Sports Trader November 2014 by Sports Trader

Southern Africa’s business-to-business magazine for the sport, outdoor and leisure industries • Vol 35 No 5 • November 2014

Cycling is the new golf What do running shoe customers prefer? Competition Commission investigates outdoor industry

Vol 35 Nr 5 November 2014 www.sportstrader.co.za

Clothing & footwear

On the cover The outdoor adventure begins with Rocky, locally distributed by Crown Footwear. The outdoor brand offers a range of products for the camping enthusiast, such as outdoor clothing, footwear and camping equipment. For more information, contact Crown Footwear on Tel: 031 700 1601, email: brands@natalsa.co.za or visit www.rockysa.co.za.

Publisher: Nicol du Toit Editor: Carin Hardisty Managing editor: Trudi du Toit Proofreader: Liz Milburn Features: Carin Hardisty, Johann du Toit, Rhianah Fredericks, Trudi du Toit, Yamkela Mkebe Design: Carin Hardisty Photography: Nicol du Toit Advertising: Nicol du Toit Subscriptions: Carin Hardisty Printing: Paarl Media Paarl Distribution: Tunleys Sports Trader is published bi-monthly by Rocklands Communications cc. Reg. No: 1997/057165/23. Members: N. J. & G. C. du Toit

Contact details:

PO Box 12197 Mill Street 8010 22 Rocklands Avenue, Vredehoek, Cape Town 8001 Tel: 021 461 2544 Fax: 021 461 2549 Website: www.sportstrader.co.za Facebook: SportsTraderMagazine Twitter: @SASportsTrader Blog: sasportsindustry.blogspot.com Advertising: nicol@sportstrader.co.za Editorial: trudi@sportstrader.co.za Subscribe: carin@sportstrader.co.za Publication information: The title and contents of Sports Trader are protected by copyright. It is a business to business publication compiled to inform, entertain and educate retailers, distributors and manufacturers of sports and outdoor equipment, footwear and clothing. It is available only to members of the sport, outdoor and activewear industries and is published bi-monthly. © Rocklands Communications.

10 14 25 30

Footwear news

Footwear brands introduce their latest collections

Highlights:

Caps and their appeal

How the diving industry copes with challenges

Running shoe customer habits

Why caps have been popular for 150 years

Why caps have a 150 year old tale to tell Why runners prefer certain shoes to others

Outdoor clothing and shoe trends

Women’s fitness is booming

The outdoor wear trends spotted for 2015

Industry

2 6 12 17 20 24 37 38

Brands on the move News about brand activity in the industry

Companies on the move

News about people in the industry

Industry news

News about issues affecting industry businesses

Asics SA

Asics SA is more than just about running

Footwear Trading

Innovation and staying on-trend help Footwear Trading beat tough trading times

Shop Talk

The Runner’s Store was inspired by a love for running and offers something different from the norm

Retail news

News about issues affecting retailers

Xmas Stocking

Tips for improving Xmas sales

Outdoor

34 59 63

Competition Commission investigate

The Competition Commission is taking a closer look at some sport optics’ suppliers

Challenges for diving industry Difﬁcult economic conditions is but one of the challenges faced by the diving industry

Product knowledge: Power banks The newest hot accessory explained

Cycling is proving to be a popular sport due to its wide customer potential p53

Versatility, functionality, fashionability are reasons why caps have survived p14

Sport

42 49 53 56

Women’s ﬁtness market grows

The demand from SA women drives sales growth in the training market

Selling tips: Athletic equipment

Tips on how to sell athletic equipment better

Cycling is booming

A versatile market keeps cycling going through tough conditions

Cycling news

The latest range news from cycling brands

Trade shows and events

IBC

Trade show news

News about local and international trade and industry-related shows

The diving industry is facing a number of challenges p59

Brands on the move

p2 :: Industry

Athletes triumph in adidas Boost

Puma renews BMW partnership

ADIDAS ATHLETES are racing to success in adidas’ Adios Boost running shoes. Dennis Kimetto recently won the 2014 Berlin Marathon in the fastest time in the marathon’s history, wearing Adizero Adios Boost. The new world record is 26 seconds faster than the old record of 2:03:23 set by fellow adidas athlete, Wilson Kipsang who also ran a record course at the 2014 Virgin Money London Marathon in his Adios Boost.

PUMA ANNOUNCED a multi-year renewal of its sponsorship contract with BMW Motorsport and introduced their BMW M series collection. The new deal means Puma will continue to be the official supplier of team and racewear for all BMW Motorsport racing operations including DTM, high profile long-distance races such as the Daytona 24hr and the newly formed US and Canadian racing series USCC. The agreement also ensures that Puma continues as the official and exclusive license partner for footwear, apparel and accessories for BWM Motorsport and BMW M. The licensing agreement includes rights for lifestyle, fan and replica products within these categories. The brand has also introduced their M series clothing collection that

Kimetto has also won the 2013 Tokyo, as well as Chicago marathons and made the fastest marathon debut ever, ﬁnishing second in the 2012 Berlin Marathon in 2:04:16. Emmanuel Muthai, runner up in the men’s race, also beat the previous world record wearing Adios Boost shoes. The two leading female runners — winner Tirﬁ Tsegaye in 2:20:18 and runner up Fayse Tadese — also wore Adios Boost.

will be available in-store from November. The collection, which includes a cotton statement T-shirt, sweat jacket and backpack was inspired by the BMW M1 Homage Concept and classic M1. Puma branding will be visible on all BWM Motorsport racing cars, including all race and teamwear for BMW Motorsport technical staff. DTM champion Marco Wittmanna and USCC driver Andy Priaulx from BMW will be racing in Puma wear with the latest innovations in ﬁreproof technology. The relationship between the brands started in 2004 when Puma partnered with the BMW Williams Formula One team. When BMW returned to motorsport in 2012, Puma established the current relationship, which is Puma’s longest standing partnership in motorsport.

Speedo launches suit for ﬁtness swimmers

TK Sports sponsors Sunfoil Dolphins

SPEEDO HAS launched the Pinnacle Kickback swimsuit, which supports the body position to improve swimming technique during workouts, as part of the Get Speedo Fit campaign to inspire and guide swimmers to reach their fitness goals. Speedo’s Aqualab global research and development team developed the swimsuit to provide core stability in the water, enabling fitness swimmers to derive more benefits from a workout. It features light and comfortable internal compression panels that heighten the wearer’s awareness of his or her key muscles, which helps improve the body position and technique while swimming. It also includes bust

TK SPORTS HAS signed with the Sunfoil Dolphins to be their apparel and helmet supplier for the next three years. The Sunfoil Dolphins is the third cricket team, after Kings XI Punjab and Sunrisers Hyderabad, that this brand, known for their hockey equipment, sponsors. “We’ve been trying to get involved with a South African cricket team for some time now, having been involved with a couple IPL teams already, and so we had a bit of a brain storming session about a year ago and it was then that we decided how we wanted to go about aggressively breaking into the South African market,” says Rassie Pieterse, MD of TK Sports SA. He feels that the Dolphins is the right partner for them as they ﬁt their business model and the team is number one in the country. The new kit has a strong Zulu ﬂavour — it represents the cultural heritage of the KwaZulu Natal region, where they

support, made from power mesh, to improve bust stability and offers a secure and comfortable fit. The Get Speedo Fit campaign provides guidance to help swimmers achieve their fitness goals through a number of initiatives, including swimming guides and online videos offering hints and tips. “At Speedo, we understand that dedicated fitness swimmers are always striving to improve the effectiveness of their workouts. That’s why we’ve developed the Pinnacle Kickback, a suit which supports your body position to help you to improve your technique, and achieve your fitness goals,” says Sean Hastings, Vice-President of product and marketing at Speedo International.

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

Rassie Pieterse, MD of TK Sports SA (left) and Morne van Wyk, captain of the Sunfoil Dolphins, showing off the new team shirts.

are based. The shirts feature a shield on the front, smaller shields on the sleeves and green prints down the sides, which represent the horns of cattle. They also have ﬂowing stripes across the shoulders that symbolise the waves of Durban’s beaches.

Brands on the move

p4 :: Industry

Gilbert new EPCR tournaments sponsor

GILBERT, LOCALLY distributed by Leisure Holdings, is the official match ball sponsor of the first European Rugby Champions and Challenge Cup tournaments and will exclusively provide their match balls until the end of the 2016/17 season. Gilbert’s new Match XV ball

was used for the first time on pitch for the European Rugby Challenge Cup opener on 16 October. Created over a twoyear development period, it features a new surface compound that improves grip, while maintaining the subtlety and durability of the ball. The ball’s surface design also allows for quicker water dispersion than previous models. “This is the most-tested Gilbert ball in history and we are confident that players will enjoy the ball's unique benefits during the European season and in the lead-up to Rugby World Cup in 2015,” says Richard Gray, sales and marketing director for Gilbert. Gilbert also supplies balls to other tournaments such as the Rugby World Cup 2015, Aviva Premiership and Super Rugby.

Umbro official Malawi kit supplier UMBRO IS the official kit supplier for the Malawian national soccer team. The deal runs until 2017. The new 2014/2015 home, away and alternate kit recently launched, was worn for the first time in their 2015 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying game against Algeria. The Flames will be Umbro’s major representative in the AFCON tournament.

Lowrance SA introduces new devices

LOWRANCE SA introduced two new products, the Ram U-bolt long arm mount and the Parking Trolley. The Parking Trolley (right) is a nifty high-lift device to help move a boat, trailer, caravan, etc. into a garage or tight showroom spots. The device is attached to the front of a trailer and can be operated by one person with a hand-held remote control. Its allterrain rubber tracks allow the device to move up inclines and over any solid surface. The Ram U-bolt long arm mount offers the easiest and quickest way to attach the Lowrance Elite 3, 4 or 5 units to a jetski or boat.

It can be fastened on a jetski’s handlebars, or the console rail of the boat. The double rubber ball and socket technology ensures that the device can be adjusted to any direction for better viewing angles. The mount minimises shock and vibration, resulting in an extended life for the device.

New additions from Terra Brands TERRA BRANDS has introduced new products into their portfolio. Terrasport features an extensive range of running accessories at a reasonable price. The accessories include hydration belts, waist belts, lycra and neoprene arm wallets, microfibre bandanas and gym towels. Their Aquapac products include high quality waterproof cases for phones, tablets or general use. These are used and trusted internationally by Los Angeles lifeguards, Spanish Red Cross and water sports enthusiasts. Leading the way in performance sports socks with over 60 styles across running, walking and cycling is their 1000 mile products. These feature innovative double layer socks for blister prevention, fabric technology called Heel Power — prevents slippage, arch bracing and heel padding — and many more. “Aerobie is a leading brand in the sports performance toys market,” says Adam Closenberg of Terra Brands. “The Pro Ring was used to set Guinness World Record for furthest throw (1333 feet).” The brand offers fun toys like frisbees and boomerangs on steroids.

Orbit Sports attending IRB ConfEx

Skechers sponsors events SKECHERS WAS the official footwear sponsor of the Discovery Jacaranda Spring Walk, with their GoWalk and GoRun banners appropriately showing the way at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. The fun family event offered 5km, 8km and 15km leg races, where participants could enter individually or as a group. Skechers introduced the brand’s Performance summer range at the event and some participants received support packs that consisted of a Skechers towel, water bottle and back pack that could be used during the walk. Skechers balls and light arm bracelets offered entertainment for the kids. Skechers are also involved in the soccer sphere and recently sponsored the Fives For Children Of Cape Town five-a-side football tournament that took place at the Fives soccer field opposite Century City.

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

ORBIT SPORTS will be exhibiting at the second IRB World Rugby Conference and Exhibition (ConfEx) taking place in London 17-18 November this year. The event offers visitors an opportunity to gain knowledge, network and develop relationships. It will also feature the IRB Medical Commission Conference — where discussions on concussion will be high on the agenda — and various workshops. “With less than a year to go before the Rugby World Cup 2015, the IRB ConfEx will be an important international gathering for the rugby community and a great opportunity for Orbit Sport Manufacturers to share knowledge,

build relationships and showcase our rugby range,” says Lauren McCleland from Orbit Sports. We look forward to attending the ConfEx and furthering our company’s international recognition, she says. “As leading manufacturers in protective rugby wear and training equipment we will be exhibiting our rugby range and will highlight new products such as the moulded body vest, motion wheel retainer, tackle retainer and multi shield. We will also be exhibiting our Stormforce Xpro Rugby vest and shorts, which are created with high impact resistance foam technology.” explains McCleland.

p6 :: Industry

Companies on the move Nefdt rejoins family agency

Converse sues 31 brands

GUSTAV NEFDT has rejoined his father’s agency, Martin Nefdt Agencies, the Eastern Cape agent for Puma. Nefdt, who was previously Merrell brand director at local distributor Medicus Shoes, has been working in the athletic footwear industry for all of his working life. After obtaining a national diploma in marketing management from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in 2001, he joined his father, Martin, the legendary agent who represented Puma in the Eastern Cape. Apart from a brief spell at Puma SA’s headquarters in Cape Town to relieve a staff member on maternity leave, Gustav had been mentored and schooled by his father in the art of selling and marketing footwear. He joined Medicus Footwear in 2007 when they asked him to become brand coordinator for all their brands. It was the kind of

FOOTWEAR TRADING, the South African distributor of Skechers and Fila, says the Converse lawsuit in the US against 31 brands (including Fila and Skechers) for allegedly infringing the Chuck Taylor All Star trademark, is a US issue with no impact in South Africa, at this time. Until judgement is made, US retailers and wholesalers will also continue to sell the affected brands, as many legal commentators in the US doubt that Converse will win this complicated lawsuit, they say. Converse wants to stop the sale of the products that they claim are infringing on trademarks that cover the look of the sneaker – e.g. the toe cap, toe bumper and side strip, and the diamond pattern on the sole. Converse say they have served about 180 cease and desist letters to retailers and wholesalers since 2008. The South African distributors, Skye Distribution, also warned local retailers and the trade press about supporting counterfeit and copy product. Since the launch of Converse All Star and Jack Purcell in South Africa over 40 years ago, not one case about “passing off” had gone to court, citing the same legal grounds as in the US, Footwear Trading points out. This is despite the fact that hardly any sneaker brand on sale in South Africa does not have a style that contains some (or all) the design features of the Converse All Star. Registered designs and trademarks are only valid in the country in which they had been ﬁled. In South Africa, an aesthetic design must be registered within 6 months of the release date of the product and the maximum

challenge and opportunity that don’t come by a second time and he left his father’s agency to manage their ﬁve international brands. The brands subsequently grew so much that they had to be split in two divisions and Nefdt became responsible for Merrell, Patagonia, a niche surﬁng brand from the US, and Sebago, a yachting footwear brand.

Crocs sued for hogging the market DAWGS INC. is suing Crocs Inc. in Nevada for “monopolisation of the market for ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) fully moulded ventilated clogtype casual shoes in the United States”. They accuse Crocs of anticompetitive actions and monopolistic conduct because they ﬁled so many patents — some fraudulently obtained — and then instituted sham lawsuits to “litigate its competition out of the market”. They claim that this violates antitrust laws and secured Crocs more than 90% of the market.

Adshade joins Billabong SA STEVE ADSHADE will be joining Billabong SA as their Cape Town based sales agent for the Western Cape, Northern Cape and Namibia from 1 December 2014. Adshade, a top surfer, will be responsible

Under Armour second highest US sales UNDER ARMOUR has passed adidas as the brand with the second highest sales in the US market. Nike remains in the top position with an annual US turnover of $8.9-bn, while Under Armour’s US sales grew 20% to $1.2-bn, followed by adidas with annual turnover of $1.1-bn.

for a number of brands, including Billabong, Element, Vonzipper, Dot Dash, Kustom, Dakine, Palmers, Sector 9 and Xcel. Tyron Kansley from the Cape Town team will continue representing the agency and the brands under Adshade’s guidance and leadership. “His (Adshade) industry experience and positive energy will ensure that we retain and further improve our position in a key territory for our business,” says Billabong SA general manager, Ernest Bendema. He will replace Billabong Cape Town agent Wesley Zondagh, who moved to the US.

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

duration of the protection of an aesthetic design is 15 years from the release of the product. Converse introduced the All Star in 1917, which was later renamed the Chuck Taylor, sporting the same design. If the design had been registered in South Africa in 1917, protection would have lapsed in 1932. A South African trademark registration affords the owner the right to prevent the unauthorised use by another party of an identical, or confusingly similar, trademark, explains the SABS publication Your Guide to Intellectual Property Rights in South Africa. One of the South African sneaker brands, which Converse accuses of copying their All Star design, had a local trademark granted for their A1 sneaker in 1992. Similarly, Skye Distribution had a trademark registered for their Polo range, with the horse facing the opposite direction of the Ralph Lauren logo. The American lawsuits would be followed closely by shoe brands across the globe — especially brands like Superga, founded in 1911 in Italy, whose iconic 2750 vulcanised rubbersoled sneaker with toe bumper and side strip became known as “the shoe of Italy” and Vans, which introduced the ﬁrst slip on sneaker in 1979.

Kappa’s ﬁrst SA concept store

KAPPA SA has opened their ﬁrst soccer concept store at the Woodmead Value Mart in Johannesburg. The opening as celebrated in style and attended by celebrities, fans and Kappa sponsored PSL teams such as Bidvest Wits, Bloemfontein Celtic, SuperSport United and AmaZulu. A section of the store features mannequins wearing these team kits, as well as replicas that can be purchased. The store also has a history wall that features details of older team kit and display cabinets that show off some of the kit. The addition of an indoor soccer ﬁeld also adds to the soccer atmosphere.

p8 :: Industry

Companies on the move Jordan & Co’s marketing duo

ILANA TRUTER and Ocasia Booysen are the new faces behind Jordan & Co’s marketing. Truter, marketing manager, studied marketing at the University of Stellenbosch. After graduating, she went to London to do marketing for homeware retailer Cargo Home Shop. Truter returned to Cape Town where she did marketing for World Sport, a sponsorship and events Jordan & Co's marketing pair, left to right: agency. She managed the Ocasia Booysen and Ilana Truter. marketing platforms for high started an internship with Jordan proﬁle events such as the ITU & Co in their accounting departWorld Triathlon Cape Town, Pick ment at the end of September n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival, J&B 2011. Soon after starting, howMet, Volvo Ocean Race, etc. She ever, the company found itself spent four years at World Sport, in need of a marketing assistant before joining Jordan & Co earlier and he stepped up to the job. He this year. started out managing payments After studying accounting and and keeping track of all marketmarketing at the Cape Peninsula ing related activities, but now University of Technology (CPUT), manages trafﬁc, PR and agency Booysen (marketing assistant) liaison.

Makro grows, Game struggles

Nike grows income 15%

MASSMART TOTAL sales grew 10.2% for the 26 week period ended 29 June and comparable sales rose 7.1%. Divisions like Builders Warehouse and Makro that attract higher-income consumers did better than stores like Game with mainly lower- and middle-income customers most affected by the economic slowdown. Game South Africa grew comparable sales only by 0.4%, but Game Africa grew total Rand sales 20.2% and sales in local currencies 13.2%. Makro grew total sales 12.3% and comparable sales 9.4% in the 26 week period. Their stores that opened in 2011 and 2012 had fast sales growth and contributed to proﬁts. The company will double their non-South African trading by opening 13 Game, Builders Warehouse and wholesale stores over the next two years.

NIKE’S EARNINGS growth of 23.5% to $962-m in the ﬁrst quarter of 2014 exceeded expectations and estimates. Their earnings also grew faster than income, which grew 15% to $8bn. The Nike brand’s income was $74-bn, up by 15% on a currency neutral basis. The growth came from every product type, except action sports and golf. Income for Converse grew 16% to $575-m on a currency neutral basis. Nike attributes this growth to market conversions in Europe and Asia, as well as continued growth in the company’s direct distribution markets such as the US and UK. Net income increased by 23% to $962-m. Nike athletic footwear and apparel stock orders for delivery from September 2014 through January 2015 were 11% higher than orders for the same period in 2013.

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

The adidas SA team, from left: MD Roddy van Breda, Public Relations manager Gugu Ntuli, Human Resources manager Lynn Kleinsmith, Human Resources director Wendy Wolhuter, Sales manager Kevin Jooste and Retail director Warren Bowers.

Adidas SA again top employer FOR THE second year in a row adidas SA has been awarded with Top Employers South Africa 2015 certiﬁcation by the Top Employers Institute, which annually researches and gives recognition to leading employers globally. The Top Employers Institute selects employers based on their employee conditions, ability to nurture and develop talent throughout all levels of their organisation, as well as on their ability to continuously optimise employment practices. Adidas SA was assessed in categories like Talent Strategy, Workforce Planning, On-boarding, etc.

and met the high standards necessary to achieve Top Employers South Africa 2015 certiﬁcation. On completion of the stringent research process it was concluded that the company provides an outstanding employment environment and offers a wide range of creative initiatives, from secondary beneﬁts and working conditions, to performance-management programmes that are well thought out and truly aligned with the culture of their company, says Samantha Crous, Regional Director South Africa and Benelux for the Top Employers Institute.

Self-test kit to improve health PUREPHARMA, LOCALLY distributed by Rebel Elite Fitness, has launched the ﬁrst self-test kit that allows consumers to measure their own nutrient levels. The feedback they receive will enable them to adjust their diet or lifestyle to improve their overall health. With the X-3 a consumer can measure his levels of omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids and vitamin D. This will show which nutrients he is lacking, or has too much of. The X3 is different from other similar health testing procedures, because a consumer can take the test at home, with no need of visiting a doctor for blood tests. After sending the sample to PurePharma, the consumer will receive his results within 4-6 weeks. He will also receive a detailed report with

personal recommendations on how to change his diet or lifestyle to improve his overall health. A huge number of people are lacking omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, which are two nutrients playing a vital part in general health and well-being. “We want to make sure people only take supplements when they need it. The X3 test simpliﬁes and improves the way nutrient testing is done, by offering personalised results and guidance,” says Oliver Amdrup, co-founder of PurePharma.

DDB SA 40052/E

MillĂŠ offers a wide range of fashion footwear. For any queries Call 087 940 4664 or email customerservice@skyedistribution.co.za

Footwear news p10 :: Apparel & Footwear

Playful summer from Bronx Woman BRONX WOMAN, locally distributed by Jordan & Co, embraces a playful season ﬁlled with bursts of spring colour. Celebrate summer with an array of delicate kitten heels, daring metallic wedges and bang-on-trend gladiator sandals. Designed to impress, Bronx Woman’s vibrant collection is playful and celebrates summer time adventures. Styles are brave, bold and unexpected with metallics, embellishment and creative cutouts as key stylistic touches. From wedges to ﬂats, sexy heels and ankle straps, the collection embraces the latest international trends hot off the runway. “Every summer we look at footwear for its shelf appeal, but this summer we put our core focus on how good the shoe looks while on — pretty, affordable footwear that will make the Bronx Woman girl look and feel sexy,” says Wayne Roos, Bronx Woman product manager. Roos builds collections around a key colour palette. This season he took inspiration from black, red, nude and chocolate and used at least one of these core colours in each look. “Drawing on this vision, the collection was thoughtfully designed to cover every trend for the new season, along with the idea of comfort. Helping woman to not only look good — but feel good too.”

Fit for every occasion and destination, the Bronx Woman girl is ready for whatever summer has to offer. From sandals for a little seaside fun to styles ﬁt for the ultra-glamorous, she is kitted out for every adventure. “So whether you're beach-bound, or painting the town gold, you'll be spoilt for choice with this summer's must-have styles,” says Roos.

Anton Fabi offers a taste of winter in November ANTON FABI, locally distributed available. Repeat orders on the curby Jordan & Co, has ﬁnalised the rent navy, choc and burgundy winter 2015 range, identiﬁed key patent options will also be availstyles and has earmarked Novemable for March ber as a soft introduction to the delivery. winter range. Cirano Keeping with the Agents visited retailers during October, selltheme of Ano, they ing a range of styles for November delivery. Retailers who missed out on this opportunity are introducing a croc print in black and choc. “With prints working well for us we made our will have a second chance as winter deliveries will start from March 2015. Cirano moccasin available in white and navy “Our November ostrich,” says Henry. range consists of Unlined, this soft leather is ideal for that a follow on to our trendy casual look. They have very successful Ano rounded off the November range patent moccasin,” with Savioca, an oily pull-up leather with pin-punch detail. says Jody Henry, Anton Savioca Fabi brand manager. “We are inThis slip on range is offered in troducing a black, white and red patent with a black, navy, oatmeal and choc. The lace up and contrasting black upper thread.” boot will feature as part of March deliveries. For November, this will only be offered in Orders received by the end of November will men’s, but come March be for March deliveries. Orders received beunisex sizes will tween December and March will be for May become deliveries. Left: Ano croc print. Right: Ano patent.

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

Industry news p12 :: Industry

SA economy less competitive SOUTH AFRICA dropped two places in the 2014 Global Competitiveness Report, compared to 2013. But, at #56 it is still in the top half of the 114 countries ranked. South Africa also has the second most competitive economy in Africa, following Mauritius at #39. But, it is of concern that we are among the lowest ranked countries for factors that could impact job creation. South Africa scored very well for the accountability of private institutions (#2) and financial market development (#7). We also did very well in the categories measuring the efficiency of the legal framework in challenging and settling disputes (#9 and #15), property rights (#20), intellectual property protection

(#22) and the quality of institutions (#36). South Africa is almost at the bottom of the log when it comes to factors that would improve, or hamper, job creation, namely higher education and training (#86), labour market inefficiency (#113), wage inflexibility (#139), rigid hiring and firing practices (second last at #143) and continuing significant tensions in labour-employer relations (last at #144) We also lag behind most other countries in the following categories: the macroeconomic environment (#89), wastefulness of government spending (#89), general lack of public trust in politicians (#90), security adding to the cost of doing business (#95) and the diversion of public funds (#96).

Energy saving programme to improve businesses THE NATIONAL Business Initiative (NBI) has received funding from the UK government to help implement the Private Sector Energy Efficiency Programme (PSEE) that will assist South African companies in improving energy efficiency, long-term business competitiveness and sustainability as well as to save costs. Participating companies will have access to subsidised, professional consultants to assist with the establishment of energy consumption baselines, implementation plans, data gathering and benchmarking against global best practices, says Val Geen, Head of Energy at the NBI, a voluntary coalition of South African and multinational companies committed to working towards sustainable growth and development in South Africa.

Val Geen, National Business Initiative Head of Energy.

Entrepreneurship to improve SA economy BUSINESS PARTNERS LIMITED (BPL) — a specialist risk finance company for formal small and medium enterprises (SMEs) — has launched a campaign, the square peg movement, that aims to encourage entrepreneurship in South Africa. BPL’s R300-m Manufacturing Fund will assist the financing and developmental needs of SMEs within the manufacturing sector. It will also provide support and mentorship where industry information will be shared. The organisation sees the potential to create local job opportunities in the manufacturing sector. “A healthy manufacturing sector is vital for ensuring economic prosperity, job creation and making a positive and considerable contribution toward other sectors that will ensure economic growth,” explains Nazeem Martin, MD of Business Partners Limited. The manufacturing sector’s contribution to the country’s GDP has dropped 3.8% in the last three years, which is a serious concern for an economy where foreign exchange via export is vital, he says. The manufacturing sector em-

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

Nazeem Martin, MD of Business Partners Limited

ploys 1.7-m people and has the potential to grow. The Manufacturing Fund is the first of a series that will be used to uplift certain local industries. The offered funding starts at R500 000 and the maximum that could be offered over five years is R25-m.

Nia (Gold) Also available in Silver

Natalia (White) Also available in Black, Brown

Maia(Red) Also available in Black, Choc

Lori (Choc) Also available in Black, Pink

Kiki (Silver) Also available in Black, Gold

Cathy (Gold) Also available in Black, White

Femme (Pink) Also available in Bronze

BRONX AGENT CONTACTS:

www.bronxwoman.com

p14 :: Apparel & Footwear

©breadandbutter.com (Nils Krüger)

Why caps appealed for 150 years Caps are the most popular headwear among young and old, male and female, rich and poor. They are versatile, functional, fashionable and an ideal advertising tool. YAMKELA MKEBE takes a closer look at the cap market

he origin of the baseball style cap we now know as a fashion item, dates way back to the 1860’s in the US when the Brooklyn Excelsiors wore the ﬁrst version of the modern cap with a small brim and round, forward-leaning crown, and a button on top of the stitching. Across the Atlantic in Europe, Scandinavia and UK workers and students wore a softer, cloth cap, which didn’t develop into a fashion item — probably because the student caps were closely associated with a speciﬁc institution. The cap became more popular as everyday headwear from the 1950s onwards as American men started going hatless and the popularity of the fedora faded. At the same time

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

The South African cap consumer is “definitely not one that can be pigeon holed,” says Mamet. Gender, race group, age group and geographical location do not play much of a role as there is a style for every individual. the growing number of children playing Little League and Babe Ruth League baseball started wearing their baseball caps off the ﬁeld. Caps were introduced in the promotional

sector during the 1960s and 1970s when businesses started giving away plastic mesh snapbacks with foam fronts and a company logo on the front. Trucker caps dominated as inexpensive giveaways, mostly in rural America. Some companies began selling the caps. In the 1980s, the popularity of baseball caps escalated as celebrities like Tom Selleck and Spike Lee started to wear them as fashion items and on TV. From then on, cap sales took off as more styles and designs were introduced and more apparel companies, musical acts, corporations and colleges used caps to carry their brand. The introduction of caps into the popular culture was led by hip-hop artists and rock brands who had been wearing them since the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Differ- To p16

p16 :: Apparel & Footwear

Caps appeal cont from p14 ent ways of wearing a cap were popularised during this period as these artists wore their caps turned backwards or to the side. Professional baseball players also followed the style of wearing their caps backwards. The New Era brand became the official manufacturer of Major League Baseball (MLB) caps, which became hot sellers. The brand is now also the official on field manufacturer for the NBA, NFL, NHL and still hold the rights to on-field caps for the MBL. These caps transcended sport and the brand became the US market leader for fitted headwear, with 66% of market share, according to the article Hat Industry Statistics on the website www.statisticbrain.com. It is estimated that more than 80% of hat sales in the United States is made up of ball caps. In 2010 retail cap and hat sales in the States amounted to $1.7-bn. The American trend of wearing caps off-field has spread all over the world. Today, the ball cap is worn by people from across the spectrum, including political parties, skateboarders, musicians, etc.

Local cap heritage Although the South African consumers may not have a strong connection with any baseball team, the ball style cap is doing well in the local market. “A cap is still referred to as the baseball cap and definitely has its heritage in baseball. It is the inspiration behind the cap,” agrees Dave Turnbull from Headwear24. Others disagree. About 90% of customers don’t understand where the cap originated from, but the music industry plays a massive part in fashion trends, including caps, says Dustin Botha of Luksbrands, local supplier of brands like Skullcandy and Neff. Part of the popularity of caps can be credited to the entertainment industry, which plays a role in influencing the buying decisions of youngsters as well as mature customers, he says. “Fashion trends, music and what we watch on television play a huge part for my brands. When it comes to youngsters, what they see on TV or music videos is most likely to influence their choice.”

Why wear a cap? South African cap distributors agree that a ball cap is now worn for different reasons than a team uniform, including functionality and fashion. “Not only does a cap have a functional use, but it also allows the wearer to make a statement,” says Dayn Mamet of Reebok, local distributors of New Era, adding that they believe in self-expression and uniqueness and see a cap as a great way for individuals to communicate this. Fit, form and function are the main factors driving the cap market today, whether it’s for fashion or functionality. With that said, influential people such as celebrities and

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

It is estimated that more than 80% of hat sales in the United States is made up of ball caps. sports stars play a huge role in what styles are trending, says Brad Havenga from cap supplier Flexfit headwear. “Caps have transformed from just being a functional keep the sun out of your eyes item to a fashion accessory, appealing to every target market,” adds Havenga. “With skin cancer becoming so prevalent in this day and age, everyone wants protection from the sun and a cap or hat is the first thing consumers think of,” explains Turnbull.

Marketing tools Besides being functional, a cap or hat offers a sponsor long term value in promoting a brand,” says Alan Joffe from SA Cap Manufactures. “I believe that the corporate market will always be around.” The head is a multi-billion dollar marketing tool, says Botha. “When a person appears on TV, whether winning an award or standing on the podium, 99% of the time the camera would be focusing on his head and so will be the viewers. It is for this reason that I believe a cap is a crucial marketing tool.” Caps are probably one of the most important advertising tools that any business could have. “It’s visible to everybody, it’s mobile, as well as unique to the brand,” says Havenga. “We have seen over the past few years that premium brands want to align themselves with premium products that are of the same handwriting as their brand, whereas in the past the cheaper promotional items were used with little effect. You can put a sports car emblem on a tractor, but at the end of the day, you still have a tractor.” Most events or promotions take place outdoors and many companies like to use a cap or hat for promotional purposes, whether it is a golf day or any other event,” says Turnbull. “It is a functional way to protect the end user from the sun, but also the perfect opportunity to brand the item and sell your company,” Turnbull explains. As exciting as it is, the promotional sector is seen as a massive investment. “One needs to be available to the market,” he says. “This means we have to have warehouses and sales offices in Durban, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth.”

Typical cap wearer The South African cap consumer is “definitely not one that can be pigeon holed,” says Mamet. Gender, race group, age group and geographical location do not play much of a role as there is a style for every individual. Men are more likely to buy caps than women. This is because “women are more into fashion

forward design,” according to Botha. He explains that the beauty of caps is that there are different markets and they are a simple way to get new customers. Havenga also believes that the profile of South Africa’s cap consumer is “a much broader market as it’s suited for anyone and everyone, whether a struggling artist to or the guy driving his convertible sports car.” “Fashion knows no boundaries when it comes to accessories,” says Turnbull. Caps are still the most popular headwear for men, although styles do change slightly. “The flatbill is having its day in the sun, but there is still room for the traditional baseball cap, as well as fashion accessories like the bucket hat or pantsula. The 5-panel cap has also made a big fashion statement in the last few seasons. But, the cap style that is doing well for them in South Africa is the 6-panel cap. Keeping up with the fashion trend side of the cap business is a huge investment, says Turnbull. “We use sites such as WGSN to see trends and do 4–5 trend visits around the world per year in Los Angeles, New York, London, Barcelona and Amsterdam to make sure we are on trend at all times and are able to interpret those trends into our local retailers through our design department.

Where sold Certain brands are more likely to sell better in a certain type of store. With a strong sports origin, New Era, for example, sells well in the sports lifestyle market. Their Skullcandy and Neff caps are available at different type of stores depending “on the brand and on what they are trying to accomplish,” says Botha. It all boils down to how the brand wants to capture its customers, he says, adding that marketing a cap brand is the same psychology as marketing any other brand. Lifestyle and fashion stores are most likely to be selling their caps, says Havenga. However, there is an increase in the demand for high quality, fashionable, supporter headwear that would invariably be sold through sports retailers.

Local manufacturing Over the past eight years the South African headwear manufacturing market has changed. “Traditionally, we were very strong with the retail independent stores throughout the whole of South Africa. We had a few strong brands and these were always the key to our success in the retail market.” says Joffe. He alleges that the introduction of Chinese counterfeits that are sold cheaper “on every street corner and more so in front of our customer’s doors” has killed their retail business. “Our business today is mainly niche as we have the ability to service a customer who requires a customised cap,” he adds. “The quality of these imported caps has also become very good and is therefore excellent value, making it more difficult for local brands to compete” adds Joffe.

Industry :: p17 Springbok rugby sales will be a major focus for the new ASICS SA subsidiary, says general manager Brian Kerby.

ASICS SA now a full sports brand ASICS South Africa started trading as a subsidiary in October this year. New GM Brian Kerby explained to TRUDI DU TOIT how this affects the brand. Photo: NICOL DU TOIT

SICS SA has found a stylish, ecofriendly new home. A mannequin dressed in Springbok rugby gear greets visitors in their foyer: testimony to the brand’s evolution from the running shoe worn by about half of the South African marathon runners, to a fully-fledged global sports brand. This is emphasised in their showrooms, where the key focus categories are displayed on stands similar to those seen in all ASICS showrooms and retail spaces worldwide. It also signifies the transition from a distributor, mainly supplying running footwear, to a subsidiary responsible for building the ASICS brand across several sports categories. “Our customers are going to see a significant investment in the brand in this country,” says

Our products speak for us. Every new product has to be better than any previous model GM Brian Kerby, who is quick to point out that the former distributor, Jordan & Co, had done an excellent job, but that a subsidiary has so much more resources to strengthen brand awareness. In fact, most of the staff responsible for distributing ASICS at Jordan & Co have joined the new subsidiary: former Brand Manager Janine Stokes is in charge of key accounts for performance footwear, Dawid Visser is the new Promotions and Training Specialist, Rykie van

der Merwe has transferred to ASICS SA to handle trade marketing and Didi du Toit will be servicing customers. Barbara Cole, formerly from New Balance, is supplying many years’ experience in apparel range development, while Spencer King brought his rugby team management skills across from the former Springbok supplier, Super-Brands. His former colleague Craig White is sharing his warehousing and operations experience. Sarah Mundy, with an impressive record at SARU, is in charge of marketing, while some of the former ASICS agents have been retained. Most of the core positions have been filled: a finance team, under Shaun Turner, is in place, an ASICS demand planner and customer services specialist from Spain with To p18

2014 November :: Sports Trader

p18 :: Industry

New ASICS SA home cont from p17 “loads of experience” will be joining soon, but there are still some positions to be filled, especially on the Onitsuka Tiger / ASICS Tiger fashion side. The brand officially started trading out of their new offices overlooking Lion’s Head and Table Mountain from the beginning of October — although they had been showing their spring/summer 2015 ranges to the trade for some time now. Jordan & Co will be doing fillin autumn/winter 2014 sales till end December 2014, but ASICS SA started invoicing new orders for 2015 from October 1. The showroom displays, which “fit together like a Meccano set”, reflect the versatility of the brand. Whilst running remains core, there is a strong rugby focus with RWC 2015 around the corner, together with training, apparel, netball, tennis, hockey, cricket, and the ladies business. The lifestyle segment, represented by Onitsuka Tiger and ASICS Tiger, has its own showroom, offering the same retail environment look. The look and feel is how ASICS is portrayed worldwide, and the aim is to provide a retail experience as you walk into the showrooms, which retailers will hopefully incorporate in their displays, explains Kerby. Slatwalls have been introduced in the work area to make it easier for customers to plan and select ranges. Large windows allow in plenty of natural light and give the staff members a unique view of the mountain across the Woodstock rooftops. “This is one of the greenest office parks in the country,” says Kerby. “Everything is recycled and we only use clean energy.” Power supplied by some of the largest roofmounted solar panels in South Africa resulted in the office park being included in the pilot project to sell power back to the grid. A monitor in the vida-e Cafe on the ground floor of their building displays how much power is being generated and consumed by the park — and park management also checks on the amount of natural light and type of temperature regulation their tenants use. It is no coincidence that the Green Building Council is one of ASICS’ neighbours in the building. The office park also has a running track, CrossFit box and bicycle path leading all the way to town, and close by, a golf driving range. It is a healthy and fit environment that is an ideal match for the brand whose name is an acronym for anima sana in corpore sano — Latin for a sound mind in a sound body. “It is very important for our company to reduce our carbon footprint, which is one of our CSR initiatives,” says Kerby, who is proud that South Africa will have one of the ‘greenest’ offices in the ASICS group, bar the newly built state-of-the-art European head-office in Amsterdam. This is a global priority for ASICS, where it is not good enough to do a good job, “you have to fit into the culture of the company as well,” he explains. That means doing things right and

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

proper. Kerby recently spent a week in Japan to understand and learn more about the corporate culture and what the brand stands for — for example, that the product is the be all and end all. “Some brands have massive marketing machines, but our company is different, our products speak for us. Every new product has to be better than any previous model, or any competitor’s model, before it even gets to see daylight.” Visiting the ASICS Institute of Sport Science in Kobe, Japan, “was an incredible experience,” he enthuses. “Close to 100 scientists, researchers and technicians put every product through its paces — testing it, pulling it apart, making sure that ours is the best there can be. I’ve been around a long time and I’ve never seen that kind of depth when it comes to product research and the technologies that go in them.” Shortly thereafter, some of the Springbok rugby team members and SARU officials visited the institute for testing, body mapping and interaction with the scientists to ensure that their 2015 IRB Rugby World Cup kit is the best science can supply. Apart from giving the scientists a better understanding of their on-field

Our customers are going to see a significant investment in the brand in this country movements and the rigours their gear has to endure, the ‘Boks were able to share with the developers where they would prefer more protection, or a different fit. The ‘Boks also did a few coaching sessions and other promotional appearances to help promote rugby in Japan. The HG10 technology used in the specialised ASICS rugby boots, which incorporates a heel raise, is completely unique, says Kerby. “I am super-confident that when competitor product is tested against our product, ours will come tops every time,” he says. Apart from players approaching ASICS to ask if they could try their boots, “we have a few irons in the fire and a few guys under contract as well.” Tendai Mtawarira (“Beast”) and Eben Etsebeth have already signed and at the time of going to press they were talking to some other players. With the IRB World Cup less than a year away, Springbok rugby jersey sales will be a major focus area for the coming year. They have exceeded their replica sales targets so far and especially after the Springbok win against the All Blacks, jersey sales spiked. Even though it was a dead rubber, supporters were buoyed by the feel-good aftermath of the test win, and wanted to buy jerseys to show their support for the team on their overseas tour. “The Springbok jersey is one of the market-

ing investments where you know you’ll get a return,” says Kerby. Retail sales were boosted with signing sessions where the Springboks were mobbed by fans and point of sale materials. “We have big plans for campaigns with retailers running up to the World Cup,” says Kerby. But, they will not make the mistake of taking their eyes off the ball with their main focus area: running. “Running is our heritage and key to our business,” he says. They stepped in at the last minute as the apparel sponsors of the recent Cape Town Marathon, “a race with huge potential, especially with Francois (Pienaar) and Elana (Meyer) driving it.” The organisers hope to grow it into one of the world’s big city marathons, on par with the Boston, London, Berlin, etc. marathons. They were in the process of renegotiating their contract as official footwear and apparel supplier to the Spar Proteas with Netball South Africa at print time, part of which includes educating netball players about the necessity of wearing proper netball shoes. Netball players often wear trainers or running shoes, but these wear down too quickly and the player can fall easily because they do not offer the correct ankle support for lateral movements, says Kerby. Netball is one of their core sports, but they also want to expand in tennis and hockey — big for ASICS in Europe — other court sports, cricket and other local sporting codes. They want to increase their women’s business and see apparel as a massive opportunity, with the first locally manufactured apparel range ready for delivery by December. A locally made performance apparel range made with imported performance fabrics at price points that are very competitive, will be a new development for ASICS as a brand. Retail interest has been very positive. In addition to running apparel, they will also launch a training apparel range. “This will be big for us going forward, and that will be our hook into the women’s market.” Kerby acknowledges that retailing is tough in the current economic climate. But, as a brand that has never chased the entry level consumer, they hold their own. “As long as you see value in your purchase, you will continue buying,” he says. For example, a customer will buy a R1 700 pair of ASICS running shoes if he feels they offer good value, is the right shoe for him and that they will last longer than another pair selling for R1 300. “ASICS have a very loyal customer base and following,” he says. “But, we are very conscious that things are tough and keep our eye on the ball all the time. We’re still holding our own in these price points.” He is also aware that there will be big expectations for them as a subsidiary. “A great deal of time and effort went into examining the investment into a subsidiary structure for South Africa before making the call. There’s confidence in Africa per se, and that will also be something we’ll also be focusing on.” It is indeed the beginning of a new era for ASICS in South Africa.

p20 :: Industry

Footwear Trading directors Stanley Kotkin and Laurence Slotsky work well together to grow their brands and company.

Footwear Trading’s

recipe for success Why do some companies trade well through economic downturns? Stanley Kotkin and Laurence Slotsky of Footwear Trading told TRUDI DU TOIT how they managed to grow brands during the current slowdown. Photo: NICOL DU TOIT

rading is tough. And you won’t hear many arguments about that. For some companies, though, trading is not as tough as for others. ”We do feel the economic impact, but maybe not as badly as others,”says Footwear Trading director Stanley Kotkin. The reason is that their brands are not aimed at the bottom end of the price-sensitive market, where over-distribution and dumping of product takes place. Their customers are not so much affected by the pertrol price, or food price inflation, or rising school fees etc. that gnaws away at so many consumers’ disposable incomes. This is because all their brands — Diesel, Skechers, Tommy Hilfiger, Levis, Jeep and Fila — appeal to the middle- to upper-income level consumer. Although these consumers are

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

The good old days of easy trading will never come back. You have to keep on innovating, otherwise you’ll fall behind affected by the economy, they they want to wear brands that have equity and are more immune to price hikes than the lower LSM consumers, he says. ”The higher up you are in the LSM, the less you are affected — but, there is also a knock-on effect.” The bottom end of the market is completely over traded and price driven, adds his fellowdirector, Laurence Slotsky. These consumers just want the look at a price and most of the products are pure copies of successful interna-

tional brands and styles. There is little quality or design features in the products, and certainly no brand equity,which leads to a shorter life span. In addition, your competitors often have low rentals and low overheads, and can lower their prices accordingly, he adds. ”We have noticed over the past year that many consumers are once again returning returning to purchase true global aspirational brands that offer quality and value,” says Slotsky. Especially now that more and more international brands are returning, South African private label brands that were bought because they resembled well-known brands, will be declining, he predicts, because they will be facing tough competition from the well run international brands. ”That’s the reason our company is really focused strate- To p22

p22 :: Industry

Footwear Trading cont. from p20 gically in our brand selection,” says Slotsky. Despite the tough economy, Levis footwear sales are at the highest in the last three years. Even though price points have increased due to the declining rand, the brand has had double didgit growth. Jeep footwear is another success story for Footwear Trading. The brand is being worn by all culture groups in South Africa: from Jeep owners who want to own the whole brand package, trendy black Sandton consumers, to farmers who don‘t care about fashion or trends, or black bikers wearing Jeep on their Sunday Harley outings. ”The market is much bigger than we had anticipated previously,”says Slotsky. ”The footwear has far exceeded our sales expecations across all cultural groups. Our core range of products are replenishable on a weekly basis and we offer up to size UK 14 on selected styles. They offer lifestyle and outdoor products in boots and sandals, and recently introduced a camo range of footwear (see p32). Next year a kids range will be added to the current mens and ladies styles.The products are well priced and of high quality. Slotsky believes that Diesel is probably the most aspirational denim brand in the country, as they have such an unsatiable demand for a product for which no price is too high.”The brand is iconic and always in high demand, and we will never over-expose or over-distribute it.” Globally, Skechers has been one of the big success stories of the past couple of years. ”This is largely due to their entry into the authentic sports market, where GoWalk, GoRun,

GoGolf, GoTrain and GoBionic have had major successes in the US,”says Kotkin. Skechers GoRun is one of the top women’s sports footwear sellers in the US and Meb Kefliezghi became the first American to win the Boston marathon in 30 years wearing these running shoes. ”The GoWalk category is, however, the jewel in the crown, locally and internationally,”says Kotkin.”Skechers Kids, which has always been popular, continues to grow.” Another reason why they are able to weather

many consumers are once again returning returning to purchase true global aspirational brands that offer quality and value the economic downturn is because they have several Levis, Skechers, Diesel and Tommy Hilfiger brand stores. The revamped Levis store in the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, was acclaimed by the Levis‘ San Francisco headquaters as one of their best stores worldwide, says Kotkin proudly. The stores not only offer them an opportunity to showcase the brand by showing the full range of products available, they also provide a valuable testing ground for new product. By first introducing new products in their own stores, they are able to advise retail customers on the styles and colours that sell well in specific areas — and know which ones not to offer to their customers.

”Retail was a whole new learning curve,”admits Kotkin. ”It’s a totally new business and each store is like a separate business, each with their own challenges.”They had to adapt to trading seven days a week, handling challenges like shrinkage, staffing issues, delivery issues, etc. ”It’s not simple and we made mistakes, but I think we’re more or less on track,”says Kotkin. While their chain store retail customers were not adverse to them opening their own stores, certain independents took umbrage, admits Kotkin. Most of them eventually overcame their opposition and started ordering from them again. One independent, who proclaimed ”we don’t buy from our competitiors”, is now one of their biggest wholesale customers. Especially independents trading in the same mall where they opened brand stores, saw it as a challenge. Yet, Footwear Trading has experienced that their stores actually grow business if there is competition close by. ”It is the wider awareness,”Kotkin says. ”When we open stores in new malls, we want competitors in the form of brands at our own level around us.” Because that is what attracts the footfall. The good old days of easy trading will never come back, he concludes philosophically. ”You have to keep on innovating, otherwise you’ll fall behind. When you’re climbing up on the sunny side, time goes slow, but on the dark side you slide down, and that goes quickly.” That is why they are constantly travelling, watching trends and planning their next innovation.

Bertuzzi’s operations just keep on growing tion. We offer three marl colours and they produce THIS YEAR, Bertuzzi expanded their operations a fashionably muted, retro feel — just what a large and opened a distribution centre in Johannesburg. chunk of the market demands.” The Cape Town office is the head office and the The sublimation dye permeates the fibre, instead customer service department is also housed there. of sitting on the surface, which means that the print The company distributes Russell Athletic and looks good even after a lot of wearing and you can’t Fruit of the Loom in South Africa. Russell Europe feel it’s there. The dyes don’t fade, peel, crack or is the promotional side while Russell Athletic prodwash out either. ucts are for retail. Fruit of the Loom offers ten classic Valueweight Russell Europe’s HD T blend offers the best from t-shirts in 21 colour variations. The t-shirt brand is both fabrics: the luxurious feeling of a high-cotton “legendary for printing and guarantees a smoother blend, with polyester’s excellent printing qualiprint surface,” he says. ties. The polyester in the blend also gives the HD The brand is proudly Made in Africa, at their MorocT wickable qualities, which means it dries faster. can manufacturing plant. This technology is excellent for anyone who The plant features more than 60 spinning mawants to print their own design or logo on a t-shirt. chines, more than 220 knitting machines and 21 “There’s a myth that sublimation printing only large capacity dye jets. This all combine to create works on 100% polyester. Not true. Our polycottover 2.5-mil t-shirts per week. on HD T is ideal for sublimation printing — we’ve Heinrich Reynecke of Bertuzzi. tested it and the results speak for themselves,” In addition to the manufacturing plant, the brand explains Russell Europe, also locally distributed by also has its own 15 000m2 distribution centre in MoBertuzzi. rocco, which allows it to be able to service customers Another widely held belief is that sublimation only works on white ma- better and faster. terial. Not true, says Bertuzzi’s Heinrich Reynecke. The Fruit of the Loom facilities are also WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Ac“White might be best for colour reproduction but it's not the only op- credited Production) approved.

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

lk a T p o h S

- 24 -

The Runner’s Store

The store features a comfortable seating area.

The Runner’s Store has a fresh look. Photo: Xavier Saer www.xaviersaerphotography.com

For the love of running

usi Mqingwana recently celebrated the opening of her running specialist store, The Runner’s Store, which is an extension of her love for running. “I fell in love with road running after seeing the positive effect it had on me from a health perspective,” says Mqingwana, who has been a runner for six years, during which time she also completed the Soweto Marathon. The store, which she describes as “fresh, vibrant, inviting and most importantly, comfy”, only opened at the beginning of September, but already it has made an impact on consumers. “The public’s interest has been very positive and exciting. We have had returning customers since our opening and I am happy with this.” With stylish hanging lights, a leather couched seating area and wood panelled shoe display area, The Runner’s Store does not have your typical store look. “Since the store is new in the market, I decided that it needed to set a good first impression to prospective customers, hence the choice to go big or go home,” she says. Because of her familiarity with the area, Mqingwana decided to open The Runner’s Store in the Pretoria CBD. She has been living in Pretoria for eleven years, more than half of which she has been a road runner in the area. During her time as a runner she noticed the big runner interest in the area and saw the gap for a running specialist store. The dream of The Runner’s Store was born on the streets of Pretoria, and therefore it is fitting that the dream should sprout its roots there too. Pretoria’s latest running specialist store owner comes from a long legal background. She has spent the past seven years practicing law (two as a candidate attorney and five as an admitted attorney). Prior to opening The Runner’s Store, Mqingwana was a senior legal advisor with the South African Bureau of Standards for almost three years and she worked for three

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

Left to right: Kgomotso Nkambule, sales assistant, Busi Mqingwana, store owner and manager, and Sonia Moloto, assistant store manager. Photo: Xavier Saer www.xaviersaerphotography.com

years as an associate at Gildenhuys Malatji Incorporated. But her heart lay on the running paths and she “decided to earn a living from what [she] loves most — road running”. In an industry dominated by male store owners and managers, it is refreshing to see a woman’s approach to running a running specialist store. “I have had practical training [for opening the store] from the moment I took on road running six years ago — including sustaining injuries such as shin splints due to running with the incorrect shoes and also over-training,” says Mqingwana. Knowledge about the products is as important as knowledge about what runners’ needs are on the road. “We also received a lot of support from the brands that supply us with their products, as they provide us as a team with regular training on their products.” The store currently focuses on providing products and service for all levels of road runners, from novice to veteran. They aim to help runners to concentrate on improving their performance, without having to be concerned about where to find the right gear. As the store grows — and if there is a demand — they may

branch out to include trail running, she says. The store caters for both men and women. From the experience gained by Mqingwana during her running years, they know how important the right support is for ladies and therefore also stock items such as sports bras.

Their strengths • With a female owner and manager, the store caters for the growing number of women runners by stocking essentials such as proper sports bras. • They assist customers who might not be able to afford high-end products by offering a three month lay-by option for purchases over R900. This helps consumers buy the right products for their running needs. • They are able to accept specialist orders for stock that they might not carry, by ordering them for their customers. • As runners, they know how to assist and advise fellow athletes with selecting the shoes that will be best suited to their gait and pronation, in order to prevent injuries.

Apparel & Footwear :: p25

The buying habits of

running shoe customers What motivates a runner to buy one pair of running shoes instead of another? The brand name? Shoe technology? Aesthetics? JOHANN DU TOIT conducted a snap survey among retailers selling running shoes to answer these questions

unning shoe customers are exceptionally brand loyal and mainly rely on personal experience when purchasing a new pair of running shoes. A brand that captures the attention of a ﬁrst time runner can therefore acquire a lifelong customer — or lose a customer forever due to one bad experience. Sports Trader conducted a snap survey among South African retailers selling running shoes to ﬁnd out more about some of the buying habits of customers looking for running shoes. More than 40% of the respondents are from specialist running stores, while 59% sell running shoes at general sport stores. The results paint a picture of the typical running shoe store customer that will hopefully help sales staff understand their customers a little better. Brand loyalty is very prevalent in the South African running shoe market, according to our respondents. 82% of them say customers who have previously purchased a running shoe want to purchase a shoe from the same brand — although 41% said that customers are also interested to hear what other options are available. A quarter of the respondents say that their customers ask for the same technol-

Since brand loyalty is so strong in runners, the sales person has a responsibility to recommend a suitable brand based on a sound knowledge of the features that will be best suited to his customer, as it may become his brand of choice for many years. ogy as in their previous shoe model. The first request from any customer wanting to buy running shoes is for a specific brand, say 53% of the retail respondents, while 24% say their customers will go as far as to ask for a specific shoe model. This brand loyalty does not mean that a customer will blindly purchase a shoe of the same brand, regardless of their experience. “We found that once a customer has a bad experience with a range in a specific brand they tend to want to move away from the brand as a whole,” says Werner van Heerden from VHF

Sport. This means that a salesperson making a poor running shoe recommendation for a customer could result in that customer refusing to purchase the same brand in the future. Most (94%) of the respondents agree that customers who enter a shop having already decided which shoe to purchase, were inﬂuenced by personal experience. But, about a third (30%) found that their customers know what they want because they did their own research. Another big reason for a customers already knowing what they want is that they are simply looking to replace a previous shoe, and therefore want the same model and brand, according to 82% of respondents.

Type of shoe Long distance running shoes are the most popular shoes. According to 65% of our respondents most sales are generated by long distance running shoes, while the second most popular shoes were training shoes — trailing far behind at 18%. Despite the hype around minimalist shoes, only 6% of respondents say that these shoes were the most popular among their customers. To p26

2014 November :: Sports Trader

p26 :: Apparel & Footwear

Customers who have purchased shoes before

What do customers usually ask for? 70%

100%

60%

80%

50% 40%

60%

30%

40%

20%

10%

0% Mostly want the same brand

Mostly want the same Require advice on other shoe technology op ons

Retailers surveyed find that most customers tend to want the brands they have had before — unless they had a bad experience with the product — and not many customers will require the shoes to have the same technology.

What kind of advice do beginners ask for

0% A specific brand name

A specific shoe's name

Support technologies

Cushioning features

Customers are most interested in brand names and many often enquire about a shoe’s name rather than the support features or cushioning it is able to offer them report retailers.

Most popular running shoes 70% 60%

90% 80%

50%

70% 60%

40%

50% 30%

40% 30%

20%

20% 10%

10%

0% What brand to choose

What support will be What cushioning to needed choose

What kind of sole technology

What kind of upper technology

Customers that are purchasing for the first time running experience are most interested in advice on technical aspects the shoe has to offer and less worried about the brand of shoes they are purchasing, say retailers.

0% Training shoes

Distance running shoe

Advice required Having a knowledgeable running shoe salesperson at your store is very important as most customers require advice when purchasing a running shoe. According to 65% of the respondents even customers who have previously bought running shoes, still require advice when purchasing a new pair. Running as a sport is, however, growing, as 18% of our respondents said that most of their customers were beginner runners. Only 18% of the respondents said that most of their customers don’t require advice, as they already

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

Hybrid trail/road

Minimalist

Most of the surveyed retailers have found that distance running shoes are most popular whereas others have found off-road type activity shoes to be more popular in their stores.

Running shoe buying habits cont from p25 Not all customers are, however, looking for a particular type of shoe however. “Most of our customers simply want a good quality shoe that is simply comfortable and simply affordable,” says Stuart Carlisle from Absolute Sports. “Our market is very price sensitive.” Most customers simply want “good value for money for a shoe that will do the job properly,” agrees Mike Augoustides from Mikes Sports. Several respondents mention that price is a significant factor when their customers buy running shoes.

Trail or off-road shoe

The first request from any customer wanting to buy running shoes is for a specific brand, say 53% of the retail respondents, while 24% say their customers will go as far as to ask for a specific shoe model. know what they are looking for. Most of them report that beginner runners are most concerned about the type of support and cushioning their running shoes will provide require. According to our survey, 77% of beginner runners will ask about support, while 65% will ask about the cushioning. Beginners also want advice on which brand to choose, and 53% of our respondents said that this is a common question. Since brand loyalty is so strong in runners, the sales person has a responsibility to recommend a suitable brand based on a sound knowledge of the features that will be best suited to his customer, as it may become his brand of choice for many years.

Customers can often be swayed into purchasing the wrong shoe for the wrong reason. “They are often swayed away from the correct product, into a product that is less suited to their needs as a result of colour or price,” says Grant Bryant from The Sweat Shop. The issue of aesthetics and especially colour influencing customers is echoed by Werner Koeglenberg from The Athletes Foot, who found that “colour plays a huge role.” It is the job responsibility of the salesperson to recommend the right shoe so that the customer has a pleasant experience while using the product. However, it is not always possible to convince an experienced customer to buy a specific shoe. “A runner knows what they want and no sales person will convince him otherwise,” says Gert Claassens from Tekkie Town. If you manage to convince a customer to purchase the right running shoe, it could mean that they will want to purchase a similar running shoe from you in the future, and you will gain a long time loyal customer. “Customers need to buy the correct shoe for specific type of terrain, distance and their physiological composition,” says Nick Velthuysen from Runners Rest.

p28 :: Apparel & Footwear

New running shoes

Asics

Brooks

Gel-Kayano 21 from Asics offers better stability and cushioning for the long road. The running shoe’s weight is reduced by 10g to +- 257g (US 7/ UK 5) for female version (T4H7N) and +- 323g for male version (T4H2N) with a 1mm wider base and stronger Trusstic to make the shoe more stable. Its outersole is upgraded for more flexibility and to be adaptive to load bearing during the footstrike and toe off. The midsole (Fluidride) is also updated to improve the overall ride of the shoe by increasing the bounce back in the toplayer of the shoe by 20%. This makes the shoe more comfortable under foot and retaining its shape longer. The shoe’s bottom layer weight is reduced by 15% while maintaining cushioning properties. It’s upper still features Fluidfit system – a combination of mesh and synthetic overlays that stretch during the gaitcycle and load bearing to make for an adaptive and functional non irritating fit. The running shoe still features Asics traditional GEL in the heel and forefoot for shock attenuation and Dynamic DUOMAX on the medial side to control overpronation.

Brooks will be introducing shoes to meet the needs of all runners in January 2015, namely the Ravenna 6 (Guidance), Adrenaline GTS15 (Stability), Cascadia 10 (Trail), PureFlow 4 (Lightweight Road) and Vapor 2 (Support). All these shoes features the BioMoGo DNA that adapts to every unique step, offering a cushioned ride that’s totally tuned to the individual. Ravenna 6 offers an improved combination of cushioning and stability, with a responsive and controlled ride. It is light and responsive, with innovative new technology and design elements. Its thinner, upper construction fits closer to the foot for added comfort and breathability and keeps the runner’s feet cool. The adjustable mid-foot saddle pulls from heel and arch, combining with the upper to ensure an engaging fit and added stability. It also has a rounded collar on the heel. It features full ground contact, promoting a smooth heel to forefoot transition, pushing a runner through the run. The shoe’s mid-foot crash pad adapts to multiple foot strike patterns, to provide a just-right amount of cushion and stability.

The new Adrenaline GTS 15 is a classic, yet refined, shoe that combines substantial support and premium cushioning to provide a dependable and smooth ride. It features the dependable GTS support and fit and combines it with plush cushioning for a secure and comfortable ride. Two different mesh options and fresh colours add style and breathability, while also giving it a modern look. A no-sew overlay enhances fit and provides a flexible, comfortable and closer-to-foot fit. The Cascadia is Brooks’ all-round trail shoe. The Cascadia 10 has the traditional the 4-point pivot posts, that balances the foot and allows sturdy handling on trails. It features ballistic rock shield and a no-sew construction that reduces foot irritation and gives a closer to foot fit. PureFlow 4 is part of the PureProject 4 line, which combines support with featherweight materials so that a runner “can forget his shoes and get lost in the run,” says Michelle Chowles of local distributor SBR Agencies. Its upper is thin and sits close to the foot. It also features ultra-soft mesh that provides high flexibility and breathability. The Nav Band featured is designed to give a runner the required amount of arch support. To p33

FLOAT ABOVE IT ALL The Brooks Core Collection is the epitome of running in stylish comfort. Plush, balanced and supremely comfortable, they are packed with runner-inspired technology, responding to every step, aligning the stride and cushioning the ride.

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SBR Importers and Distributors CC trading as SBR Agencies Head Office | T - 011 825-7324 / 8928 | F - 086 582 7115 Contact - Clive Chowles | C - 082 322 5620 Sports Trader :: 2014 November E - info@brooksrunningsa.co.za

Distributor of Brooks Running Footwear and Apparel

Outdoor clothing p30 :: Apparel & Footwear

trends for 2015 The outdoor clothing trends for next year were shown at this year’s OutDoor show in Friedrichshafen. These are the designs, colours and themes that will be seen in outdoor clothing from international brands

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ightweight fabrics and bright colours are some of the leading outdoor clothing trends for 2015 identiﬁed at the Trend Show during the OutDoor show in Friedrichshafen this year. More brands have introduced fashion into the outdoor life, but, functional garments are still in demand as outdoor people are still looking for more than just a fashionable garment. Most brands ensured that they produce quality products from fabrics with high breathability, a light weight, excellent moisture wicking and fast drying features. Materials are also expected to be summery, light, airy, stretchy, wind-proof and insulating (for cold weather), comfortable to wear, easy to maintain and should have integrated UV protection, if possible. Several outdoor clothing themes were identiﬁed, with city life and travel considered to be the trendiest.

City life and travel The city life and travel category features everyday wear and everyday accessories for everyday life. In the coming season, sportswear that is comfortable, in cool styles, with diverse designs and details, will be seen under this theme. A natural look with natural fibres and matte finishes is trending in this theme that is more focused on the fashion laws, than outdoor. The natural look creatively disguises highly technical functions. Colour blocking in soft, checked and flower prints will be popular. Materials include wool, viscose, cotton and recycled fibres. Sporty, trendy and casual cuts are featured. Green tones, blue nuances, pink, soft natural beige, slight browns tones, discreet greys, black and white are the trending colours in city life and travel ranges and they work well when combined. All these colours bring different details into the look. Discreet greys add effects and a bit of elegance into the theme. Other colours featured are muted shades of cinnamon and olive grey, which are combined. For the ladies robust parkas in cotton/light summer wool, perfectly cut chino trousers with t-shirts and blouses will feature in these ranges. Cotton sports jackets, pre-washed linen shirts, t-shirts and functional shirts are city life trends for men. The trousers are lightweight with a fashionable slim cut, or are casually loose-fitting. They are also generally made from a mixture of fibres, including cotton or viscose, which features a cool feel in the summer. Densely woven microfibers and light softshells are for those with a more active lifestyle, including wind and waterproof lightweight coatings and lightweight laminates with membrane for cyclists. Smooth lightweight fleeces and customised mesh patterns are also trending. This is because these materials provide good functionality and improved protection properties, where needed. The benefit of

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

Apparel & Footwear :: p31

fleeces is that they keep a customer warm and dry quickly while they can also be worn for activities like the morning jog. Lightweight, textured fabrics and a velvet look with a bit of a velour feel are new introductions to the range. The summer version of the city life and travel ranges features slight stretch fabrics, mixed with more, or less, lycra â&#x20AC;&#x201D; depending on the use of the product. Blends of polyester or polyamide fabrics as well as natural fibres such as merino, cotton, or a mix of viscose, are featured.

Hiking and trekking The lightweight fabrics featured in the hiking and trekking ranges are soft, with a naturally dry feel. Three-layer laminates made from a cotton/polyester mix that still meets the usual functional requirements are featured in the waterproof apparel. Some of the fabrics in the theme feature reflecting tone-in-tone prints, displaying new aspects of sporty fashion. The new individual body mapping technologies help to show the best fit with different types of fabrics. The look is far from the sporty aggressiveness of performance gear. A trendy silhouette is important for jackets, hiking trousers and functional undergarments. Hiking and trekking clothing is as colourful as the boots and shoes in this category. The shoes are lightweight all-rounders with light mesh materials, great colour combinations and good sole technologies. In this theme, inspiration is drawn from the history of hiking, in fashion that has contributed many colours, details and silhouettes. Other types of sports have been used for inspiration too. Old school plaid shirts and blouses remain popular on hiking trails. This theme features a mixture of different bright colours, adding variety to the theme. Plum, ruby and pink are the new colours making their debut in hiking and trekking. Bluish white is also featured and it contrasts nicely with the new colours. Vibrant yellow and different shades of orange reflect the light of the sun. Lush green or mineral blue add a touch of nature â&#x20AC;&#x201D; orange and red give this colour scheme energy. The combination of different blues and greens reflect the natural path.

Functional trail running Functional fibres and fabrics are crucial in trail running. Functional knitwear can be seen in running shirts, t-shirts and tops with different textures that feel soft and comfortable on the skin. Fabrics are tightfitting, lightweight and have a breathable stretch. These fabrics have a high elastane content, resulting in quick drying and slight, or more pronounced, compression in the jerseys and running tights. The inclusion of mesh provides extra air circulation, help- To p33

2014 November :: Sports Trader

p32 :: Apparel & Footwear

New in outdoor footwear Trendy technology from Olympic

Jeep camo range for the bush

THE OLYMPIC outdoor range for 2015 includes the adventure sandal, GORGE, which is available in both men’s and youth’s sizes this season. The attractive and trendy colours of earth brown, orange and black are spot on, says brand manager Miles O’Brien. The airy and well-constructed upper is finished off with a strong rubber sole, with an added extended toe band to protect the toes. It is available for delivery to stores now. “The Trail is a stunning new top hiker boot to look out for from Olympic,” says O’Brien. It is a combat-inspired hiking boot (above) in cutting-edge leather suede. It features an all new military printed EVA midsole, and matching military printed tongue. The Trail shoe will be available in stores in February 2015.

TECHNICAL CAMO footwear for outdoor and bush enthusiasts, including the professional hunting market, is a new category of Jeep footwear that Footwear Trading will be introducing into the retail market for store delivery in March 2015. The new range comes in the wake of the sales success and consumer demand for Jeep footwear, introduced into the South African market only a year ago. “The brand equity is super strong and Jeep has huge aspirational value for all consumers, across all colour groups in South Africa and neighbouring countries,” says brand manager Lynton Picker. There will be 5-6 core items in the range, including a high-cut boot, a mid-cut boot, a shoe, a sandal and a trail sandals. They will be available in big sizes as well. “Retailers will be able to replenish stock on a weekly basis,” he says. Some of the key features are lightweight, durable waterproof uppers, well-cushioned innersocks — providing exceptional comfort — and durable, rugged non-slip outsoles. The camo uppers, designed to blend into the African bush, easily repells dirt, stones and thorns, says Picker.

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

“Our new collection of Jeep lifestyle boots for winter 2015 is a must have for the fashion industry, as well as outdoor stores,” he says. Trendy black consumers have also taken to the Jeep boot range. They are especially buying into the Geckos, which are available in five colours, the ever popular Colorado, as well as the newly introduced Columbia styles, also available in five colours. “This market is unique in style and has taken to brands like Palladium, and our boot categories,” says Picker. All these products will be supported by a huge, impactful marketing campaign for 2015.

Apparel & Footwear :: p33

Outdoor clothing cont from p31 ing the body to keep cool enough. Light softshells feature the soft tricot backings that flatter the body and protect against the wind. Shades of turquoise, aqua, and deep blue are some of the colours included in trail running. Orange, a trending colour in other themes, is also present in trail running. Bleached yellow brightens up the look, while intense violet adds a lively touch. Green and pink are also some of the colours trending in this theme.

Mountaineering theme Clothing in the mountaineering ranges are made of light weight fabrics and feature classical elegant colours. Inspirations in this theme come from innovative fabrics and fibres, and also from materials providing qualities that make the outdoor activities easier. Classic jacket designs with wind- and waterproof materials and functional details, like hoods that fit well over climbing helmets, are seen in the mountaineering ranges. A broad range of softshells were shown, also with the look, touch and feel suitable for summer sports. Light weight fabrics that are soft with a dry feel are trending in mountaineering gear. The garments for the 2015 season are so lightweight that they can be folded into a small size and stored in a bag inside the backpack. Classical elegant colours with sophisticated, vibrant, tones, focusing on a variety of blue and turquoise shades are trending in mountaineering. A combination of bright orange and pink is introduced in zippers, thin trimmings and as collar insides. Green shades used in collaboration with cool blue also introduce an interesting vibe. New introductions to the range include colours like radiant yellow, deep earthy red and strong orange for both men and women. Aubergine is an important tone, providing unusual effects which are sometimes seen with bright and colourful opposites.

New running shoes cont from p28 Vapor 2 is a support shoe for men that features the circulated Brooks DNA with full-length BioMoGo in the midsole. Other features are a Diagonal Rollbar, DRB Accel, full-length S-257 Cushsole, heel segmented crash pad, flextra and a universal platform.

Inov-8 Inov-8, locally distributed by Rebel Elite Fitness, offers the Tri-X-Treme range of triathlon-specific shoes that have design features aimed at making the final leg of the triathlon more comfortable and more importantly for some, faster, says Donovan van Gelder from Rebel Elite Fitness. This range offers the 275 model, which has an 8mm heel-to-toe drop and the 225 model that has a 6mm heel-to-toe drop. “The injected EVA midsole feels a lot more cushioned than the previous Inov-8 Road-X models, Van Gelder explains. It provides a plush, comfortable ride that will surprise many who expect a minimal shoe to be hard, he says. The shoe also has a completely seamless inner that makes it ideal for going sockless. The shoes have sticky rubber pads, strategically placed on the outsole in high wear areas, to offer the grip that is expected from all Inov-8 shoes, says Van Gelder. All Tri-X-Treme models come with full-length drainage channels in the midsole that are great for triathlon and road races where you may pour water over your body, which inevitably will run down into your shoes, he says. “The Tri-X-Treme comes with all the Inov-8 technology bells and whistle like the Dynamic Fascia Band in the midsole and the Terradapter in the heel, but they also have additional features like a bungee-style lace — that come with standard laces in the box — and a clever lacelock type system,” says Van Gelder. This combined with a large shoe opening and loops on the heel and tongue will make transition a quick and easy affair, he adds.

2014 November :: Sports Trader

p34 :: Outdoor

Competition Commission takes a close look at the

The questions the Competition Commission have been asking some suppliers of sports optics would be of interest to all industry suppliers, as they relate to the thorny issues of recommended retail price and supplying online retailers. JOHANN DU TOIT reports

he Competition Commission is conducting an investigation to establish if there is a general trend of uncompetitive behaviour among suppliers in the outdoor industry. The Southern African outdoor industry is, however, not under a general investigation, reassures the Competition Commission. Based on the companies the commission contacted, which includes camera brands that supply binoculars, it would appear that mainly suppliers of sports optics are being investigated. It all started with a complaint from an unnamed, disgruntled customer. During the Competition Commission investigation of the ﬁrst three companies implicated, they came across information that prompted them to conduct a wider investigation because they thought that the anti-competitive practices might be

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

Suppliers have always been selective of the retailers who sell their products. They have to meet the minimum standards of the brands. widespread in the industry. This had a domino effect, as more and more companies were implicated. To date, no suppliers have been prosecuted. Sports Trader is aware that a number of suppliers, whose common denominator is the supply of sports optics, have been contacted by the Competition Commission, asking for an extensive range of documentation, including correspondences between distributors and retailers, ﬁnancial reports, names of clients

and pricing documents. These suppliers were informed that they are being investigated for “uncompetitive behaviours”, and more speciﬁcally, ﬁxing a minimum resale price. According to the Competition Act of 1998 the following practices are prohibited: • Agreement between parties that has the effect of lessening competition in the market; • Minimum resale price maintenance; • Despite minimum resale price maintenance being prohibited, a supplier may recommend a resale price provided: o The supplier or producer makes it clear to the reseller that the recommendation is not binding; o The words recommended price appear next to the stated price. A complaint does not necessarily have to originate from a particular customer, To p36

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p36 :: Outdoor

Competition Commission looks at sports optics cont from p34 but anyone can be investigated if the Competition Commission suspects that a business is guilty of these prohibited practices.

Recommended price The prohibited practice of minimum resale prices is somewhat of a grey area in the Competition Act. “Having a recommended resale price is not illegal per se, but sanctioning a customer or client for not adhering to the minimum resale price is in contravention of the Competition Act,” says The Commission. Even if you set up a terms of sale contract, you would not be in contravention of the Competition Act — unless you decide to enforce the minimum resale price. One of the companies under investigation is Paintball Africa, a retailer of paintball, security, and outdoor equipment, including binoculars, that also has a few wholesale clients. Lindy Heyns, who owns the business with her husband, Brett, was highly concerned about the allegations. “My ﬁrst thoughts were that a customer complained to the Consumer Commission about pricing, or something related to my business. Then I thought it was a hoax.” After contacting the commission she was told that the investigation did not come from a particular customer, but was initiated by the commissioner himself. The complaint was that of ﬁxing the minimum resale price. Paintball Africa’s terms of dealership with its wholesale customers previously had a clause in which required a customer to agree to sell products at, or above, a minimum suggested retail price. They subsequently removed this clause from the agreement. To date, they have never enforced this clause, nor have they refused to sell to somebody who did not sign the agreement or agree to the terms.

Supply documents The large amount of paperwork and information that needs to be provided to the Competition Commission is enough to damage a small business like Paintball Africa, who only employs four people. The required documents include CEO reports, board minutes, quarterly ﬁnancial reports, which, needless to say, a small family business does not have. The fact that all the information supplied had to be up to date

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

from 1 January 2010 is a major problem. This resulted in a massive amount of paperwork that needed to be processed. “We requested the information this far back, as we believe uncompetitive behaviour might have been going on for a long time,” says The Commission. “Ultimately, our goal is to uncover any uncompetitive practices in the industry that will harm the customers of these businesses. In the end, our job is to help the customers.” There is also a possibility that the investigated business needs to appear before the Competition Commission. Small business owners like the Heyns’ cannot afford to ﬂy to Pretoria for a Competition Commission hearing, as it will mean crucial time will be spent away from managing their business. Another company that was investigated for alleged minimum resale price point is Lynx Optics. They had to provide information and documentation to the commission earlier this year. “We only had to provide the information required. A lot of the required information

Brands introduced the practice of selective distribution, supplying certain products only to selected dealers that meet certain quality standards was not applicable to our business (such as CEO reports, quarterly financial statements, etc.), but the commission was satisfied by our submissions,” says Michael Rogers from Lynx Optics. “We have not yet been required to appear before the commission, but we may be required to appear in front of the commission if they want to ask more questions.” He believes the investigation into the industry is a waste of time. “I don’t think there is any collusion behaviour in the outdoor industry,” says Rogers. When trying to find the source of the initial complaint, it did seem very likely that it originated from an online retailer (or e-tailer) with whom suppliers were reluctant to do business. Many suppliers are reluctant to supply certain online traders, as they have concerns about possible damage to their brand image. They would look at the quality of the website, the service they provide, the stock they are able to hold, as well as the appearance of the product (pictures, logo’s, etc) — as with any other retail customer they supply. Supplying e-tailers can also create problems for their loyal retail customers. When a customer wants to buy an expensive tech-

nical product, such as binoculars, they would need to see the product in store and talk to a salesperson, which means time and effort invested by a retailer. After seeing the product and deciding to buy it, a customer can easily purchase it online at a reduced price. This is a global problem.

Selective distribution At the Selective Distribution Conference held during the 2014 OutDoor Show in Friedrichshafen, a representative from the German outdoor brand, Deuter, said that suppliers have always been selective of the retailers who sell their products. They have to meet the minimum standards of the brands. A representative from adidas, however, said that they have had troubles with anti-competitive laws in the US about selective distribution, especially from online retailing. Selective distribution and the pitfalls of supplying e-tailers was also a forum topic at the 2013 OutDoor show. Top international outdoor brands initially refused to supply online traders because the very low prices angered their other retail customers and the brands were concerned about the presentation of goods, product selection, lack of advice and unprofessional portrayal of the brand name. This attitude changed with the emergence of high quality and professional online retailers, which led to the practice of selective distribution of certain products supplied only to selected dealers that meet certain quality standards — for example, offering advice, a solid range of goods and have a suitable presentation. The outdoor brands applied this criteria to brick and mortar, as well as online stores.

Sports brands targeted The European Union has recognised this selective distribution business model in its regulation on Vertical Restraints, reports Dr Jochen Schaefer, legal counsel for the World Federation of Sporting Goods Industries (WFSGI) in their 2014 magazine. Yet, the German anti-trust authority Bundeskartellamt have been investigating major sports brands like Asics and adidas for allegedly breaking the terms around the pricing of items and supplying of retail customers. Pending the results of these investigations, adidas agreed to allow online retailers like Amazon an Ebay to sell their products. Some e-tailers welcomed this investigation. “Retailers and consumers in Germany have the right to enjoy the full range of advantages provided by e-commerce”, commented Stephan Zoll, vice-president of eBay Germany. However, Asics has responded to these allegations by saying that their selective distribution is in line with European Economic Area regulations, which they believe allows them to place sales restrictions on online platforms. It seems as if there is a global uncertainty of exactly what is allowed under anti-competition laws.

Retail news Industry :: p37

Moves in the online retail sector

Totalsports top sports store TOTALSPORTS IS the favourite sport and outdoor store of 2 750 South African adults interviewed by TNS South Africa for the seventh annual Times Sowetan Retail Awards survey. Sportscene is the second favourite sport store followed by Mr Price Sport. Edgars was chosen as the top shoe store, women’s clothing store, as well as the top men’s clothing store. Woolworths is the runner-up in these categories.

Former winner Spitz came third in the shoe store category, while Mr Price came third in the women’s clothing category and Truworths was the third favourite men’s clothing store. The survey covers 20 retail store categories, including groceriy, furnitute, cellphone etc. stores. TNS South Africa conducted the interviews with 2 000 metropolitan shoppers and 750 in non-metropolitan areas.

Sport brand customers more satisfied, retail customers less SPORT APPAREL brands like adidas, Nike and Puma keep customers satisfied, but South African clothing retailers, including Pep Stores, Woolworths, Jet, etc. scored much lower for customer satisfaction than last year, according to the latest South African Customer Satisfaction Index (SAcsi). Sports apparel customers rated their satisfaction at 84.2 points out of 100. The results cannot be directly compared to last year’s as the category then covered only sports shoes, but include sports apparel this year. “Sports apparel seems to have the ability to better handle the downward trend we are seeing with clothing retailers, which relates to high scores for perceived quality,” and could also be partly due to the growing trends towards healthier lifestyles,” says prof Adré Schreuder, founder and chair of the SAcsi. Apparel retailers scored 75.5 out of 100 and Pep Stores scored the highest with 5.7 points above the industry average. Woolworths scored 3.2 above average and other specialty retail stores scored 2.9 points above the average. Jet, Mr Price and Truworths scored the same as the industry average, while Edgars scored 2.8 points below average. Schreuder has also noticed signifi-

Prof Adré Schreuder, founder and chair of the South African Customer Satisfaction Index.

cant drops in expectations and loyalty scores with the overall customer loyalty across clothing retailers dropping between 5-31% since 2013.

THE SOUTH African online lifestyle retail market has recently been in a state of motion with mergers, acquisitions, investments, and closures. Kalahari.com and Takealot. com caused a stir when they announced that the two biggest South African online retailers were planning to merge because smaller South African e-retailers cannot compete successfully against local brick-and-mortar retailers and foreign companies like Amazon and Alibaba. Many years of losses prompted the two companies to join forces in order to survive as a bigger player, Oliver Rippel, a senior executive at Kalahari, said in a statement. He cited the fact that international companies don’t pay local taxes and the high cost of broadband as reasons why the smaller local online retailers found it difficult to compete against international companies. A recent survey showed that most (95%) South African consumers still prefer shopping in brick and mortar stores, rather than online. The findings of the Retail Consumer Survey 2014 by IPSO on behalf of the Broll Property Group, were introduced at the 18th Annual Congress of the South Council of Shopping Centres in Cape Town in August. Online searches via computer is the most popular method to search for a specific product, said 72% of the 1 000 consumers surveyed. Yet, 67% still prefer to visit a store to look for a specific product. While 73% check prices online, 62% of the respondents visit a store to check prices. Online browsing is preferred by 71%

of the respondents, but 60% like to browse for products in a store. Only 1.3% of consumer goods in South Africa are currently sold online, but Takealot CEO Kim Reid believes there is a R550-bn opportunity for online retailing. In countries like the US and UK online retailing accounts for about 14% of retail sales. Pending Competition Commission approval, Kalahari.com, owned by Naspers, will become part of Takealot.com. Willem van Biljon and Reid will remain co-CEO’s. Takealot recently bought upmarket lifestyle online store Superbalist.com and received $100-m from US-based Tiger Global Management. Superbalist. com, which sells brands like Nike, Puma, Vans, New Balance, Converse, Superga, among others, have been trading since September 2013, after the Citymob flashsales site, selling one product as a deal of the day, was rebranded and relaunched as a fully-fledged online retailer. It will operate independently from Takealot under its current management team led by MD Luke Jedeikin. Takealot.com was rebranded from Take 2 after the US hedge fund Tiger Global Management bought 83% of the retailer in 2010. Tiger Global Management invested R1-bn in the company in May 2013 to capitalise the business and grow warehousing, logistical infrastructure, human resources and fund expansion. Earlier this year Naspers closed online fashion store Style36Buy and four other smaller online niche stores in order to concentrate on bigger online retailers Kalahari.com and Spree.

Zando wins awards

Retail sales volumes up

ZANDO RECENTLY won two and was runner-up in one of the six award categories of the annual South African eCommerce Awards, announced at the 2014 eCommerce Conference. Zando won the awards for the Best Shopping Process and Best Customer Service and was runner-up to Yuppiechef for Best eCommerce Store.

SOUTH AFRICAN retail sales volumes increased in Q3 of 2014, the latest retail survey from Ernst & Young/Bureau for Economic Research show. These results are supported by retail sales data from Statistics SA, which shows 2.4% retail sales growth during July 2014. The sales increase was mainly in hardware and semi-durable goods, including clothing, footwear, sporting equipment, etc. For the first time in two-and-a-half years the business confidence index passed 50 points, with 60% of retailers surveyed by BER reporting that they are satisfied with business conditions during Q3 of 2014. Most retailers expect retail sales to further improve during the festive season.

2014 November :: Sports Trader

Stock for holiday sales

We offer some ideas for items that would tempt your customers eager to spend their end of year bonuses on Christmas gifts or treats for the family during the holiday

fter a tough first half of the year, retailers should experience some relief the closer we move to the holiday period. The third quarter this year saw a modest recovery in volume growth, the Retail Survey by Ernst & Young/Bureau for Economic Research reveals. During the third quarter, business confidence levels of retailers improved to 60 index points from 49 points in the second quarter and 39 in the first — the first time in two and a half years that more than half of retailers surveyed by the Bureau for Economic Research said that they are satisfied with prevailing business conditions.

Retailers have a right to feel more conﬁdent, the later in the year they ﬁnd themselves. Import data from the Department of Trade and Industry reveals a trend: where sport goods import volumes in the second quarter tend to be lower, volumes grow (steeply!) in the third quarter and tend to stay the same, or improve, during the fourth quarter. The second half of the year holds several reasons for consumers to take leave of their money, such as the holiday season and Christmas time. Traditionally, consumers also have more disposable income over the December period. The improved weather during the second half of the year also contributes to more peo-

Quarterly sporting goods imports 450 400

R-mil

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350 300 250 200 Q2

Q3 2010

2011

Q4 2012

2013

Source: Department Trade and Industry.

ple wanting to participate in sports … and they are also more likely to buy or replace equipment.

Experience excellent views with Bushnell BUSHNELL OUTDOOR PRODUCTS, locally distributed by Ultimo, has introduced three new night vision optics in the EQUINOX™ Z product line. The digital night vision units are available in three conﬁgurations with a host of features, including digital zoom, image capture and video recording. Available in 3x 30mm, 4x 40mm and 6x 50mm monocular conﬁgurations, the EQUINOX Z product line is loaded with features. Each monocular is constructed with a rugged, water-resistant housing, features a 1-3x digital

zoom, adjustable IR settings and daytime color viewing. In addition, each unit is powered with AA batteries for added convenience and cost savings. In addition, the 4x 40mm and 6x 50mm models include image and video capture modes that allow users to download still images or videos captured on the device. These devices also allow the user to select from three LCD brightness settings to select the best display intensity for current ambient light conditions. The EQUINOX Z line offers some of the best viewing distances on the market, with a 500-foot/125m range in the 3x 30mm model, 750 feet/225m in the 4x 40mm and 1 000 feet/300m in the 6x 50mm monocular.

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Swingball is ideal for both training and relaxing SWINGBALL, LOCALLY distributed by Brand ID, is an exciting product that was initially created for training kids in hand-eye coordination and is a great introduction to tennis as well. “Swingball was developed in the 60’s as tether tennis and originated from an Old Victorian game, Bumble Puppy, believe it or not,” says Steve Gallienne of Brand ID. “It is great fun and suits the SA climate fantastically.” “Most households have a Swingball and fortunately for us it is manufactured in SA, which is great to support and the quality is exceptional.” Spares can be purchased (Spare Ball and Trace) and even if you do not stock Swingball itself, the spares are always a nice to have, as people are always looking to replace. “Swingball has managed to stay under the R200 retail price point, which is quite amazing as R200 does not really get you much these days,” says Gallienne. Swingball makes a great prize, present or last minute gift and “kids love to open big

packages for Christmas”. It caters for young and old and can be played sociably or even competitively. The balls will take about 20 00-30 000 hits before deteriorating. The moulded bats are great and are made speciﬁcally to suit all ages: not too heavy and not too light, can be taken to the beach or used for bat and ball games. The bats can get wet and can also handle UV “as we use the best plastics to mould the bats, unlike cheaper wooden options which deteriorate quickly once wet,” says Gallienne. “Speak to your agent today to be part of the Swingball Family. They come in multiples of 10 and stack easily on your ﬂoor or shelf with maximum impact.” “Also ask your agent about our bat and ball set, the Beach Bat and Ball, which is also local and lekker and is also a performance product — not a 5 min wonder. The set contains two moulded bats and a real Karakal tennis ball.

Outside holiday cooking with GSI Outdoors OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS will appreciate receiving items from GSI Outdoors’ range of cook- and tableware this holiday season. “GSI Outdoors has been feeding the love for the outdoors since 1985 and in the pioneering spirit that ﬁrst drew those early trappers west, a small cadre of siblings from British Columbia made their way down the west coast to San Diego where the company was founded,” says Lehan Bornman of local distributor Ram Mountaineering. “Beginning with a few pieces of blue enamelware and a smattering of campﬁre accessories, GSI Outdoors continued to grow and expand into the design, manufacturing, sales and marketing of an ever growing and ever more innovative line of outdoor cook-

ware, tableware and accessories.” Today GSI Outdoors products are distributed worldwide as the company continues to expand their array of products known for their quality, technical performance, innovative design and “most of all, their fun-loving attitude towards the outdoor experience”. GSI Outdoors deﬁnes innovation through the creation of unique, imaginative and fun products that reassert the values that they hold dear. “We take great pride in our ability to create new and exciting items from products that others believed could not be improved on or that they believed were not worth the effort. We know that this kind of authentic innovation can only come from one place — our customers.”

Summit’s games for the beach, garden or backyard HOLIDAY TIME is outside time and Summit’s range

of soccer goal sets, locally distributed by Opal Sports, are perfect for a game of netball, soccer or cricket between parents and kids (classic) or a game between teams of kids (mini twin). The soccer goal sets come complete with a ball, pump, cones and pegs — ready for play! The portable goal sets and the two-sided rebound nets are ideal for a day at the beach, a camping trip or for the backyard. The sets are easy to set up and allow the family to play anywhere within minutes. Future sport stars looking to improve their catching and throwing skills will love the two-sided Rebound training net, which deﬂects a ball back at a player. Families looking to spend time with their daughters should enjoy the easy mountable netball rings. Goal scorers can improve their hoop

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

skills with Summits’s professional-sized, durable powder coated metal tubed hoops, mounted using hi-tensile screws. Summit also offers a range of quality inﬂatable balls for sports such as soccer, rugby and netball. The balls are equally ideal for playing with friends and family as they are to play a game with the team. They feature fun bright prints that will draw extra attention to any ball display.

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Women’s fitness market growing More fitness brands developing and introducing women-specific product is a trend that extends beyond apparel and footwear, reports RHIANAH FREDERICKS

he growing demand from South African women is driving the production of fitness clothing and footwear, say suppliers. They also find that women are buying their products mainly to use for fitness related purposes, not merely as casual wear. “Product is developed to meet the needs of the ever changing and dynamic women’s

consumer market,” says Katharine Tromp from New Balance SA. “The entire women’s fitness market has opened up as there is a focus on wellness, as well as a shift to strong being the new thin, says Barbara Cole from Asics SA. She finds that women want to look good while they are exercising and the apparel they wear while doing so, is an extension of fashion into fitness. A large portion of women are constantly concerned with their fitness, health and physical appearance, says Gugu Ntuli from adidas. They also want to look good when training, hence they purchase fitness specific product as it has the benefits they need to excel in their chosen fitness regime. There is a lot more pressure on women to be fit and healthy, which created more demand from consumers, which has resulted in a more competitive brand offering, says Ntuli. “Looking the part goes hand in hand with wearing branded products.” She would suggest that there’s a 70/30 split between products being used for exercise and products being used for every day. “In the past few seasons, we have seen a big trend in specific fitness pieces being used for everyday use, such as the long performance tights, oversized tees and lifestyle looking fitness footwear,” she says. Although there has always been an interest in producing ladies fitness gear, the demand for it has grown over the past few years due to the increase in participation in fitness and running, explains James Mullen from Puma. The growth of the women’s fitness market presents a great opportunity for fitness specific brands to try and grow revenues within this emerging segment, says Paul Copson from Brand Identity, local distributor of performance footwear Mizuno and compression brand Skins.

Popular training clothing Women currently want training clothing such as long graphic tights, all over printed loose tees, tees with burnout prints, loose styled vests that can be used for layering with a sports crop top, says Ntuli. They also want lightweight, flexible footwear that can be worn both in the gym, or casually, she says. “A great pair of black capris is always in demand,” says Cole, who has also identified a trend toward printed and graphic tights and capris. Bra tops and highly flexible and lightweight trainers are also in demand, says Mullen. New Balance has seen great interest in the full matching top to toe story of a range, including footwear, says Tromp. “Brands are developing more and more exciting women specific product and has fashion inspirations to help drive more women to purchase!” adds Copson. “I would say that technical performance apparel is brand driven, and will grow at a slower rate than that of entry level fashion fitness apparel, which is being driven by retailers who traditionally were fashion retailers, not core sports brands,” says Cole. Now that these retailers have expanded into the fashion fitness game, consumers are realizing that they have more choice and she thinks this will result in a positive spin off for core sports brands, as consumers perhaps demand more from their apparel when it comes to performance and technology, where there is credibility from the sports brands, she explains.

Equipment grow Equipment suppliers have also seen growth in the demand for women’s products. “I think that for the past twenty years there have been a big demand for fitness equipment, and yes, it keeps growing all the time,” says Daniella Smoller from Thera-Med, who experienced a big demand from women for Pilates equipment like the Magic Circle, fitness balls, small and soft overballs for strength, rubber fitbands, etc. The demand from women for personal training equipment like small dumbbells, gym balls, aerobic mats, steps and boxing equipment has been growing over the last two years, agrees Savan Patel of To p44

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2014 September :: Sports Trader

p44 :: Sport

Women’s fitness cont from p42 IG Hoosen. Suunto has also experienced this increase in demand from women and 40% of their fitness watch buyers are female, says Amy Whittam of local distributor Ultimo. The growing demand from women has also extended into the apps market, says Chantal Grobler from TomTom. We see an overall growth in sports participation with tools, being smartphones, sports watches, etc.” There has especially been a growing demand for heart rate monitors and GPS watches, she adds. “Traditionally, there is an increase in equipment demand a few months before summer, as everyone gets beach ready or tries to shed a few unwanted pounds,” says Patrick Franck from WET Sports. “The demand for the smaller sizes in our gym gloves, the aerobic bands in light, medium and heavy resistances, neoprene soft touch kettle bells and lighter weights is definitely on the increase,” says Franck. This would be an indication of interest from women. Yoga mats and gym balls are also products that have been in demand by women, says Kevin De Wet from De Wet Sports. Other items that have grown substantially over the last three years include resistance bands, lighter dumbbells and ankle weights. “Now that fit is the new skinny it comes as no surprise that women are motivated to take on activities that were previously categorized as men’s sports,” explains Lauren McCleland from Orbit Sports. She believes this has contributed to the increase in demand for women’s fitness training equipment. The demand for functional training equipment such as weighted sandbags, Swiss balls, skipping ropes and medicine balls have also increased at Orbit Sports, says McCleland. She has also seen an increase in sales of their MMA boxing gloves.

Functional ﬁtness trend With the large number of women doing CrossFit, or functional training, there is a huge potential for retailers, because there is a fast, growing market, says Paris

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

Philippou, general manager of Rebel Elite Fitness. “CrossFitters represent a high LSM and don’t mind paying R1 000 for a pair of shorts marketed at CrossFitters, or R2 000 for a pair of Olympic Weightlifting shoes. You don’t need much for functional fitness, but CrossFitters want to have it all: wrist wraps, hand protection gear, shoes, shorts, kinesiology tape, etc. They want to look the part.” Purchases of functional fitness equipment like skipping ropes, squat stands, a bar, weights for the home market is growing, as there is a huge growth in a home setup. The competitive guy or woman wants to practice at home to go to the next level or beat his friend will put up a bar or squat plate in the garage, he explains. “There is also a market for recovery products, like foam rollers, sport tapes, muscle balm, etc.,” he adds. CrossFit has grown by more than 300%, with only 30 boxes in 2013 to approximately 130 countrywide boxes this year. The first CrossFit regionals was held in a school hall, but now there are thousands that come to participate and watch. Some boxes have more women members than men, says Philippou. There are some boxes that only cater for women. Women like the group or boot camp type of activities they offer, he says. Each box has its own character and several can be located in one area. It is just a matter of finding the one you like. CrossFit is a brand name that may only be used by accredited boxes and coaches, but this type of functional fitness training is also offered by many personal trainers who do not wish to be accredited. As more people want to look good and feel good, functional fitness is growing rapidly, says Philippou. Some of the reasons for this growth are the benefits that members get from attending functional fitness gyms and CrossFit boxes, like one coach per 10-15 participants who ensure that you don’t injure yourself. The smaller boxes ensure much more personal attention from trainers than in a regular gym and workouts that are different every day leave no chance for boredom and monotony. “Functional fitness has benefits for all sports,” he adds.

Popular activities While most suppliers agree that functional ﬁtness and boot camp activities are a growing trend among women, they also noticed that women are taking up other, traditional male activities like MMA. “There is also an increase in the number of women who now workout in the weight section at the gym,” says McCleland. Boxing as well as karate, martial arts, etc. “as self-defence training is a must nowadays for all women,” says Patel. Although he

also believes there are now more women participating in more female-dominated activities like yoga and aerobics because they want to stay and look fit. He has also seen growing interest in activities such as Pilates, says De Wet. Smoller attributes the growing interest in Pilates to the fact that people have become more aware of the need of having strong core muscle, which are developed by Pilates. Trail running and mountain biking are other activities that have also become more popular in the female market, says Whittam. “In my opinion women are looking at more of a crossover of different exercise disciplines,” says Franck. “I guess our modern lifestyles and commitments makes it difficult to commit to the same routine on the same evening each week so women are getting their fitness fix wherever they can,” he explains.

Designed for women Women tend to be more fashion conscious than men and this influences the way in which their apparel, footwear and electronic products are designed, say suppliers. The apparel and fitness markets have been moving towards each other for the last couple of years, influencing the way consumers exercise, says Grobler. There is a more fashion conscious approach to working out and in this way women appear to be more sensitive. She would also like to emphasise the fact that designing for a female target-group is more than just shrink it and pink it. “I think colour is perhaps one of the key aspects when it comes to women making purchasing decisions, so seasonal colours that are on trend are key to the ranges,” says Cole. Items should be designed around their main function. “Thought must go into how the item needs to perform when in motion. Fabrics will also play a major role in the make-up of the garments,” she says. Women tend to want packages that tie up, so there will be plenty of items that one can cross merchandise from all tiers, to tie up to one another, top to bottom. “For instance we have seen a trend of layering coming through in fitness apparel which has been a spin off from ready to wear fashion trends.” We look at specific fashion colour trends and designs when looking for inspiration in our Skins women’s fitness compression wear and design, says Copson. Their products also have specific women fits and anatomical designs. “There are various trends in the women’s fitness world, women want on-trend prints, fabrications, feminine silhouettes and colour palets that link to what is happening in the fashion industry,” says Ntuli. Any product that is produced has a purpose and technical features to assist women with achieving their fitness goals, says Tromp. But because they are aware that aesthetics play a major role in the purchase decision, they incorporate intentional aesthetic design into product. “All panels, placement of aesthetically pleasing lines and materials will service that fashion func- To p46

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Women’s fitness cont from p44 tion, but will also be technically sound,” she says. Although the fact that women are more fashion conscious than men plays a part in the way product is designed, says Mullen. “From a Puma perspective we make sure that we blend fashion and performance. We make product that not only looks good, but also functions and performs at the highest level.” Retailers looking to source stock for their customers looking for training clothing, shoes and equipment have much to choose from.

Adidas training gear Adidas offers a wide range of ladies training tights, tees, shoes, etc, some with climalite technology, which moves sweat away from the wearer’s body to help keep them cool. The clima essentials strap tank has a feminine fit and an inner bra shelf, while the clima training graphic tank offers a slim fit with a racerback design. Their techfit all over print 3-inch boy shorts offers medium compression that supports muscles during training. The techfit tank and bra, as well as the supernova racer bra, feature climacool technology, which improves ventilation while training. The techfit tank has UPF 50+ UV protection and flat seams that reduce friction. The techfit bra also offers shock-absorbing support. The support and reflective detailing on the supernova racer bra makes it ideal for training. The adipure range of shoes are lightweight and breathable. The 360.2 model offers barefoot flexibility while the 360 celebration graphics model has a soft graphic printed upper that offers support in key areas. Its grooved outsoles allow a flexible fit. The adipure 360 control shoes have the barefoot-like benefits of a minimal and flexible outsole while its welded upper gives support for fast and controlled movement. The Arianna shoes support and comfort feet. Its lightweight mesh uppers keep feet cool while EVA midsoles and heels provide cushioning. The adidas micoach smart run watch features a strapless continuous heart rate monitor, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0 as well as a colour touch screen.

Medalist fitness De Wet Sports offers the Medalist range fitness equipment that covers exercise, aerobic and gym categories. The exercise equipment range includes PVC, braided and leather skip ropes with wooden, foam, etc. handles. They also offer foam and plastic hand grips, double exercise wheels, power twisters, chest expanders, waist trimmers, twist boards and resistance bands. Their yoga equipment, like the standard and deluxe mats, are durable and lightweight. The Pilates ring is a fibreglass ring covered with soft foam that is designed to improve muscle tone in the inner and outer thighs, arms and chest. The Deluxe Foam Roller features durable closed cell EVA foam and is used for stretching and flexibility. Their Pilates set includes a gym ball with a pump, the deluxe printed yoga mat and a Pilates

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

ring. Their aerobic equipment range includes an Aerobic Step with a non-slip surface, three adjustable heights, which supports up to 250kg. The Balance Dome in the gym ball range helps strengthen core muscles and features integrated resistance bands. Other products in the range include dumbbells, neoprene ankle wrist weights, barbell sets (30 and 50kg), etc.

New Balance apparel The New Balance fitness apparel range, which includes jackets, racer back tank tops and capri’s, feature their NB Dry technology. In addition, NB Fresh technology is also available in the ATC and BK Achieve Knee Capri and BGR Achieve Jacket. The Heather performance French terry Achieve Jacket has a cosy extended collar and shimmer front zipper, while the Achieve Knee Capri has a wide waistband with tummy control and an internal pocket. The black lycra material reduces shine. Their Get Back Racerback feature sublimated prints and an internal shelf bra, while the Vitalize Layer Tank feature an embossed graphic pattern.

Orbit Sports gym equipment Orbit Sports offers the EVA Gym Roller, a locally manufactured product designed to help improve posture, core stability, balance, flexibility and strength. “Professional athletes take advantage of this product to improve their balance, to work their core and to strengthen various muscle groups,” says Lauren McCleland from Orbit Sports. It is manufactured with a strong PVC cylinder that is encased in a soft EVA foam. The PVC cylinder provides a strong foundation to withstand static and dynamic load forces. “This means that the roller will not break-in like standard foam rollers and allows the user to perform standing exercises that regular foam rollers cannot support,” says McCleland. It can be used for exercise or under the guidance of a physiotherapist to recover and rehabilitate injuries, she says. Its soft EVA cushioning reduces impact and provides comfort when using it for massage and stretch purposes. This product is available in 330mm and 500mm lengths with a standard diameter of 130mm.” The nifty size of the 330mm roller allows it to be easily transported and stored. It is an affordable, lightweight and versatile product that is ideal for a home workout or to be taken to your favourite class,” says McCleland.

Puma gym range Puma’s fitness range includes the Gym ¾ tight, Bra Top and Loose Top that feature coolCELL technology, which draws sweat away from the body. They also have anatomically placed airflow features that help keep the wearer cool and dry during exercise. The Gym Loose Top offers freedom of movement, an exposed back design and is made of 85% polyester and 15% elastane. The Gym ¾ tight features flatlock seams that reduces skin irritation and a diamond gusset that reduces friction to increase comfort. It has a bio-

The fact that women are fashion conscious influences the way in which their products are designed, say suppliers. based wicking finish, which is also available in their Gym Bra Top and Studio Yogi Tee. The Gym Bra Top offers the support needed during full force workouts, uses lycra sport yarns and offers recovery power, fit and freedom of movement. The Studio Yogi Tee’s design offers freedom of movement and has a sporty graphic burn-out for added ventilation. It uses dryCELL technology that draws sweat away from the skin, keeping the wearer dry and comfortable. Puma’s Gym Workout Bag combines technical features and feminine shape. It offers room for the post-workout wardrobe change and is made from sustainable ripstop fabric with mesh panelling. It offers two carry options and has a side compartment to keep shoes separated from gear.

Skins training Brand-ID distributes the Skins A400 range of tights and shorts that offer designs based on 3D body scan research. These garments use five different fabrics and have Memory MX panels in the waistband, and other areas, to allow more movement, without losing any compression benefits. PU bonded hems make them more comfortable while 400 key fitting points improve fit. The Skins A200 range of shorts, tights and tops feature their Engineered Gradient Compression that offers circulatory benefits, SKINmuscle+, which gives stability and support to muscles during activity, and SKINfit. The items in this range use three technical fabrics, have a main body made from Skins warp knit fabric and use four needle flat lock stitching that provides durability and comfort. Other technologies, such as SKINdry, helps with moisture management, SKINtemp improves temperature optimisation and SKINUVblock offers 50+ UV protection in non-mesh areas.

Suunto bluetooth Suunto has introduced their first Bluetooth compatible product family, consisting of the Movescount App, Ambit3 Peak and Sport GPS watches, as well as the Smart Sensor for heart rate monitoring. The brand is locally distributed by Ultimo. The Ambit3 Peak and Sport GPS watches combine functionality for both outdoor adventures and performance training. It allows the user to track his activity and upload exercises, change watch settings and get notifications on the Suunto Movescount app and share the information wirelessly. The Ambit3 Peak offers functions like route navigation, barometric information, 3D compass, etc. It has a tough design with a glass fiber reinforced casing and a stainless steel bezel that allows it to take a beating in any conditions. The Sapphire edition has an additional sapphire crystal glass for increased durability. The GPS in the Ambit3 Sport GPS watch provides accurate pace, route navigation and tracking, while the heart rate monitor lets the wearer train within their ideal zone. To p48

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SKLZ training brand now available to all retailers SKLZ, THE training partner of top sporting bodies across the globe, is now also the ofﬁcial training partner of the Sport Science Institute of South Africa (SSISA) in Cape Town, and the hpc - the high performance centre attached to the University of Pretoria. “SKLZ was also used for the preparation of the South African athletes who competed in the Commonwealth Games,” says Du Toit Botes from the new local distributor Brand ID. Until they acquired the South African rights to distribute the brand to all retailers about 4-5 months ago, SKLZ was only available through Sportsmans Warehouse. The brand now wants to broaden their South African distribution to other retailers countrywide, especially independents, says Botes. SKLZ is much more than a supplier of strength, conditioning and agility equipment, he explains. Although they supply a wide range of training equipment for all sports to retailers for home, school and club use, the brand can provide a

complete package for the preparation and conditioning of athletes at all levels, which includes nutrition, ﬁtness, skills development, etc. This is through their partnership with the international elite athlete training programme EXOS, which is the training partner of some of the world’s top sporting bodies, for example the NFL and NBL in the US, the Chinese Olympic Committee, the German soccer team, etc. In South Africa, SKLZ has now added partnerships with the SSISA and hpc, where the brand is exclusively used for training athletes from school team to elite level. They also have a working relationship with SASCOC to provide training support and equipment for the different Olympic codes. The brand is, however, just as relevant for the U16 C-team player who wants to become an U16 A-team player, as the bronze medal winner who wants to win gold, says Botes. “The SKLZ motto is to elevate the athlete in you. We guide athletes to achieve their personal best by providing inno-

Fitness range information cont from p46 It also offers daily activity monitoring for a more complete estimation of total recovery time. The Ambit3 Sport can also record the user’s heart rate while swimming. The heart rate belt has a Suunto Smart Sensor that can accurately track and store the heart rate data during swimming, and once out of the water, transfer it to the Ambit3 Sport or Movescount app.The Smart Sensor uses Movesense technology and can be attached to the heart rate belt or other compatible sports apparel.

TomTom runner TomTom’s Runner Cardio range of GPS sport watches have an integrated heart rate monitor with ﬁve intensity zones, that can be used without a strap. Some of their heart rate and GPS watches have feminine colours and designs. “Our

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

Ambit 2S and Ambit 3 watches were designed in stylish white editions and comes with a soft, elastic silicone strap for improved comfort and ﬁt for female athletes,” says Tanya Grobler. Their multi-sport range come with a dedicated bike mount. It includes the Multi-Sport Cardio GPS watch, which has a built-in heart rate monitor and cadence/speed/altitude sensors that helps the wearer measure pedal strokes, speed, distance, etc. in real time. It also includes the Multi-Sport Cardio GPS watch, as well as the Multi-Sport GPS watch with a heart rate monitor accessory strap.

W.E.T Sports ﬁtness W.E.T Sports offers a range of quality gym gloves in sizes small through to extra-large in three variations. The 2423 glove is the perfect entry

vative products, technologies and knowledge, no matter at what level they perform.” Apart from the core fitness training products that will be used across the board for all sports, SKLZ also provides equipment to develop skills for specific sporting codes like cricket, rugby, tennis, swimming, etc. “No matter what the athlete’s level, we’ll have a retail product that’s relevant for him.” Two oher brands locally distributed by Brand ID are also official partners of the SSISA: Mizuno is the official footwear partner and Canterbury the official clothing partner.

level glove as it offers support and a comfortable fit, says Andrew Wentzel from W.E.T Sports. The 2418 deluxe gym glove offers more support and a superior finish, while the 2411 pro leather glove offers superior comfort and fitting for someone looking for a quality glove, he adds. Baojye offers aerobic bands in light (pink), medium (purple) and heavy (blue) options and come in a 15cm width and 1.2cm length. The range also includes neoprene kettle bells in 2, 3, 4 and 5kg options. “Kettle bells are great for developing your core muscles and adding variety to your standard workout. This neoprene variety is also great for indoor use and will not scuff or damage your floor,” says Wentzel. LP Support bands, 15cm wide and 1.5m long, come in light (red), medium (green) and heavy (blue) options. Both the LP and Baojye ranges can be used for recovery and stretching exercises.

Sport :: p49

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Bruce des Fontaine tips f g was nominated as a top salesman by Mark Cocks, of Ev10 erest Sports. He is very close to his customers and offers them knowledge on a variety of products and always gives excellent service, he says. Des Fontaine’s love for what he does, as well as his friendly approach to customer service are only a few of the attributes that make him a great salesman. He has carried on the Des Fontaine legacy of his father by offering the same level of commitment, passion and excellent service that has always made and makes Des Fontaine Sports one of the finest stores in the North West region.

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Selling more... athletic equipment

ne’s general attitude determines the altitude you will reach in terms of making good sales, says Bruce des Fontaine of Des Fontaine Sports in Klerksdorp. “You need to show interest in the customers’ needs and what they want,” he advises. “Customers don’t want to purchase products from someone who seems like he just doesn’t care. Therefore, the way you greet and approach a client could make all the difference between gaining a sale, or just receiving a visit to your store.” Knowledge about the products you sell is definitely a positive in terms of clinching the sale, he advises. But, selling the product is in no way related to actually participating in, or being good, at the sport itself. A sport store like Des Fontaine Sports stocks too wide a variety of products for any one person to be good at every sport of the products that they sell, he points out. “We sell hunting rifles, and I am no hunter, but our sales of this product is good. You really don’t have to participate in athletics to know what’s going on!” he explains. “You would hardly find a good rugby, soccer, etc. player that knows everything about the products they use to play the sport, un-

less they really wanted to know and Googled it all.” If you are interested, or it is something that you need in order to sell product, a good salesman will gain the necessary knowledge, he believes. A good salesman will know more about a product than his customer does. He gains his knowledge from different sources, such as supplier reps visiting the store. “The reps visiting our stores are knowledgeable about their products, which is very helpful because they give us first-hand information,” he says. Lately, however, some suppliers have been converting to online ordering, which means reps no longer visit the stores. He therefore relies on descriptions on product tags, which have also proven useful sources of collecting product information. Reading up about products is another way he manages to stay informed and knowledgeable. Aside from product knowledge and attitude, an outgoing personality is an attribute that one has to have in order to be a good salesman. Customers want to be approached by friendly, reasonably outgoing staff who are keen to help them. “You should enjoy sales and what you do,” he says. Some customers want to be left alone to look around at their own leisure, but others actu-

ally need help. In his Klerksdorp store, he finds that many customers may not know where to locate items they are looking for. In cases like these the salesmen should be able to judge if their assistance is required, he says. When approaching customers, he also tries not to ask questions that will result in a yes or no answer. If you ask a customer “can I help you?” they may immediately say “no”, which will end your interaction with them. He suggests that the salesman should rather ask open ended questions that start a conversation. “For instance, if you see a parent with a child near the cricket products, you can ask them what product they are looking for, if they are looking at a certain price class, etc.”, he explains. This method of approach is also more likely to result in a sale. He feels that customers that come to his store are already there to purchase and therefore doesn’t believe in forcing them to buy product, he just offers them good service and a good attitude. Good service includes getting to know your customers’ names, because they feel good when they see you are interested in them. It is also especially necessary with loyal customers, the ones you see year in and year out coming to the store with their children, he says.

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More about Bruce des Fontaine BRUCE DES FONTAINE has been a sports equipment salesman in the family business for nearly three decades. Des Fontaine Sports in Klerksdorp was founded by his father, Des, nearly 60 years ago. He has basically been involved with this store since starting his sales career, says Des Fontaine, who was catapulted onto this career path while at school. He worked at the store just to gain some pocket money to spend on weekends. He also worked at the store part-time during his varsity years while studying toward a degree in finance at Potchefstroom University. After graduating, he spent two years in

the financial services corps as part of his compulsory military training and thereafter officially joined Des Fontaine Sports. Over time he bought out his father and last year became a joint director, along with his wife. He now owns two branches, one in Klerksdorp and another in Potchefstroom. He was never a star athlete at school and his personal interest in athletics goes as far as having trained for the Comrades, he says. He did participate in various sports like badminton, having played and trained with his father, who was quite a good player in his day. He also plays squash, tennis, hockey and many other sports.

Tips for selling athletic equipment

he most important question to ask a customer purchasing athletic equipment is what age group he is buying for, so that you select the appropriate item, even before moving to aspects like his budget, advises Bruce des Fontaine of Des Fontaine Sports in Klerksdorp. • The hardest part about selling athletic equipment is knowing which weight is appropriate for the age of your customer, he says. This should not be a problem for any salesman as they can keep a list of ages and weights to consult when necessary. • Athletic equipment can be expensive, with certain items ranging anywhere from hun-

dreds to thousands of rand. “All customers cannot afford this,” Des Fontaine explains. It is therefore a good idea to keep stock at varying price points so that they have options. • Read up about the products you stock to check whether they comply with the required standards. If the products you stock are not compliant with IAAF standards, you should make customers aware of this.

Javelins • The price of practice and competition javelins can be dramatically different. For example, competition javelins that are IAAF ap-

proved are usually very expensive, and if the customer only needs a javelin for practising it may not be necessary to spend so much on a competition javelin. These may, however, not be IAAF approved and one should also advise customers that they may not be used at athletic meets where javelins have to be IAAF compliant. • Buying javelin stock can be difficult as athletes are specific about what they need in order to compete. “The centre of gravity and grip are very important and the customer will want these to be right,” says Des Fontaine. He has found that javelins that are designed in Sweden or come from Europe or even some from China are of good quality.

Sport :: p51 They last much longer than cheaper javelins that retail for around R400, but might require a replacement within weeks. He has also found that javelins manufactured from carbon steel might last longer than entry level javelins made from aluminium, which bends much easier. • Often, as with running, it’s the worst athletes that need the best trainers, he jokes. In javelin, beginners usually need the best equipment. That causes great difficulty because customers will want to purchase entry level products that are not of a high quality. Retailers should explain to customers that high quality products are better designed and despite their higher price, are definitely the better option. It will also safeguard them in the long run, as he often finds that he sells a javelin to someone one day and the next week the customer is back because it’s broken. “Then you end up having to replace a lower quality product with one that costs much more,” he says.

Starting blocks Starting blocks for beginners are usually very basic, cheaper and require a range of spanners to compile, but for advanced users there are other options, even those that fully clip into one another, says Des Fontaine. • The ease of assembling the product may be

It is a good idea to keep stock at varying price points so that your customers have options. a key selling point for more expensive blocks, whereas their affordability could be a selling point for beginner blocks that need to be assembled. • Starting blocks are made of rubber and metal. Advise customers that lower-priced blocks are usually recommended for use on grass only, whereas more expensive ones can be used on tartan tracks as well, suggests Des Fontaine.

Discus equipment When selling discus equipment, rim weight is very important, because the higher the rim weight, the further the distance it would travel. • Des Fontaine stocks rubber practice discuses, as “these are recommended for beginners and for use on harder surfaces, as they can take punishment.” • Wood laminated and PVC discuses, on the other hand, are more suited to advanced athletes that can throw further. They should also be used on grass and not on hard rocky ground, as they could crack and

break. • He also does not recommend stocking higher weighted discuses in store as these higher priced items would more likely be requested by more advanced athletes, rather than the majority of the customers visiting a sport store.

Shotput • Cast iron shotput balls are all the same, even if they come from different manufacturers, says Des Fontaine. • Although there is the option of customised balls, customers don’t really ask for that and are quite happy with standard cast iron balls. • “Even schools don’t really ask for competition ones,” he says and therefore he only stocks practice shotput balls.

Caring for product Generally he recommends that customers use athletic products on sportfields or softer pitches as hard surfaces tend to wear them out quicker. There are no specific carriers for some of the athletic equipment and he would recommend that customers have custom containers or bags made to avoid damaging their cars when transporting items. This also prevents damage to their equipment, which could render them useless.

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New from athletics suppliers

Custom made from Orbit

ORBIT SPORTS offers a wide range of quality athletic equipment, from wet line markers to starting blocks. “We custom manufacture mats such as pole vault and high jump mats according to client needs or to IAAF specifications,” says Lauren McCleland, from Orbit Sports. “We are able to deliver these large mats countrywide at non volumetric transport rates. This significantly reduces the overall costs and sets us apart from competing suppliers.

Another benefit on offer is free delivery on bulk orders to all main centers.” New to their range is an electronic starting pistol that can attach to a PA or megaphone loud-hailer. “We are one of the few importers who bring this product into the country,” says McCleland. The electronic starting pistol simulates the sound of a starting cap gun, has a whistle and bright LED light that flashes in conjunction with the sound it produces. “This gun is a cost saver in the long run as you will never have to buy caps again,” says McCleland. Their agility range includes speed ladders, speed harnesses and speed cutes to aid in track work training.

Combi Sport offers wide range COMBI SPORT offers a range of products suitable for athletics training and other sports. They offer hurdles that can be used as regular cones, with cutouts that function as safety features that help prevent injury. Their hockey goals are portable, easy to assemble and ideal for mini tournaments’ or home use. The hockey goal nets are interchangeable with soccer nets, offering dual purpose for the user. Their boil and bite gum guard range is ideal for rugby training and are available in junior and senior sizes. The guards come in hygienically sealed, tamper-proof, reusable cases.

W.E.T Sports offer spikes W.E.T SPORTS offers a range of spikes that are ideal for grass and synthetic track use. Their grass spikes are available in 7, 9 and 12mm sizes whereas the synthetic range offers 5, 7 and 9mm sizes. Their packs include 12 spikes and a release key.

Stop watches from De Wet Sports

THE MEDALIST brand offers a range of stopwatches and a heart rate monitor for the athletic market. The stopwatches feature millisecond precision with a split counter (for the first 30 minutes). They also have built-in calendars, clocks and daily alarms and most of the models have a large screen display. The JS-510 stopwatch features a thermometer, 8-lap storage and recall, as well as a two row display that allows the user to view his lap and total time simultaneously. It is also water-resistant and can measure in milliseconds, like the JS-605, which has a 30-lap memory. The JS-605 can recall the fastest, slowest and average times, even after reset or during operation. The Medalist Elite series of stopwatches include the JS-5201 with 10-lap memory, JS-5202 with 60-lap memory, JS-5204 with 100-lap memory and JS-5205 with 200-lap memory. These stopwatches can record the fastest, slowest and average lap times as well as recall during operation and after reset. They feature two countdown timers, pacers and EL backlights. The JS-7181 is a wireless heart rate monitor with a transmitter belt. It displays the user’s heart rate value and percentage based on his age limit. It features three heart rate zone indicators, two row display and a millisecond measurement. The device can store and recall up to 10 laps, is water resistant for up to 30m and has an EL backlight.

Spartan cricket from Treger Sports TREGER SPORTS now distribute the Australian Spartan Sports brand of cricket bats that have been developed with the help of brand ambassadors like Michael Clarke, MS Dhoni, Chris Gayle, etc. The brand is relatively new in South Africa and offers a variety of cricket products such as bats, keeping gloves and pads, guards, etc. The MC range of bats and protective gear is named after, and has been created in conjunction with Australian captain Michael Clarke. The English willow MC 1000 (Grade 1) and 2000 (Grade 2) bats are handcrafted and designed for power stroke players. They offer powerful and dominating strokes while maintaining a light pick up. The MC Limited Edition bat is made from high quality Grade 1 English willow. The MC Limited Edition Protection range includes keeping gloves that feature premium sheep skin in the palm area and PU in the fingers that are sausage styled and filled with cotton. The gloves have over flaps that further protect the player’s hands. The keeping pads have a Korean PU front and six quilted pieces that allow flexibility. They feature lightweight EVA filled bars, leather insteps, broad EVA padding and a knee socket in the knee bolster for further protection.

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

Boom time for cycling

Sport :: p53 Louis Meintjes cyciling for Team MTN-Qhubeka during the Vuelta Spagna 2014. Photo: Ilario Biondi/BettiniPhoto

These days cycling is everyone’s darling. The sport caters for the adrenaline junkie, outdoor enthusiast, family outings, for the young and for the old. CARIN HARDISTY investigates what is the state of cycling in South Africa

ycling is experiencing a massive boom in this tough economic climate, even though participation requires expensive equipment. This can be attributed to the versatile market cycling attracts — from health conscious leisure riders, to competitive road and mountain bikers, to commuters using a bicycle as an eco-friendly or affordable means of transport. Cycling is the new golf is a phrase heard from just about everyone who we spoke to about the growing popularity of cycling. Instead of hosting a corporate golf day, companies will now host a mountain biking event for customers, because they can reach a much wider audience. “Men between the age of 35-45 are embracing sports cycling, the way previous generations embraced golf as a networking opportunity,” Lars Wiskum, MD of SportVenture, and Johan Diepens, CEO of Mobycon, wrote in the article Cycling trends and urban cycling — future potential for manufacturers, brands and innovators in the World Federation Sporting Goods Industry magazine. “Cycling is family orientated and it is fun, fast, exciting, healthy and wholesome. For many corporates, that is the values that they want to portray to the market,” says Adriaan Hofmeyr of Dragons Sports, who found that there is also strong growth in the women’s cycling market. “There has been massive growth in cycling over the past years, speciﬁcally in MTB, as this is a sport for the entire family,” agrees Mike Bradley, Cycling SA general manager.

Competitive cycling In Europe, cycling has always been a major competitive sport, but not in Africa. This is changing. There are currently 25 600 registered Cycling South Africa members — of which 2 600 hold competitive licenses, 550 are track cyclists, 400 are BMX cyclists and 100 are paracyclists. “The fact that we have world class riders participating in international events, helps the face of cycling in South Africa,” adds Hofmeyr. Some of these cyclists include three-times UCI Mountain Bike World Cup winner Greg Minnaar, Daryl Impey (the first South African in the history of the Tour de France to wear the yellow jersey) and Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (the first South African road cyclist to finish on the podium at the UCI World Cup in Belguim and winner of the bronze medal in this year’s Commonwealth Games). South African cyclists Philip Buys, Matthys Beukes and Gert Heyns broke away from the rest of the field on the final stage of the Cape Epic to claim 1st and 2nd place. “The Cape Epic is seen as the Tour de France of MTB, so this is quite an achievement,” says Phillip Erasmus. Buys, together with team mate Nino Schurter (Switzerland’s Cross Country World Champion), won two stages while Beukes and Heyns won the last stage, “which is seen as the biggest because of all the TV coverage. Beukes and Heyns also won the African jersey,” adds Erasmus. In addition, 2013 Tour de France winner Chris Froome started his professional cycling career in South Africa, South Africa’s first elite women’s BMX rider Teagan O’Keeffe has won a World Championship title on home soil and

Siﬁso Nhlapo made a name for himself in the BMX world — to name but a few. We even have home-grown cyclists in prominent teams such as Team MTN-Qhubeka — and the team itself is the ﬁrst African cycling team to participate in a Grand Tour, namely the Vuelta a Espana. Two thirds of the nine-man team that impressed the cycling world with their performance were Africans — and next year they will be joined by some of the top names in the cycling world. “We must complement our professional cyclists who are doing so well abroad — because of their efforts, we receive good television and media coveradge for our teams,” says Chris Willemse Snr of Chris Willemse Cycles. It is, however, the major races like the Absa Cape Epic, Nedbank Sani2c, Old Mutual joBerg2c, Cape Town Cycle Tour (previously known as the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour), etc. that enjoy television exposure, Graham Hall of Cape Cycle Systems points out. Sadly, “cycling is not afforded an effective weekly slot on free-to-view TV in SA,” says Bradley. The fact that cycling is not promoted to the non-cycling public through television is a limiting factor to its growth, he believes.

Cycling events Hosting a world class cycling event in South Africa has a huge impact on our cycling market, says Hofmeyr. Major brands usually jump at the chance to get involved, the events attract more cyclists to the area who are likely to purchase cycling-related items, To p54

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Cycling cont from p53 the cameras (television, print, online) line the routes and provide exposure, etc. Events have put South Africa on the world cycling map, adds Bianca Grobbelaar of Specialized SA. “A lot of world class athletes get the opportunity to experience our trails and high class events. We have some of the best organised multi-stage MTB events in the world.” Pietermaritzburg is gaining prominence as South Africa’s cycling city with the hosting of events like the UCI MTB World Cup and the African Continental Road Cycling Championships and the African Continental Track Cycling Championships next year. This year in October KwaZulu-Natal also hosted the first BMX African Continental Championships on a purposebuilt Supercross track at Giba Gorge. Road cycling has benefitted from well organised cycle races and tours. People can’t jump fast enough to register for popular cycling events such as the Cape Town Cycle Tour before the maximum entries have been received, and there is a noticable increase in cyclists on the road during the months leading up to big road cycling events. However, only the high end of the market receives a positive direct response from these events, a retailer wishing to remain anonymous, points out. “The middle and low end don’t even know about these events most of the time, unless it takes place in their town.” While road cycling has its fair share of events, “most people will only train for that one big race per year. In the Western Cape we are spoilt with a lot of good MTB trails,” says Grobbelaar. Therefore, more people are riding MTB and competing in events compared to a few years ago. MTB events are so popular that “3-6 day stage races are fully booked and prepaid a year in advance,” says Wayne Pheiffer of Wayne Pheiffer Cycles. There are even MTB inter-school events. “More and more schools are starting to participate in these events — hopefully cycling will become an official school sport,” says Willemse.

Growth in MTB The MTB market is growing much faster than road cycling, adds Willemse. The many MTB events across the country that cater for everyone are playing a major role in growing this segment of the sport. The farmers who open their lands for these events to take place on as well as allowing cyclists access for training are also supporting the growth, he says. “Every weekend there is more than one race somewhere in the country,” Hofmeyr points out. There is a trend of road cyclists moving over to MTB due to the perceived dangers of road cycling, says Phillip Erasmus of Scott Sports SA. This is reflected in their retail cycle sales, which are roughly 70% MTB and 30% road compared to a few years ago when it was the opposite. There is also a growing number of people who are looking for a change in lifestyle, he explains. They want to get out in nature with their family in a safer environment (com-

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

As more and more people become health-conscious, more people tend to invest in bicycles — and they don’t just buy for themselves, they buy for the entire family. pared to the roads). MTB also gets people away from the noise and air pollution on the roads. As more and more people become healthconscious, more people tend to invest in bicycles — and they don’t just buy for themselves, they buy for the entire family. MTB tends to benefit the most from this trend, because it is a nicer option to cycle with the family away from the hustle-and-bustle of the tar roads. Due to the fact that a MTB cyclist doesn’t have to share the road with motor vehicles, MTB is also seen as a safer option. “I think a lot of people packed their road bikes away after Burry Stander’s death,” says Grobbelaar. “There is of a public perception that cyclists are a nuisance on roads and do not contribute to them,” says Bradley, who points out that most cyclists are motorists too. “This very aggressive motoring is unique to South Africa.“

Growth in road cycling But, road cycling participation is also experiencing an upwards trend. The Pedal Power Association’s Cyclists Stay Alive at 1.5m campaign has played a big role in the growth of cycling, says Willemse, because it makes road cycling safer. Local municipalities are starting to learn from their overseas counterparts and adopting some of the elements that work well there, for example, building cycling areas or off-road lanes. The growth in cycling lane networks that make it easier and safer for cyclists to commute in the larger municipalities has also contributed to a growth in commuter cycling. People are becoming more aware of the environment and cycling is more eco-friendly than motor vehicles. The popularity of cycling as a means of transport is dependent on the area, says Erasmus. “For example, it would be much safer to commute in Cape Town compared to Johannesburg CBD.“ We are, however, still a long way from some European cities where commuting by cycle and public transport is as common as motor vehicles. “Around the globe, the sheer numbers that purchase commuting bikes make the racing world pale in comparison,” says Bradley. “South Africa has a weird phenomenon in terms of cycling spend. We have, reportedly, the highest per capita spend on bicycles, compared to the rest of the world. But, we have a very small commuter base and a massive participation base of riders who spend in excess of R7 500.” Commuting by bicycle seems to be mostly popular among (and affordable to) the midto upper income groups. “There should be a major push to get the lower income part of the population to start using bicycles to com-

The Pedal Power Association (PPA) is assisting over 550 of its members from 12 clubs from disadvantaged communities by spending almost R500 000 on development cycling initiatives run by the clubs in their communities. This takes the form of bicycles and helmets (especially to encourage newcomers and female cyclists). Clubs received R130 000 to assist them with maintaining the bicycles and keep them on the road. Funds are also spent on BMX tracks and initiatives, transport to events, safe cycling workshops, and safety equipment for clubs that regularly train at night.

mute,” says Hofmeyr. The biggest obstacle preventing more people from starting cycling is the cost of the equipment needed to participate, says Bradley. There is, however, a growing second hand market of fairly decent bicycles, he adds. “We are also starting to see a greater increase in the number of purely leisure or recreational cycling — non formal event cycling,” says Bradley. “This is due to the development of bike parks around the country as well as places where cities have improved facilities, for example the complete revamp of the Durban promenade that enables safe cycling from uShaka all the way through to Blue Lagoon. The legacy of the major events in Pietermaritzburg has left a free-to-ride and well-maintained bike park at Cascades.“ Bike parks will become even more common in the near future, predicts Grobbelaar. They offer a safe and convenient place to cycle without worries.

Promoting to underprivileged Cycling is an expensive sport, with expensive products. It can therefore at times be a challenge to get more people involved — especially when their income is already stretched for everyday survival. Much as soccer has been used to get children involved in sport and to gain positive re-enforcement, there are various organisations using cycling in a similar manner. “We are directly involved with an advocacy programme songo.info to help see the lives of underprivileged kids changed and we have also sponsored local trail builders with bikes to promote cycling and sustainable trail building. The gap between the rich and the poor is very big, so we still have a lot to do,” says Grobbelaar. Qhubeka, Team MTN-Qhubeka’s beneficiary charity, uses bicycles to reward people for work done to improve their communities, environment or their academic results. “Having a bicycle changes lives by increasing the distance people can travel, what they can carry, where they can go and how fast they can get there,” explains the organisation. Since 2005, Qhubeka has distributed more than 50 000 bicycles. The Velokhaya Life Cycling Acad- To p58

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News from cycling brands De Wet Sports De Wet Sports has added two new bicycle models, Traileblaze and Slingshot, to their Surge cycle range. Available in 26er and 29er wheel sizes, they feature Surge Race Tech Alloy handlebars and stems, as well as Surge Race Tech seat posts and saddles. The 21-speed Traileblaze has a T6 alloy Vbrake frame. The 24-speed 29er Slingshot model has a 26 inch T6 alloy disc frame and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes. The graphics of their Mojo models have been updated for 2014. They have also introduced new Surge LED bicycle lights, like the water-resistant Firefly 1200 and Batwing 2000 models with different flashing modes and batteries that last four hours. The Silicone Lights Combo set has one front light with two white LED’s and one rear light with two red LED’s with different flashing modes. The Nightfall Combo features a front lamp with five LED’s that have steady and flash modes as well as a rear lamp with five LED’s that have seven modes. The front light has a quick fit bike mount bracket and uses four AAA batteries. The rear light also has a mount bracket, integrated clothing clip and uses two AAA batteries. The Laser Beam features bright laser beams that are visible as far as 1km and will not be affected by light from street lamps. It comes with two AAA batteries and may last up to 30 hours depending on the batteries’ capacity. It has a durable thickened PC shell, energy saving LED’s with a lifespan of up to 100 000 hours and double control buttons that manage five

red LED’s with three modes and two lasers with two modes. It also has a water resistant design and comes with a bike mount kit.

Dragons Sports “Dragons Sports is proud to announce that SuperB tools has joined our stable, known the world over for top quality and innovative cycling tools,” says Adriaan Hofmeyr of Dragons Sports. SuperB has launched with an extensive range to suit all customers. The range offers both Premium workshop quality tools and Classic tools aimed at the home mechanic and enthusiast. SuperB does constant R&D and strives to bring new tools each year to suit all needs. All SuperB tools are covered by a limited lifetime warranty for peace of mind. Dragons Sports also distributes several other well-known cycling brands, among which are two women-speciﬁc brands: Liv and Juliana. “There is a strong growth in the womens market of cycling,” says Adriaan Hofmeyr of Dragons Sports. “This is an international trend.“ Juliana, developed by former world champion Juliana Furtado, is Santa Cruz’s sister brand and was launched in 1999. The women-specific mountain bike brand offers a wide range of products from grips, to saddles, to frames. Liv, part of the Giant stable, was unveiled at this year’s Eurobike as a stand-alone womenspeciﬁc cycling brand. Liv offers a range of products from apparel to bicycles for a range of rider levels and aims to make “cycling more approachable and appealing so that it can be-

come a mainstream sport and ﬁtness activity among women”.

Two Wheels Trading Rapid’s Fatcat 26” adult and Fatcat 20” junior fatbikes, locally distributed by Two Wheels Trading, are ideal for riding on soft unstable terrain such as sand as well as many other obstacles that a normal mountain bike would not be able to get over. “Internationally known as "Fatbikes", this new trend is cycling is sure to be a success this summer in South Africa,” says Victor Momsen of Two Wheels Trading. They feature oversized steel frames and forks, and 160mm brakes. Named for the tyre thickness, the 26” features 90mm wide rims with 4" wide tyres and a Shimano 7-speed Revoshift drivetrain. The 20” fatbike features 4” wide tyres and a Shimano 6-speed Revoshift drivetrain. The Rapid brand of cycles specialises in quality entry-level bicyles and the ﬁrst stock arrived late October in South Africa. Muna bikes, locally developed and distributed by Two Wheels Trading, are gaining international attention. The children’s cycles brand has found a US distributor (Torcano Industries) and the cycles have also been featured on a US cycling site. Muna’s range of bikes look similar to proper bicycles, without the pedals. They promote balance that helps young children control their gliding so that they are easily able to progress to pedal bikes, without having to rely on their bicycles’ training wheels. The bikes’ quality components allow them to last generations.

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Cycling cont from p54 emy in Khayelitsha, Cape Town was registered in 2004 as the Life Development Cycling Academy. “We use cycling to involve children living in marginalised communities in a positive after-school activity, one which builds their self-esteem and keeps them off the streets and away from the social ills prevalent in their communities, such as gangsterism, crime and substance abuse.” Some of their success stories include Luthando Kaka, the first black South African cyclist to compete internationally as a permanent member of a European pro-team and the first black cyclist to captain a national pro-cycling team (Team Bonitas) and Songezo Jim is the first black South African to reach the second division of world cycling, the first black South African cyclist to finish among the top 5 in a UCI-registered 2.1 category, and member of

the MTN-Qhubeka team that won the MilanSanremo (298km) race in Italy. Velokhaya Academy member Luthando Gqamana is an academic success story, having completed his LLB law degree in four years. The Velokhaya academy also established South Africa’s ﬁrst all-black professional cycling team in 2006. Both Kaka and Jim used to cycle for the Velokhaya team.

BMX down The only cycling discipline that is not enjoying a positive growth trend is BMX, which has experienced a decline over recent years. “In relation to MTB, which has surged ahead, BMX has virtually stood still and the lack of competitive facilities is one of these reasons,” says Graham Hall of Cape Cycle Systems. Nhlapo riding in South African colours at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics helped to raise more awereness for BMX racing. But, there is now a lack of overseas exposure and sponsorships for

the discipline. BMX has also lost the cool factor that it used to have, says Hall. Many of our BMX racing tracks were built during the time when Nhlapo was in the spotlight, but several are now rundown, as maintenance of these areas are very expensive. There used to be a huge push to get youngsters involved in BMX, but that has also petered out. There are now not enough BMX racing tracks or clubs to organise events. “BMX tracks should be built at MTB parks for the younger riders,” suggests Pheiffer. “We need a good promoter and government supporting BMX,” says Willemse. “Locally, BMX does not have any major events that attract television and international racing, although I believe that should government get involved and start building more BMX tracks, then we will see less children on the streets,” says Willemse. “This discipline is also not as expensive as MTB and road racing.”

Omnico takes brands on the road

OMNICO TOOK their brands on the road with two road shows held in Cape Town on the 2nd of October and Johannesburg on the 8th of October. The road shows were attended by retailers and media, eager to hear about Omnico’s latest available products. The new GoPro 4 arrives in South Africa at the end of November. It now features a muchlonged-for built-in touch screen. The black model also has several exciting new features like double the frame rate and process power of the Go Pro 3+, and the ability to adjust the exposure and white balance. Like previous models, white (Hero) is the entry level product, silver is the mid-range model and black is their top high-end model. Added to the range for 2015 will be the Hero, a basic unit aimed at entry level photographers and content makers. The Fabric saddle range is brand new for Omnico. So new, in fact, that the products had just been unpacked the day of the show — directly onto the display stands. The brand claims to manufacture the world’s most advanced saddles, with the models designed for certain body shapes in mind. Another new brand is RED-E. The range includes several charging options, phone covers and a bike bar mount, which allows you to mount two cameras at the same time. The wall and car chargers both feature dual USB capabilities, with the car charger also featuring surge protection and providing a 2.1A charge, giving an extra kick that is much appreciated by tablet users. The Giro range features helmets that are not only new for Omnico, but are new for the brand itself. Synthe is a top of the range helmet that was launched in time for the Tour de France. Foray is a slightly cheaper helmet for road cyclists, while Fathom is for mountain bikers. Bell’s Star Pro helmet features adjustable vents that allow the cyclist to control airﬂow through the helmet. The old thinking is that the more holes in a helmet, the better, but

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

this is not always correct. Instead, the placement of the holes and the airﬂow through them is more important for a cyclist. By closing the vent, the cyclist becomes more aerodynamic as he stops the air from breaking up inside the helmet. Sprinters, for example, often wear helmets that do not have holes — for that added aerodynamics. The cyclist wearing a Star Pro helmet can therefore close the vents when he wants to sprint and open them again when he wants cooling down. Several of Cannondale’s bicycles have been given new colours, but the three models that stand out in the range are the F-Si, Rush and Trigger bicycles. F-Si has been given a complete revamp: a new design and new technology as well. It features an asymmetrically offset rear triangle and drivetrain, new-school geometry and custom offset Lefty. Rush is great for the entry level market. It is a fullsuspension bicycle, but with an entry-level price tag. Trigger is a long-travel bicycle, ideal for those whose ﬁtness levels aren’t quite up to scratch. With the ability to adjust the bicycle’s travel for climbing and downhill, Cannondale calls it possibly the most versatile bicycle that they have ever made. Mongoose’s Argus BMX bicycle — nicknamed

the FatBike — is ideal for those who want to ride over soft terrain such as sand or snow. The price is also very reasonable given the spec of the bike, says Nick Barr of Omnico. Giro’s new glowing red Empire cycling shoe is positioned at one higher level than the previous Empire shoe. In addition to its new eyecatching colour, it is also lighter and is a laceup model, which offers more contact points with the foot than the usual buckle shoes. Crankbrothers’ new range of mountain bike pedals feature four entry points that are great for beginners still getting used to clipping in. The pedals are also super light, with the top of the range Eggbeater weighing a mere 174g. Among the highlights of the vast range of Ryder accessories are the Orion 800 rechargeable light system and the Rebar REAR USB light. Ryder’s water bottles are leak proof and retailers can custom print on the bottles, extending branding opportunities. The Cadence Nutrition range of supplements is developed speciﬁcally for cyclists and therefore Omnico has made the decision to focus on cycle retailers for distribution. Under previous distributors the products used to be sold through other stores such as pharmacies, but these accounts have been closed.

Economy challenges

Outdoor :: p59

diving industry Diving is the most cost effective way for your customers to be transported to a whole new world, seen only by those who don masks and snorkels to travel under water. Yet, the diving industry that makes this otherworldly experience possible, is facing many challenges, reports TRUDI DU TOIT

hen diving, you enter a whole new world of unique colours, weightlessness, silence, and sights that you will find nowhere else on earth. You are transported to a hidden world, only shared by fellow divers and the sea creatures few other people get to see. “It is the closest you’ll get to space travel, because under water is a completely different world to above water.” Listening to her passionate advocacy for diving as a sport, it is easy to see why Sarah Carter’s customers return to Dive Action in Cape Town for all their diving needs. Her loving description of the sport makes one wonder why diving is not compulsory as therapy: it’s healthy and keeps you fit, it can be enjoyed by everybody from 12 to 70 year olds, diving expands horizons and increases awareness of the environment. “It is a privilege to be under water. Every dive is different and there is a type of diving for everyone.” But, the economy has not been kind to the diving industry. Dive shops from across the country report a downturn in recreational diving sales over the past few years. “I believe the primary reason is simply that the whole country is finally feeling the recession that hit other parts of the world a few years ago,” says Rhys Couzyn of Scubapro in Johannesburg. “I don’t think it’s restricted to diving. My feeling is that in a different economic climate, diving would be stable and experiencing growth.” Due to the economic downturn, a large proportion of the market that used to be able to

In order to survive, a dive shop needs to diversify — for example, by offering services like a dive charter boat, equipment servicing, scuba training etc. purchase luxury diving items, can no longer afford them. Some store owners have found that customers buy better equipment that last longer — although the specialist stores mainly sell premium equipment that last, but due to the service they offer they attract a loyal clientele, explains Carter. While customers are buying higher-end equipment, they don’t buy all in one shot. They rather buy one piece at a time till they build up a set, says Duncan Pattenden, owner of Orca Industries, also in Cape Town.

Fewer shops The consensus is that the economy has thinned out the number of diving retailers, but the dive shops that survive the tough times are the one’s ones that offer a good service and value, says Carter. “It’s the survival of the fittest. But there are not really new people entering.” In Cape Town there are about four or five key dive shops that survive, while the rest come and go, adds Pattenden. “When one falls away, another pops up.” Reducing the number of stores, is not necessarily a bad thing, because the industry in South Africa is overtraded, believes Couzyn.

“There are too many brands for the size of the market. This leads to wholesalers often setting much lower entry requirements for retailers to be appointed than should be the case. People are then able to set up retail outlets without enough capital to actually buy stock, pay rent in a good retail location, do appealing shop fitting and employ quality staff. In short, it’s mostly too easy to open a dive store. “The net result is that while the undercapitalised stores seldom last beyond a few years, they do dilute the business of the other stores and it becomes difficult for anyone to have enough economy of scale to run a truly professional retail store.” This problem has been created by “a money at all cost attitude from some wholesalers” says Pieter Herbst from Reef Divers in Pretoria. “Anyone with a little money can get a dealership. Qualifications or experience is not a criterion – as long as you pay, you get.” Therefore, the demise of these fly by nights could be seen as a positive for the industry. “I believe the SA industry would be better served by a smaller number of really professional retail outlets in key, highly visible areas than by lots of half-baked outlets,” says Couzyn. “As an industry, if we want to attract and retain divers, we need our stores to be in busy locations, be well stocked and we need them to be manned by knowledgable, friendly and professional people. Every time a person enters a dive store, we need them to have a fantastic experience. There are a good few stores doing a great job but there are also a good number that are not.” To p60

2014 November :: Sports Trader

p60 :: Outdoor

Diving market cont from p59

less visible and therefore more and more niche, he says.

Other challenges

Impact of legislation

One of the reasons why there has been a decline in the number of dive shops worldwide is because they now have to compete against other sports, says Elzabe Boshoff, general manager of Ocean Divers International (ODI) in Port Elizabeth. Competition from fast-growing adrenaline sports like mountain biking (see article p53), for example, has had an impact on the diving industry, as they draw potential enthusiasts away, adds Herbst. That is despite the fact that mountain biking gear is more expensive than diving equipment. The diving industry is also very weatherdependent. “It's been a tough winter in Port Elizabeth, we were plagued with red tide for about ten weeks and a harsh and windy winter,” says Boshoff. “In those months we had a definite decline, but subsequently we're seeing a marked interest from people taking up scuba diving and refresher courses again.” The cold water, rocky coastline and inclement weather poses a special challenge for Cape Town divers. “You need to be more committed to diving in Cape Town, than in areas where you can dive into warm, clear water,” says Carter. “You need very good, specialised gear.” She therefore finds that people would do a diving course with them before going on holiday or overseas — and not necessarily stay committed to the sport when they are back home.

Diving courses People doing a diving course before a holiday, but not committing to the sport, is a challenge identified by many dive instructors. Old divers across the world often attribute this is to inadequate diving training, says Couzyn. “But I think it’s only partially true. More than the training being inadequate, I think it’s a case of new divers not getting back in the water soon enough after their qualifying dives. The longer they leave it, the less confidence they have to do it the next time and as a result, the higher the likelihood that they drop the sport all together.” The reasons why people don’t go diving again soon after their course are, for example, the proximity of local dive sites and the costs involved with diving, he says. Herbst, a PADI Course Director, has a somewhat more cynical view of instructors who “enter the industry not to make it a career — rather to do as a gap year or part time thing.” Yet, they are supported by dealers who support them with product. “During bad times these part timers simply stop teaching and rely on their full time jobs — when times get better, they jump on board with all the support from dealers and depress the market again. This makes it impossible for the dedicated full time guys to make a reasonable income and grow their businesses.” Internet sales, by online retailers as well as suppliers, are also impacting on the diving industry.

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

“Diving is an active and dynamic sport, which is very much safety based,” says Carter. “You need the training, expertise and advice from a qualified instructor, it is not just a question of buying equipment.”

Online sales Through a dive shop, you join a team, she says, and you develop an ever strengthening relationship with that team as you progress: it starts with doing a diving course, and then progressively buying more advanced equipment. “It is a package that the customer buys into and the dive shop will support him all the way.” On the internet, it is all about the sale - training, advice, and proper fitting is not part of the transaction, some dive store owners point out. Therefore, a potential customer will go to a dive store, where he will receive expert advice, but buy from the internet, where it is cheaper, because they have lower overheads. Online sales are not limited to rival retailers — dive shops also suffer because some importers selling on-line “and setting up their own companies to effectively undercut their clients,” says Boshoff. “That definitely weakens the client relations and after sales service to the end user, as no one feels motivated to provide the best care if the local dive school isn't supported with the original sale.” “Dive Schools can always continue the trust

It is the closest you’ll get to space travel, because under water is a completely different world to above water relationship with the client and build on their equipment range, care and continued education. That is effectively now being taken away by Importers and their direct or indirect involvement in online sales.” Importers selling directly to consumers over the internet do not contribute to growing the market like dive shops, who train new divers, adds Carter, and are therefore riding on the back of the people who invest in the diving business by offering advice and the training necessary to use the equipment. “Nobody opens a dive shop to become rich. You do it because you love the sport and are keen to teach and share your experience with other divers,” she continues. “We want to share the underwater world as a lifestyle with our customers — but they (online sellers) are only interested in making money, not in developing relationships with their customers.” Apart from not helping to grow the diving industry — this could shrink it, argues Couzyn. A good dive shop in every big shopping mall helps to promote diving to the public — therefore, if the shops can’t pay rent because they are not retailing equipment, diving becomes

In the Western Cape, the snorkel industry has further been affected by law enforcement officials overstepping the mark and the shortening of the Westcoast lobster season. “Snorkelling in Cape Town seems to have taken a terrible knock,” says Pattenden. “Snorkel diving is a huge stepping stone into scuba diving. These potential scuba divers are already kitted and experienced, which makes them the perfect entry level scuba diver. “I estimate we have lost about 30% of these Cape Town snorkel divers because of the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP), which has been declared a Marine Protected Area (MPA). Most divers feel that the TMNP officials are trying to stop snorkel divers from having fun.” He adds that Underwater Africa, representing divers, has received numerous reports about law enforcement officers harassing snorkel divers at popular dive sites, asking for permits — which are not required — in a threatening manner. “It seems that many divers are not prepared to put up with this confrontation, even though they know the law.” The controversies surrounding the licensing system and prohibition on diving outside certain hours in the TMNP, have also been a deterrent for scuba divers who are discouraged from pursuing their sport, agrees Carter, especially since divers perceive that there is a lack of action when they do report poaching activities. “The value of the license is not seen to be going back into the park,” she says. What frustrates her most, is the fact that divers are observers, not harvesters or fishermen. Divers care for the environment, because they want to return to a beautiful spot to watch this amazing world, they don’t want to do anything to spoil it. “Government sees diving as a sport for the wealthy. But, we are ambassadors for the sea.” The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) have only allocated 21 days for recreational divers during the forthcoming West Coast lobster season, while commercial harvesters are given six months to catch their allotment. DAFF’s proposal to the Recreational Fishing Services organisation gives recreational divers three options, each with specific days allocated for catching crayfish: 4-6 days in November 2014, 4-9 days in December 2014, 2-5 days in January 2015, 2 in February and 4 over the Easter weekend. The dates are prescribed — depending on which of the three options the crayfishers choose — irrespective of the weather, which could prevent them from diving on any of those days. “With such uncertainty about open or closed seasons, many divers just can't be bothered,” says Pattenden.

Beating challenges But, it is certainly not all doom and gloom in the diving industry. Their store is doing well because To p64

Diving

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How to invest in a power bank

hether an outdoor, sport or even digital enthusiast, anyone could have use for a power bank. A power bank is a portable battery pack that is able to retain a charge that can be used to recharge electronic and digital devices such as cell phones, tablets, cameras, etc. that nearly everyone owns. For the sport and outdoor customers there are also beneﬁts like using them to recharge GPS trackers, heart rate monitors, wrist straps, ﬁtness straps, etc. which means they do not have to go all the way back to a building with an electric output socket in order to charge their devices. Power banks can be charged well in advance of any activity and can charge devices on the way to almost any destination. They are usually small, compact and light, which makes them convenient to travel with, or carry around.

Our cut-out-and-keep series to assist retailers with product knowledge Words: RHIANAH FREDERICKS. Compiled with the help of Sean Gavin Nicol of Omnico SA.

How they work Power banks essentially consist of rechargeable batteries, like the ones used in cell phones or digital cameras, but they have the addition of an outer casing that protects the batteries. • Lithium-ion and Lithium-ion polymer are the battery types that are commonly used to manufacture power banks. o Lithium-ion stores its charge in a more liquid form than Lithium-ion polymer, which stores its charge in a more solid silicone material that offers a more stable and shapeable option. Lithium-ion, on the other hand, can only be shaped in cylinder forms similar to AA or AAA batteries. o Because Lithium-ion polymer itself can be shaped in many ways, the power banks made with these battery types can also have more variety in their shape and size. Lithium-ion powered devices, on the other hand, are more limited. o Lithium-ion polymer batteries usually last

longer than Lithium-ion and have a lower dead cell rate. o The way Lithium-ion batteries are produced leave a higher chance of splitting — which could result in leakages or malfunctioning of the power bank — than probable with Lithium-ion polymer batteries. • The capacities of power banks are indicated by mAh values, which is an abbreviation for milliAmpere hours. Electronic and digital devices, or power banks, can have charges of 2 000mAh, 4 000mAh, 6 000mAh, etc. Power bank capacities usually increase in incre-

ments of 2 000mAh or 2 500mAh. o This ability to retain certain amounts of charge allow them to be designed to recharge one or more devices at a time .i.e. a power bank with 10 000mAh should be able to recharge at least ﬁve devices that each have 2 000mAh. Therefore, the larger their capacity, the more devices they could charge. o It is useful to note that when using a power bank to charge a device, approximately 20%-25% of energy will be lost, mainly as a result of having it switched on to perform the charge. Therefore a 2 000mAh device can never be fully charged by a 2 000mAh power bank. The same goes for other devices that have the same capacity as the power bank being used. The power bank can, however, top up the device’s energy reserve to a certain extent, even if it has a lower mAh capacity than the device itself. • Normally, as a power bank’s capacity increases, so too will the size, cost and charging time. o All power banks require batteries, therefore, as the battery capacity increases, it will have an effect on the outer size of the power bank. Although the size will increase with capacity, it will be by a relatively small amount. o The cost of larger capacity power banks are usually higher as manufacturers have to produce items that offer a more complex and compact design that can store more power. o The charging time will also increase with a larger capacity power bank because it will be more power hungry than a smaller capacity power bank. • Most power banks charge via a micro-USB cable, as is used for charging a smart phone. Some models have built-in charger cables, or a separate cable. Built-in cables and more than one charging port will most likely inTo p64 crease its size.

2014 November :: Sports Trader

p64 :: Outdoor

Power bank cont from p63

• Power banks can be connected to a computer USB port, or directly to a wall socket. o Charging a power bank via a wall socket, will usually recharge it twice as fast as charging it via a computer USB port. This is because smaller devices like cell phones can usually accept one Ampere (charge) input at a time, and a wall socket can offer one or more Amperes, whereas a computer’s USB port will only offer 0.5 Ampere output at a time. o It is possible to overcharge a power bank, but quality products usually have built-in safety measures that cause them to switch off when their charging capacity had been reached. • Power banks can be used to charge devices at any point in time, whether the battery is low or totally depleted, without causing any damage to a device.

Precautions and care Advise customers to buy from reputable brands. Generally it is assumed that as the price of a product increases, the quality does

too, but there are brands that offer high quality products at lower prices. • A power bank with a large capacity will not be lighter, smaller and more affordable than one with a smaller capacity. If, for example, a 15000 mAh power bank is the same size and weight as a 2 000 mAh power bank, a retailer should double check that the packaging details are correct. • The general rules that are applicable to taking care of a phone are also applicable to power banks, i.e. protecting it from water, humidity, heat, dust, etc. This will help reduce the chance of damage. Many power banks may be designed to withstand more harsh conditions than a phone, but they are still electronic devices that should be treated with care. • Whilst charging devices with a power bank, customers should not use it at the same time. During charge the power bank emits heat and if you use the device while on charge, it too releases heat, which may result in overheating that can cause damage to the power bank and device itself. • When purchasing a power bank, customers should select lithium-ion polymer batteries if they are looking for functionality and endurance.

RED-E puts the charge back RED-E, AN in-house brand from Omnico SA, offers a variety of power banks that are manufactured using only Lithium-ion polymer batteries. “It has pretty much become the standard in the market and it’s an easy way to tell when you’re getting a good product vs. just a good price,” says Sean Gavin Nicol, electronics product manager for Omnico SA. They offer power banks with capacities of 2 500mAh (RC25), 4 000mAh (RG40), 4 500mAh (RC45) and 6 000mAh (RC60). The RC25 is their most affordable option and ideal for charging smaller devices like cell phones or mp3 players while on the go. It can fully charge most smart phones within 2-3 hours and has an 8-pin adapter that can be used to charge Apple devices. The RG40 is a GoPro-speciﬁc power bank that is designed to charge a GoPro while it is in use. Their slider, or bike bar mounts, can be used in conjunction with this power bank in order to attach it to various objects. The RC45 features a micro SD card reader that allows the user to access his memory card’s information, while recharging his power bank. It has a USB port and micro USB port that can be used to recharge it, as well as a 30-pin/Mini USB/Micro USB adapter cable. The RC60 is RED-E’s biggest option and can charge three devices simultaneously, adds Nicol. Their power banks can charge anything that

Sports Trader :: 2014 November

runs on a five volt current and covers everything from cameras, most handheld devices, to “basically anything that can be charged off a USB cable,” says Nicol. Their packaging also helps users find the product best suited to their needs with a power-meter on the side that shows how many times one can charge different devices from the enclosed fully-charged power bank. Several brands and types of devices are indicated on the packaging, so that the user can see roughly how many times they can recharge their specific device off the power bank. The power-meter also factors in the loss of 20-25% power that occurs when using the device, thereby indicating the most precise amount of charge they can expect from their power bank, says Nicol. Their power banks also have safety trips, or surge protection, that enable them to switch off as soon as they have reached their charging capacity, which helps prevent damage and overcharging of devices. All RED-E power banks are guaranteed against manufacturing defects during the products’ lifetime. Their power banks have a lifespan of 500 recharges and their guarantee includes deterioration or degradation of their ability to retain charge over a five year period. It also covers USB ports that do not charge properly, unless they have been physically damaged.

Finding customer fit Selecting the right power bank for a customer can be as difficult as choosing an actual bank. Finding the power bank that best suits the needs of the customer will greatly be based on their usage of electronic devices and budget. • Customers with a higher usage rate will need a higher capacity power bank and vice versa. For example, if he only needs a power bank for a phone recharge every now and then, a single micro-USB charging power bank would be ideal. If he uses more devices while on the go, it might be more convenient to buy one that can charge more than one device at a time. • Power bank selection is also influenced by the capacity of the electronic devices that need charging. If your customer will be outdoors using a camera, tablet, etc. that require a higher capacity power bank to recharge, the bigger option may be best. On the other hand, if he is perhaps using smaller device like a heart rate monitor, fitness strap, etc. that have, and need, less capacity to recharge, it may be better to purchase a smaller power bank, especially if cost is a factor. • The customer’s budget will also affect the power bank he will purchase.

Diving cont from p60 they are “improving product and diversifying by, for example, now adding the PADI Swim School to our product list,” says Boshoff. “We need to diversify and perhaps join hands with other sports to offer more varied dive travel and activities to stimulate multiple senses and family needs.” In order to survive, a dive shop needs to diversify, agrees Pattenden — for example, by offering services like a dive charter boat, equipment servicing, scuba training, preferably the speciality training to attract the advanced divers as they tend to buy equipment. He offers these varied services in his store, which had grown turnover by about 10% on average every year over the past three years. Gone are the days where you can sit behind a desk and expect to make a living selling dive equipment from passing trade, he says. “Those who do, don’t last. It has become a complicated mix of well trained, certiﬁed and experienced staff — and in an industry that is not known for great salaries, this is hard to maintain.” The dive shop owners we contacted were not keen on the idea of an industry body to promote or regulate the sport, as every business owner should just promote diving in their own micro-environment, says Couzyn. “This does not mean that businesses cannot work together colaboratively, as some have started doing recently.”

Trade show news

Trade shows :: IBC

Advertisers index 1000 Mile A1 star

THE BUSINESS Opportunities & Franchise Expo (BOFE) — an event that helps entrepreneurs and business investors find business opportunities — took place 11-14 September at the Coca-Cola Dome, Johannesburg. 10 000 visiotrs attended the expo, including delegates from other African countries. The expo is now in its 21st year and offered free entrepreneurial workshops as well as free entry to those who registered online. The next BOFE will take place 10-13 September 2015.

C-STAR — AN international trade fair for solutions and trends in retail — is the first supra-regional event, similar to Euroshop, which will take place 13-15 May 2015 in Shanghai, China. China has the world’s second largest consumer market after the US and from 2009-2012 China’s total sales — covering brick and mortar stores and e-commerce — grew from approximately $2,200bn to $3,488-bn. The new show is being held in response to this growth.

10, 12

Bushnell

38 50 OFC, 1, 7 45, 57

Dragons Sports

Everlast

EZ-Life

Flexfit

Footwear Trading

21, 23

Gelvenor

GSI Outdoors

Hi-Tec

Inov8

PRE-REGISTRATION IS open for the China Sourcing Fair that takes place at its new venue (Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec) from 13-15 November. The show brings together experienced exporters from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan who manufacture products for leading companies worldwide.

and clothing industry trade fair, which includes sport textiles, will be held 4-7 May 2015. The previous Techtextil fair attracted 27 400 trade visitors from 97 countries and 1 320 exhibitors from 48 countries.More than 12 000 trade visitors from 98 countries viewed the 330 exhibitions from 38 countries at Texprocess.

Intershu

OBC

JFK Trading

Jordan

Jordan & Co

10, 11, 12, 13, 32

Kakiebos

Levi's

21, 23

Medalist

Mille

Muna

New Balance

Olympic

Omnico

Opal Sports Orbit

Sports

41 Manufacturers

Puma

bike 2014 has been attributed to bad weather resulting in delayed flights, being close to the Euro Bike, and the closed Interstate leading into Las Vegas. The largest cycling expo in the US annually attracts more than 750 companies showing more than 1 200 brands.

New Eurobike visitor record EUROBIKE 2014 (held 27-30 August in Friedrichshafen, Germany) attracted a record number of 46 300 visitors — 1 100 more than in 2013 — from 111 countries. The show also had a record number of 1 320 exhibitors from 54 countries filling 14 exhibition

Brooks

De Wet Sports

China Sourcing Fair

51 3

Ram Mountaineering

Rebel Elite Fitness

RED-E

Rockspring

OBC

Rocky

OFC

Saekodive

SBR Agencies

SKLZ

Skye Distribution

Spartan

Summit

Super B

Surge

Suunto

Swingball

Terra Brands

halls with at least 300 world premieres and new products. Show exhibitors were pleased with the networking opportunities, traffic to their booths and interest they received from visitors. The 2015 Eurobike will take place 26-29 August.

Bronx Women

Crown Footwear

2015 Health Fitness Business and Interbike merge THE HEALTH Fitness Business Expo and Interbike Expo will be combined next year and take place 16-18 September 2015 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Boulder City, Nevada. The Outdoor Demo will take place 14-15 September. The lower attendance at Inter-

39,

Combi Sport

DTI can assist with exhibitor funding THE SOUTHERN African-German Chamber of Commerce reminds South African companies planning on exhibiting at the Techtextil and Texprocess expos in Frankfurt — or any other shows — that the Department of Trade and Industry can assist with funding. The 16th international textile

Brand ID

Delegates will also be taken on a retail tour. They will meet managers of independents to large chains and also visit several shopping malls with an expert from the South Africa Council of Shopping Centres. The plenary sessions and workshops cover a broad range of topics about various aspects of trading in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as sessions covering specific countries like Nigeria, Angola, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. There will be several sessions on various aspects on online, omnichannel and digital retailing. More than a third of the sessions will be devoted to general retail issues that will affect all retailers like sourcing, shopper habits, investing, marketing, new trends, etc.

Business Opportunities & Franchise Expo for entrepreneurs

C-Star

Anton Fabi Asics

THE SECOND Retail Congress Africa (18-19 November at the Sandton Convention Center, Johannesburg) will have South African speakers like Keith Brouze (CEO of House of Busby with brands like Guess, Nine West and Mango), Grant Brown (COO of Zando), Greg Azzopardi (MD of retail estate at Mr Price), Thebe Ikalefeng (founder of Brand Africa and former Nike marketing director), and Pick n Pay executive David North, among others, joining international speakers. The Africa congress is expected to attract over 300 senior retail executives operating in sub-Saharan Africa to share best practices and discuss the future of retailing in Africa. Last year, 275 retail executives from 21 countries, representing 90 companies, attended.

THE FIRST Asia Outdoor China Summit will be held 24-25 July 2015 in Nanjing City, China, during the 10th Asia Outdoor Show, 23-26 July. The summit is supported by the China Outdoor Association, several major industry players and national and international experts, who will discuss the future of the outdoor market. Asia Outdoor will also extend its Running Village and Watersport/ Diving areas, and introduce its new Bike Travel Village as part of its 10th anniversary celebration.

adidas

Retail Africa Congress

Asia Outdoor China Summit

Terra Sport

The Kartal

Thule

Treger Sports

Two Wheels Trading Ultimo W.E.T. Sports Importers

55 38, 48 61

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