The amount passing through the till can conceal a change in how much equipment customers are buying. The latest Outdoor Market Intelligence Service update makes that distinction particularly relevant for outdoor retailers.
A different picture beneath the headline
Sporting Insights’ OMIS update compares January to September with the same period last year. Across its UK panel, sales value fell 3.7%, units declined 8.4% and average selling price rose 5.1%. DACH showed a different pattern: value increased 2.1% and units rose 5.1%, while average selling price fell 2.9%. UK verticality sales value grew 9.1%. These figures describe the retailer panel, rather than every outdoor transaction in either market.
Outdoor Insight analysis: ask what changed
For a buyer, the useful next step is to separate price, product mix and customer numbers. A higher average transaction could reflect a different category mix or fewer entry-level purchases. It does not, by itself, establish that customers have accepted a higher price for the same item.
A shop could review units and gross profit together for its main categories, then compare the result with footfall and conversion. That would help identify whether the issue is attracting customers, converting visits or retaining enough choice at the points people want to buy.
Keep the entry point visible
A range review should include the person making a first purchase. Can a newcomer find an understandable starting option, with a clear explanation of what an additional spend would provide? Staff need permission to recommend a suitable lower-priced item when it meets the customer’s needs.
The same scrutiny belongs at the premium end. A technically advanced product needs an explanation of its intended use, fit and care. The conversation should help the customer judge relevance, rather than assume that a higher price makes it the right answer.
Use category evidence carefully
Climbing-related growth in a panel is a reason to investigate local demand, not a direction to fill every shop with climbing equipment. Nearby facilities, staff competence and the existing customer base should shape any trial.
Retailers could ask suppliers for replenishment options and training before committing to new depth. A limited trial with recorded results would make the next decision more useful. The objective is a range that earns its place through customer demand and service, with volume and value both visible in the review.
Image: Sporting Insights.
