sportstyle

Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward."– Rocky Balboa Last month, walking through the August trade shows, I was mixing it up with brands and retailers alike. Many of those conversations made it seem like we are all playing the part of the underdog in that proverbial boxing ring. Here we are, absorbing the hits and fighting back against all of the punches the collateral damage has landed as a result of the pandemic. Restrictions…mandates…social distancing…supply chain disruptions…stockpiling of inventory…price increases…staffing concerns…and eCommerce just to name a few. Can I add in weather, fire and floods? Yeah, those too. We've heard it all before. We have learned to adapt, pivot or spin. That's not new. And here we are, doing it again. As a result of the pandemic, there have been shifts in consumer focus. More consumers are moving around outside for the first time as are others who are returning to outdoor fitness. It's creating a greater interest in a wider range of products, including footwear and apparel styles. As an example, for specialty run stores, while your core customer's habits may not be changing, many of your new customers are driving sales of footwear just for walking. I am also hearing in the market that the availability of more footwear in varying widths is another trend. Keep an eye on the trends and brands as we report them and reach out or visit with potential new vendors that you see at the trade shows. Where it makes sense, offer those new brands to keep up with the evolving markets so you can have the styles in stock to keep your customers happy. A few specialty retailers we talked with for this issue — I'm sure there are many others with similar worries — are concerned about the availability of specific styles on a brand's website, when those retailers don't have those styles or colors in their inventory to sell to retailers. Will brands pull styles from their DTC ecommerce site and move the inventory to the specialty channel? Yo Adrian. Some specialty retailers are taking the opportunity to re-engineer how they move inventory from store to store within their multi-store operations. Others are sourcing from other stores that might have a style in the right color and size available to deliver great customer service. For the latter, you might want to check out the recently introduced Fitted Dynamic Distribution Network at fittedretail.com. The mission of sportstyle is to share ideas, challenges and inspiration from other markets similar to your own. In this issue, Jim Hoff who has 45 years of experience in sporting goods in both manufacturing and retailing, shares his insight on the team sport dealer as an educator, what the pandemic has taught us, and the need for informed opinions and good advice. "We all know sports provides competition that life also throws at us — we learn from sports just as we learn in the classroom. Dealers make a variety of products available to your customers to satisfy the same need, but they differ in that some users have different abilities, and thus different needs." So whether it's your core runner, new fitness walker, coach, athlete, or fill in the blank, it's about customer service and how you engage and advise them on the products you can offer. This is true for any independent brick-and-mortar channel, and is not limited to team sports, run specialty, sports specialty or independent footwear stores. Also in this issue, we have coverage of the supply chain — we look at five factors influencing today's textile industry. "The only solution is constant attention to customer service," David Parkes, Founder of Concept III Textiles, tells us. "Servicing the business is different today and focused on constant detail to accomplish what the supply chain can achieve, and working to satisfy each link in the chain." At the end of the chain stands your customer. And that goal post hasn't moved. We are all in this together and moving forward is key. One step at a time. One punch at a time. One customer at a time. Jeff Nott CEO & Publisher Jeff Nott It's About How Hard You Can Get Hit And Keep Moving Forward. ON THE HORIZON Last month, walking through the August trade shows... Many of those conversations made it seem like we are all playing the part of the underdog in that proverbial boxing ring. 4 • September 2021 sportstyle • sportstylemag.com

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