Instead of standing still and just waiting for the end of the confinement period, the retail organizations of Sport 2000 in Germany and Austria are taking action by studying new opportunities for cooperation with vendors.
In Germany, where it has just launched an online store as a marketplace for its affiliated retailers, Sport 2000 wants to prepare a better future for them for the time after the corona crisis. The buying cooperative, which is part of the ANWR Group, is organizing digital round tables with its partners for the industry in order to work out measures and cooperation programs for the future.
Last Friday, Sport 2000 met online with its most important suppliers in the running segment, including Asics, Brooks, New Balance, On Running and Saucony. This is the first of five virtual round tables, in which Sport 2000 and its suppliers set up a plan for the reopening of the stores of affiliated retailers.
Digital round tables for the other four important categories for the retail members of Sport 2000 - outdoor fitness/training, team sport and winter sports - will follow soon. The most important questions raised during the meetings with suppliers are about the management of orders for the upcoming seasons, possibilities for the activation of consumers and whether the crisis can be seen as an opportunity.
Other topics concern new product launches, the product lifecycle and coordination for the start of new seasons. Sport 2000 aims to define together with its suppliers which platforms can be best used to cover future order rounds and how innovations in the market or in the warehouses can be communicated to the end consumer. Sport 2000 is considering running common image campaigns with suppliers in order to get consumers into the stores of the affiliated retailers.
Meanwhile, Sport 2000 Austria launched a digital marketing campaign to support its affiliated retailers on March 30. Under the #buylocal slogan, Sport 2000 invites customers to support their local retailers by using the contactless advice and purchase offers of affiliated retailers or to postpone sports purchases that are not urgently required. Many retailers offer a contactless bike service and hold consultations by phone. The bike or other ordered products are then delivered directly to customers.
Sport 2000 Austria also launched a new, dedicated web store on April 6. On the website buylocal.sport2000.at, customers can inform themselves on how they can support their local retailer. Other social media channels, like Facebook or Instagram, as well as online retailers are included in the campaign.
