Selling: The Shop Floor Trading Intelligence
Shop name: King’s Road Sporting Club Location: Chelsea, London Owner: Michael Conitzer, Nicholas Smith, Jonathan Smith Website:
www.krsc.co.uk Date opened: April 1993 Buying group affiliation: None Number of staff: 28 Specialties sold: Women’s yoga and activewear, men’s activewear, surfwear and swimwear, specialist footwear, accessories.
Specialist Sport
Company: Inov-8 Founded: 2003 Sport: CrossFit Equipment: Lightweight footwear Website:
www.inov-8.com
1. What essential information do retailers need to know about your sport and its equipment? CrossFit is a strength and conditioning exercise programme that was founded 15 years ago in the US and is rapidly spreading across the rest of the world. It combines running, weightlifting and gymnastics and requires proficiency in each of ten fitness domains: cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, agility, balance, coordination and accuracy.
1. Not a lot of people know that… The business has been independent since 1897 and doesn’t follow the normal male dominated sportswear store tradition. We are 85 per cent female, 15 per cent male. We pay an average salary that is 70 per cent above the basic minimum wage. We do not pay personal commission but rather a commission based on the store reaching a weekly target. All staff then share that commission equally. We have a company doctor as the bulk of our sales floor staff are from Australia, New Zealand or South Africa and they tend not to have the time to find National Health doctors because they generally are on a one-year work permit. The brands that we carry tend to be small specialist brands from all over the world but mainly from Canada, USA and Australia. We do not have a single British supplier and we are the largest single door swimwear retailer in the UK.
2. How is the business finding current trading conditions?
Business is very busy when it doesn’t rain but lousy when it does as the UK market is heavily influenced by the weather.
3. What has been the greatest success for the business over the last 12 months? Lululelemon. (ED: A Canadian range of technical athletic apparel for yoga, running, dancing, and other activities.)
4. What recent supplier initiative has been successful for your business? US footwear brand New Balance.
5. What will be your biggest challenge in the next 12 months?
We will strive to find unique new brands and be praying for sunshine to keep customers coming through the door.
www.sgb-sports.com 25
2. What products does your company offer? Inov-8’s lightweight and minimal shoes have been popular with the CrossFit community in the US and UK since the launch of Inov-8’s lightweight and minimal F-Lite range in 2008. Now, the Inov-8 Bare-XF 210 is the first ever shoe designed specifically for CrossFit.
3. Why is your sport worth considering for retailers?
The CrossFit community is rapidly growing in both the US and the rest of the world. In the US it grew from 18 affiliates (gyms) in 2005 to 1,700 in 2010 and there are now approximately 2,500 in 2011. In the UK there are over 40 CrossFit clubs in operation and the number is rapidly increasing as the once ‘underground’ or ‘niche’ training brand begins to grow.
4. What demographic does it appeal to? CrossFit aspires to very high levels of physical ability although workouts can be adapted for different levels of fitness.
5. What other services does your company offer? All Inov-8 products are designed to be lightweight, minimal and functional. Inov-8 believes in natural running, a running style which is similar to running barefoot. Inov-8 offer a wide range of shoes and backpacks for all forms of running: off trail, trail, fast and lite trekking and running, road and CrossFit.
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