M
player and sportsman,
Simon wanted to set up a store selling performance sports equipment combined with a service to offer expert product advice, unlike the sports fashion stores that were taking over the high street at the time.
The Millet Sports website was launched way back in 2000 and has developed over the years to cover many more popular sports not well served on the high street. Over the last few years the business has
grown considerably, adding more sports categories and a growing team of sport- minded colleagues to service the increasing customer demand.
In October 2009 Simon launched the new Millet Sports site, in response to extensive research with customers and active sporting people to enhance the online shopping experience even further. Talking exclusively to SGB UK, Simon described a changed consumer landscape: “Over the years sales have declined in store during December, in fact, it’s one of our worst months for trading. Most hit the high street and we are in a secondary area, plus shopping habits have changed. Our retail side has been dropping year on year for 5 years while the online side has grown year on year at about 50%.” Sales creep up in the fi rst week of November said Simon, with the last week of November being the busiest. Sales then tail off in
December, which would confi rm that the days
around ‘Black Friday’
are
indeed the most lucrative.
22
www.sgb-sports.com
illet Sports started life
over 20 years ago when Simon Millet founded his fi rst Millet Sports shop in north west London. A keen tennis
Going back to Mintel’s claim that a retailer needs more than a good price to make a profi t, Simon added: “As long as customers have had a good experience in the past no reason why they shouldn’t shop with
you again, but the retailer has to deliver. I’m not convinced that pricing is such an
and when Christmas shopping takes place, depending on the channel used. “November and December are by far our two busiest months online,” he
A rather surprising trend is just how late some people choose to leave their
said.
shopping:
“Online, people are buying right up until the last minute. We get orders on Christmas Day!” The beauty of an online store is that it is never shut, so shoppers can browse at leisure, safe in the knowledge that their goods will arrive at a more convenient time. So, how does Millet
issue, you just have to be competitive - using
marketing
campaigns in store and targeting your database online.” Talking to Simon, it becomes clear that there are fundamental differences in how
Sports prepare for the festive season? “We start planning in January when we do our buys for the online side, looking at what sold well in the previous years. Deliveries to the customer start in October for small
products then it really kicks in on November 1st. There is an increase in sales in store in November, but it’s not anything like what we see online,” insists Simon.
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