Press Releases:
2007 / 2005 / 2004 / 2003 / 2002

Company History / Company Profile / Contact Info

November 13, 2003
Latest Web Technology Means Simplified Online Shopping
Outdoor Retailer Sierra Trading Post revamps its online mall so customers can shop easier

Cheyenne, Wyo. – Customers are shopping easier at SierraTradingPost.com due to an improved internal search function implemented this month. The company has employed Endeca InFront's Guided Navigation, which guarantees customers find what they need more efficiently and with more relevant results. In addition to providing timesaving searches within the outdoor retailer's extensive online outlet mall, Endeca also offers "dynamic merchandising." "This function promotes items of interest to shoppers based on how they are searching," said Website Manager Stephan Woo Cude. "If a customer is searching for hiking boots, it allows us to display related items such as hiking socks." It also allows the company to display related items including top sellers, "just added," and those on clearance, Cude adds. The revamped search function is the latest on a list of extensive site improvements made to ensure quick and easy online shopping. The company continues to expand its already extensive affiliate network of more than 7,000 partners. This network allows other websites to market Sierra's online mall – another way customers can more easily access the company's product line. "The affiliate program also allows consumer websites to compare our products and prices with other retailers," says Doug Williams, marketing manager. "And many affiliate websites offer forums for customers to post their opinions about Sierra Trading Post, so potential customers can review these comments before deciding to shop with us." Also implemented this month is WebSideStory's analytics service, Hitbox. The software provides real time information about online customer behavior, which allows Sierra's web marketing team to make ongoing improvements to the site. The use of Hitbox analytics allows the company to optimize the performance of their online marketing, e-commerce and customer support initiatives. Founded in Reno, Nev., in 1986, Sierra Trading Post is now headquartered in Cheyenne, Wyo. The catalog company purchases name brand closeouts and overstocks and sells them to consumers at outlet prices via an online mall, six catalog titles and three retail stores.


October 8, 2003
On-line Shopping to the Rescue this Holiday Season
Give great gifts without giving up too much time and money

Cheyenne, Wyo. Nobody likes the crowds that will forever be a part of holiday shopping. You can avoid them – and it's as simple as firing up your computer. If you know where to look, you can shop wisely, saving time, money, and possibly a headache or two: Watch for specials – Just as you watch for sales flyers for your favorite retail stores, on-line "malls" also offer specials such as free shipping, end of season sales, free gift wrap, coupons, sweepstakes and more. Almost all online department stores offer to send emails that will alert you to upcoming "web only" specials. While nobody wants bombarded with marketing emails, you can sign up in the fall, watch for additional discounts or special offers until your shopping is done, then request removal. Think clearance - Pare your holiday shopping budget by visiting the "bargain" section of online stores. Many, such as SierraTradingPost.com, offer limited quantity or last year's items at greatly reduced prices. For example, everything in Sierra's online "Bargain Barn" is marked down at least 60%. Products range from name brand shoes and camping gear to clothing and luggage. Coldwater Creek has "Outlet at the Creek," which sells art, accessories, jewelry, apparel, and more all discounted up to 70 percent. Bookmark your favorite sites and take a closer look, because most do offer clearance bargains Use free online resources - If you'd rather not receive email specials, regularly check with consumer-friendly websites such as www.shopping.com, www.thatscheap.com, www.myconsumerguide.com, www.epinions.com, www.secret-coupons.com or www.pricegrabber.com. These sites post coupons specifically for online shoppers, categorize products by cost for easy budgeting, alert you to those aforementioned online specials, compare prices at different retail sites, and recommend online merchants based on consumer ratings. Use common sense – Apply the same rules to online shopping that you would to mall hopping. Start early so you can take advantage of sales and special discounts. Often special offers such as "free shipping" do come with restrictions. If you wait until the last minute to order, an offer of free shipping will do you no good.


August 22, 2003
Outdoor enthusiasts can shop easier online
Sierra Trading Post announces the first-phase launch of a comprehensive redesign of its website meaning outdoor enthusiasts will save time and money

Cheyenne, Wyo. Outdoor retailer Sierra Trading Post this month launched the first phase of its customer-friendly online outlet mall, www.SierraTradingPost.com. This is the first of a two-phase upgrade, with the second phase scheduled for early 2004, said Stephan Woo Cude, website manager. "First phase changes primarily concerned product flow and improvement of static, informational pages," Cude said. Changes include a navigation bar that stays with users throughout the site, re-indexed, easier-to-find merchandise, and product reorganization. For instance, all sports and outdoor items are now consolidated in an Outdoor Gear section and categorized by activity, such as biking, climbing, or snow sports. Customers will also be able to find any item on the site quicker and easier with the implementation of an improved internal search function in mid-September. Endeca, a company that services Barnes and Noble, Eddie Bauer, Spiegel, and Crate and Barrel among others, is spearheading the navigation program. Phase two of the project will include improved "My Account" and check out routines to make account creation and checkout easier to use and understand, Cude adds. There are also plans to highlight some of Sierra's biggest brands like The North Face, with additional product and company information. "Customers will notice marked improvements throughout the site, making shopping quick, easy, and affordable as always," Cude said. The site, which first went live in 1999, now averages approximately 2,000 orders and hosts more than 22,000 unique visitors daily.


August 18, 2003
Sierra announces Cheyenne store expansion

Cheyenne, Wyo. – Sierra Trading Post is expanding its existing retail store in Cheyenne. The 6,000 square-foot expansion will allow more room for merchandise and better serve customers, said Robin Jahnke, director of fulfillment. The addition will bring total store size to 22,000 square feet. "We identified a need for the expansion to provide more product for our customers," Jahnke said. "We've added so many brands and product lines that we continue to outgrow our current location." The $100,000 project will transform what used to be storage space. Targeted for completion in September 2003, it will house the Bargain Barn. The former Bargain Barn will then be home to a larger selection of outdoor hard-goods and shoes, said retail Manager Jackie Taylor. The retail expansion follows the construction of a 284,000-square-foot fulfillment center in Cheyenne last December and doubling the size of its Reno, NV store in July 2002. Sierra Trading Post purchases overstocks and closeouts from its name brand vendors and passes savings of up to 70 percent on to its customers. Sierra operates three retail sites, an online store (www.sierratradingpost.com) and seven mail order catalog titles. Sierra mails more than 60 million catalogs per year and employs approximately 500 people.


May 18, 2003
Public open house May 22-23

Cheyenne, Wyo. – Sierra Trading Post is offering free public tours of its newly constructed 284,000 square-foot fulfillment center May 22-23. The center, which was completed in December 2002, will be open to the public from noon to 4 p.m., Thursday May 22nd, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday May 23rd. "This gives our customers the opportunity to see what we do, and it gives the community the opportunity to see some of the good things going on in Cheyenne," said Fulfillment Director Robin Jahnke. Sierra currently ships 5,000 to 6,000 orders daily, with nearly 90 percent of those orders shipped within 24 hours. "The new center is designed to eventually be able to handle approximately 27,000 to 30,000 orders per day during peak season," said Jahnke. This translates to 1,000 to 1,200 total employees in seven to 10 years. The company currently employs approximately 500 at its three locations including Cody and Reno, Nev. The center has additionally allowed Sierra to consolidate inventory from four off site warehouses, he added. The "energy conscious" building utilizes GPS driven solar skylights, motion detector activated lighting in pick areas, and the south wall features special panels to take advantage of the sun for both additional light and heat. "We are privileged to have a business such as Sierra Trading Post located in the Cheyenne Business Parkway. It is with great pride that Cheyenne LEADS refers to the success of this operation when speaking to other businesses interested in relocating to our area," said LEADS President Randy Bruns. "As the parkway's first business, Sierra's track record for growth and expansion speaks volumes about the achievements possible in this region of the country." Sierra Trading Post purchases overstocks and closeouts from its name brand vendors and passes savings of up to 70 percent on to its customers. Sierra operates three retail sites, an online store (www.sierratrading.post) and seven mail order catalog titles. Sierra, headquartered in Cheyenne, mails nearly 60 million catalogs in the United States annually.