The Swiss Premium Sports Group (PSG) of independent sports retailers, which have been affiliated with ANWR-Garant Swiss since 2013, have agreed to adopt the digitalization strategy of Sport 2000 Austria. This includes cooperation in the areas of data clearing centers, digital store counters and online retailing, creating a central data center for Switzerland and Austria.
The 28 retailers affiliated with PSG, which include high-end retailers such as Bayard in Zermatt, Pesko in Lenzerheide and Jelmoli in Zurich, already joined in April the Data Clearing Center that Sport 2000 Austria launched ten years ago. Some 150 brands are currently connected to the Data Clearing Center, which is now a leading factor in the German-speaking countries, according to Sport 2000 Austria. The automated data ensures smooth operations, both offline and online. “A broad database helps retailers and the industry alike to manage and plan business and product ranges smartly, as well as to react to trends and changing customer behavior at an early stage,” explains Holger Schwarting, CEO of Sport 2000 Austria.
A deeper connection with the digital program of Sport 2000 Austria will now take place in the autumn. This includes implementing the “digital store counter” that Sport 2000 Austria developed around four years ago, enabling retailers to access the merchandise from the buying group without having to keep it in stock in their own warehouses. In addition, there will also be cooperation in the online store area, which Sport 2000 Austria launched last year. Customers will be able to check the availability of the products they are looking for in the linked stores.
Noting that its retail members are well informed about the market, Stephan Ruggle, chairman of PSG said it had preferred to work with Sport 2000 Austria rather than Sport 2000 International in the digital D2C channel. PSG has also decided not to work with Sport 2000 International in the area of private label products, as their quality and price range would not fit with its assortment policy.
