucial than the first. Because if it’s bad, they probably aren’t coming back to your store.

A point-of-sale system is one tool that can help you make sure that never happens. It gives your customers faster, more accurate checkout experi-ences than ever before. In a world where they can buy fishing equipment, camping gear and other outdoor provisions from anywhere via the inter-net, that matters. The advantage you hold as a brick-and-mortar store is instant gratification. You don’t want any delays.

Consider POS-less small businesses where clerks still write out pa-per receipts. That method doesn’t inspire confidence among customers, not when most retailers these days—even food trucks and single-operator service providers like IT experts and yoga instruc-tors—use POS systems to process payments. For today’s customers, any transaction that isn’t a POS-enabled process feels strange and uncomfortable. That alone is enough to compel them to shop elsewhere.

And think about this: having left your store with a bad experience, they’re very likely to tell others. According to the White House Office of Consumer

Affairs, news of bad customer service reaches more than twice as many ears as praise for good experience. Make no mistake. An uncomfortable check-out is bad customer service.

If the strangeness of a POS-less pay-ment process doesn’t scare them away, the risk of mistakes will. Customers are apt to expect the worst when they see a sales clerk fussing with a calculator or—

worse—doing the math with pencil and paper. It doesn’t matter if that clerk is a math whiz. Mistakes happen to every-one. Even so, the threat of inaccuracies can be enough to lose future business from that customer.

But the worst offense of all for a store

without a POS system is, again, delay-ing your customers. Research shows customers absolutely hate waiting in line anywhere, least of all in retail stores. Take a look at the consumer survey results Perry Kuklin, director of marketing and business development for Lavi Industries, a provider of public guidance and crowd control solutions, cited in a column on RetailCustomerExperience.com last year:

Slow or chatting cashiers irritate nearly 70 percent of customers while 49 percent are annoyed at seeing closed checkout lines when a store is busy. Close to 50 percent of all customers

will purposely avoid a retailer or brand in the future if they had to wait longer than five minutes. One-third of customers forced to

wait for over five minutes abandon the checkout line. After two and a half minutes, cus-

tomers will become frustrated if there is no progress in the line. If a checkout process is being actively

managed, customers are more willing to tolerate the wait time.The bottom line is your custom-

ers simply don’t want to wait. Do you? Consider your own experiences as a consumer. Whether you’re at a grocery store, restaurant or department store, you probably expect the checkout experience to be fast and automated. That is the new normal.

There is no doubt a new POS system is a significant investment for a small business. But with all the advertising and marketing it takes to get them, new customers cost six to seven times more than keeping existing ones happy. So make sure that last impression they have of your store—at the point of sale—is a good one. POS systems inspire customer loyalty, helping you make good final im-pressions on them over and over again. BR

Retail GuideCH R IS GIGL E Y

Let Them Pay Now, or You’ll Pay Later


Few things in retail can give your business an immediate boost and keep delivering value as your

store grows. A POS system is one of those things. All you have to do is take advantage of everything it can offer, now and in the future.

A number of benefits will be apparent almost as soon as you and your staff start using one. First and foremost, the whole payment process for your customers

will be easier and faster (see our Retail Guide column on p. 10). And the mere presence of a modern, automated POS system will give your customers more peace of mind when they’re paying.

But faster transactions aren’t all you get. The system also tracks inventory levels in real time, subtracting each purchased item from your inventory list as it’s being rung up. Considering all the SKUs most outdoor sports retailers

carry, from fishing lures to firearms to flashlights, this is a huge time saver.

It also saves you money. According to the National Retail Federation, US retailers lose $224 billion from having too much inventory and $45 billion from not having enough in stock. A POS system not only constantly keeps you updated on inventory levels, it also alerts you when you need to reorder something.

POS: The Long and the Short of It

EXPECT IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM GRATIFICATION FROM A NEW POS SYSTEM.

BY CH R IS GIGL E Y


Meanwhile, your POS system is amassing sales and customer data and compiling it in easy-to-view spreadsheets you can access from your computer. With this information, you can see exactly which products are working for you and which aren’t, so you make better, more informed decisions going forward.

The customer information your POS system captures is vital to providing better and more personal service. For instance, you can access each customer’s purchase history while he or she is paying at the register. If that information indicates the customer does a lot of hiking and camping, you can tell him or her about a new shipment of lightweight backpacks coming within the next month.

In essence, what you’re doing is creating a reason for them to come back and spend money in your store. At the same time, you’re providing a service because you’re passing along “inside information” on a product they value.

The more sales and customer data your POS system compiles, the more it can help your business grow. You can see month-over-month and year-to-year changes in spending habits, helping you better anticipate seasonal shifts and make more accurate sales projections. Your POS system helps you do something that, as a small business owner, you have little time for—look at the big picture.

Perhaps the numbers from your POS system show that some long-held business practice doesn’t work anymore.

You can adjust and save money that you’d otherwise keep losing. Maybe the data suggests that a certain part of your store gets less foot traffic than all other sections. You can change your merchandising strategy to fix that.

As you continue to use your POS system, you can unlock more capabilities. The biggest trend in POS right now, for instance, is mobility. Mobile POS

allows sales teams to carry around smart phones with scanners and software that allow them to check out a customer on the spot versus at a sales counter. It’s just another way to make the shopping experience more convenient for the customer.

One of the best examples of mobile POS in use right now is at the Apple Store, which has pushed the envelope

with the technology by eliminating the point-of-sale counter altogether. Customers can flag down any employee in the store to pay for merchandise. Furthermore, Apple’s mobile POS system gives customers the option to have their receipts emailed or printed out. Or both.

Apple’s mobile POS solution isn’t perfect. If the store is crowded and every employee is busy helping customers,

a customer who walked in just to grab a new iPhone case can have trouble finding someone to process his or her payment.

Overall, however, it works. Most customers need to be helped to find what they’re looking for. Rather than get help from one clerk then have to get in line to pay another sales clerk, customers can pay with that one clerk who helped them in the first place.

POS systems are also evolving to offer customers new ways to pay. Look at Starbucks Coffee. Its mobile app links to a prepaid account, and all customers have to do is bring up a barcode that can be scanned at the point of sale. The account on the app is also linked to the retailer’s loyalty rewards program, which encourages customers to use

it—and buy more coffee and espresso drinks.

Just about every POS service provider today offers the mobile option, and the mobile app pay feature isn’t far behind. Most POS systems also give you the ability to integrate your in-store system with an e-commerce-enabled website. You may not think online retail is right for you, but you’ll never know until you


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give it a shot. Your POS system will give you the same kind of real-time sales data you get from your store. You’ll know exactly what the potential of online sales is for your business.

The possibilities with a POS system are endless, and you have the freedom to explore these and other new features whenever you’re ready. If you don’t have a POS system now, you can start with a basic system, with software that runs on a regular computer. The only hardware you need are the drawer and receipt printer. As your business grows, you can add barcode scanners, credit card readers and debit card PIN pads.

Web-based cloud systems that are on the market right now require even less up-front investment. No more having to invest in servers and new software updates and employee training. Interfaces are intuitive. Upgrades happen automatically, and the system can expand with you.

All you need to join the POS revolution are two things you probably already have. An internet connection and a computer. Your business is ready and able. The question is, are you willing? BR


Dealer INSIGHTS

BY SHANNON FARLOW

IN THE LAST Dealer INSIGHTS, Bob Schultz explained how his store, Target Shotguns, creates loyal customers by providing classes. He views instructors as frontline salespeople who have the opportunity to mold their students into his new customers. For the second part of our series, Bob Shannon describes how offering free clinics and classes has driven sales at The

Fly Rod Shop for the past 25 years. Instead of slashing prices and racing to the bottom to compete with the big box stores, Shannon has built a successful instructional program—one that generates 50 percent residual retail sales during peak seasons. SF: What types of instruction can customers receive from your store?

BS: The Fly Rod Shop offers a whole host

of different programs for fishermen. We offer kids’ programs, including afterschool programs for some of the local schools. We actually go to the schools and give classes on lure building, fly tying and casting. Our store is in Vermont, frozen Vermont right now, so we have ice fishing. We also offer hunting programs, including wild game cleaning where people can come in and learn how to field dress and butcher a deer.

Create Loyal Customers with Classes and Instruction, Part Two

BOB SHANNON | THE FLY ROD SHOP, STOWE, VT

Bob Shannon, owner of The Fly Rod Shop, believes that offering specialized services such as instruction can help retailers compete with the big boxes.


SF: How does hosting programs affect your retail operation? Does offering classes help drive sales?

BS: The easiest way to bring beginners into a new market is to offer them classes. The instructional component takes a lot of the pressure off them having to figure out what they need to buy. We provide all of the equipment so that they don’t have to feel the pressure or the expense of buying gear. Then once they take the class there is a natural transition where we move them into the store and they know what equipment to buy. So the instructional component takes all the pressure off of the sale.

In most of our free classes that we of-fer, we have up to 10 people. And in the summertime, when we are really busy, we usually see between 30 and 50 percent residual sales from the free clinics. So the people come in, they see the equipment that we are using in the classes, they see some of the accessories that they need to fly fish and then that translates into retail sales in our store.

SF: What advice would you give another retailer who wants to start hosting classes?

BS: In today’s retail market I think it is something you have to provide. People are looking for the service component. With a lot of the big box stores and some retailers out there selling at extremely low prices, if you can provide a service to the consumer that takes a lot of pressure off of the cost of what they are purchasing.

We purchased some equipment that we feature in the store. We provide the consumer the opportunity to use that equipment during the classes. Then that translates into sales after they are finished. For example, one of our best programs is our free fly-tying class. We use a beginner’s fly tying kit and when the clinic is over students go into the shop and the kits are available for sale. So it translates into sales when the classes end.

SF: What do you look for in an instructor? What kind of knowledge do they need to possess?

BS: What I personally want from an instructor or a guide is somebody that has good people skills. We can train them to teach people what we want them to learn, but having people skills and that outdoor education background or passion for the outdoors is what really drives customers into our shop.

SF: How do you advertise your instruction? How do you get the word out about your classes and what you offer?

BS: We market and advertise through our website. Every week we offer clinics on Wednesdays and Saturdays, so the day prior to a clinic, we post it on our social media pages. We also use our local chamber of commerce to help promote the classes. It’s a great avenue for us because they offer it for free. We are surrounded by a lot of hotels and resorts and most of the hotels now offer a concierge service, so we utilize the concierge. When guests at the hotel are looking for things to do, the concierge steers them to our business. Being in Vermont, we have great fishing for bass and trout, and a lot of people that visit our area have never taken advantage of those fisheries, so we let the hotels and the resorts do a lot of the work for us.

SF: What kind of an investment is involved for a retailer to offer classes and clinics?

BS: One of the things that retailers have to consider is the equipment investment. You’re going to have to purchase equipment and the staff is going to have to be trained on how to use it. There is also set-up time. The spinoff is that the retail sales far outweigh the cost of setting up the gear. We sell the equipment at the end of every season while it still has a retail value to the consumer. Our goal at the end of every season is to merely recoup our dollars that we invested in the equipment and if the equipment is in good enough shape we may even make a few points by marking it up five or 10 percent so we actually recoup some of our time investment as well.

SF: Any other advice that you would share with a retailer who is considering offering instruction?

BS: I guess the best advice that I have is that they just take advantage of it. A lot of shops probably look at instruction as a significant cost or expense to start out, but in reality whether it is fishing, fly fishing or hunting; people are looking for that service component. All of those seminars that we have offered have turned out to not only be good for the local community but also advantageous for us from a retail standpoint. Customers appreciate the service that we offer on top of the product. BR

WITH A LOT OF THE BIG BOX STORES AND SOME RETAILERS OUT THERE

SELLING AT EXTREMELY LOW PRICES, IF YOU CAN

PROVIDE A SERVICE TO THE CONSUMER THAT TAKES A LOT OF PRESSURE OFF OF

THE COST OF WHAT THEY ARE PURCHASING.

THE EASIEST WAY TO BRING BEGINNERS INTO A NEW

MARKET IS TO OFFER THEM CLASSES.

Give Them Time to Shop

“The first year that we did our instructional fly-fishing classes, our clinics ended at 6:00 in the afternoon

which is when our store closes,” says Bob Shannon. “What we

found was that by ending the clinic at 5:30 instead of 6:00, we gave the consumer a half-hour opportunity

to go in the store and shop around. It turned out to be a really good selling

technique to have them come into the shop after the class ended.”


T o the independent retailer, e-commerce is either a loved or hated term—one that stirs many questions

across all industries. As competition from big-box stores increases, it is critical for owners of independent brick-and-mortar stores to consider growing their businesses by expanding into the world of e-com-merce.

I’ve heard horror stories from retailers that have lost significant customers by not having an e-commerce strategy in place. Many know they need to define a consistent strategy to sell online, but what are the most effective tools for that strategy to be successful? With technology, retailers are able to connect with consumers in powerful new ways.

Whether your business already has a defined internet presence, or you’re preparing to take a business online, e-commerce is more than an added purchasing location for consumers. Perhaps most importantly, it’s about staying relevant in today’s fast-paced market. The utilization of e-commerce opens up the opportunity for businesses to concentrate on specialty areas and locate prospective buyers of those unique items from around the globe. In addition, it provides the ability for retailers to expand their reach and gain customers from unexpected locations that their traditional brick-and-mortar stores could not summon.

Let’s take the sporting goods industry as an example. Sporting goods is an excellent industry for an e-commerce and multichannel strategy. Traditionally, consumers in this industry are in search of products that fit their lifestyle. They’re interested in a complete shopping experience. Retailers that can sell the lifestyle experience will fare well in store, but utilizing the “lifestyle” strategy they will also do a really great job translating

their brand online. Whether you’re talking about categories for hunting and fishing, or whether you’re looking at outdoor adventure, it’s about understanding the consumer’s lifestyle and applying it in a

retail setting. You’re not there just to sell a product; you’re there to help connect consumers to their hobbies and goals.

The most successful e-commerce strategy is one in which e-commerce is

CONNECTING CONSUMERS TO YOUR BUSINESS WITH

e-commerceBY MIK E DUNC A N


woven into the customer experience—knowing the consumer and engaging that consumer. The more personalization that you can tie into a shopper’s experience, the more likely you’re going to be able to develop that relationship and retain them. How can you create personalization for each customer? Personalization is achieved through understanding and engaging that customer. One way to accomplish that is by incorporating a strong customer loyalty program, both in store and online. A loyalty program, like one available in the new Epicor Eagle N Series software, that measures and tracks analytics will help you learn more about your customers and provide you tools to better cater to their needs.

New doors for both retailers and customers are opened with e-commerce. By selecting the correct solution for a business, retailers can magnify their footprint and increase valuable customer relationships not just locally, but nationally and globally. Over and above better connecting to your consumers, e-commerce is another way to grow a revenue stream outside the traditional retail space, as well as help keep costs down

by letting customers serve themselves.I hope you’re beginning to see that

e-commerce isn’t solely about creating a transaction online; it goes way beyond just that. You have to make sure you’re providing the rich content behind it that supports your brand and develops relationships with your consumers. So, how do you get started with e-commerce? Every good strategy begins with an evaluation period. Take a complete look at your organization before you even consider the technology. Are you ready to run e-commerce as an incorporated division? Evaluate your people and understand whether or not you have the right operational model and framework to support online selling, and if you can meet the needs of your customers.

Consider one deduction: multichannel retailers—businesses that seamlessly integrate the best of both the online and brick-and-mortar world during every aspect of the consumer experience—are expected to advantageously benefit over retailers that attempt only one method or both in isolation. For retailers serious about their multichannel strategy, mobile applications and websites are more than

e-commerce purchasing venues; they are the gateway to their stores. Beyond showrooms, retail businesses can be digitally enhanced inspiration portals that connect to consumers on a new level that influences their lifestyle.

As an independent retailer you’re competing with a sea of options. An online experience is what consumers desire and have been groomed to expect. When a consumer wants something, regardless of locality, retailers must respond with an easy and seamless purchase process. What’s great about modern retail technology is that it provides that process and more. An e-commerce strategy, when well-executed, almost always outperforms competitors and augments brick-and-mortar growth. Retailers have always been enveloped in the front lines of technological fluctuations, but no business can afford to ignore e-commerce. The facts are there, the tactics and tools are available for retailers to succeed, so long as retailers are motivated to educate themselves and embrace the technology. BR

Mike Duncan is a senior product manager for Epicor Software Corporation.


SponSored Content


Timing is everything in life. Whether it’s bumping into that stranger on the subway who captures your heart,

or getting that clutch hit in the bottom of the ninth in game seven of the World Series, timing matters. Being in the right place at the right time can make or break your day, your month or even your year.

Well, FNH USA is in the right place at the right time, right now. In late 2014, FNH USA and FN Manufactur-ing merged to create FN America, LLC, which will continue to produce firearms under the FNH USA brand name. Say what now? Forget the legalities—what this means for the consumer is that prod-uct development and production now fall directly under the same corporate leadership, which has streamlined the en-tire manufacturing process, resulting in a more responsive, agile and market-driven organization. This, in turn, puts the guns that consumers want into their hands much more quickly and at reduced cost. FN America remains firmly commit-ted to the shooting community. In fact, members of the commercial sales team actually shoot competitively, providing valuable insight to product development efforts. All of the stars have aligned in the right place at the right time as FNH USA presents four exciting new products for 2015.

FNS-9/FNS-40 COMPACTSince introducing the FNS line of pis-

tols in 2012, consumers have demanded a compact model. FNH USA listened. The FNS Compact sports many of the key features that make its larger siblings so easy to love: front and rear cocking serrations on the slide, fully ambidex-trous controls, integrated accessory rail, aggressive grip texture and interchange-able back straps to fit any hand size and FNH USA’s signature stainless steel cold hammer-forged barrel.

But this tiny package also includes many features that make the FNS Com-pact an ideal carry gun. The controls and front sight were designed to be snag-free to promote comfortable concealment and a faster draw. Additionally, the front sight features an enormous dot for quicker target acquisition when it is needed the most. As with all FNH USA pistols, the FNS Compact ships with

three magazines—two 12-round and one 17-round mag for the 9 mm, or two 10-round and one 14-round mag for the .40 caliber. All of this for an MSRP of under $600—the FNS Compact may be small, but it packs a mighty punch!

FN 15 VARIANTSAfter over 20 years of manufacturing

the M16 and M4 for the US military, FNH USA brought its expertise to the commercial market with its initial offer-ings in 2014—the basic FN 15 Carbine and FN 15 Rifle. Since then, FNH USA has developed a number of variants to meet the needs of any shooter looking for a high-quality AR-15 for any number of purposes.

FN 15 TACTICAL CARBINE

The FN 15 Tactical Carbine brings the M4 into the 21st century. FNH USA took your average 16” barrel and hammer-forged it, chrome-lined it and free-floated it for increased accuracy, lon-ger life and (every shooter’s favorite) ease of cleaning. They then added a 3-prong muzzle brake to reduce flash and provide stable compensation. Combined with the gun’s mid-length gas system and H1 buffer, what the shooter feels is less recoil and faster target reacquisition. But just to spruce things up a little more, FNH USA added a Magpul grip and buttstock. Additionally, FNH USA is beating other manufacturers out of the gate and is the first manufacturer to offer products with Magpul’s M-LOK system, which pro-vides plenty of options for mounting ac-cessories. Most importantly, they added an ALG Defense enhanced combat trig-ger which translates into smoother pull, cleaner break and less grit. For an MSRP under $1,500, the consumer gets over 20 years of expertise, modern upgrades and quality that is sure to last.

FN 15 SPORTINGIf a new shooter wanted to enter the

world of 3-gun or was just generally looking for a really awesome sporting rifle, this would be the one to buy. The FN 15 Sporting has everything competi-tive shooters want in a rifle, without all the hassle of having to build it them-

selves. The Sporting comes with an 18” match-grade, hammer-forged chrome-lined, free-floated barrel for increased accuracy, longer life and ease of cleaning. The barrel is topped off with a SureFire ProComp 556 muzzle brake to help reduce recoil and allow the shooter to get back on target quicker—because in competition, speed is paramount. Ad-ditionally, a Timney Competition Trigger provides a crisp break with a short reset to promote really fast follow-up shots. Like its tactical cousin, the Sporting comes with Magpul furniture to en-hance the shooter’s comfort and increase the cool factor. Finally, a 15” Samson Evolution rail provides a lightweight, comfortable grip with infinite sling and accessory mounting options. An MSRP of just under $1,750 buys the shooter a completely tricked-out gun that is ready to rock the range.

FN 15 DMRFor those consumers who want a tac-

tical rifle that offers the ability to reach out and touch a target a little further away, the FN 15 DMR is an excellent option. The DMR includes many of the same features of the Sporting—the SureFire muzzle brake, Timney Competi-tion trigger and Magpul furniture—but is designed for more tactical applications. The DMR’s 18” match-grade, hammer-forged barrel has a 1:7 twist to enhance stability and accuracy for heavier grain precision shooting ammunition. Because this is a serious rifle for use in high-stakes situations, the DMR comes with pre-installed Magpul MBUS Pro backup iron sights. Additionally, the 15” forearm is covered in Magpul M-LOK attach-ments and a continuous 1913 rail gives the shooter plenty of real estate to mount optics, night vision and thermal devices.

FN has been creating the highest quality firearms for the world for the past 125 years and the new lineup for 2015 continues that heritage. From the small but powerful FNS Compact to the light-weight and durable FN 15 line, FNH USA’s offerings for 2015 are the perfect combination of exceptional quality, reasonable price and right timing to give you the Distinct Advantage. BR

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BY KALI PARMLEY, USSA

In a ballot initiative with national repercussions, Maine voters once again sent an unmistakable message to animal-rights extremists: stay out of our state.

For the second time in 10 years, Maine voters resoundingly rejected a ballot initia-tive backed and funded by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Throughout the battle on Question 1, which would have banned the use of bait, dogs and traps when bear hunting, sports-men and professional wildlife managers who opposed the initiative continually maintained a double-digit lead in the polls.

“This is a great victory for sportsmen. It

shows that scientific wildlife management can withstand a direct attack from the well-funded anti-hunting movement,” said Evan Heusinkveld, vice president of government affairs at US Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA). “Despite pumping more than $2.5 million into this campaign, HSUS received a loud and clear message from Maine voters that their radical agenda is out of touch with modern wildlife management.”

Facing overwhelming opposition, HSUS and its front group, Mainers for Fair Bear Hunting, attempted to under-mine the political process with lawsuits and petty allegations meant to keep voters ignorant of the scientific facts that refuted their stance. Mainers for Fair Bear Hunting

unsuccessfully sued to keep professional wildlife managers and biologists with the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wild-life from speaking out about the ramifica-tions to citizens should Question 1 pass.

“We fully expected them to employ this type of tactic when it became clear that they would be unable to overcome the willingness of Maine voters to listen to the facts. The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has earned a high level of trust based on a solid track record of managing Maine’s wildlife, and there was no amount of misleading rhetoric that could change that,” said Nick Pinizzotto, President and CEO of US Sportsmen’s Alliance. BR

Advocacy

USSASportsmen Prevail in Maine Bear Hunting Ban

BY GARY ZURN,SVP INDUSTRY RELATIONS

Many of you are painfully aware of all the restrictions the National Park

Service (NPS) has placed on Cape Hatteras National Seashore over the past 10 years. The highly restrictive vehicle and people access to many areas of Hatteras Seashore has severely hurt fishing in the park, and has forced many businesses to close or cut way back on overhead expenses to stay in business. Many tackle shops and local businesses are 40 to 60 percent behind in sales from the pre-restriction era.

Now the plague to fishing and beach access known as the NPS is moving its way south to Cape Lookout National Seashore in North Carolina, and Biscayne National Park in Florida. In the current General Management Plan for Biscayne National Park, the NPS is looking to promote Alternative 4, enacting a huge marine reserve and severely cutting back motorboat

and fishing access to thousands of park acres. Alternative 4 has been opposed by the general public, almost all fishing and boating organizations and associations and even the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), which helps with oversight of the park. However, the NPS is determined to enact the strictest of all their proposals, regardless of public opinion. All parties involved are for improving conservation efforts in the park, but the less restrictive options 6 and 7 make more sense, and allow access by anglers and boaters in the park. A regulation as restrictive as Alternative 4 should only be used as a last resort, and definitely not when other alternatives have the potential to succeed.

As for Cape Lookout National Seashore park in North Carolina, this one makes even less sense. To quote local US Congressman Walter B. Jones, “By any objective measure, there is no justification for imposing the suite of additional public access restrictions included in Alternative C. In short, it is a ‘solution’ in search of a problem that does not exist.” The NPS’

Alternative C plan for Cape Lookout looks to raise over $400,000 annually by increasing fees on Off-Road Vehicles visiting the park, in part to hire and pay for more park rangers that are not needed, and help further restrict access into the park. These needless fees and restrictions would burden businesses in the area even further, as park attendance continues to dwindle down from the current overly restrictive park access enactments. Numbers don’t lie; in 2010 the Cape Lookout Seashore had 534,981 visitors, which contributed $37.3 million to the local economy and supported 598 jobs in Down East North Carolina. In 2013, the current restrictions reduced visitation to 416,496 visitors contributing $17.6 million to the local economy and supported 204 jobs. It’s hardly a trend that needs additional restrictions, fees and oversight, not to mention projected loss of income and jobs to the area.

If nothing else, Cape Hatteras’s business difficulties should have given the NPS enough insight not to make the same mistake twice—but here they are ready to do it to us a second and third time. BR

BIG ROCK IN ACTION

The National Park Service (NPS) is Not Our Friend


AFTER MONTHS OF SEARCH-ING, I couldn’t believe my eyes—I found a replacement magazine for my rifle. I couldn’t find the price on the package but I didn’t care. I headed to the checkout, where I waited for about 10 minutes in line. That didn’t dampen my mood—I smiled, holding my treasure. I was greeted by a sour clerk who snatched the magazine from my hand to scan it. She stared, grumbled and then manually typed the SKU. Another grumble. “Where did you get this?” she barked. “At the gun counter,” I replied. She picked up the phone, called someone and described the product. Hanging up she said, “It’s not in our system. You can’t buy it.” With that she chucked the magazine in a returned items bin and said, “Next!” I stood there, dumbfounded, disbelieving what had just happened. “Really? Can you get a manager to look into this for me? I want to buy that magazine today,” I said politely. “Nope. Sorry,” she snipped back and proceed-ed to ignore me. Frustrated and out of time I left the store. I have not been back.

Front-line staff make a big difference to your business. The people who interact with your customers can make or break your store’s reputation. An opportunity exists at point of purchase to constructively engage customers. A positive experience at the register may well turn your customers into ambassadors for you.

Here are five ways your staff can get customer feedback, promote your store and ensure repeat business.

1) Be Friendly. Greeting people by making eye contact and welcoming them with a warm smile is a basic customer service skill. If the person behind the register goes beyond these pleasantries I take notice. Everyone has a bad day personally, but you and your staff shouldn’t bring it to work. 2) Start a Conversation. Chit-chat at the register can yield a gold mine of information and builds rapport with

customers. You can also provide accurate tips that make them feel they have an inside scoop. For example, “I hear the fishing has been hot off of Jack’s Point at Pine Lake.” The possibilities are endless. Ask questions and be genuinely interested in what your clients are doing.

3) Inform, Promote and Solicit Feedback. Ask how their shopping experience has been, and listen to the answer—write it down or call on a manager if you need to. Mention upcoming events and special promotions. Hand out flyers, or talk about a new product that just hit the market and has been very popular with your customers. You could also hand out discount coupons to encourage return shopping, and request customer feedback surveys with incentives (fill out the survey card for a chance to win $100). 4) Collect Contact Information. Collect mail and email addresses as well as phone numbers for your database. Direct mail, e-newsletters and social media are great ways to connect with the people who buy the products you sell.

You can use this information in many ways to promote your business.

5) Solve Problems. This can truly make or break your store’s reputation. Whether you are big enough to have a special customer service counter, or your sole clerk is the “Customer Service,” solve your customers’ problems! No, the customer isn’t always right, but if you read between the lines, you can almost always make them happier.

Once finished with the initial training, give your front-line staff feedback. If you see them doing something really well, compli-ment them. If they aren’t doing it right, give some constructive suggestions and examples of how to improve their skills. It may be un-fair to the business as a whole, but one person can really make that much of a difference—both positively and negatively.

When your staff truly engages custom-ers, they create a positive shopping experi-ence. Your customers in turn will become ambassadors of your store helping to market your brand by word of mouth. Time and money spent on coaching staff to interact in a friendly and professional manner will pay many dividends for your business. BR

Five StepsFOR CONNECTING WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS

BY L OW ELL ST R AUSS


YOUNG ADULTS IN THEIR 20s and early 30s, often called Millennials or Gen-eration Y, have become the largest consumer age group, and are expected to make up 50 percent of the workforce by 2020. They do not live their lives along the pre-dictable patterns of the genera-tions before them, and they have access to everything they want to know or be part of at their fin-gertips through a mobile device. This has created new approaches to marketing and selling that you need to know about. Sooner than you think, this consumer segment will have the biggest spending power of all. Let’s look at three essential aspects of marketing to Millennials to help understand the consumer group that will dominate the market in the coming decades.

Marketing research has shown that, in addition to the regular purchase drivers like value for money or discounts or convenience, Millennials are looking to feel connected with the product or brand, to experience a sense of commu-nity and to know that they can provide input into where the brand is going and how prod-ucts are being developed. They are looking for a story that they can relate to, more than an individual product. Successful companies in the out-door industry are working hard at creating this community experience by developing and delivering content through a multitude of channels. No longer is a simple recurring ad in a printed magazine sufficient. They supply videos and photos, report break-ing news related to the field in which their products are used, provide stories that are entertaining or technical (how-to’s) and create other content that is not so much directed at selling but rather tries to engage

the consumer as part of the team. Even printed ads have changed. They are aimed at creating an atmosphere, or invoking an emotion, rather than promoting the quality of the products or announcing a sale.

Millennials research products exten-sively online before buying, hoping to find a convenient, hassle-free shopping experience, on their terms, regardless if this is online or in-store. Millennials, and other consumer segments, have come to expect easy online access to everything, and that includes product information. Com-panies are catering to this expectation by providing online tools that help consumers discover their products, and assist customers in putting gear packages together for their intended purposes. They provide content

related to the materials they use, their design choices and how their products func-tion in the field. Before entering a store to make a purchase, consumers are often better informed than sales staff about the pros and

cons of various options. Brands that fail to provide this informa-tion will lose market share.

Millennials seem to be less affected by traditional spray-and-pray advertising. This consumer segment relies on word-of-mouth, social media and product reviews by peers to influence their buying decisions. Companies provide a platform for this discussion through website blogs and online forums, possibly hosted by well-informed experts or professionals in the field who actually use the products. Additionally, social media like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Vimeo and Youtube all provide opportuni-ties for interactive, frequent, entertaining, informative, brief messaging to the target audi-ence. These venues allow for the addition of consumer-created content, which can be shared, commented on, “liked” and re-tweeted, spreading the message over a large audience in a short amount of time.

From these descriptions it may appear that Millennials are demanding more than their fair share of attention when it comes to marketing and retail sales. However, some marketing research indicates that it is not just this consumer segment. Technology keeps changing the way we interact, and that affects consumer behavior and expecta-tions across the board. Great opportunities exist for retailers who are willing to engage Millennials by delivering content through social media and other channels that will effectively reach their target. BR

Marketing to MillennialsTHREE TACTICS TO GET YOU IN THE GAME

BY F R A NS DIE P ST R AT E N


The Big Rock Sporting LifeSend photos from your adventures to Shannon Farlow at [email protected]

Ed Small, CEO

Big Rock Sports

Randol Kallelis

Methuen, MA

Brad Billeter

St. Marys, WV

Luc Ofield

San Diego, CA

Sportsman - Epicor · among Big Rock Sports customersÑand more than 300 of ... 12 VALUE I N VE...

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