Sport 2000 Austria, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, is expecting slight sales growth in its anniversary year. ”The times are very eventful at the moment. On the one hand, sports retailers are benefiting from the megatrends of sports and healthcare; on the other hand, they are being slowed down by supply bottlenecks, supply chain problems and the impact of global events. Digitization and online retailing are other strong trends that are challenging the sports retail sector,” said Dr. Holger Schwarting, CEO of Sport 2000 Austria, describing the current situation. “Price increases and specific effects such as buying restraints among consumers are not yet foreseeable at present. However, our strategy with a clear focus on quality, advice, service and specialization gives us security in this dynamic market environment and strengthens us for upcoming challenges.” According to the CEO, Schwarting, the developments in the coming weeks and months will be decisive for the winter business in 2022/23.
Expanding the strategy, launching the marketplace
Schwarting set the course for Sport 2000’s successful development when he took over the management board eleven years ago. The transformation into a specialist started in 2018 with the first pro concept in the bike segment. In the meantime, every other Sport 2000 retailer has successfully put into practice at least one specialization offered in the areas of bike, running, ski, mountain or team sports. Meanwhile, the retail group can look back on eleven successful years in which it managed to triple its sales.
According to Schwarting, the strategy will now be expanded as part of Sport 2000’s future agenda to include key focal points such as the further development of digitalization projects and in-depth employee training. “We have to manage to cope with the new forms of customer behavior. To support our brick-and-mortar retailers, we need a smart omnichannel solution that combines digital and personal services,” said Schwarting, emphasizing the relevance of digital transformation. Adapted to the needs and expectations of customers and retailers, a new marketplace will be launched soon. “Our goal is to realize a dynamic meeting place for brands, retailers and sports enthusiasts with the online marketplace. The platform will offer new opportunities for cooperation and interaction, such as communities for different sports,“ Schwarting explained, giving an initial preview of the digital marketplace, which will go online before the end of fall 2022.
E-mobility: an opportunity for sports retailers
Cycling has experienced an extreme boom in the past two years. According to the Austrian Association of Sporting Goods Manufacturers and Suppliers (VSSÖ), bicycle sales reached record levels of around €1 billion in 2021. At Sport 2000 retailers, every second bike sold is now an e-bike. An upward trend can also be seen in e-bikes, especially in urban areas. Schwarting sees sporting goods retailers as the professional partner for the unbroken trend toward e-bikes. The climate crisis also requires a social rethink, which has also arrived in the specialist sports trade. Servicing and repairing a bike not only brings benefits to the environment and customers but also for specialized bike dealers. “Regional bike repair shops are strengthened as a result, and valuable jobs are created,” said Schwarting, speaking about the importance of sustainable repair services in the e-bike segment.
One Sport 2000 across national borders
Each Sport 2000 store and each Sport 2000 country operates independently in its market environment while benefiting from the advantages of the international group. The goal of Sport 2000 International is to create a strong overall image across country borders as One Sport 2000. “For the first time in the history of Sport 2000 International, a uniform brand identity was launched in spring 2022 with ‘Home of Experts.’ We are thus positioning ourselves in all Sport 2000 countries as experts with the human touch,” said Schwarting. The new international brand identity ideally complements the positioning with the professional concepts of Sport 2000 Austria. “Think globally, act locally” sums up the idea – and for Schwarting, it holds “a huge opportunity” for the future of the Sport 2000 community. At the end of 2022, Sport 2000 Austria will, therefore, also join the international brand identity.
