Backpacker Magazine posted this to Twitter yesterday afternoon:
Newbie campers are coming—get ready for a crowded summer: http://tinyurl.com/d2o6gp
The link is to a blog post that in turn references this CNN piece on a potential boom in car camping this summer. Never mind the issue of newbies crowding out state-park regulars. A growth in car camping participation is welcome news for outdoor specialty retailers and suppliers. And Walmart. Uh, especially Walmart.
Chances are that the bulk of the newbies will be inclined to buy the sort of down-market camping goods available in the big box sporting goods and general merchandise stores. But there’s also a good chance the camping spike will manifest among more affluent consumers. It may even surface some ex-campers looking to get their game back. Both of these latter groups are likely to frequent a specialty retailer. The bottom line is that anybody who sells camping gear is likely to encounter more newbie campers than they would in a “normal” spring. So how do you make the most of this new traffic. Tips for retailers follow. Read the rest of this entry »
Conventional wisdom and lots of news pieces like this one hold that second hand store sales pick up in a recession. One used-gear retailer’s numbers, though, seem to push the other way.
Sports One Source reported last week that Play it Again Sports, the 364-door used sporting goods retailer saw 2008 sales slide 6%. It’s hard to tell whether this is a reflection on Play it Again Sports or on consumer shopping habits. Research data on used sporting goods sales is hard to come by.
It may be that Play It Again’s ship is yet to come in. After all, retail sporting goods sales didn’t turn lousy until late last year. The U.S. Census Bureau Monthly Retail Trade Survey showed sporting goods retail sales up every month in 2008 until sales slid sharply in October. And, despite a lousy November, sales ticked back up over 2007 levels in December.
The National Retail Federation has data out showing a dip in sporting goods sales in January of this year and then a modest rise in February. It may be, that despite reduced consumer spending overall, sporting goods consumers have yet to reign in spending enough to really benefit the used-gear dealers.
Consumer confidence is coming in like a lion this March. And few retail pundits think it will go out like a lamb. My inbox this morning was full of takes on the current mood at retail from publications as diverse as the NRF newsletter and Time Magazine. While none of these focus on specialty outdoor, they provide a good overview of the macro consumer trends that trickle down to specialty retailers. Here’s a round-up of what’s up. Read the rest of this entry »
EMS had a policy in the mid-90s that required everyone in the corporate office to work for a week in one of the company’s retail stores. It’s a pretty common practice among retailers and a good idea any way you slice it. What’s too bad is that the employees of the brands sold in those chains don’t have the opportunity to spend a few days face to face with the outdoor specialty consumer in its natural habitat.
In my first stint (the Columbus Circle EMS store), I learned from the rest of the staff that if puffy jackets weren’t merchandised away from the front door, they would disappear and that a significant percentage of the shell-buying public thought that Gore-Tex® keeps you warm.
Manufacturer employees who lack the access or the inclination to spend a few days on the retail floor can compensate for in-store experience by being chatty. As unnatural as it is for some of us, acting like your elderly uncle Larry and striking up a conversation with everyone from the bank teller to the guy with the do-rag scalping Giants tickets has its advantages. Read the rest of this entry »
