Further results have come in from the EuroSIMA Cluster’s study of 15- to 35-year-old boardsports consumers conducted by Arcane Institute last summer (other results were published in SGI Europe, Vol. 20, No. 11+12). The growth of the internet is clearly seen, as almost as many participants – 26.0 percent – bought their gear online as did in specialty stores (26.6 percent). The most, though, 34.4 percent, still bought their equipment in general sports stores.
Shopping habits were further broken down in the study, conducted in August and September among 4,200 people in seven European countries: France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and the U.K. The internet is the first place that 38.3 percent of British boardsports enthusiasts turn to buy their gear, with a similar figure (35.1 percent) in Germany. However, in Portugal the score was only 11.3 percent – they prefer general sports stores, where 46.9 percent of them go first. Of all respondents, the numbers were similar, with 40.9 percent of British and 36.3 percent of German respondents preferring the internet. Again, Portugal lagged the other countries with only 14.0 percent of those studied going online to buy.
Women tend more toward general sports stores, with 36.5 percent of their purchases made there, than do men, at 32.5 percent. Men use the internet more than women, 26.5 percent to 23.3 percent.
Among the people surveyed, boardsports enthusiasts bought their general sporting gear mostly in general sports stores (29.4 percent), followed by the internet (28.0 percent) and specialist stores (27.7 percent).
Among the wired shoppers, online shopping sites such as private-public sales and eBay were most commonly used by people buying boardsports products on the internet. That was followed by 24.4 percent who log on to specialized boardsports sites, 14.8 percent who go to surf brands’ sites, and another 14.8 percent who prefer mail order sites. More men than women go to specialized boardsports sites (25.7 percent to 22.8 percent), as do more of those aged 15-25 compared with those 26-35 (26.6 percent to 22.3 percent). Specifically among boardsports participants, 43.5 percent prefer the general online shopping sites.
Different factors count when consumers are deciding what to buy. Across all the people surveyed, brand was way more important than price, by 65.1 percent to 7.3 percent. In addition, the reputations of both the brand and where it is purchased are important, but in Germany, Portugal and Switzerland the store’s image is more important; in France, Spain and the U.K. the brand’s fame is more important. Among boardsports participants specifically, the image of the store and of the brand is about equal in importance.
In all the countries except Portugal, customers are likely to switch brands, particularly among males and among boardsports practitioners. Impulse was overwhelmingly more significant than need in driving purchases.
