Outdoor Retailer to Host Inaugural Merchandising Tours, Summer 2009

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. – June 11, 2009 – This summer Outdoor Retailer will host merchandising tours and awards at its Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, held at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, July 21-24, 2009.

In two different tours, each covering different sections of the show floor, merchandising expert Sharon Leicham will highlight exhibiting brands demonstrating excellence in merchandising and offer valuable advice to tour participants.

“At Outdoor Retailer, more than 800 exhibitors bring their ‘A’ game to the show floor,” said Kenji Haroutunian, Outdoor Retailer show director. “Through this new concept, retailers will be able to glean ideas from the top merchandising minds in the business and use the inspiration to fuel excellence and sales in their shops back home. Exhibitors will be recognized too, for their creativity and use of unusual techniques, among other criteria with the awards program.”

The merchandising tours will cover the entire span of the Outdoor Retailer show floor, from the performance sports categories, including footwear, apparel, accessories and nutritionals to the climbing category with an emphasis on hardgoods and gear. Though the tours originate from the Endurance and Climbing Zones, they will address examples of merchandising in a variety of areas and offer attendees across all categories new merchandising strategies to improve in-store flow, increase probability and feature 2010 spring and summer product lines.

Leicham, author of “Merchandising Your Way to Success” and merchandising editor for SNEWS, will tap into her forty years of experience in merchandising with manufactures such as Specialized Bicycle Components and Sierra Designs, and partner with Outdoor Retailer to guide the Summer Market merchandising tours. Leicham will also lead the judging for the merchandising awards which will be announced at the close of day three, July 23.

“I’m excited to join with Outdoor Retailer during Summer Market and help busy participants navigate the show’s outstanding booth exhibits,” said Leicham. “The merchandising tours will be a great opportunity for industry peers to gather in a forum, compile ideas and learn from each other’s merchandising experience.”

The hour-long merchandising tours will depart from the Outdoor Retailer Endurance Zone at 11 a.m. and from the Climbing Zone at 2 p.m. on July 22 and 23, respectively. Those who miss the live tours can watch them post-show on the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market website.

The Outdoor Retailer Merchandising Tours are sponsored by Outdoor Retailer and Eagle Creek. The Merchandising Awards will be presented, in partnership with SNEWS ®, on Thursday, July 23 in the source and design section of the Outdoor Retailer show floor.

About Outdoor Retailer
Outdoor Retailer (OR), produced by Nielsen Business Media of San Juan Capistrano, Calif., is a full service trade show company that creates, markets and produces high-quality expos and educational conferences. OR is the leading outdoor industry business-to-business event management company, bringing together manufacturers, retailers, industry advocates and media to conduct the business of outdoor recreation. Now celebrating more than 25 years of successful events, Outdoor Retailer (www.outdoorretailer.com) gathers approximately 40,000 attendees on a semi-annual basis for its Winter and Summer Market shows.

The next opportunity to preview the future of the outdoor industry will start at the Open Air Demo Pineview Reservoir (near Odgen, Utah) on July 20, 2009, followed by the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market at the Salt Palace Convention Center from July 21-24, 2009 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Maura Lansford, SOAR Communications, 801-523-3730, mlansford@soarcomm.com or
Chip Smith, SOAR Communications, 801-523-3730, csmith@soarcomm.com