Outdoor Sporting Goods Retailers Are Developing Upstream.

　　 Sports goods Retailer Bass Pro Shops said last month that it will close its 48 stores, while Sports Authority, an old sporting goods retailer, has filed for bankruptcy and will close all 460 stores. In this case, the prospect of the traditional sporting goods industry is rather bleak, but outdoor sporting goods retailers are booming.

The latest data from market research firm NPD Group showed that in the year ending October 2015, the size of outdoor sporting goods in the US market increased by 6.7%, with a total value of 188 billion, and the average price of each item increased by 4.2%. Outdoor sports include: hiking, cycling, camping, rock climbing and canoeing.

NPD Group said outdoor sporting goods only reached $2 billion online, an increase of 13%, while the traditional running goods market grew by only 2.7%. According to the Outdoor Industry Association, there are 198 million American adults aged 18 to 65, 60% of whom claim to be outdoor sporting goods, and these consumers spend an average of 465 dollars a year on outdoor sporting goods. It is much higher than the $51 billion invested in air tickets and other related expenses.

　 The rise of outdoor sports

The key to the performance gap between traditional sports retailers and outdoor sports retailers is that American sports enthusiasts turn their attention from traditional sports to outdoor sports, while most traditional sports retailers do not grasp this trend. Eric Greene, an outdoor sporting goods retailer at Exxcel Outdoors, said: "the millennials have become the main force of consumption, and many of them are outdoor sports enthusiasts."

NPD Group's research shows that the market size of hiking has increased by 17% to 577 million dollars in one year. Hikers are no longer the same as they used to be. They will search on the Internet to find more suitable shoes and clothing. Eventually, they will choose professional outdoor sports goods retailers to buy the specific products they need.

In addition, though originally these clothing and Shoe shoe It's just for outdoor sports, but it doesn't seem to be too good to wear to the office. "These clothes can be used not only for outdoor sports, but also for restaurants," said Amy Roberts, an American Outdoor Industry Association.

The clothing brand of outdoor sports has created a proper noun: activewear clothing (Practical sportswear). This kind of clothing is not common in traditional sporting goods stores, nor is it part of the new trend of leisure sports. These clothes are not yoga pants or bottompants. They have some functional elements, such as fabrics that have fast drying characteristics, but their appearance does not differ from ordinary daily clothes.

Grasp the emerging trend

Another reason for the rise of the outdoor sports market is that outdoor sports retailers have quicker grasp of the change of consumer demand than traditional sports retailers. They realize that when consumers enter a physical store, they will value shopping experience more than commodity. For example, REI and Patagonia two outdoor sports giants have devoted a lot of energy to improving shopping experience and launching personalized products.

Compared with the traditional shelf shops and products of traditional sports shops, REI has greatly changed their shopping experience, providing personalized merchandise classification, adventure journey and expert advice.

In addition, REI will also position itself as a partner for consumers. After paying $20 in membership dues, consumers can become members of REI. They can not only enjoy discounts while shopping, but also receive dividends every year.

Merrell also spread the shopping experience to the mere purchase of goods. They sponsored the Tough Mudder field obstacle race and other outdoor sports training programs, and also worked with the Conservation Alliance to donate part of the sales revenue each year to protect the land. This behavior has been praised by many consumers.

This is also an important way for outdoor retailers to create their own brand image. Through environmental protection and other inputs, it caters to consumers' moral needs of brands. REI did not discount sales like black retailers on the black Friday. Instead, it stopped business to encourage consumers to take more outdoor activities. The move not only did not irritate their customers, but also allowed consumers to organize an outdoor activity spontaneously. Patagonia, the outdoor clothing brand, is organizing tours in Europe to teach people to mend their clothes. It intends to change the habits of people in this fast fashion era.