Outdoor Industry Association will offer four webinars this month through its Outdoor University® education program to help its members  minimize legal risks and prepare for the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in August.


All sessions are free for OIA members and a nominal fee for nonmembers. Registration is required.


  • Product Liability: What Manufacturers and Distributors Need to Know. Product liability insurance exists to protect businesses from claims related to the manufacturing and selling of products to the consumer. The impact from some claims can be detrimental to businesses, sometimes putting them out of business. In this webinar, you will obtain a clear understanding of potential liabilities and the possible damages that your business may be exposed to and how to secure coverage and prevent claims that could close your doors. Presented by: Rob Martin, Horizon Insurance and Peter Rietz, The Rietz Law Firm.Date: June 8 at 2pm (MST). 
  • Legal and Risk Management for Retailers: How to Minimize or Eliminate Costly Losses. Using actual case studies, well explore the most common general liability risks that retailers face and how proper legal/risk management comes into play in lessening those risks. During this session, you will develop of clear understanding of the importance of having proper legal/risk management practices in place. You will also become familiar with basic legal terms and applicable laws that affect outdoor retailers who are often involved in how consumers use the products they purchase in the outdoors. Most importantly, in this online session, there will be a high emphasis on the proper use of release forms and how they come into play when there is a need to defend you against a claim. Presented by: Rob Martin, Horizon Insurance and Peter Rietz, The Rietz Law Firm. Date: June 8 at 2pm (MST).
  • Eight Tips to Get the Most Out of your Outdoor Retailer Booth Investment. With ORSM just around the corner, learn how to maximize your investment by actively attracting attention to your booth and develop relationships that lead to sales. Topics to be covered include the elements of effective visual merchandising, product placement and display considerations, customer engagement and more. Presented by: Robin Enright, founder of Merchandising Matters. Date: June 21 at 2 pm (MST)
  • Retailer Prep for the Buying Season Using OIA VantagePoint Data. As retailers gear up for the upcoming buying cycle and ORSM, learn how to mine OIA VantagePoint data to determine where to allocate open-to-buy, identify category seasonality to improve cash flow, identify new lifestyle brands and products that are winning in tangential trade channels to help differentiate your store, and view average selling price trends to help make smarter buying, and in some instances, pricing decisions. Presented by: Paul Gagner, Vice President and General Manager of The SportsOneSource Group. Date: June 23 at 2 pm (MST)