... that's just sitting there, waiting to be discovered/exploited/marketed/whatever y'wanna call it.
It's the "skateshop-collectively-owned, private label". I'll explain:
Let's assume that, after all this time, we're still not getting what we want out of our brands. Stuff like:
- MSRP/MAP pricing,
- Good profit margins,
- Good, professional tours that make frequent stops in lots of skate scenes, both big and small,
- Good customer service,
- Good graphics,
- Solid wood (ie, "quality products"),
- And, specific products (and/or, entire brands) that can't widely be found on the 'Net, or in Zumiez...
Well: Why don't groups of skate shops that are in fairly close proximity to each other, start their own proprietary/private label "brands"...?
Why don't skate shops actually create a regional brand... or even, a national brand... that actually serves the needs of core skate shops....? I mean: If noone else is really doing it, or doing it well... then, why don't they just do it for themselves?
I mean, think about it: Let's say that we have a cooperative of maybe, 20 like-minded shops here in Indiana. They all get together, and they decide to put a team of Indiana's 5 best and brightest (and, most professional and kid-friendly) skaters on the road all summer long, crisscrossing the state, visiting their shops, skating their butts off, being cool to kids.... and, most importantly, promoting skateboarding to anyone and everyone, any and every where... the owner-shops could pay those skaters a little bit, come up with a name, and some graphics that every one of those shops could sell to their markets... have all of the "owner" shops carrying it... advertise it through the local skate-media, and within their own shops... and, just do it for themselves?
Shops getting together, and creating the types of "brands" that they could support...
And, of course: If the participating shops do their own distributions and promotions in-house, they could totally make killer margins by buying in bulk on one end, and setting their own retail prices/MSRP's/MAPS on the other. And of course, they could easily keep this brand out of Zumiez (because, the shops actually own the brand, right?!)... wouldn't that be like, the best thing ever?!
The shops would get a damn good ROI (Return On Investment)... skateboarding grows, because the team is everywhere, demoing all the damn time... the kids are stoked, because they have readily accessible and relate-able professional skaters right at their disposal... and, the shops might even be launching and supporting the careers of what were once "just" 5 local skaters (that probably weren't getting any recognition from the major mags, anyway...)... into the "pro ranks".
The shops can choose whichever skaters fit their desires... if the shops want certifiable slacker-alcoholic-stoners on their teams, then so be it. But, I kinda suspect that the core shops are tiring of this kind of "industry representative", though. "Image", is one thing. But: Having some jackass living and breathing this "image" right at your doorstep, is quite another. C'mon, man. This is the midwest, dude. We expect something a little more "wholesome" 'round these here parts, given that we are all up in The Bible Belt and all...
Just an idea.
