Local Sporting Goods Retailers Have An Advantage
Sporting goods retailers know all about competition, because they sell the equipment to compete in many different arenas. It’s difficult to compete with huge sporting goods chains without using the advantage that local retailers have: local sports.
Meet The Needs of Local Sports Fans
Your customers are fans. They follow and/or participate in many of the sports they love, whether it is local youth sports programs, area school teams, or professional franchises. Each of these passions are a marketing niche that can be targeted.
Local teams need a local source for uniforms, one that can supply the various sizes needed and keep track of inventory so that teams are suited up and equipped when Game Day comes. Managing the needs of an entire team is easier if it can be handled as one order in the back office and individually at the point of sale.
The fortunate local sporting goods store that handles the uniforms for a local team is also going to be the store that comes to mind for future sports purchases.
Respond To Local Trends
Stores that pay attention to what fans want are stores that make sales. That’s where customer relationship management methods can give the winning edge — collecting information on what the customers in a particular store are looking for and using it to update inventory in real time.
Using an “Open-to-Buy” category in the budget means the ability to respond to increased demand in a winning season is there. Stocking the items that fans want when they want it is good, and not being stuck with last season’s overstock is better.
Use Software That Makes It Happen
Sporting goods are driven by the desires and needs of the fan and the athlete. This changes as the season progresses and the athlete moves into new levels. It’s a complicated, intricate field for retailers, and a sporting goods retail management system has to be professionally designed and supported, as ChainDrive has done. Software for sporting goods retailers provides the winning advantage.