Outdoor Insight

GREATNESS DEFINED Full Line Sporting Goods Scheels All Sports Specialty Rutabaga Paddlesports Co-Operative REI Omni-Channel L.L.Bean Single Store Kittery Trading Post Regional Chain Great Outdoor Provision E-Commerce Gear Coop National Chain Bass Pro Shops/Cabela's 20 17 SOMETHING GREAT IS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF OUTDOOR SPECIALTY RETAILING— not great for everyone (see: Gander Mountain), but more than good enough for many retailers who have unlocked the code of success in an ever-changing market. Today, greatness is defined as doing what you do best, day after day, always in the pursuit of even more greatness. But this definition is constantly evolving and outdoor specialty is no exception. Today, the further segmentation of an already specialized market is the hallmark of success. For most companies, it is no longer enough to be a leader in outdoor retailing. For them, further specialization is required to forge an identity at a time when outdoor consumers can choose from the local full-line sporting goods store, a seemingly endless lineup of online retailers and countless other retail options. In 2017, "special" means "specialization." To accurately define who is great in outdoor specialty in 2017, we took a close look at eight very different retailers (nine, if you count the joint Bass Pro Shops/Cabela's entity, but we opted to combine them since it appears their merger is imminent) and identified a leader in that particular niche. So in addition to the big-two merger in the National Chain category, we have identified a leader in the Regional Chain, E-commerce, Omni-channel, Co-Operative, Single Store, Full-Line Sporting Goods and Specialty categories. We think you'll agree that these Great 8 Outdoor Specialty Retailers set the pace for the outdoor business in 2017 and beyond. This Great 8 report is compiled by long-time retail observer Michael Jacobsen, who has more than 30 years of experience covering the sporting goods and outdoor specialty markets.

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