TAKE STOCK AND STOCK TAKE
Like a decaffeinated 24-hour Monday, stock takes are dreaded by everyone from top management on down to the new intern. Whether you like it or not, at some point you have to stop and count your inventory. To assist us how to become Stock Take Ninjas, ASB tapped the deep well of knowledge accumulated over the years by author Greg Gorter of Ocean Road Agencies and Osipos for this issue.
We’ve undertaken our own stock take here at ASBMAG too, and it’s been one of the toughest yet. In FY18 we gave away 18,000 copies of ASBMAG for free to every surf shop in Australia and to our friends in New Zealand and Indonesia. We need to correct the balance sheet and we’re asking you to get onboard between now and December 2018 and join us by subscribing to our print and digital editions (or both). Our target is 1000 subscribers and to encourage you to subscribe, we’re giving away a $6000 trip for two to stay at the magnificent Aganoa Lodge in Samoa (subscribe HERE).
Inside this issue, we’ve taken a deep dive into the ‘Dark Side of Denim’ with Bryan Dickerson. Denim is a huge business. Globally it accounted for more than $100 billion in sales in 2017. In Australia, ActionWatch estimates the total surf denim market was $12 million in 2017. Participating retailers on our ActionWatch panel moved an estimated 114,570 units of denim and turned over $18K on denim which accounts for 8.5% of all men’s and women’s apparel sales.
But denim is dirty. And many brands don’t know what to do about it. Most surf companies have a position on sustainable sourcing and their supply chain because it’s bragging rights in an industry that prides itself on being green. But the production of a simple pair of jeans is confusing, complicated and fraught with human and environmental wreckage.
Have you seen the movie adaptation of Tim Winton’s acclaimed novel ‘Breath’ yet? Brian Walker- The Retail Doctor has. Brian was so inspired he’s written ‘Building Your Story in Surf Retail’. Why is some surf retail a reflection of what it is to be a surfer, and some just racks of product? Brian shares why there’s a growing need to be a storyteller in retail and why surf retail matters.
We hope you enjoy this issue of ASBMAG. And please, as Autumn range showings have begun around the country, spare a little extra time (and a little extra coin) for our supporting advertisers.
Kick back and grab a quiet corner of the store and enjoy.
Keith Curtain
Publisher
