Selling: Swimming
In the swim
Martin Newton, sales and marketing manager at Aqua Sphere, tells SGB Sports,about the current swimming market and the opportunities presenting themselves to retailers.
A
ccording to Government figures, over 16 million people in the UK swim. Approximately 4.5 million of these are accepted to be ‘regular fitness swimmers’ and this figure is swelling with the increased participation in outdoor swim events, triathlons and improvements in swimming facilities as we fast approach London 2012. It's gratifying for swim brands that, in a flat sports retail market, swimming seems to be less affected by current economic constraints and is maintaining a steady course. We suspect this is due to its low cost of participation in comparison with other sports, ease of accessibility and it's definitely less seasonal than it used to be as a result of more people swimming throughout the year indoors or out.
As a retail proposition, a modest space can create an interesting display of swimwear, goggles and accessories so, for just a few square feet of floor space, the margins can be very good for 12 months of the year.
For brands such as Aqua Sphere, stock returns are minimal because the quality is consistently high. Indeed, the brand has won significant accolades and TV product placements because of its consistent product integrity. The truth is that we all need to feel safe and secure in the water and so the days of cheap leaky goggles and boring baggy swimwear are over.
The market has raced on and retailers who stock swim kit which is at the forefront of design and technology are really able to capitalise in the fitness swimming arena. In comparison with some sporting goods categories which are perhaps a bit stagnant, swim kit is all about extreme technology and tons of features, giving the retailer something new and edgy to talk about with up-to-date colourways to keep the range fresh each season. Customers also have a better understanding of new technology and in the case of goggles they crave panoramic curved lenses and clever side adjust buckles because they know these features deliver long lasting performance and comfortable fit.
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This demand for innovation is mirrored across swimwear and current talking points include Aqua Sphere's new Body Control System (BCS) swimwear which uses a strategic combination of AquaXcell and AquaXcell+ fabrics to enhance shape and provide support to specific body areas.
There is also a new range of women-specific goggles which are designed to deliver the best ever fit for the female face.
For those wanting ergonomically designed aqua gym kit, the new Ergo Flex hand paddles are set to be the next big thing and use clever ‘exo-skeleton’ components to provide a contoured fit for correct hand positioning, enhancing flexibility and feel for the water. In short, fitness swimmers love innovation and brands which are delivering these are seeing strong growth.
After product, consistency of service is understandably paramount. Retailers need to know that key items are always in stock in a wide range of sizes and even the smallest order can be turned around quickly. Swim brands which are failing to deliver and are letting the retailer down are feeling the pinch this year but Aqua Sphere has invested in warehousing solutions which deliver a higher level of service and ensure optimum retailer confidence.
Further to this, Aqua Sphere is owned by Aqua Lung International, the world's largest diving company, and the UK team has recently been given responsibility for Aqua Lung Sport snorkeling and diving equipment, which significantly extends its stable of products.
Combine these lines with Aqua Sphere's triathlon wetsuits in partnership with Ironman, the pinnacle brand in global triathlon, not forgetting its huge range of accessories, and retailers are well placed to get virtually everything they need for the water from a single, quality resource, keeping things efficient and simple.
For retailers who are unsure or nervous about expanding their water capability, there are opportunities to take low-risk quantities of stock to build a core line of swim products over time and then add categories to it. Brands which are adept at supporting retailers with the right mix of quality products are really growing, even in the current economically challenging times. Swimming is a buoyant market, and it's easier than you think to be part of it, whatever your budget.
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