“This award is a culmination of six years of hard work. It’s been an excellent adventure and it’s great to be recognized,” said Jim Holland, BackcountryStore.com’s chief executive. “Our passion for outdoor gear has attracted brilliant gear fanatics to our team. This is their award. Their energy and enthusiasm have really driven BackcountryStore.com’s growth and success.”

Internet Retailer’s Best of the Web recognizes sites in seven categories that are adopting interesting and innovative approaches to online retailing. The editors base their selections on consultations with members of Internet Retailer’s Editorial Board of Advisers and with industry consultants and analysts, and the editors’ own experience in dealing with sites, both professionally and personally, throughout the year.

"BackcountryStore.com's expert customer service reps, who have personal experience with the gear they sell, and BackcountryStore.com's depth of product make it a model for how to succeed as an online retailer. By doing it all from the small mountain town of Heber City, Utah, they have proven that the virtual model works," says Kurt T. Peters, editor of Internet Retailer.

“It’s an honor to be recognized with the likes of Amazon.com, Dell, Land’s End and other leading on-line retailers that are trail blazers,” said Holland. “We’ve always considered ourselves students of e-commerce and we aspire to apply all the best online practices to make shopping easier for fellow gear-heads.”