sportstyle

January/February 2022 • 25 sportstylemag.com • sportstyle vendors about how best to reach them. • Gen Z is very "in the moment." e shopping experience is important to them — they are open to and can be influenced by what the retail environment has to offer. ey enjoy instant gratification and are actually less tied to online research, e-commerce and showrooming than one might expect. • As a group, Gen Z shoppers are more open-minded when they walk through the door than other shoppers. The in-store experience matters a lot to them — seeing products and trying items on in-store, doing slightly less research before they leave, the influence of in-store displays and discounts. However, beware of the low influence of "in-store" associates. • In terms of future trends, make your perceptions of value resonate with Gen Z shoppers by focusing on fast, free delivery and/or shipping, free returns and monetary savings that are available to them through the retail experience. Emerging Gen Z Trends 1. Move beyond transactional to personal. Consumers are craving connections after being restricted from living their regular lifestyles for so long. When it comes to retail, shoppers like to support businesses where they themselves feel appreciated. 2. Be clear about the meaning of value. More than ever, consumers are seeking tangible and measurable benefits from the purchases they make. Team dealers andsporting goods retailers have an opportunity to redefine how they promote value and there are ways to demonstrate it to consumers beyond offering discounts or ongoing sales. 3. L ook outward to partnership opp or tu n iti e s . R e t ai l e rs a c ro ss categories are seeing the value of partnering with third-party resources amid the pandemic to ensure their business could keep operating as efficiently as possible. Gen Z also values companies that share their values, so promoting partnerships that are of value to consumers is key as well. 4. Offer products and services linked to wellbeing. Holistic wellbeing was already a growing priority among Americans before the pandemic. COVID-19 placed an even brighter spotlight on the importance of wellbeing that will carry on aer the pandemic threat is over. l Source: A presentation at the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) Management Conference and Team Dealer Summit, September 2021, by Nick Rigitano, NSGA director of insights and analysis. Nine out of 10 Gen Z sporting goods shoppers visit a physical store prior to purchasing a product, more so than any other group of shoppers.

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