| > | | | | become more than a retailer of products for its |
| Favorite Places, News and Events, and Adventure | | | | customers. Richard Robbins, co-founder, explains, |
| Stories pages provide gathering place for outdoor | | | | We want to eventually become the primary |
| enthusiasts. | | | | source for people who are planning a getaway |
| OuterSports.com, an online retailer of outdoor | | | | into the wilderness. Not only will we sell tents, |
| equipment and accessories for hikers, climbers, | | | | sleeping bags, lanterns, and such, but we will |
| campers, and winter sports participants, recently | | | | provide tools that help our customers get to a |
| brought online its new outdoor community, where | | | | place they will enjoy with the gear they need at |
| users can find and contribute helpful information | | | | the price they can afford. Our new site [to be |
| related to getting out. Our company is | | | | released in January] will facilitate more interaction |
| dedicated to helping people enjoy the outdoors, | | | | between our customers and each other and |
| whether they like to hike, camp, climb, | | | | us. |
| snowboard, or whatever, says co-founder | | | | Other plans for in the near future include designing |
| Darron Robbins, Until now, we have been | | | | and manufacturing new products in response to |
| strictly in the business of providing the gear folks | | | | customer requests as well as allowing customers |
| need to make their outings successful. The new | | | | to rate products currently for sale on the site. In |
| community enables our customers to share their | | | | most cases, products available through will have |
| insights and experiences from the outdoor | | | | at least one review included with the retail |
| recreation world with others. | | | | description, giving potential buyers information that |
| The new community features three categories: | | | | can be used to determine whether or not to |
| Favorites Places, News and Events, | | | | purchase a particular item. Commenting on these |
| and Adventure Stories. The Favorite Places | | | | features, Richard Robbins said, The last thing |
| section of the community is for finding and | | | | we want is for someone to buy a backpack from |
| sharing details about outdoor spots recommended | | | | our site, then find out after using it once or twice |
| by community members. The News and Events | | | | that it hurts the back or the straps feel |
| section lists various competitions, tradeshows, | | | | uncomfortable. There are enough other problems |
| new product reviews, and other activities of | | | | to worry about [in the outdoors] that you |
| interest to recreation lovers. On the Adventure | | | | don’t want to deal with annoying or |
| Stories page, community participants can read | | | | ineffective gear. |
| others’ tales about trips and activities that | | | | About was founded by Darron and Richard |
| have exciting twists to them. They can also | | | | Robbins in 2002 as an online store retailing |
| contribute stories of their own. | | | | equipment and accessories for outdoor recreation, |
| This new release of an online community is the | | | | including hiking, climbing, and camping. |
| first step in OuterSports.com’s effort to | | | | |