B Is For BroForm

Give them an A for the concept and a B for execution as BroForm.com continues its ambitious attempt to transform the chaotic world of pro-forms into a regulated system.

Launched in October of 1999 by pro-rider/entrepreneur Adam Hostetter and John Telfer, the system so far has over 100 active action-sport manufacturers with another 150 registered. And more than 11,000 users are signed up, of which more than half work in some retail capacity.

�Manufacturers want to reach influencers in their own and related action sports,� says Hostetter. �But pro forms are a nightmare of paperwork for everyone. We have massively simplified the process.�

Retailers, ski areas, or outfitters sign up their employees, who then browse among the registered manufacturers, ordering up to specific limits, provided they meet manufacturers� preset profiles. BroForm takes a small transaction fee on each end of the process.

Hostetter points out BroForm prevents abuse of the system with shop employees ordering a dozen boards and then reselling them to buddies, something that undermines local retailers. He also points to it as a tangible privilege for employees.

�Why wouldn�t I sign up my employees?� asks World Boards Owner Jay Moore. �It saves a lot of monitoring and paperwork on my part and on the part of my reps, keeps everyone honest, and exposes my employees to additional brands.�

On the manufacturing side, Flow is an active proponent. �I like to be able to set my parameters in advance,� say Craig Wilson. �This is a no-admin system with no paper trail. I want lift ops or whoever to be on our product, but I don�t want to tie up limited manpower resources in getting it to them.�

Hostetter estimates there are 300,000 people working in some capacity in the outdoor industries, ranging from retail employees and lifties to river runners, who are entitled to apply for pro-form gear.

So why the B grade? Mainly because the system works excellently for smaller manufacturers looking for a solid and controlled way of getting their products into the hands of influencers, but not so well for the biggest players. The five snowboard-hardgood manufacturers currently offering product are smaller players. Even Hostetter admits the system needs to have the majority of manufacturers involved to make it work at its optimum.

Burton�s Marketing Director Dave Schriber thinks it�s unlikely that Burton will sign up. �There�s not much benefit for us putting our brand alongside others. And if someone gets five boards from different manufacturers, we just hope he sells the others and keeps the Burton.� �Matthew Kreitman

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