COOL RUNNING?
hen you talk to anyone involved in snowsports, from the supplier to the shop floor, it becomes abundantly clear that this is an industry driven by passion for the mountains, and what is all-too-often an unpredictable winter. With that in mind our experts were asked about the present mood in UK snowsports and their thoughts for the season ahead.
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RM: At the moment, there is a lack of confidence primarily down to both the climate and the present economic situation. Despite this I’m confident the sales will come provided we get the cold weather required.
SC: Customer feedback is nervous right now due to the difficult economic situation; however, snow will calm the nerves of winter retailers so I am keeping my fingers crossed for a white Christmas.
PR: The market is very tough and has been hit by the economic uncertainty. The committed skier will still make the most of the season but I feel the family market will be hit hardest. Good snow will mean an ok season, but a poor winter will spell trouble for many retailers.
When there is even a small degree of uncertainty within markets, retailers often turn to their suppliers for additional support. We asked our panel of experts about how they support their retail partners throughout the winter season.
RM: Presently we undertake advertising campaigns in three of the key ski titles. In addition, we offer a very competitive payment structure to help support our retailers and have introduced advertising directly with holiday companies. We have however, noticed a reduction in demand for POS as more retailers look for alternative
www.sgboutdoor.co.uk ways to merchandise in-store.
SC: We focus on service so that the dealer receives deliveries on time and can re-order when necessary. We also encourage dealers to send new and experienced staff to our boot fitting seminars, as it’s a great way to learn new tricks and motivate staff. POS is made available to all stores particularly in relation to new product launches.
PR: We aren’t really viewed as a true ski brand at the moment although many backcountry skiers buy Haglöfs. When we launch a dedicated ski clothing range next winter we will be supporting it with competitions to win ski trips to Sweden, as well as offering limited edition product and using brand athletes to generate publicity.
With such a wide spectrum of marketing support on offer from suppliers, this leads naturally to the question of what some retailers in the snowsports sector are doing to drive their own growth and success.
RM: From my perspective the major wintersport groups have proven to be both inventive and reasonably aggressive, the same can now be said for an increasing number of independents, which bodes well for the sector as a whole.
SC: Blues, Ellis Brigham and Snow and Rock have all opened new stores in recent weeks, and it’s impressive to see these dealers investing in boot fitting. All have bought Sidas custom moulding machinery and are focusing on a service that can’t be bought on the internet, to my mind that is a critical success factor.
PR: The stores that are majoring in ski touring could well be in a good position as that area seems to be increasing the fastest. I also see those stores that are addressing the change from traditional ski to back country and mountain as having ranges that
should be well placed to ensure growth.
Like many other markets snowsport and ski in particular seems to be fragmenting. As new innovations and product categories open up a host of opportunities for retailers we asked our experts for their views on product trends and potential big sellers this year.
RM: This year we’d expect to see an extension of our free mountain hike & ride boot line as well as growth in the Hybrid boots category with an inclination towards downhill but still with the capacity for touring. In terms of skis we expect both the all-mountain and freeride categories to grow, though possibly at the expense of freestyle and racing skis.
SC: Our off-the-shelf 3Feet footbeds have been selling very well, and this is something we’d expect to continue. Products such as this that are tailored to the end user without the requirement for moulding look set to be an area of significant growth for us.
PR: As I mentioned previously the whole area of backcountry and ski touring is currently on a big increase, you can see that with the amount of hardware that is being offered and sold. This is also reflected in the sales of Haglöfs clothing suited to this kind of end use.
It is interesting to note such a diverse range of opinions. At present, there seems to be no clear consensus on wide-ranging issues such as snowsports marketing, product innovation or even what constitutes a successful snowsports retailer. In actuality however, that should come as no surprise, the snowsports industry has always been a showcase for individuality and freedom of expression, and it has to be said these are the very qualities that ensure its continued vibrancy and success today.
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