Outdoor Business Network
Outdoor Business Network is a US digital agency and e-commerce platform provider serving small to mid-size outdoor and sporting goods retailers with managed online store solutions, distributor-integrated fulfillment, and subscription-based support.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersMaumee, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Outdoor Business Network does
Outdoor Business Network is a privately held US digital agency and e-commerce platform provider headquartered in Maumee, Ohio, focused exclusively on the outdoor and sporting goods retail vertical. The company targets small to mid-size brick-and-mortar retailers seeking to establish or expand an online presence, providing managed, full-service e-commerce solutions that include website creation, individually branded storefronts, monthly maintenance, catalog updates, and ongoing support — sold primarily through a sales-led motion.
The technical core consists of two products: CloudCommerce, a dedicated e-commerce shopping cart platform with live inventory feeds and CMS capabilities, and the XLECommerce client portal (launched 2015, in beta for project management at that time) which provides client-staff collaboration, support tickets, invoice viewing, and payment processing. A defining capability is the Distributor Fulfillment E-Commerce Program, anchored by a strategic partnership with AcuSport, which enables client retailers to offer distributor inventory online with drop-ship fulfillment directly to end customers, removing the need to hold physical stock.
Revenue is generated through subscription-based monthly maintenance packages plus custom e-commerce builds, supplemented by agency services including web design, SEO/SEM, logo and branding work, and consulting. The company does not disclose pricing publicly, has no disclosed funding rounds, appears founder/management-owned, and serves customers in the United States (with broader North America coverage claimed). The customer base is entirely SMB outdoor/sporting goods retailers, with 11–50 employees internally, and no enterprise or large-retailer logos are named in the source material.
Outdoor Business Network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Outdoor Business Network
- Legal name
- Outdoor Business Network, Inc.
- Website
- https://outdoorbusinessnetwork.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Outdoor Business Network is a US digital agency and e-commerce platform provider serving small to mid-size outdoor and sporting goods retailers with managed online store solutions, distributor-integrated fulfillment, and subscription-based support.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Outdoor Business Network industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Outdoor E-Commerce Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sporting Goods, Outdoor & Fitness Marketplaces (CRAFABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Outdoor & Adventure Multi-Category Retail (CRAMABAB)
Keywords
Where Outdoor Business Network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Maumee
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Outdoor Business Network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- E-Commerce Platform Services: Monthly maintenance, catalog updates, and full e-Commerce support packages for small to mid-size outdoor retailers
- Basic and Custom E-Commerce Packages: Website packages utilizing distributor product catalogs with live inventory feeds, individually branded to match client business
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Basic E-Commerce Package |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Outdoor Business Network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Outdoor Business Network provides managed e-commerce solutions for small to mid-size outdoor and sporting goods retailers, combining its proprietary CloudCommerce shopping cart platform and XLECommerce client portal with full-service website design, live distributor inventory feeds, drop-ship fulfillment, and ongoing monthly maintenance. The offering enables brick-and-mortar outdoor dealers to launch or expand online storefronts that replicate the product breadth and shopping experience of large outdoor big-box retailers without building e-commerce infrastructure in-house.
Product overview
Outdoor Business Network offers a platform-plus-services architecture centered on its CloudCommerce e-commerce shopping cart platform and XLECommerce client portal. The core product enables small to mid-size outdoor and sporting goods retailers to operate online stores with live inventory management, drop shipping from AcuSport, and full e-commerce capabilities. The company supplements its platform with agency and marketing services including web design, search engine optimization, logo design and branding, and strategic consulting. Monthly maintenance, catalog updates, and full e-commerce support are included in their service offerings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CloudCommerce: Dedicated e-commerce shopping cart platform provided by Outdoor Business Network for clients.
- XLECommerce
Products and services
- CloudCommerce Dedicated e-commerce shopping cart platform that enables small to mid-size outdoor retailers to operate online stores with live inventory updates, drop-shipping capabilities, and full e-commerce functionality; the core product of Outdoor Business Network.
- XLECommerce Client Portal Client portal platform for OBN clients and staff to collaborate on projects, manage support tickets, view invoices, pay bills, and access additional services such as marketing, domain names, and security certificates.
- Distributor Fulfillment E-Commerce Program E-commerce solution that utilizes affiliated distributor product catalogs with live inventory feeds, allowing retailers to offer distributor products online under their own brand; features drop-ship orders directly to customers from AcuSport.
- Web Design Services Professional website design services for outdoor industry retailers, delivered as part of Outdoor Business Network's full-service agency offering.
- Search Engine Marketing/Optimization SEO and SEM services intended to improve client visibility in search engines and drive organic and paid traffic to their outdoor retail online stores.
- Logo Design & Branding Brand identity services including logo design to help outdoor retailers establish and enhance their professional image across online storefronts.
- Consulting Services Strategic consulting services covering outdoor industry e-commerce operations and business development for retailers.
Companies that use Outdoor Business Network
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Outdoor Business Network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Outdoor Business Network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- AcuSportcoreAcuSport serves as the primary distributor fulfillment partner, enabling drop ship orders directly to customers. OBN websites utilize AcuSport's massive inventory for live inventory feeds, allowing small outdoor retailers to offer extensive product lines without holding physical inventory.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Outdoor Business Network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Shopify: Dominant SMB e-commerce platform with broad retail applicability. While not vertical-specialized in outdoor/sporting goods, Shopify is the primary alternative OBN's prospects consider for DIY e-commerce, and it increasingly offers distributor/marketplace integrations that overlap with OBN's value proposition.
- BigCommerce: Mid-market and enterprise e-commerce platform that competes with OBN at the higher end of the SMB market. BigCommerce offers open SaaS, headless commerce, and multi-channel integrations that overlap with OBN's managed services.
- WooCommerce: Open-source e-commerce plugin for WordPress widely adopted by small retailers. Represents a free DIY alternative that competes with OBN's managed service model for cost-sensitive SMB outdoor retailers.
- Shift4Shop (formerly 3dcart): SMB-focused e-commerce platform with built-in shopping cart and online store capabilities. Competes with OBN's CloudCommerce platform for the same SMB outdoor retailer customer.
- Magento (Adobe Commerce): Enterprise-grade e-commerce platform with strong distributor/inventory management capabilities. Targets the upper end of OBN's customer base as outdoor retailers grow and require more sophisticated platform features.
Emerging players
- AmeriCommerce: SMB e-commerce platform with multi-store and B2B capabilities. Smaller-scale competitor to OBN's platform offering, focused on the small merchant segment with similar feature breadth.
Direct peers
- OuterBox: E-commerce design and development agency specializing in outdoor, sporting goods, and lifestyle brands. Closest direct competitor given shared focus on outdoor/sporting goods retailer e-commerce build, design, and SEO services with similar agency-plus-platform model.
- Coalition Technologies: E-commerce design and SEO agency that builds online stores for retail brands. Overlaps with OBN's agency services (web design, SEO, branding) targeting similar mid-market retailer customers.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Outdoor Business Network social profiles
Digital presenceOutdoor Business Network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Outdoor Business Network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Outdoor Business Network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Outdoor Business Network M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Outdoor Business Network
What does Outdoor Business Network do?
Outdoor Business Network provides managed e-commerce solutions for small to mid-size outdoor and sporting goods retailers, combining its proprietary CloudCommerce shopping cart platform and XLECommerce client portal with full-service website design, live distributor inventory feeds, drop-ship fulfillment, and ongoing monthly maintenance. The offering enables brick-and-mortar outdoor dealers to launch or expand online storefronts that replicate the product breadth and shopping experience of large outdoor big-box retailers without building e-commerce infrastructure in-house.
Is Outdoor Business Network a public or private company?
Outdoor Business Network is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Outdoor Business Network founded?
Outdoor Business Network was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Outdoor Business Network based?
Outdoor Business Network is headquartered in Maumee, United States, in the North America region.
How does Outdoor Business Network make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. E-Commerce Platform Services are the primary driver. The others are basic and Custom E-Commerce Packages.
Who are Outdoor Business Network's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Shift4Shop (formerly 3dcart) and Magento (Adobe Commerce). AmeriCommerce is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are OuterBox and Coalition Technologies.
Does Outdoor Business Network have an API?
No public API is recorded for Outdoor Business Network.
What industry is Outdoor Business Network in?
Outdoor Business Network's product category is Outdoor E-Commerce Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFABAI, Sporting Goods, Outdoor & Fitness Marketplaces, with a secondary code of CRAMABAB, Outdoor & Adventure Multi-Category Retail.