ASR Up, Class@ASR Draws New Buyers
SAN DIEGO—It wasn’t the madhouse it used to be, but the Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo, now dubbed ASR Marketplace, showed definite signs of revival during its Sept. 10–12 run at the San Diego Convention Center.
The mood was far more upbeat than at the January 2009 show, when buyers, bashed by a poor holiday season, were thin on the ground and key brands sat out the show or decamped to meeting rooms off the show floor.
This season, a few brands opted out—including Hurley, Matix, Quiksilver’s DC shoe brand and others—but Quiksilver, which made news when it skipped ASR’s January show, returned to the show floor with its menagerie of apparel brands in tow. Electric Visual, a division of surf/skate biggie Volcom, also returned to the show, while Reef, Rip Curl and O’Neill met with buyers on the floor instead of in private meeting rooms.
Part of the uptick in energy can be credited to the debut of Class@ASR—a new trade show targeting crossover action-sports brands, contemporary brands and high-end swimwear—which ran alongside ASR on the show floor.
The debut show attracted a caliber of buyer not often seen on the ASR floor, including American Rag, Z Club and Fred Segal Man. Separated from ASR by both product and aesthetic, Class@ASR featured a dimly lit ambiance with pared-down rack-and-rail booths and brands such as John Varvatos for Converse, Huffer, Mara Hoffman, Fyasko, Kill City, Shirt by Shirt and Modern Amusement. Brands with roots in the surf/skate industry at the boutique show included Stuuml;ssy, Lightning Bolt, Elwood, Insight, RVCA, Ambsn, Cardboard Robot, Lira, Maui and Sons, Wellen and Comune.
Jason Bates, founder of the Class show, said the overall response to the show was positive. “I think [vendors and buyers] were seriously stoked” with the new show’s vibe and brand mix, he said.Signs of life
There were tell-tale signs of life on the ASR and Class@ASR show floors, which attracted approximately 18,000 attendees and more than 500 vendors.
Reef, part of the VF Corp., brought back its infamous “Reef Girls” to sign posters and pose with fans.
Vendors both large and small adopted a proactive, business-minded approach to the once marketing-driven show. Some vendors posted signs offering discounts on orders placed at the show. Roxy gave buyers a percentage off their ASR orders to help boost sales and brought select Holiday items that had been specially priced, said Michelle LeBlanc, a core-accounts manager.The La Jolla Group—an apparel licensee of O’Neill, Rusty and Lost Clothing—came to the show with a “priced to sell” strategy across all categories, said Casey Fleming, Rusty’s director of sales and marketing. Prices were sharpened to meet retailers’ new needs in key categories such as boardshorts, walk shorts and T-shirts. “All boardshorts are under $45 retail unless they are super-technical,” Fleming said.
O’Neill dropped the retail prices of its women’s swimwear from $80 to $90 a set to about $60 a set. “A lot of accounts were very challenged by the $80 to $90 price point,” said Michelle Devine, O’Neill’s vice president of juniors sales. The result was retailers working the line confidently and placing more orders than the brands had anticipated.
Modern Amusement showed its newly restructured men’s line, which includes a “Core Collection” capsule of knit and woven basics that will be available in 13 colors each season. Launched with the Spring 2010 season, the Core Collection wholesales for $23 to $50.
Atwater, which showed at ASR and Class@ASR, brought its prices down for Spring 2010 and raised its margins. “We’re more competitive this way, and it is helping us with our volume,” said Dean Bradley, the brand’s co-founder.
Howe, a menswear brand that is more hipster than surfer, dropped the prices of its denim significantly and placed a fine point on walk shorts at the show.
Andy Tompkins, vice president of Nielsen Sports Group, which produces the show, said retailers and brands are still struggling but are feeling hopeful that the worst is over. “This industry is resilient, and I’m happy to see some key brands back on the show floor and supporting our industry,” he said.
