New Perspective: Holistic health is available in sports stores

1. Score points with customers with an omnichannel strategy
2. Customers want more than sporting goods
3. Digital consultants complement on-site service
4. The next step: holistic health centers
5. Revolution in physical sports retail
6. Events and workshops deepen customer relationships
7. Plus point: excellent sports expertise in retail
8. Touchpoint for sports retail: ISPO Munich 2024

Decathlon, one of the largest sports retailers in the world, says: "We work omni."

The dovetailing of digital and stationary is what customers want. "In-store, we offer advice and the opportunity to test products. Digitally, there is an even larger product selection of marketplace products and our own brands, which can also be ordered in our stores." According to a company spokesperson, the aim is to provide a one-stop shopping and omni-shopping experience. "Because we want to ensure that we offer our customers the opportunity to find the best possible product selection, regardless of the touchpoint."

Over the past five years, Cisalfa has also worked towards "integrating eCommerce into our sports stores and vice versa in order to offer our customers a seamless and hybrid shopping experience." As an example, Boris Zanoletti, General Director of the Italian Cisalfa Group, says: "Our sales assistants are equipped with devices to help customers buy products that are not available in our stores, and we offer the option of having the products delivered directly to their homes or picking them up in our stores, ensuring maximum flexibility and convenience. We never forget that a progressive omnichannel strategy is a decisive advantage."

The examples of Decathlon and Cisalfa show that stationary sports retailers need to scrutinize their distribution network and POS strategy more closely. The results of the ISPO white paper (28% online shoppers, 32% on-site shoppers) make this clear: The omnichannel approach is still the right mix for the majority of market participants.

The Oberalp Group recently opened its Dynafit Speed Factory in Kiefersfelden, Decathlon is thinking about developing new store formats and Cisalfa wants to expand its offering in the health sector. The first sports retailers have understood that they need to expand their brick-and-mortar stores into health touchpoints in order to stay in business. Supermarkets, pharmacies and drugstores have long been leading the way: They are devoting themselves to the sports-oriented trend themes around health with sports nutrition, orthotics andnutritional supplements, among other things. This offers promising opportunities for sports retailers, as this is exactly what consumers want, according to the current ISPO white paper "The Future of Sport, Health & Retail". Around 82% of respondents from across Europe would like sports retailers to offer more than just sporting goods. They would like to see sports stores develop into holistic health centers - with products, services and advice relating to health and well-being. This opens up exciting opportunities for brick-and-mortar stores to increase customer loyalty.

Decathlon says the "key to success" is a locally adapted offering that is closely linked to a digital offering. In addition, the company also relies on digital consulting aids such as a foot scanner in brick-and-mortar stores in order to offer customers the optimal shoe size and therefore the right pair of shoes. Touchscreens showing the entire product range in case a product is not available in-store complement the service in stores around the world. "These are primarily supportive measures and tools that enable us to provide our customers with even better support during personal consultations," says a Decathlon company spokesperson.

Franziska Fenzke, Teamlead Brand Marketing at Bergzeit, takes a similar view: "We generally invest in high-quality advice from experienced sales consultants who are active in mountain sports themselves in our brick-and-mortar stores, as well as in services such as sole fitting and running analysis." In Germany, Cisalfa also offers free, dynamic foot analysis with a digital analysis system and test tracks for trekking shoes in its Sport-Scheck and Voswinkel stores. In the newly opened Dynafit Speed Factory, a wide range of services also complement the shopping experience: these include professional running and foot analysis for more fun and speed when trail running, ski boot fitting and ski assembly directly in the glass binding factory.

Robert Sehner describes his services such as foot measurement, personalized insoles and dynamic running analysis as "standard". The owner of Intersport Sehner is going one step further and is currently developing a concept for the implementation of a NanoVi in his store. The device is designed to optimize regeneration and cell activity. In combination with Blackroll products, the Herrenberg sports retailer wants to offer "time slots" for his customers - including advice. Nutritional supplements from the sustainable and plant-based label Orangefit are also available at the checkout of his store. "When someone picks up a bar at the checkout, it's a good opportunity to start a conversation about nutrition," says Sehner. He himself is very interested in health and sport and is happy to pass this knowledge on to his customers. This is appreciated, and the results of the ISPO white paper prove him right. When asked "Would you like sports stores to become holistic health centers?", over 52% answered "probably yes" and around 30% "yes, definitely".

At some point, every athlete comes to the point where they need to pay more attention to nutrition. After all, from a certain training frequency and intensity, a good diet boosts performance. Regardless of the fact that a balanced diet also makes every amateur athlete healthier and fitter. The first step may be to do some research on the internet, then read a book or two, and maybe even look for sports nutrition experts at the gym or at your health insurance company. But what if, for example, sports store employees with additional training were able to advise their customers on the spot?

The topic of nutrition seems to be very important. Whether it's personalized nutritional advice (33% of respondents would like this offer from their sports retailer), appropriate food and drinks (around 29%) or nutritional supplements (around 25%) - the results of the ISPO white paper speak for themselves. An expansion of the product range offers enormous potential for stationary sports retailers, who are under pressure. This includes, for example, preventative medical check-ups, health checks, body fat analysis and lactate tests.

Almost 90 percent of those surveyed stated that they would visit the physical POS more often if they were offered holistic health services. This could herald a small revolution in sports retail. Cisalfa General Director Zanoletti has a similar view: "Our Group is aware of the growing trends around health and wellness, especially in connection with fitness. Our aim is not just to be a retailer of sporting goods, but a place where customers can find products and solutions that support their active lifestyle. For example, we are ready to expand our offering in this area by including sports nutrition products in our stores."

Also on trend: health and fitness courses offered by stationary sports retailers. According to the ISPO white paper, 26 percent of those surveyed would like this service. There are already a few offers in this regard. The Sport-Scheck store in Stuttgart, for example, regularly offers in-house courses: Core, Mobility and Energy Training as well as Ladies Boot Camp can be booked via the website. Globetrotter focuses on shared experiences at hiking days throughout Germany. In addition to guided tours in various regions, the sports retailer also offers workshops (e.g. walking technique, yoga and outdoor first aid).

In the USA, the outdoor cooperative REI (over 180 locations) even organizes multi-day events ranging from camping and hiking to backpacking. REI Women's Adventure are hiking tours created exclusively for women and led by women. In addition to an extensive range of sporting goods in the online store, classes and events such as "Let's run together" complement the outdoor retailer's product portfolio.

Customers are increasingly overwhelmed by all the information on the internet and want one thing above all else from the sports retailer of their choice: advice. And they automatically take a leap of faith because they believe that sports retailers have expertise that goes far beyond the usual consulting services. Decathlon is also aware of this: "We have already been using chatbots in our customer service for several years to provide direct help with uncomplicated questions. Nevertheless, nothing beats personal contact - be it via our in-house customer service or direct customer advice in our stores."

Incidentally, personalized advice on physical (41 percent) and mental (33 percent) health is at the top of the wish list of respondents to the ISPO white paper. The ISPO whitepaper therefore recommends in the key learning on Mindshift 8: "You ask health. We answer advice". And states that sports retail can transform itself into a health center with a lot of tailwind and relevance.

Health and sport are growing together. And ISPO Munich 2024 is picking up on this trend like never before. In the extensive supporting program, leading speakers, companies, start-ups and experts will present visionary solutions to ensure the future viability of sports retail. ISPO Munich 2024 also offers retailers a platform to get to know innovative solutions and partners for expanding their sports stores into a POS for holistic health.

At the curated marketplaces on the topics of transformation and digitalization, solution providers, services, consulting and technology companies from the retail, transformation and digitalization sectors will offer their latest ideas and solutions. Industry pioneers provide exciting insights into the digital landscape in the interactive exhibition spaces. Companies from the retail, technology and digitalization sectors will showcase the latest trends in retail technology.