Selling action sports equipment and accessories is an “extreme” challenge

By Melissa Sepos

The cataloger conducts focus groups and watches a lot of online customer behavior, then translates it into the print catalog. Monsterskate also has a well rounded advisory board, including skaters, that it draws on for planning.

Because the catalog is used as a sales driver and hopes to reach credit card-holding parents, its copy is less in-your-face than the Web site. “We have a demographic as young as 12, quite honestly even younger. We don’t want to alienate parents. We want to set a good example in terms of language and content but at the same time maintain the true spirit and culture of the sport,” says Donley. “It is a fine line.”