Sports Trader Q3 2018

Southern Africa’s business-to-business magazine for the sport, outdoor and leisure industries • Vol 39 No 3 • Q3 2018

Summer sandals for everyone Who is the typical outdoor customer?

Understanding indoor and outdoor hockey sticks

Vol 39 Nr3 Q3 2018

Regulars

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On the cover Kakiebos is a proudly South African brand: made in South Africa, by South Africans, for South Africans, says Jeremy Nel of distributor Crown Group. “It is doing very well and is gaining market share.”

The apparel range consists of t-shirts, shirts, shorts, pants and caps for both men and women as well as dresses and belts.

For more information and to place orders contact Crown Group on Tel: 031 700 1601 or sales@natalsa. co.za.

Publisher: Nicol du Toit Editor: Carin Hardisty Managing editor: Trudi du Toit Features: Carin Hardisty, Trudi du Toit Design: Carin Hardisty, Trudi du Toit Photography: Nicol du Toit Advertising: Nicol du Toit Subscriptions: Carin Hardisty Printing: FA Print Distribution: InsideData Sports Trader is published quarterly

by Rocklands Communications cc.

Reg. No: 1997/057165/23.

Members: N. J. & G. C. du Toit & C. Hardisty

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: sasportstrader.wordpress.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 quarterly. © Rocklands Communications.

People on the move

Highlights:

News about people in the industry.

Is B2C a threat to retail?

Brands on the move

Who is the outdoor customer?

News about brand activity in the industry.

Industry

6 7 13 14 15

www.sportstrader.co.za

Martin Nefdt’s 70th celebrations

Martin Nefdt’s 70th celebrations got some of the most memorable industry people together.

Will 1721 be lucky for FILA?

The company name is different, but the team that introduced Fila in SA is still distributing the brand.

Brands’ financial results What is driving brands’ results?

Local retailer news

The ups and downs of retail financial results.

Opal Sports turns 40

This family business is into one of the leading sports distributorships in the industry.

What to know about hockey sticks

Sport

46 47 49 51 54

Cycling trends

Cycling trends seen at Eurobike.

Product knowledge: hockey sticks Information you should keep in mind when recommending a hockey stick to a customer.

Indoor hockey is growing

Indoor hockey is fast-paced and fun, and being driven by vibey tournaments.

Product knowledge: swim accessories What retailers should about swimming accessories.

Selling tips: darts

We ask a retailer for tips on selling darts.

Outdoor

The store might be 80 years old, but it’s innovative thinking that keeps it doing well.

30 32 36 39 40 42

From Tekkie Town to Mr Tekkie

Trade shows

Who is the SA outdoor customer and what does he buy? p40.

16 18 20 37

What makes a company successful?

At this year’s Source Africa Expo, experts shared their views on how to improve business success.

Shop Talk: Novels Outfitters and Shoe

Braam Van Huyssteen, who founded Tekkie Town, then lost it, has founded another chain.

Is B2C a threat to retailers?

Business to Consumer is the new buzz concept for brands and even trade shows

Anglers spend R18.9-bn on fishing

SACRAA’s study, funded by SAFTAD, reveals the economic impact of fishing on the economy.

SAFTAD 2018

Exhibitors at this year’s SAFTAD show expressed satisfaction with the interest shown.

Winning fishing brands

Some of the brands that won awards at EFTTEX and ICAST are available in South Africa.

Gun dealers take aim at CFR chaos SAADA has had enough of the chaos at the Central Firearms Registry (CFR).

Understanding outdoor customers Who are they and what do they buy?

New outdoor products for SA market

A roundup of the new products and distributor changes in the local outdoor retail market.

IBC

Event and trade show news

News from local and international events and trade shows.

Clothing & footwear

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Sandals and water shoes

Summer time is approaching and consumers will want new on-trend warm-weather footwear.

WGSN: see the bigger picture

To predict what will be popular among consumers, you need to understand the bigger picture.

Join the dots with socks

Who would have thought that selling socks could become such fun?

Summer is sandal time p24.

p4 :: Industry

People on the Jack Thonissen is known in the industry as the co-founder of The Hockey Shop, and the African distributor of the Princess hockey brand. What is lesserknown, is that he is also an accountant who was recently elected as one of Accountancy SA’s Top 35-under-35’s for 2018. Despite being an accountant, Thonissen is a natural entrepreneur. For example, when he was but nine years old, he asked his mother to teach him about drawing up budgets so that he could keep track of his pocket money. And as a student he founded Jack’s Enterprises, his own business selling shot glasses. He sold thousands to both independent liquor stores and national chains. In the sport arena, he taught himself to work hard to improve his skills: when he was at

In 2013 an unknown runner, Ann Ashworth, approached PUMA to help launch a new running club, Born2Run. The brand saw some potential in backing a group of completely unknown athletes with no guarantee of success and reward, says Ashworth. This year she proved their faith was well-founded when she won the prestigious Comrades Marathon ladies race.

Three weeks before she was dangerously anaemic and with two weeks to go, a tummy bug disrupted training for five days. But not even those setbacks could end her Comrades dream that began when she was a child.

“PUMA has been hugely supportive of Born2Run and now also the new elite ladies team – Team Massmart.

The brand is exceptional and their shoes and gear are fantastic to race and train in – I just love it.

“I’m thrilled to say I have found my ultimate running shoe,” she says of the PUMA Speed 300 Ignite V2. “The shoes are light, flexible, breathable and so comfortable to run in. From track to treadmill to Comrades, these shoes are a winner. I’ve yet to get a blister, even after 90km!”

She competes in the PUMA Speed 300 IGNITE 2, even though it is not generally known as an ultra-marathon shoe, because she always preferred a lighter shoe. “It’s a delicate balance between unnecessary weight and necessary cushioning. I couldn’t run further than 21.1km in a racing flat, but I wouldn’t want to wear anything too chunky over such a long distance,” she explains. “The 8mm HTD of the Speed 300 strikes the right balance between a racing flat and a typical high-mileage trainer. Add to that the soft upper and the roomy toe box – I’ve yet to get a blister or a black toenail in these shoes, they just work for me!”

Last year, she also helped to establish Team Massmart, a ladies only elite running team, which was a keen contender for the team prize. “Massmart has helped to make my dream a reality by offering us the support we need to train and perform as elite athletes.”

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

Scottish golf pro Russell Knox was grounded well when he holed almost incredible 40-foot putts on both the final hole of regulation play as well as in the sudden death playoff to win the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Ballyliffin Golf Club in Ireland.

This improved his chances of qualifying for the European Ryder Cup list.

Knox was competing in Skechers GO GOLF shoes when he got his second

After ten years with adidas, soccer’s bad boy Luis Suarez recently signed a boot deal worth £1-m a year with PUMA. He now wears the Future 2.1 boots in a bright orange, which features the Netfit technology for a customisable fit.

Discussions between the Barcelona and Uruguay soccer player and adidas had stalled and he even recently played friendlies in blacked out boots (not

school he initially played in the lowest ranked hockey team for his age group, but by the time he got to matric, he got a place in the provincial hockey team.

From there he went on to play provincial senior men’s hockey too. He was part of the first ever men’s B team to win the interprovincial A section tournament (2014). It was while he was completing his training contract as accountant that Thonissen co-founded The Hockey Shop, which he ran after he qualified.

In addition to distributing Princess and running The Hockey Shop, Thonissen is also involved with SportWays SA — a national hockey coaching company that trains coaches and provides junior coaching clinics to players between 6-18 years and operates in 18 regions across South Africa.

career victory on the European Tour.

He joined the Skechers elite golf team in 2016.

“Many factors helped with my win, but there must be a reason they call the shoes I wear Skechers GO GOLF Focus 2. I was able to stay grounded and concentrated on my game as the adrenaline was pumping on those last holes.”

A pro since 2007, Knox earned his first full PGA Tour card after winning

the Chiquita Classic on the Nationwide Tour in 2011. He was on the verge of a breakthrough year for a few seasons before the Scotsman made a strong start to the 2014 season and playoff finish at the Honda Classic. He followed this with his first PGA Tour win at the WGC HSBC Champions in Shanghai in November 2015, which helped him climb the Official World Golf Rankings to become a major contender on the 2016 Tour when he reached the Top 5 in the FedEx Cup for the first time.

Skechers saw his potential and invited him to join their group of elite golfers wearing Skechers GO GOLF. Known for its lightweight, high quality, stable and very comfortable designs, Skechers’ golf footwear has become very popular amongst elite golfers who spend many hours and many kilometres on their feet. Their golf apparel in moisture-wicking fabrics is available in a variety of colours for male and female golfers.

Skechers GO GOLF is locally available from Brandfolio SA.

showing branding), showing he had a problem with his sponsors.

Suarez is the first major Barcelona soccer player to be sponsored

by PUMA (the club itself is sponsored by Nike).

PUMA sponsors Uruguay, for which Suarez plays on a national level.

The new sponsorship was announced by Suarez on his Twitter page via a Wild West themed cartoon, depicting himself as a cowboy entering a saloon where other PUMA players are patrons. Players such as Olivier Giroud, Gianluigi Buffon, Antoine Griezmann, Sergio Aguero and Giorgio Chiellini make an appearance.

Croatian tennis player Marin Cilic continued the Fila tennis clothing heritage when he won the Queens Club trophy dressed in the signature red and navy Fila colours. Legends Bjorn Borg and Monica Seles firmly established Fila as a top tennis brand during the 1980’s.

move

Skechers Performance triathlete Cameron MacNair has been a regular podium finisher in Ironman events this year. At the recent Bela Bela 5150 Ironman he finished 3rd overall and 2nd in his age group (U23). As the official Ironman footwear and apparel sponsor, the brand enjoyed a prominent presence at the events, from where they could cheer on all participants. MacNair especially performed well in the run lap, where he took the lead. “My Skechers Performance GOmeb Speed 5 shoes were really great to run in. They were light and responsive and didn’t absorb any water through the water point on the run course.”Earlier this year, at the Durban Ironman 70.3, MacNair finished fifth overall and another Skechers Performance sponsored athlete, Bryan Difford, finished second in his age group.

“We at Skechers Performance are thrilled to see our sponsored athletes do better and better every time,” says Yusuf Vadi, Brand Manager for Skechers South Africa. “We will continue working with the running community to showcase our products and its functions.”

Industry :: p5 Hi-Tec’s new Western Cape sales representative, Ilmar February (below), got to know the industry ‘from the other side’ when he worked as a salesman for Top Gear Sports in George for eleven years. This enables him to empathise with his retail customers as a sales rep. Born in Worcester, he was a sportsman from a young age, excelling in cricket and rugby. It was his passion for sport that inspired him to start his career at a sports store. He joined Hi-Tec earlier this year.

Karakal has extended its partnership with Wales’ No 1 ladies squash player, Tesni Evans (right), who is ranked #12 in the world.

“I’ve used Karakal equipment all of my career and I’m really excited to be extending my relationship with a company that have stood by me through good times and bad,” says Evans. “I’m proud of the results that I’ve achieved over the past twelve months and Karakal equipment has played a significant role in helping me achieve that success.”Karakal is a major squash sponsor in the UK, having sponsored the 2018 Karakal British National Squash 57 Championship and the inaugural Bangor Karakal Classic, the first women’s PSA event to be held in Wales. This tournament is organised by Evans. “Tesni is a true Karakal ambassador and it is a pleasure having her continue as one of our leading players on our #KarakalKrew,” says Karakal CEO, Steve Gallienne, who is well-known to many in the local industry as a former Brand ID manager.” Karakal is locally distributed by Brand ID.

Brian Kerby (above) is employing his 28 years of experience in the industry as the newly-appointed general manager of Brand ID. “We are very excited to have Brian on board, as he is a veteran of the South African sports goods industry and we believe that he brings great experience and knowledge to our business,” says Brand ID CEO, Ian Hepplewhite.

He also points out that Kerby started his career at Dunlop/Slazenger, “so its full circle for him”, as Dunlop, Slazenger and Karakal are the racket sport brands in the Brand ID stable.

But, it will be Kerby’s more recent experience as MD of ASICS SA and before that MD of adidas SA, that will provide him with the knowledge and background to steer the many sportswear and athletic footwear brands distributed by Brand ID. They include Columbia, Canterbury, Speedo, Mizuno, Skins, Karakal, Opro and Craft.

South African born Kevin Anderson is now ranked #5 on the men’s professional tennis tour after a memorable year during which he not only beat Roger Federer to reach the finals at Wimbledon, but also played a record-breaking 6-hour plus quarter finals match against John Isner. Anderson is a Lotto Sport ambassador, available in South Africa from Bearded Monkey. The brand last year became the official technical apparel partner to Tennis South Africa (TSA) and is also the official clothing sponsor for another of Africa’s top ranked singles players, Lloyd Harris. Anderson plays in the Lotto Summer Dragon Tech ll Polo shirt.

He plays with a Dunlop racket and currently uses their Srixon Revo Tour racket, developed after Srixon bought Dunlop in September last year.

PUMA is back in basketball and to celebrate the brand has signed a lifetime contract with the basketballer who was the first athlete to endorse one of the brand’s sneakers: legend Walt “Clyde” Frazier, (left) with NBA player and fellow PUMA ambassador Deandre Ayton (middle), who wears size 18 shoes, and Adam Petrick, PUMA Director of Brand and Marketing. The PUMA Clyde shoe was launched back in 1973.

The World Triathlon series in England had a stellar field, which included World Number #1 Mario Mola, two-time Olympic medallist Jonathan Brownlee and Olympic bronze medallist Henri Schoeman, but South African PUMA athlete Richard Murray was confident that he would achieve his first World Triathlon Series win over the Olympic distance. And he did. ”I’ve had one or two second places but never managed to get on top of the podium over the 1500m, 40km, 10km event. I’m so happy I’ve finally done it!

He has been working with PUMA for eight years.

“I love this brand and have gone through three different phases of running shoe developments with the company. It’s a brand that’s laid back, fun and works well with my personality. I love to give feedback on the technical running shoes and how to improve things. It’s a treat that the company uses my feedback.”

Murray runs in the PUMA Speed 300 IGNITE 3 because they are soft, responsive, medium weight and have enough support and a good toe off for fast running. “I looked for a shoe that I can race a LOT in and this shoe with a 8mm drop from heel to toe is perfect.”

2018 Q3 :: Sports Trader

People moved by Nefdt p6 :: Industry

Where would you be likely to find the industry’s most memorable (legendary?) characters from the last 40 years? Try a Martin Nefdt function – especially a special occasion like his 70th Birthday party. It was almost a gathering of the Who’s Who of the sports industry from the late 1990’s and 2000’s who shared anecdotes and stories of the time ‘Marty’ was the adidas and later PUMA representative in Port Elizabeth ... when he was not acting as the unofficial mayor of Port Elizabeth. Photos: NICOL du TOIT Right: Former Springbok HO de Villiers, Martin Nefdt, Anne Newton (his sister), world champ athlete March Fiasconaro and agent Grant McDade.

Far right: Miles O’ Brien, formerly of Jordan & Co, which manufactured adidas and PUMA shoes, with former adidas MD Tony O’Hagan.

Left: Martin Nefdt with the book former adidas marketing manager Gavin Cowley wrote about his colourful and memorable life and their long friendship.

Right: Friend and adidas agent Chicken Price, former adidas SA MD and Arena brand founder, Alain Ronc, who came from Paris, Trudi du Toit, Lambros Koutsoudis of The Footballer in Port Elizabeth and Jem van Beuge.

Former adidas SA MD Tex van Beuge, his counterpart at PUMA, Ronald Rink, and Dave Stewart, who co-founded the first sports chain, Sportsmans Warehouse.

Former adidas Western Cape agent Pat Stack is one of the many colleagues who remained friends with Nefdt.

Above: Gavin Cowley highlighted the most memorable stories of his friendship with Nefdt in a book 'A Lifetime of Friendship' and also organised the Cape Town party.

With him is Nefdt’s son Gustav, who now runs the agency.

Left: Nefdt’s former adidas colleagues held a private celebration. Back Row: Grant McDade, Pat Stack, Sakkie van der Vyver, Clive Hoard, Jem van Beuge, Paul Kershaw, Pine Pienaar and Gavin Cowley. Front Row: Chicken Price, March Fiascanaro, Alain Ronc, Tony O’Hagan, Tex van Beuge, Martin Nefdt and Mike Hoard. Photo supplied.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

Industry :: p7 The 1721 Distributors team members are (back) Dale Strime, Luciano Gaminara, Jonathan Chaimowitz, Laurence Slotsky, Lara Slotsky and Lynton Picker. In front are Musa Mbatha, Ivy Olifant, Tracey Abrahams, Lorraine Vakala, and Ntokozo Xulu. (Photo supplied).

1721 to be lucky for Fila

L

The company name is different, but the team that introduced Fila so successfully in South Africa is still distributing the brand locally

aurence Slotsky is confident that the numbers 17 and 21 that so often popped up at random and strategic times in his life as lucky numbers, will bring the same luck, success and advantages to his new company named 1721 Distributors.

Besides, it is easy to remember, he adds.

This new company became the sub Saharan exclusive distributor for the Fila brand, including clothing, footwear and accessories, as well as Levi’s footwear sales, at the beginning of July, after Slotsky negotiated to take back the brands from Bounty Brands.

Footwear Trading and all its brands — Fila, Levi’s, Diesel and Jeep footwear — was sold to Bounty Brands in 2016. The existing Footwear Trading has been integrated into Bounty and has moved to Cape Town.

Slotsky is currently the sole shareholder of the newly-formed 1721 Distributorship, but “within time, once things have settled down, I will be looking at certain options for key staff members,” he says.

His former Footwear Trading partner, Stanley Kotkin, retired last year.

“I am an entrepreneur and hands on trader,” Slotsky says of his decision to form a new company and move away with his team from the more rigid corporate structure and ethos at Bounty Brands.

His decision was also partly driven by the fact that “my team is extremely passionate and excited about Fila Est 1911, one of the hottest global brands internationally. I have had an excellent relationship with the owner and key management of Fila for many years and understand the potential and opportunity and power of Fila going forward.

“Our distribution for Fila is tight and in line with the global policy. We will ensure that retailers maintain the right image and look and feel in order to deliver the Fila brand and aspiration to their target market and consumers.”

Levi’s footwear will be sold to all their existing retailers, just as before, for the remaining duration of the contract.

“The exciting part of the start-up is that we

have already been approached by some wellknown and respected international brands to consider absorbing them into 1721 Distributors,” he adds.

“I am not rushing into anything at this stage, as we are busy implementing new IT structures and logistics and investing for the future. Once the dust has settled down we are open for additional opportunities that are relevant for the future.”

Slotsky has kept a dynamic core of key exFootwear Trading staff, complimented by some new people — among them are Lynton Picker, Jonathan Chaimowitz, Lara Slotsky, Dale Strime, Tracey Abrahams and others.

They are all operating from the old Footwear Trading premises in Selby Johannesburg and with the same telephone number. Emails have been changed to @1721.co.za.

Fila at Milan Fashion Week Next month, Fila is taking a big, bold step by participating in the Milan Fashion Week for the first time. It will have a fashion show as well as an exhibition at the prestigious, cultural institution of La Triennale di Milano, “setting a milestone that will celebrate the brand’s centenary history,” it says.

“FILA has chosen to defy expectations and

challenge its limitations with a bold and provocative event that combines the legendary history of the brand with its brave and outstanding vision for the future.”

“I’m excited to drive FILA into a new chapter of its history,” says Gene Yoon, Fila’s Global Chairman. “Change is a constitutive element of the brand’s DNA. After many successful collaborations in fashion we thought it was now a natural progression to be present in the official schedule of Milan Fashion Week with a proper Fila fashion show, together with an exhibition of the brand’s rich heritage to deliver 360-degree storytelling.”

Tennis breakthroughs On the performance side, tennis is still at the heart of the brand’s roots and tennis players, Marin Cilic, John Peers and Timea Babos continue its legacy of excellence. Cilic and Peers won the men’s singles and doubles titles respectively at the Queen’s Club Championships, and Babos the women’s doubles title at the Birmingham Classic.

Cilic defeated Novak Djokovic to win the Queen’s Club Championship for the second time (first time in 2012). He now ranks World #7. This win is his 18th ATP World Tour singles title.

Gene Yoon, FILA’s Global Chairman, is excited about Fila entering the high fashion world.

2018 Q3 :: Sports Trader

Brands on the move

p8 :: Apparel & Footwear

The Skechers team members who welcomed retail visitors to their Cape Town showroom to select their Winter 2019 ranges are Chanel Olivier, Tshego Sepotokele, Yusuf Vadi, Ahmed Habib and Waseem Mayet. Retailers could select their own unique ranges from the thousands of SKUs covering all categories from Performance (walking, running and golf) to athleisure (D’Lites), comfort, fashion (even bling), sandals, formal, outdoor to kids.

Another good quarter for Skechers in SA THE RECORD SALES recorded by Skechers internationally during the second quarter of this year was repeated in South Africa.

“Over the past few years we’ve grown across all customer bases and accounts,” says Ahmed Habib, who became country manager when Skechers established a distributorship in South Africa through Brandfolio SA three years ago.

They are especially pleased with the good sell through, with some independent customers doubling their orders every year. “This is because Skechers is selling, and the independents repeat orders because the end user likes our product.”

Retailers realise that if they stock Skechers, the shoes will sell themselves — but you cannot sell products if people can’t see it, adds brand manager Yusuf Vadi enthusiastically.

He ascribes the popularity of the brand to the fact that 80% of retail prices are under the psychological barrier of R1 000, as well as the comfort, colours and styling of the shoes.

Worldwide, the 10.6% growth in Skechers’ second quarter to $1.134-bn, represents a new record. Sales from international wholesalers — which now represent more than half of all sales — grew 24.9%.

“With the right product and marketing, we believe there is significant opportunity to further grow our brand and continue to take market share,” Skechers CEO Robert Greenberg told investors. In South Africa the brand has certainly grown market share over the past three years, says Vadi.

“With the resurgence of retro looks and Skechers D’Lites (below), we are the originator of one of the hottest trends in footwear,” continued Greenberg. “At the core of this chunky look is comfort, which runs through every one of our divisions — from Relaxed Fit to Skechers Sport to our sandal collections. The excitement over Skechers D’Lites has allowed us to broaden our distribution and marketing to reach savvy millennial consumers.”

D’Lites had also been in the spotlight during the recent seasonal product showings to local retailers. South African retailers can select their own unique ranges, best suited to their own customers, from the thousands of new styles available for the winter season next year. They will drop between March and July.

GOwalk Joy to Revolution The next generation of the popular Skechers Performance GOwalk series was also on display. There are three categories in the GOwalk series, explains Vadi. He categorises them as Good, Better and Best.

The Good GOwalk Joy (women) and Max (men) and their comfort features will be popular sellers, retailing for about R749. The Better updated GOwalk Evolution now has a wider toebox and more strategically placed rebound pods for responsive cushioning.

The top of the

Nike wins 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia NIKE WAS the clear winner of the boot contest at this year’s 2018 FIFA World Cup: Harry Kane’s six goals scored in his Nike Hypervenom Phantom III boots right) were enough to earn him the Golden Boot award. In addition, 100 (64%) of the 156 goals scored at the event, were with a Nike boot. Of these, the majority (41%) were netted by Nike’s Mercurial boot — including the four scored by the scintillating French youngster Kylian Mbappé.

Apart from Mbappé, four other players managed to score four goals. Two of them wore PUMA: final Man of the Match Antoine Griezmann played in PUMA Future (far right), and Belgian Romelu

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

range Revolution (right) features lightweight, responsive, Ultra GO cushioning and highrebound Ultra Pillars underfoot to react to every step to provide ultimate comfort. The crystallized rubber construction of the pillars in the outsole ensure added durability, while the outsole construction prevent debris collection. Further high-rebound cushioning is provided by the breathable Air Cooled Goga Mat insole.

In the knit-in texture upper, Skechers Performance’s exclusive proprietary SOCKNIT360 knit construction acts like a soft, stretchable fabric upper that provides round-the-foot comfort and a sock-like fit. A pull-on loop in the heel overlay panel and a soft, stretchable, collar assists with easy slip-on fit.

GOrun goes even lighter Over the past seven years Skechers has gained acceptance in the distance running community with its GOrun performance collection, which was launched with the help of elite runner Meb Keflezighi, who later won the 2013 Boston Marathon wearing the Skechers GOmeb Speed 3. Brandfolio also showed a signature 2018 Boston marathon shoe — at 124g their lightest shoe ever.

But, the best-selling Skechers running shoe in the South African market, is still the GOrun Ride 7.

Lukaku in PUMA One. The other two were in Nike Mercurial: Cristiano Ronaldo wore the Superfly VI Elite and Russia’s Denis Cheryshev the Vapor XII Elite.

At the final count 23% (36) of the goals were scored in adidas boots, with the X18+ (on 13) and Predator (12) in the lead. The eleven goals scored in PUMA boots constituted 7% of the total. The remaining 6% were contributed by ASICS DS (3 goals), Mizuno Rebula (2), New Balance Furon (2) and Umbro Medusae and Under Armour Magnetico one each.

Apparel & Footwear :: p9

Gola Harrier turns 50 BAR GLOBAL TRADING has acquired the South African distributorship of the leading English sneaker brand, Gola.

Its flagship shoe, Harrier, which inspired an international craze in 1968, turns 50 this year.

Originally launched as a general training shoe, it has since been released in 500 colourways, numerous special editions, and is the choice of several sporting legends.

When it was launched in 1968, Harrier was built for track and field, the gym and the pitch — a multi-purpose training shoe. It was originally released in white/red and soon after royal blue/white joined the offering.

Harrier featured a durable gristle rubber sole, suede toe cap, rubber toe guard, padded insole and the signatory contrast Gola wingflash branding.

By the 70s Harrier had evolved into a leisure shoe. “This multi-purpose training shoe was now equally at home on the track as it was on football terraces up and down the UK,” says the brand. “From here Harrier transcended into music culture, with a cult following from key names of the day such as The Jam. Over the decades other fans of Harrier included Duran Duran, Oasis, Robbie Williams, Jude Law and Paul Weller.”

After all these years, the style has been Gola’s best-selling, and in recognition the

brand has released a special anniversary Harrier edition “With the design staying true to the style’s 1968 roots, the special edition is a no gimmick, purist silhouette; it’s confident, genuine and unique. There’s only one Harrier.”

Above left: the original Harrier style and the special edition Harrier released for it’s 50th anniversary.

Above: Iqbal Baruffwala of Bar Global Trading with two other Harrier styles available from Gola (middle) as well as styles from Buckmaster and Wolverine, which he also distributes in South Africa.

About Gola

sportspeople,” says the brand.

“We’re very proud of our roots and journey to the top. Some of our personal Gola highlights have to be the international craze that followed the launch of the Harrier in the late 1960s and the iconic Gola bag in the early 1970s.

“Throughout the 1970s, Gola was also seen on the pitches of major football clubs. Even to this day, we proudly combine British heritage with contemporary designs by merging original Gola styles with the latest trends.”

Founded in 1905, in a small factory in central England, over the years Gola’s trainers, plimsolls and bags have grown in popularity and worn by celebrities of their day.

“Despite two World Wars and countless commercial competition, we continued to build on our knowledge and experience and before we knew it, Gola was the number one sportswear brand of the 1960s and ‘70s, and the goto range for passionate fans and professional

GOLA’S ICONIC HARRIER turns 50 this year. Originally launched as a training shoe, it has since been released in over 500 colourways, numerous special editions and has been chosen by many high profile sporting legends and celebrities.

Distributed by Bar Global Trading admin@barglobal.co.za | 011 024 3615

Bullet

Coaster

(NAVY/OFF WHITE/RED)

Harrier

(BALTIC/OFF WHITE)

Harrier Nylon

Harrier Leather

Harrier Glimmer Suede

Harrier

(DEEP RED/BLACK)

Bullet

(GLITTER/BLACK)

Harrier

(WHITE/NAVY/RED)

(METALLIC GOLD/PEWTER)

(RAINBOW/WHITE)

(WINDCHIME ROSE GOLD)

Coaster

(HOT FUSCHIA/WHITE)

(DUSKY ROSE/OFF WHITE)

The Women’s Gola Classics range brings the past into Coaster the future (METALLIC ROSE GOLD) by blending iconic designs with the latest fashion features for a retro, sleek feel.

Coaster Satin

(BLUSH PINK/WHITE)

Quota

(BLACK/WHITE)

Coaster

Bullet Leather

(OFF WHITE/BLACK)

Bullet Leather

(WHITE/DEEP RED)

(METALLIC PEWTER)

Flyer

(NAVY/GUM)

Coaster

(LIZARD METALLIC/GOLD)

Varsity

(BLACK)

The Men’s Gola Classics range is inspired by the brand’s design legacy, which has been ever-present in British culture for over 100 years, and incorporates archetypal silhouettes of the past mixed them together with new and modern styles.

p10 :: Apparel & Footwear

Rave reviews for Nano EARLIER THIS year Bolton launched the Nano sneaker range under the Jordan brand to great reviews. “This is not your average range of sneakers as it comes with added advantages,” it says. “These advantages we believe will set us apart from our competitors. The quality of sneakers in South Africa is at an all time low, with price being the key deciding factor when choosing one brand over another. Just when you think you have seen it all another pops up.”

The Nano series offers a balance of all the key elements that the modern consumer is wanting, and also includes the quality and versatility to adapt to the rapid trends set out by the apparel suppliers. “We have taken these attributes and created a product that will suit your customer’s pocket. We are able to achieve this by converting our imported range to a Proudly South African manufactured product.”

The Nano series is manufactured at its Cape Town factory and Bolton has partnered with reputable component suppliers based in South Africa, which will allow them to be innovative and offer rapid speed to market of their product.

The Nano V hit the stores in June. “The early input allowed us to gauge the market’s acceptance and in doing so, allowed us to formulate our roll out plan for Summer 18. We will present our summer plans to retailers at our seasonal regional road shows in early August.”

Retailers who bought into the first round of Nano V in June can look forward to the updates in the colour combinations, which will be on display. The in-store target date is October 2018. Retailers will need to keep a close eye on their sales as our plan will be to introduce two or three colours per month with a targeted lead-time of 4 to 6 weeks from order placed to delivery in-store.

At the same time they are launching Nano VI with which they are breaking the mould of strictly synthetic and introducing a full cow suede sneaker. “We believe that the Jordan brand has enough equity to

Jordan sales brand manager, Jody Henry, with a pair of Nano VI and Nano V sneakers.

play in this area. The unique feature of the Nano VI is the use of a Stroebelled sock that replaces your standard insole board. This allows for extra comfort and flexibility for the end consumer.” Nano VI is offered in a 5-11 size curve.

Retailers are reminded that Bolton’s locally manufactured ranges are made to order and you choose the size curve you want. “We will be operating on a first come, first serve basis and colour options are limited to allow us to introduce new colour combinations on an ongoing basis.

“Our target distribution channels remain our independent retailers who have remained loyal to the Jordan brand over the years. Chances are that you could be the only retailer offering a particular colour in your area.”

Nano VII is due in March 2019 followed

by Nano VIII in April 2019.

Benefits from ASICS I MOVE ME Campaign LAST YEAR, ASICS launched its I MOVE ME campaign, which revolves around the brand’s sound mind in a sound body philosophy, and it has also incorporated this campaign into the way it approaches its sustainability efforts. Its 2017 Sustainability Report explains the steps that the brand has taken towards a better future.

“As the world becomes ever more aware of the impact of physical inactivity and mental illness, I MOVE ME reaffirms ASICS’ decadeslong commitment to supporting physical and emotional wellbeing,” says Motoi Oyama, Chairman and CEO of ASICS Corporation.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

I MOVE ME Smarter Innovation that drives the best products and services, while using less, is at the heart of I MOVE ME Smarter. ASICS is, for example, continuously improving the efficiency of its own buildings, use of resources, materials and distribution network, as well as improving its manufacturing process. It has also developed a dying process that uses half as much water as traditional methods, and half of its new training apparel collect is dyed with this new process.

ASICS has also taken steps towards finding

Apparel & Footwear :: p11

MADE TO ORDER

Hi-Tec 40 plus years in the making “HI-TEC HAS been creating innovative footwear and apparel for over 40 years building on the success of our first ever shoe the Squash Classic,” says the brand. “We have been evolving and adapting ever since and now it is time to conquer the urban jungle.

“The landscape of the outdoor industry has changed, as have we; adapting our approach and product to suit the demands of today’s consumer. Therefore, we are taking a different point of view. Leveraging our strength in

uses for used apparel, for example by partnering with companies that recycle clothing and shoes into new polyester resins and fuel.

Last year, the brand reduced its CO2 emissions by 17.5% compared to 2015. The installation of a one-megawatt rooftop solar panel array at one of its distribution centers played a big role in this reduction.

I MOVE ME Stronger I Move Me Stronger is there to help people improve their physical fitness and mental wellbeing, to build transparent, fair and ethical partnerships, to empower the people in its value chain, and to support employees and commu-

outdoor, combined with our true heritage in lifestyle. From the city to the trail. Comfort has never looked this good.”

Hi-Tec’s Urban collection takes all the functionality and performance of its outdoor crossover products and neatly packs them into super stylish, everyday shoes. Slimmed down silhouettes, clean uppers and cushy underfoot comfort, yet tough grip for the urban terrain and unexpected surfaces. “It’s a shoe designed to wear all day, and one you WANT to wear all day.”

The Urban X-Press Low features a premium super soft nubuck leather upper that provides optimum comfort and fit, soft mesh lining and a padded collar and tongue for added comfort. The scientifically engineered removable INSITE Technology footbed increases performance while reducing fatigue and injuries, V-Lite:365 Foam delivers an ultra-light, high rebound and impact absorbing underfoot experience, for a new level of comfort, while the lightweight and durable Fork Shank Lite ensures flexibility and stability. A TPU heel clip enhances stability and the durable Pentagrip rubber outsole maximises grip and traction.

Reflective treatment in the heel and quarter enhances safety.

nities so that they can fulfill their potential.

To look after its employees’ wellbeing, ASICS introduced programs in Europe and Japan – in the latter, which has a reputation for long working hours and extreme dedication, ASICS introduced a workstyle reform program that aims to promote a healthy work-life balance and foster physical, mental, and social wellbeing among staff and their families.

The brand also supported communities through more than $774 000 in financial assistance and donations in kind (including footwear, apparel, and sports equipment). In Europe, for example, the Right To Play charity received €20 000 from ASICS Europe.

Contact to place Order : Eastern Cape: Wayne & Danie| Free State/ Lesotho: Owen|

083 647 6091/ 073 637 0770 072 346 6045

Gauteng:

Dilesh|

082 566 6607

Kwa Zulu Natal:

Kamal & Hilton|

082 731 5568/ 0820706893

Namibia

Carl Brinkmann| 022 648 11240125 Brent & Brennon| 082 779 3349/ 082 677 4098

Western Cape:

2018 Q3 :: Sports Trader

PUMA launches

p12 :: Apparel & Footwear

A

mong PUMA’s recently released products are its HYBRID Runner shoe, ONE and Future 2.1 soccer boots, as well as Arsenal, Dortmund and Mamelodi Sundowns’ new kits.

The HYBRID Runner shoe is designed for everyday longer, faster runs. As the name suggests, it features the hybrid foam created by fusing IGNITE FOAM and NRGY beads to provide cushioning and energy return. IGNITE FOAM reacts on impact and giving energy return. The NRGY beads provide the cushioning, and reacts to the foam that absorbs the energy and creates a rebound effect during the toe-off phase.

It also features an evoKNIT upper for comfort and a sock-like feel.

Soccer kits and boots Inspired by players’ journeys from their humble beginnings to their show-stopping performances on the football world’s biggest stages, PUMA’s ONE and Future 2.1 boots innovate in colour, design, and technology to ensure a bold statement on the pitch, says the brand of the new soccer boots that are in its Uprising pack.

Each boot is built with three goals in mind.

Future 2.1 focuses on adapt, accelerate, and react.

• Adapt: the Netfit lacing technology features lace holes that allow the wearer to adapt the lacing to create a customisable fit. They are now spaced closer to each other and cover a larger area of the upper, compared to previous versions, which give the wearer more possibilities. A TPU skin covers the Netfit area in the strike zone to protect it, adding to the grip and touch of the boot.

• Accelerate: a mix of conical and blade studs on the lightweight RAPIDAGILITY outsole offer traction and stability.

• React: the Netfit upper is fused to the evoKNIT sock and striking zones to create a form-fitting textile base layer, a snug fit and make sure the foot is closer to the ball on impact to improve touch. The sock has been updated with specifically placed cuts and structured textiles that secure the ankle so that the player can react quickly and

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

remain agile.

PUMA ONE is designed to enhance every aspect of the game from strike to speed to touch: • Feel: key strike zones feature soft, thin Kleather to reduce the boot’s overall weight.

Under the leather is a 3D strike texture that creates a better touch and enhances the grip on the ball.

• Fit: the FUSEFIT lacing technology and evoKNIT sock offer the wearer more lacing options for better overall comfort, lockdown, and agility.

• Fast: in addition to the updated RAPIDSPRINT outsole, which reduces weight for increased speed, the external heel counter provides stability and aids quick turns and bursts of pace.

Antoine Griezmann, Adam Lallana, Marco Reus, Allan Saint-Maximin, Marco Arnautovic and Themba Zwane play in Future and Sergio Agüero, Romelu Lukaku, Olivier Giroud, Mario Balotelli, Héctor Bellerìn, Julien Weigl, Diego Godín, Gianluigi Buffon, Oupa Manyisa and Thapelo Morena in the PUMA ONE. Arsenal’s third kit is the conclusion of Beat of the City, the theme for the club’s 2018/19 season kit and depicted in the form of a W in the evoKNIT fabric of the shirt. The W also represents the attacking part of the famous WM formation, introduced in the 1930s by Arsenal legend Herbert Chapman, and is directly linked to the M graphic featured on the away shirt, explains PUMA. The third kit is in a modern Biscay Green with Peacoat Navy detailing such as on the waistband on the shorts and the hoops on the sleeves and socks, “reminiscent of the 1982/83 Bluebottle kit”. It features the evoKNIT thermoregulation technology that wicks moisture away and cools the wearer, and a seamless construction.

Borussia Dortmund’s new kit was launched at a street party during which a giant graffiti mural featuring the new cup kit was created. The cup kit is in the legendary BVB yellow, but also features a continuous black stripe on the chest that symbolises the unbroken bond between the team and the fans across the globe. The shirt is made from evoKNIT with a seamless

Above left to right: Themba Zwane wears Future 2.1; Oupa Manyisa holds a pair of ONE soccer boots; Arsenal’s third kit; Borussia Dortmund’s new kit.

Below left: HYBRID Runner. Bottom: Oupa Manyisa in Mamelodi Sundowns’s new kit.

construction.

The Beat of Mamelodi, personified by the Mamelodi Sundowns team’s trademark singing and dancing, and the personality of the team and township, will be celebrated in the campaign around the new 2018/19 season kit PUMA developed for the PSL Champions.

In addition, the campaign “also connects everyone through their daily hustle as they live and work in South Africa and prepare for each Sundowns football match,” says PUMA South Africa Marketing Director Brett Bellinger. “The beat can be represented in a heartbeat — the fans and the team beating as one — and this is symbolised by a subtle M (for Mamelodi) heartbeat which pulses across the front of the shirts.”

The evoKNIT technology featured in the new jerseys with their unique designs is ahead of its time, says Mamelodi Sundowns spokesperson Thulani Thuswa. “We will also have even more fan gear on offer and our card-carrying members will still enjoy a 20% discount.”

The shirt and shorts incorporate PUMA’s evoKNIT thermo-regulation technology and engineered cooling zones in the shirt act as channels regulating the body’s temperature, while dryCELL technology provides moisture management across the fabric with high-performance yarns that wick sweat away from the body. The seamless evoKNIT construction provides a lightweight second skin feel, so the fabric acts in harmony with the player’s movements and not against them, allowing for improved performance on the pitch.

Brand Results

Apparel & Footwear :: p13

ASICS business restructuring has a positive impact on sales ASICS’ FIRST half of 2018 has seen a 3% decline in consolidated net sales, but Q2 has seen an upward trend, which the company attributes to its business restructure in the EMEA region. Among others, the restructuring focuses on building closer consumer connections, which is reflected in the brand’s results: brand store sales have grown by 11% and ecommerce sales are up by 50%. The brand also reports increases in emerging markets (Russia: 16%; Middle East: 229%).

The restructuring has enabled sustained growth within the company and also focuses on prioritising strategic business initiatives and becoming more responsive in a rapidly changing world.

“We are encouraged by the positive developments starting to take effect following our business transformation at the start of this year,” says Alistair Cameron, CEO of ASICS EMEA. “After a tough start to 2018, the second quarter started to show positive signs of growth in key areas as we shipped company-

Adidas focuses on digital sales THE ADIDAS GROUP reported a 10% currency neutral sales increase for Q2 2018 (4% up in euro terms) to €5.261-bn (2017: €5.038-bn).

The sales growth was driven by strategic focus areas North America (16% up), China (27%) and e-commerce (26% growth), adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted told investors.

The group’s direct-to-consumer platforms also reported a double-digit sales growth.

Sales were, however, flat in Western Europe.

Adidas has become a digital company since adopting their Creating the New five-year strategy in 2015, Rorsted said. They are already spending 90% of their marketing budget on digital campaigns and social media so that they can thus interact with consumers and be

EMEA CEO Alistair Cameron.

record levels. These results support our optimistic outlook as we look to make up lost ground on a slow first quarter.”

Its core categories have reported positive results: sales are by up 13% in Men’s Running, 11% in Core Performance Sport Volleyball, and Onitsuka Tiger is up by 41%.

One of its product highlights include the where they are.

Digital is such a strong focus point for the group that the company is even reevaluating whether it still needs as many of its own stores as it has now.

It firmly believes that the consumer has chosen to shop on the digital platform, which is why it is systematically driving direct sales to its e-commerce platforms — aiming to increase these sales to €4-bn by 2020.

adidas sales up; Reebok decline Sales of the adidas brand grew 12% while Reebok sales are down by 3% for Q2 2018.

The adidas brand’s sales growth was fueled by double-digit growth in Sport Performance — especially in the training, running and soccer (due to the FIFA World Cup) categories, which

Low growth for Nike, despite direct focus on consumers THE NIKE DIRECT strategy, double-digit sales growth in international markets and a return to growth in North America are credited with growing Nike’s fourth quarter revenue 13% (8% currency-neutral) to $9.8-bn.

“Fueled by a complete digital transformation of our company end-to-end, this year set the foundation for Nike’s next wave of longterm, sustainable growth and profitability,” said Mark Parker, Nike chairman, president and CEO. Nike Brand sales grew 9% to $9.3-bn, due to double-digit increases in Nike Direct (their consumer-focused strategy), international markets, sportswear, global soccer and growth in North America.

Converse revenues dropped 14% to $512-m,

with growth in Asia offset by losses in other territories.

In the full 2018 fiscal year Nike revenues grew 6% (4% currency neutral) to $36.4-bn.

The Nike brand grew revenues 5% to $34.5-bn, but sales to wholesale customers grew a low 2%. Nike Direct (to consumer) sales, however, grew 12% to $10.4-bn, driven by 25% growth in digital sales, the opening of new stores and 4% growth in comparable store sales.

Nike Direct sales grew across footwear and apparel and key categories like sportswear and basketball.

Converse revenues of $1.9-bn were 11% down for the year, mainly due to declines in North America.

launch of GEL-KAYANO 25, the 25th edition of ASICS’ flagship shoe, which has seen strong sales, says Cameron.

On the tennis front, Novak Djokovic’s Wimbledon win was a win for ASICS footwear.

During the first half of 2018 ASICS launched several new initiatives: two big consumer campaigns supported its products: I MOVE ME for ASICS in Sports Performance and WHAT THE GEL for ASICS Tiger in the Sports Lifestyle category. Its scientific experiment, ASICS Blackout Track, was created to test the connection between a runner’s body and mind.

ASICS also partnered with big names on projects: • The brand partnered with The Walt Disney Company for the launch of the Incredibles 2 movie in which the brand encouraged families to complete movement challenges, and designed a limited edition footwear range.

• It also collaborated with retailer Footpatrol on an event at Paris Fashion Week to celebrate the GEL-SAGA shoe, and at the same time also worked with fashion designer Kiko Kostadinov on projects. each experienced double-digit growth — and a high single-digit growth in the Sport Inspired category.

Weak demand for its training and running kit is blamed for Reebok’s sales drop. But overall the brand hasn’t had a good performance for the group since it bought Reebok in 2006.

This poor performance between 2006 and 2016 led the German Financial Reporting Enforcement Panel to conclude that adidas’ assessment of the brand’s earning potential was too high and the balance sheet brand value for Reebok too high at the time of purchase. The restatement reduced Reebok’s book value to €800-m — down by 37%.

The group forecasts a 10% currency neutral growth for 2018.

PUMA grows 15% HAVING POSTED good results in the second quarter of 2018 — e.g. 15% currencyadjusted sales growth to 1.04-bn euros — PUMA is looking forward to a strong second half of the year with a host of new products.

The company recorded double-digit growth in all regions and product categories to report 18% sales growth for the first half of the year.

CEO Bjørn Gulden told investors that this was due to PUMA’s quick reaction time, which enabled them to meet fast-changing consumer expectations with new trends — for example, by re-entering the basketball category (see p5).

2018 Q3 :: Sports Trader

SA Retail News p14 :: Industry

Changes at Sportsmans and Outdoor Warehouse

COBUS LOUBSER, previously CFO of Holdsport (Sportsmans and Outdoor Warehouse and Performance Brands), has been appointed CEO of Long4Life’s Sport and Recreation division, following the acquisition of the sports chain by Brian Joffe’s company last year.

Bradley Moritz has been appointed CEO of Sportsmans Warehouse, Kobus Potgieter as CEO of Outdoor Warehouse, Stuart Young of Performance Brands and Johan Strydom of ECommerce.

According to the company’s annual financial statements, the Sport and Recreation division contributes the bulk of Long4Life’s revenue and operating profit. The division contributed 87% of total company revenue, namely R637.5-m, and R133.7-m operating profit, which constitutes 81% of the total.

The total number of stores increased to 66 from 63 during the year. Trading density remained constant, with a weighted space increase of 3.5%. Price inflation was 1.4%, down from 8.1% in the previous year. The division

currently has 1 676 employees.

Expansion of Sportsmans Warehouse will be approached cautiously and will remain focused on ensuring superior returns and maximising sales per square metre. The two latest stores to open are, for example, smaller but still offers a comprehensive product range.

“Outdoor Warehouse has been trading above expectation,” Joffe told investors. “It is entrenched as a destination business, where considerable opportunity exists, and has embarked on a positioning process aimed at enhancing the look and feel of the stores”.

Performance Brands is the division’s wholesale arm with brands like First Ascent, Capestorm, Second Skins, and has a mix of internal sales as well as to external clients. It has been gaining momentum, says Joffe and exciting prospects are evident with the unit performing well and showing signs of good market acceptance and growth.

A 49% stake in lifestyle footwear company Veldskoen Shoes, primarily trading online,

Long4Life Sport and Recreation division CEO Cobus Loubser.

added another unit to the sports division.

“We are well aware of the tough economic climate in which we find ourselves, in which consumers are seemingly under ever-increasing financial pressure,” said Joffe. “The nature of the Sport and Recreation division’s businesses is such that the constrained economic environment has a negative effect on consumer spending.”

TFG Sport sales grow 18% TURNOVER IN The Foschini Group (TFG) Sports Division has grown a very strong 16.7% to R5.6-bn in 2018, compared to the group’s results announced a year before. Sports clothing and footwear sold through Totalsports, Sportscene and DueSouth stores now account for 19.6% of the group’s R28.59-bn turnover.

There were 703 stores in the Sports Division when the TFG results for 2018 were announced in June. Most of these are Totalsports stores (323; 2017:317), followed by Sportscene (257; 2017:247), Due South (77; 2017:70) and Archive with 46 stores.

Archive, a destination sneaker store that specialises in exclusive and limited edition sneaker, apparel and accessories drops, was launched as a stand-alone chain in 2018. It was previously part of Sportscene.

The total TFG turnover has grown 21.4% from last year. Although the contribution to total turnover made by sportswear is lower than the 20.4% contribution of last year, this is due to TFG international clothing and footwear sales growing to 29.7% of total turnover (R8.5-bn). Fashion The start of the Totalsports Women’s Race in Cape Town, which has become a clothing and footwear contributed 21% to total turnover (down from 24%).

Clothing and footwear now account for 79.3% of group turnover. fixture on the racing calendar. Photo: Tobias Ginsberg.

Game head-office relocates to Johannesburg

MRP Sport disappoints

MASSDISCOUNTERS — especially Game — has been fighting an uphill battle over the past few years and following another six months of disappointing sales, Massmart has announced that Game is being restructured. The division’s sales were down 4% down to R9.1-bn during the first six months of the financial year, with Game SA sales dropping 2.3%.

The merchandising and buying teams have been reorganised and the head office moved from Durban to Johannesburg. An initial experiment in five Game stores to create more of a discount look with more stacked bulk displays and emphasis on price signage, was successful, and a further 15 stores will be converted to this format by the end of November.

Masswarehouse sales grew 5.4% to R12.9-bn in this period which CEO Guy Howard describes as a perfect storm with all the economic negatives. Despite this, Makro’s higher income customers ensured good sales in durables. Private label sales also showed good growth and good margin improvements, especially in fitness brand Trojan and camping equipment from Campmaster, reports Howard.

Overall, the demand for durables is soft as consumers rather spend money on food and are delaying their spending to wait for promotions. Sales of semi-durables like clothing was, for example, 6.1% down.

LAST YEAR MRP Sport did not meet expectations primarily due to merchandise issues, which we expect to be resolved over this coming year, MR Price Group CEO Stuart Bird reported in the company’s final results presentation for the 2018 financial year. Over the last few years the sports chain had replaced wellknown brands with their own in-house brands.

MRP Sport grew sales by 2.7% (same store sales were down 4.5%) to R1.4bn — compared to 31% growth for the full Apparel division, of which MRP Sport is part.

Retail sales for the whole group grew 7.6% (same store growth 5.6%) to R20-bn.

During the year MRP Sport increased its number of stores 14% to 105, which includes one in Botswana and three in Namibia.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

Industry :: p15

Opal Sports turns 40

O

ver the past forty years Opal Sportswear has bucked many trends predicted by industry pundits. It has successfully survived four decades as a family business, marketing one of the world’s most prominent cricket, pool and darts brands to retailers as its sole South African distributor since it first entered the market.

The fact that Opal can celebrate their 40th year in business in September is probably due to the fact that it has always been a familyowned and -run business. Everybody in key positions therefore have a vested interest in making the business succeed by looking after their customers. All of them — including the third generation who are now involved in running the business — share a passion, which will be difficult to instil in non-family members.

This passion is partly driven by their love for sport — CEO Anne Vilas, for instance, swam for the old Transvaal until the age of 21, Dane Vilas (Anne and Doug Vilas’s son) has represented South Africa as a member of the Protea cricket team, and is currently playing county cricket in England, and their other sons, Guy and Brad, have been good sportsmen throughout their school careers. All are keen golfers.

Another reason for their 40-year success story is that Opal Sports distributes premium brands, several that share their heritage of family-ownership. Opal Sportswear has been the sole local distributor of Gunn & Moore cricket for the Lowy family for 38 years. They also distribute this family’s Unicorn dart and Powerglide snooker and pool products.

In 2006 Opal represented Unicorn as the sponsor of the first Professional Darts Championship (PDC) for the Southern African region at Emperors Palace … and the fun-filled evening with a magnificent prize purse changed the image and appeal of darts in South Africa for ever.

The Dukes cricket balls they distribute on behalf of the Jajodia family in the UK is a more recent addition to their stable, which also includes various other brands like Summit team sport balls from Australia, Conti, etc.

They have also stayed loyal to the Mitsuko

All of them share a passion for sport and the business martial arts clothing brand that launched the company in 1978.

It was the year that Anne (then Prout) and her mother, Natalie, bought Opal Canvas and Webbing, which manufactured this martial arts brand. Natalie had worked in the industry for the A & J distributorship, while Anne had practically grown up in the industry as she accompanied her sales agent father during school holidays on his travels for A & J and later Golfex.

They subsequently changed the name to Opal Sportswear, and more recently Opal Sports.

Golf — in particular Ping — which has been a mainstay brand for the Prout family, is still an important division. Anne’s father, Herbie, distributed the brand in the 1960’s when he was working for Golfex, and in 1984, when his restraint of trade expired, he acquired the agency for Opal Sportswear. Her husband Doug Vilas, a qualified engineer, has managed the golf division since he joined the company in 1993.

That was after the family bought back the company from Interleisure. They had sold Opal Sportswear to Interleisure in 1987, but all continued working for the company.

Herb Prout joined his wife and daughter in 1979, adding his 30 years’ experience in the sports industry, 17 of them selling golf, to their skills. He retired in 1998 after 50 years in the industry — and until a few years ago, he

How this family business has grown into an industry leader still maintained an office at Opal Sports. Anne was appointed MD in 1990.

Whole family involved In the early 1980’s her brothers Nigel and Robert joined the company as well. Nigel has since left to help his son, Gareth, a premier league water polo player, to establish his water sport business aimed at schools and clubs.

While Dane Vilas was making a name for himself as wicket keeper and batsman and Gunn & Moore ambassador, his brothers Guy and Brad joined the family business.

With the third generation firmly entrenched, they decided in 2013 to buy their own building. After 34 years they moved from rented offices in City Deep to their own modern premises in Sandton, where they now have ample warehouse, showroom and office space.

Apart from being one of the few women in the local sports industry to run a successful distributorship, Anne has devoted her time and expertise as volunteer for several organisations.

She was vice-chair and chairman of the (nowdefunct) industry body, the SA Sporting Goods Agents and Manufacturers’ (SASGAM) organisation between 1998 and 2002. At the end of the 1990’s she was also the organiser of the annual trade show that used to be the highlight of the industry calendar. She has also been serving as treasurer and board member of the Gauteng Cricket Board — including as vice-chair in 2013 — for many years. Until about ten years ago, when her youngest son left school, she also served on the School Governing Body of King Edward School.

Earlier days: Herbert Prout surrounded by his children (from left) Nigel, Anne and Robert, with son-in-law Doug Vilas at the back. Photo: Nicol du Toit.

2018 Q2 :: Sports Trader

p16 :: Industry

What makes a company Jake Morris

Bobby Fairlamb

Nicola Cooper

successful?

“M

At this year’s Source Africa Expo, several experts shared their views on how to improve business success, reports CARIN HARDISTY

onetary gain is not the only means to measure the success of a business,” analyst Nicola Cooper said during a discussion at Source Africa*. Instead, businesses should use the three Ps as a measurement: people, planet and, last among your priorities, profit.

More than a third (36%) of South African Millennials feel that the purpose of a business is to improve the society, and 69% feel that a business’ success should be measured based on its customer retention and satisfaction, and not just its financial performance.

“Consumers care about people and the planet, and you should therefore too.” Care about human value systems and consider what steps your company can take to humanise your products. These days people will buy a product if it aligns with their beliefs, how they live, what’s important to them, etc. It’s important that your customers trust you and your product.

You therefore need to engage with them and tell them about what makes you trustworthy: do you source ethically? how are your products made (and by whom)? etc.

A lot goes into forecasting future trends, and analysts have to monitor what is going on in Society, Technology, the Environment, Economy and Political landscapes (STEEP), Cooper adds. You need to keep an eye on the broader picture, and not only on what you see within your own industry. By keeping up to date with STEEP, you will also get an idea of how your customers might feel and what might be im-

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

In order to understand your customer, first understand his world. portant to them.

“Consumers want to hear stories from the brands they love. They want to know where that dress comes from, for example,” says Christiaan Gunther, a digital media, marketing and eCommerce consultant. “Companies need to realise what about them is worth hearing, and how they can tell consumers about it. Be authentic!”

It’s important to approach consumers right, Cooper warns. Don’t be an arrogant brand and assume people know about you. Approach your target market as if you were an emerging brand and explain what you are and what you stand for.

Companies also need to acknowledge that you can’t just box the youth into preconceived ideas. You can either acknowledge who they want to be and that they are busy creating themselves a new ID free from race and Apartheid, which is part of so many of the older generations, and cater to them … or you can try and force them to like your company without taking them into account, but they will rebel and reject you.

Understand the “youth” Everyone is so focused on Millennials (born between early 80s and late 90s), that they might be overlooking the younger Gen Z mar-

ket. Don’t think of these people as your future customers; they should be your current focus, says Cooper.

Millennials have a DIY ethos and if they don’t have something, they’ll make it. They create their own looks, mesh together cultures, mix brands, etc.

They saw global tragedies and experienced the impact and after effects, for example, 9/11 and the recession, which hit by the time they would have entered the workforce. This generation grew up in an age where technology and the internet was still developing into what we have now — it had dial up where we now have ADSL and fibre. It also didn’t grow up with a smartphone or tablet in the hand — the first iPhone was only launched in 2007, for example.

Gen Z, on the other hand, grew up with this technology already established. They are called 5 screen kids (because they are constantly connected through devices) and have a “seven second attention span, so keep your messages short,” she advises. They are digital natives and connected from an early age. With instant access to information, they are very smart and can absorb information quick.

Because of this access, they are also exposed to a lot: they have grown up knowing about problems such as the bad economy, are aware of unemployment problems, know about global threats such as terrorism, etc.

But they are optimistic about the future.

Gen Z see themselves as activists; people who can change their own world. They are forcing change to create the change they want to

Industry :: p17

Gen Z grew up with this technology already established. They are called 5 screen kids because they are constantly connected through devices and have a seven second attention span see in the world. They are carving out their own future and their own space, and this one has nothing to do with race. It is to do with having their own voice. They don’t want to sit with others and “share the same table — they want to have their own,” explains Cooper. They are go-getters, entrepreneurial thinkers, and they expect more from companies than previous generations. You need to earn their loyalty.

Are international retailers a threat?

Even though our retail market is so different to overseas, retailers are worried about international companies entering the South African market, especially at times of uncertainty in the industry. One of the topics addressed at Source Africa* is the access to our market.

“South Africa has a unique market and our customers react in their own way,” says Sadie de Wet from Cape Union Mart, who adds that international retailers entering our market are learning this the hard way, because they don’t take into account how different our market is.

“Our Zeitgeist is different,” says analyst Nicola Cooper. “We’re not New York, we’re not London.” Similarly, when it comes to our own companies, “we can’t keep copy/pasting from what we see overseas — we need to think about what our consumers need.”

Africa is influencing the world, she adds. This can be seen by the recent surge in African-inspired moves and themes in music videos, for example. Companies should tap into the African aesthetic and what has happened and contributed to creating South Africa’s identity.

African companies often sell ourselves short, says Didier de Villiers of Magents. “Don’t be afraid to show your DNA — but at the same time you need to clearly know what your brand’s DNA is.”

“The African continent has an amazing sense of fashion and there is a very keen US market for African-inspired products,” says Virginia Blaser of the US Consul General. “We love the spirit of entrepreneurship that we see at Source Africa.”

The rising black middle class is an important sector, Cooper emphasises.

Over the past decade there has been a 60% growth in this market. “Companies need to understand this is a changing continent and that they can’t just keep to their old target market they always served before.”

People are getting educated and the youth will call out a brand if they don’t agree with what you’re doing. “We’re in a hypersensitive time.

You can’t be ignorant; your customer certainly isn’t.”

Fashion isn’t just clothing — it’s actually about self-expression, says Cooper. It shows a part of who the person wants to be.

Cluster to improve business Pooling resources could be a solution to the many challenges faced by South African companies, says Jake Morris of Benchmarking and Manufacturing (B&M) Analysts. Industries now evolve quicker thanks to globalisation and companies that fail to adapt will struggle to survive.

“They have to professionalise in terms of management methodologies, value chain models and the adoption of technology.”

If companies try to solve these problems on their own, the progress can be slow as you need to work things out on your own and it can be expensive.

By clustering together companies can learn from and help each other.

By sharing a pool of information resources, companies can save themselves both time and money in the long run. It’s important that there’s a common goal within the cluster and that companies pool resources and raise funding together to achieve this purpose.

To p19 “Clustering gives companies a mode through which to * Source Africa is an annual sourcing trade show for textiles, apparel and footwear on the African continent, which is hosted in Cape Town.

2018 Q3 :: Sports Trader

alk T op h S

- 18 -

80 Year recipe for success

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alking to Frankie Sequiera of Novels Outfitters and Shoe Store is like taking a tonic. His enthusiasm and lust for learning and sharing ideas is infectious … and explains why his store in De Aar’s main road is attracting so many feet 80 years after it was founded.

Despite the economic conditions that many retailers describe as the worst in decades, they have been experiencing a steady trade. “No big highs or big lows, no fireworks, but constant trade,” he says.

Sequiera grew up in the store that his father bought from the original owner nearly 50 years ago. The De Aar municipal building, plus all records, unfortunately burnt down and it is therefore not possible to pinpoint the exact date the store was founded, but from the older residents remember shopping there as early as 1938. His dad ran the store for about 26 years before Frankie took over in 1997.

After obtaining a B. Comm Management Accounting degree at the University of Stellenbosch Sequiera followed in the steps of so many young South Africans who left for Europe to backpack and support themselves with menial work. Returning home for a holiday, he realised how much he missed the South African lifestyle and decided to join the family business where he had learnt the trade working the till while still at school.

With youthful enthusiasm he started telling his father “this is wrong, this must be fixed” in the store he had run for close to 30 years.

“So often, one walks into a store, and only sees what is wrong. Instead, it is more important to look for what is right and made the store work,” he says with hindsight. “Master that before going forward and changing things.

“My father did the selfless thing and left for Madeira after six months,” he now laughs. At the time, it was not so funny: his father had assisted him with the first summer season buy-in, but before the winter season, he left him on his own to learn from experience by bumping his own head. This taught him how important it is to listen to the guys who have paid their school fees.

For the first five years he invested everything he had in the store. “You know the saying: retail is a jail with an open door,” he jokes. “It

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

Novels Outfitters and Shoes in De Aar may be 80 years old, but the forward-thinking ideas of the owner turned it into an aspirational fashion store that appeals to trendy youths as well as their parents won’t work if you are not in your store.”

Over time he expanded his dad’s original shoe store, and combined it with the men’s outfitters, which used to be in a separate building.

In 2000 he added ladies and kids styles, as well as sport brands, to create a one-stop branded fashion outlet.

The profile of the store had adapted as the town changed. In his dad’s days, for example, De Aar was a big railway junction and his father used to station a gentleman in a white suit outside the store to invite the people from the trains into the shop to buy shoes. Crockett and Jones used to be very popular, because the commuters said they could buy it cheaper than in Johannesburg.

Until the end of last year, De Aar had experienced a 4-year boom due to the many wind farms and hydro sub-stations constructed in the area, which encouraged many new — and young — people to find work in the area.

The three good schools in De Aar fortunately encourage the younger people to stay and work in the town. Novels support them by stocking their schoolwear, even though the many sizes and number of stock items required do not make it profitable. Shoolwear is, however, a drawcard for customers who are likely to make other purchases on their way to the schoolwear section at the back.

The growth of the town enticed several chains to open stores in the town, which was no problem while the boom lasted. But, after the former president scaled down renewable energy sources at the end of last year, the boom evaporated, and a much smaller cake now has to be divided between several retailers.

Independents have the advantage over chain stores “that we can adapt and modify a lot

quicker than the big boys can” and also the dedication and good service from staff, Sequiera believes. Apart from the fact that he often sells shoes cheaper than some of the chains (his overheads are low because he owns the building), customers return to buy at his store because of the service they receive.

People even travel from Kimberley and Bloemfontein to shop at Novels because where they know they will get knowledgeable advice.

Some customers come in and ask to be served by a specific staff member from whom they had received good service in the past.

What makes Novels successful?

Training: On Mondays they come in early and stay late to be trained on the new technologies and styles of the products that arrived the previous week. “They now do the training themselves, and every week a different section does the training.”

Having completed many taxing MTB events and an Ironman, Sequiera is known as an endurance athlete and his advice is therefore sought on running shoes. But staff members, who are not runners, have absorbed his knowledge and can share it with customers.

Motivate staff: He also makes sure that he spends time with every staff member at month end when he pays their salaries to talk about things that are happening in their lives and their role in the store. They also have a book where all comments and compliments staff receive must be written down. Novels therefore has a very low staff turnover and most of the staff members have been there for 8-15 years.

Positive attitude: He advises staff members to always tell the truth to customers — for example, when a style doesn’t suit them — but, to emphasize the positives ... for example, never saying we don’t have it, but to suggest a viable alternative colour or style.

The positive attitude instilled in everybody is noticed by customers who comment on the positive vibe in the store. Staff are advised to hang their problems on the tree outside the door and collect them when they go home.”

But, one has to lead by example, he says.

A strong work ethic had been instilled in him and his siblings from school days. Nowadays he returns to the store at night to do admin, be-

Industry :: p19

Frankie (far right) and Rose Sequiera with his parents,to whom he is very grateful for Well-trained, knowledgeable staff members who understand the importance of giving Novels such a great start. In front is Joshua (9). Absent: Gabriella aged one month. good customer service is paramount to the store’s success. Photos supplied.

cause he supervises the store during the day.

“Ordering has become so much more important,” Sequiera believes.

The right selection: “It is important to have a relevant selection,” says Sequiera. Their customers want variety, not range depth and too much of the same thing that they will see all over town. “We give our customers what is hot, but I don’t like repeating orders too much.

It can kill a fashion brand if everybody is wearing it.”

Cutting edge products: He also believes it is important to display the latest, top end products from aspirational brands. To prevent his customers from being greeted by shelves full of old stock, he has a massive 50% discount sale at the end of each season … and if anything remains, he reduces further to ensure that he indeed clears old stock. “If you want to get ahead in fashion, you must be on edge with the latest styles. I don’t want my customers to walk in and see something from last season.”

Even if that means making a loss.

Personal messages: They would alert their regular customers via SMS or WhatsApp about these exciting new arrivals. Although they also announce it on their lively Facebook page, customers prefer the more personal form of communication.

While he uses social media, he does not believe online shopping is a current threat because of the good personal service they offer customers.

Sharing ideas: Taking a few days a month off

Clusters cont. from p17 address issues.”

Clustering is a formal collaborative programme between firms in the same industry (and preferably region), he explains. This could be at the same level of the supply chain, for example manufacturers, or at different levels such as retailers, designers, manufacturers, etc.

Businesses can, for example, quickly identify common weaknesses and share information regarding the experience and best practice.

You can learn from each other and see how your peers implement certain processes, for example.

Clustering also makes dealing with challenges cheaper. Businesses often share the same

to tend to his sheep farm helps to clear his head and gives him more patience to deal with customers and staff, he says. It also gives him time to think about the business.

For example, he believes it’s important for independent retailers to share ideas — like Jack Rellings from Rellings in Kroonstad introducing him to the point of sale system that enables them to keep exact track of how well — or not — certain styles and brands sell, and which stock is getting low, or are just sitting on the shelf. “I can even compare the brand’s sales to the previous season and others,” enthuses Sequiera.

Know what works: His wife, Rose, who is a CA, is another contributor to Novels’ success recipe, he says. “I go on gut feel, she goes on figures.” When they try new brands, she can give him good feedback on how well they are doing.

“We in the country towns have an advantage because we are one season behind the cities.”

They can therefore introduce something that is already trending in the cities — but it would not always work. He usually gives a new item or brand two to three seasons before he decides whether it will work in his store. In the first season sales of a new brand tend to be slow, only to pick up over time.

“But when sales of a particular style or brand are going down over a few seasons, you should have the balls to cull it.”

Relationship with suppliers: He maintains a good relationship with his suppliers – inter alia

by being meticulous about paying his accounts so that brands have no concerns about supplying him. Equally important are the agents who visit them. “The travelling agent is a dying breed. Some of them have become friends, who stay at night at my house.”

Shoes are not only his passion, but also remain the bread and butter of the business because they sell all year round and are not as seasonal as clothes. He has massive store rooms that are required if you want to stock a big selection of footwear.

Community involvement: Sequiera is part of the 100-strong running club in De Aar and participates in races, which raises the store’s profile in the running community.

Novels also sponsors an annual tennis tournament where 110-120 kids from the area participate. He also supports the lady who does development work by coaching tennis, with some life skills and confidence-building added.

One of these players, Keanu Saunders, is a national age group champion and recently went on tour to the US, he says proudly.

Tennis coaching is offered through a local community Centre of Excellence, Khazimla, which means to shine. Sequiera is one of the three trustees of the centre that also offers a cultural programme — the Eistedfodd attracts over 2 000 entries. Through a new nursery school and creche, tertiary preparation and bursary advice, motivational talks, cultural and tennis coaching, the centre indeed helps the children to shine.

kinds of challenges and it’s better to all work together to develop a system to address these challenges than for each company to create its own.

By clustering together, companies create a stronger industry voice. The more firms are involved, the more representative the cluster, and the more voice you have, explains Morris.

You can use your member numbers to influence government policy, for example.

An example is the Cape Clothing and Textile cluster, of which the K-Way factory is a member. When he was appointed by K-Way back in 2004 the manufacturer was struggling, says Bobby Fairlamb, who is now both K-Way GM and the vice-chair for the cluster. When he was appointed to turn the manufacturing division around, he was given two mandates: stop losing money and save the jobs.

Through the cluster, Fairlamb was introduced to lean manufacturing. The cluster brought in experts to give members information and advice, organised tours of peer companies, etc. — and it was on one of these tours that Fairlamb noticed how the staff was being empowered.

Once he started to introduce a team-based methodology at his factory, they were able to get a clearer picture of what is going on in the business and what needed to be worked on, because his employees were able to give their input.

“Lean manufacturing is a way of life,” he says. “Management needs to change its attitude. You waste intellect if you only get your own input — you also need to ask for input from your staff.”

2018 Q3 :: Sports Trader

p20 :: Industry

From Tekkie Town to

Braam Van Huyssteen, who founded Tekkie Town, then lost it, has founded another chain, Mr Tekkie

M

r Tekkie, a new footwear retail chain, will be launched at the end of November, just in time to attract the end-of-year bonus and Christmas shoppers.

The chain will open with 10-15 stores, says Braam van Huyssteen, who grew the Tekkie Town chain from one to 386 stores in just over 20 years.

The Mr Tekkie name was registered several years ago by another retailer, who subsequently sold it to Van Huyssteen.

Van Huyssteen and key executives sold the successful Tekkie Town chain to Steinhoff in 2016 and it became part of Steinhoff Africa Retail (Star — now Pepkor) at the end of 2017.

Van Huyssteen was persuaded by disgraced Steinhoff CEO Markus Jooste to join the company, but had no relationship with the Pepkor team that took over Star in the beginning of the year. Because of their good track record of creating the profitable Tekkie Town chain, Tekkie Town CEO Bernard Mostert and COO Dawie van Niekerk were appointed to run the Star Speciality Fashion and Footwear division, which included former Star loss-making brands, in addition to Tekkie Town.

Earlier this year the new Star management asked Van Huyssteen to step down as chairman of the property division and a Star Speciality Fashion and Footwear board member ... with tumultuous results that culminated in the plans for the founding of Mr Tekkie.

Van Huyssteen and former Tekkie Town CEO Bernard Mostert have pointed out several times that starting a new footwear chain now would be much easier than when Van Huyssteen opened his first sport store by borrowing R20 000 from the mortgage on his house. The successful Tekkie Town chain had grown from Tropica, a Van Huyssteen family store in Mossel Bay, the Sport City stores and a Caterpillar footwear wholesale enterprise Van Huyssteen

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

started with his good friend, Martin Nefdt.

Now, the Tekkie Town management team is well-funded, thanks to their investment of proceeds from their former equity deal with Actis. They own several properties, including a warehouse and shopping mall, they have a strong executive team with the necessary know-how of how to run a footwear chain and have good contacts amongst suppliers at all levels.

Besides, they created the Tekkie Town success recipe: growing organically and not incurring debt, curtailing unnecessary expenses and creating a culture where staff members feel part of the family. And they don’t need to tap into data to recreate that.

Turbulent times It has been a turbulent half year for Van Huyssteen, the former Tekkie Town and Star Speciality Fashion and Footwear executives, as well as Star/Pepkor. During this period: Van Huyssteen was ousted from a management role when the new management team took over the Star operations after the Markus Jooste/Steinhoff bombshell threw everybody off course. CEO Leon Lourens asked him to step down as head of Pepkor Property — which gave him a board seat — when Pepkor managers clashed with him over property decisions.

Acquiring favourable leases had always been one of Van Huyssteen’s main strengths.

Mass resignations of about 110 staff members from the Tekkie Town and Speciality Fashion and Footwear division followed at the end of June. Their reasons were unhappiness about the treatment of Van Huyssteen, as well as distrust of the Star/Pepkor management.

At that stage Mostert and Van Niekerk were in discussions with Pepkor — CEO Lourens and chair Jayendra Naidoo — about buying back the Tekkie Town chain. But, at the end of June they resigned, claiming constructive dismissal

due to an increasing hostile environment that made it impossible for them to run the business. Within hours, scores of staff members lined up to hand in their resignations.

Pepkor hit back — hard — within a week.

Industrial sabotage and data theft allegations were made in an urgent interim interdict obtained by Star/Pepkor against the ex-Tekkie Town executives in the Cape High Court to prevent the ex-TT members from interfering with IT systems and destabilising operations.

This was discharged (legalalese for dismissed) after the ex-TT executives submitted an answering affidavit, explaining the following: • The conspiracy to sabotage charge was based on allegations from a former Tekkie Town staff member who resigned, but then returned to the Pepkor fold after boasting on WhatsApp about being offered a very lucrative bonus offer. He did not realise that a phone call he recorded as evidence of incitement to hack into the Tekkie Town server to disrupt all Tekkie Town point of sale operations, was a prank played by a former colleague. He also did not realise that the plan was obviously a set up — with a code name et al — because it is totally impossible to hack into the Tekkie Town system and cause disruptions from a single store in a mall, as they discussed during the call. Besides, all employees who resigned had surrendered their administrator credentials, including usernames and passwords, to the Pepkor IT managers who took full control of the system.

• Evidence of an IT system breach that Star submitted as proof that the sabotage plan above had been put in motion, was dismissed by a UCT IT security expert as merely one of thousands of breach attacks any network is constantly subjected to. She also submitted evidence that the IP address responsible for the attack was registered to

Industry :: p21

See you in court!

An illustration of what the Mr Tekkie footwear wall will look like (above) as well as the cash desk (below).

Alibaba at the time and had been reported for abuse in Romania and Indonesia around the same time. Also, the server used by Tekkie Town is by no means unique — it is commonly used across the world, she submitted. It therefore did not require specialised knowledge from the systems manager to access it, as was alleged in the interdict application.

• The disruption of the network that followed the breach attack was most likely caused by the new Pepkor IT manager sent to oversee the Tekkie Town data security, because he was unfamiliar with the system, the UCT expert testified. This temporary disruption had been submitted as proof that the Tekkie Town IT system was under attack.

• The data theft allegations were also based on testimony from the employee/informant, who claimed that he was instructed

by Mostert to copy Tekkie Town data onto hard drives held off-site. A list of the data he was requested to copy, however, show that no Tekkie Town data needed to be copied (except personal emails), but that data from several other companies owned and operated by Van Huyssteen and the other executives needed to be copied after they were excluded from the server once Pepkor took control. The multi-building campus in George from where Tekkie Town and Star Speciality operated, is owned by Van Huyssteen and several of his other companies also operate from there.

• An orchestrated campaign to cripple Tekkie Town was also alleged by the employee/informant, who claimed that the object was to devalue the business so that they could buy it back at a cheaper price.

According to Mostert, negotiations for buying the chain back was at an advanced stage, until Naidoo denied in the media that talks were under way. This was one of the factors that prompted 23 very angry senior staff members to resign — which Mostert tried to prevent, to the extent that he asked Lourens to come to George to address and reassure the staff. This had the opposite effect, but Mostert say he nonetheless undertook to try and convince the staff to stay during the next week. At the end of the week, however, several developments prompted Mostert and Van Niekerk to resign ... with 110-120 staff members following them.

Following extensive affidavits covering the above, the interdict was discharged.

Victory for all was claimed, however, as Star/ Pepkor hailed the High Court decision as a victory. In a SENS release to shareholders it said this was a positive outcome for them because all the respondents undertake not to use information proprietary to Tekkie Town and that they will destroy all emails sent from @starspeciality or @tekkietown email accounts by 15 August.

That is, except emails that relate to their private business dealings, or are necessary for their litigation against Star (see box). The former IT managers also undertook not to interfere with the Tekkie Town IT system “The interim interdict served as an immediate prevention of possible interference while the court order made on 31 July 2018 protects the business in the longer term,” claims Star.

For more details about the Tekkie Town saga and updates visit the Sports Trader blog at sasportstrader. wordpress.com.

The court order discharging the Star/Pepkor interdict in the Cape Town High Court allows former Tekkie Town executives access to copied email information as part of the process of discovery with regards to their extensive litigation against Steinhoff and Pepkor. These cases include: • An attempt to have the initial sale of Tekkie Town to Steinhoff in 2016 overturned because it later transpired that the shares they were paid in had fictional value (Braam van Huyssteen calls it monopoly money); • They want Pepkor to honour the earn out bonuses for all Tekkie Town staff agreed to with Steinhoff, which former Star CEO Ben la Grange acknowledged by amending it to include the Speciality Fashion and Footwear employees. Pepkor now says they are not bound by the agreement signed by former management – although they booked R500-m to honour a 2011 agreement with 44 Pepkor executives to compensate them for losses incurred when the share price of the Steinhoff shares they bought collapsed; • Van Huyssteen is suing Star for unfair dismissal because his 3-year contract as chairman of Star Property was prematurely ended by Lourens. Star Speciality Fashion and Footwear executives Bernard Mostert and Dawie van Niekerk are claiming compensation for constructive dismissal due to a hostile environment; • Pepkor is opposing an eviction order by Van Huyssteen against the Star Speciality Fashion and Footwear division occupying the George campus premises. Van Huyssteen says the lease agreement with Tekkie Town stipulates that his written permission is required for any other business to be conducted from the premises. He says he didn’t give permission for the additional businesses to be there.

• On 19 July Mostert laid criminal charges against Pepkor CEO Leon Lourens and a security guard, Mike Ross, who allegedly acted on Lourens’ instructions when he entered Mostert’s locked Nunanda Property Investment office on the George campus to remove all Mostert’s belongings from his office, including printed documents relating to various other businesses and others that are relevant for their litigation against Star/Pep. Lourens says this charge is groundless.

• At the end of July Van Huyssteen filed a summons in Cape Town, claiming more than R41-m from Lourens, which he estimates to be the amount he would have earned on a 3-year fixed contract until 2021, had Lourens not unilaterally ended his employment in April 2018.

• And still the end is not in sight. The four executives named in the interdict are contemplating suing Pepkor for libel after information was leaked to the media that they were accused of sabotage and data theft. They also question why media outlets received press releases about these allegations, as well as the interdict, before the interdict was served on the respondents.

2018 Q3 :: Sports Trader

What to dress summer feet in

p24 :: Apparel & Footwear

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Summer time is approaching and summer footwear will be at the top of consumers’ minds in terms of updating their wardrobes. We asked suppliers to tell us about their latest sandal and water shoe styles that you can order from them and which are bound to interest your customers and get them buying

he warmer the weather the less people want to wear on their feet in order to keep cool. This doesn’t mean that consumers will wear just anything though — they still want to look stylish!

They can now also do this with a guilt-free footprint as the environmental awareness and emphasis on sustainability that have become such global trends in manufacturing are also evident in the sandal market.

The Gumbies sandal range, for example, has a sole made from a combination of recycled and natural maGumbies terials: recycled rubber is bonded with jute for strength. The sandals also feature EVA midsoles for comfort, which is topped with canvas for a natural touch to the skin.

Each sandal is made to follow the contours of the foot and arch of the sole, and to provide comfort between the toes.

The range features vibrant, but contemporary colours and is locally distributed by Outdoor Supply Company.

Reef Brazil’s Escape collection, which was introduced last year, is completely made from PVC-free material, and as of January this year the Escape collection also features Eco-One Enhanced Biodegrability, which shortens the time materials take to degrade to several years.

“Reef Brazil has made monumental strides to resolve the most common problems in the rubber sanReef Brazil dal market by providing all day Escape Lux T comfort, superior strap strength and minimal impact to the environment,” says local distributor Because I Can. In addition to contributing towards a healthier environment, the Escape collection also features the Lux contoured footbed for all day comfort and stronger straps with patented washers that prevent blow outs.

The Escape Lux T sandal features a rubber t-strap and a back strap while the Escaped Lux + has a wider footbed and high side profile for more arch support.

Fanning Low is the latest sandal in Reef Brazil’s Fanning collection. It’s a slimmer, sleeker version, with slimmer straps and a lower side profile, but it Reef Brazil’s new Fanning Low

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

has the same all-day comfort, arch support, and thirst quenching technology as the popular Fanning sandal, says Because I Can. “The original Fanning was made for an active consumer who values a secure athletic fit with durability and the added fun of a bottle opener.

The Fanning Low was created to bring the youthfulness and fun of our thirst quenching technology to life in a slimmer sleeker model.”

Fanning low has a soft yet supportive EVA footbed, airbag under the heel for even more support, and a rubber outsole for traction and durability. And don’t forget about the bottle opener in the sole.

Thongs and flip flops Gone are the days that flip flops were a cheap option for wearing around the house or after sport. Thong sandals now come with various comfort features and technologies, not to mention styles.

Hi-Tec’s Luna flip flop is new for SS18. “It is the perfect summer item for looking stylish and keeping it cool,” says the brand.

Luna is made with a soft cushShadow Canvas ion durable outsole (above) and Luna (right) from Hi-Tec. and moulded EVA foot bed.

Another Hi-Tec model, the Shadow Canvas, has a casual design, which “makes it perfect for a day out to the beach, a braai with friends and for everyday wear on campus.” The durable outsole adds longevity while a compression moulded EVA midsole gives the comfort needed for everyday use.

The Bronx Stream thong sandal “will make summer a song”, says distributor Bolton Footwear. “It offers great comfort and support with its robust leather uppers, EVA midsole and rubber lug outsole. It’s durability that won’t let you down.”

The Cushion Bounce Phantom thong sandal is Reef Brazil’s new top performer in its men’s all day comfort range. It features the Cushion Bounce footbed with energy rebound for more cushioning in every step as well as modern contouring, anatomical arch support and heel cupping. The sandal also boasts with an outboard lasted construction strap for increased comfort.

It’s also available in a slide version, which features an adjustable side strap for all day comfort.

Slide-in style Slides also remain popular, and also include more technologies.

Bronx’s lightweight slides are great for easy, South African summerstyle weather, says Bolton Footwear. “Offering support and freedom of movement, they’re sure to keep feet cool when the mercury rises. They’re the perfect choice for post-sport comfort and relaxing at home, and the distressed leather gives these slides a hint of originality

Apparel & Footwear :: p25

Bronx slides

Reef Brazil men’s Cushion Bounce thongs and slides

of a well-worn look, perfect to pair up with jeans for casual zamalek with the gents.”

The lightweight sole is great for flexibility, it adds.

Additionally, the upper is made from leather and the sandals have ergonomic footbeds.

In the ladies’ Reef Brazil Cushion Bounce range, the Vista has a comfortable double strap in vegan leather while the Court features a refined metallic tapered strap comCushion Bounce Vista bining the best of both sandal styles.

Dressier styles In summer sandals are worn for every occasion, including when dressing up for work or stepping out in style for an evening on the town.

“This SS18, Ipanema brings style in a collection that will carry your customer from the day to the evening,” says distributor Intershu. The colours, stylish prints and elegant designs will take her on “a fashion journey to Brazil”.

Lenny Desire, created in partnership with Lenny Niemeyer, is a “timeless, clean, and supersophisticated T-strap sandal with a chic and simple metal detail at the top of the center strap. The adjustable strap easily slips on and off your foot once it’s set.”

“Ipanema’s new Premium Collection styles are inspired by the sun, featuring modern elements that feel different and unconventional while remaining rich and sophisticated.” Sunray, the new T-strap sandal with asymmetrical straps, features metallic details set on a series of thin, fanned-out straps.

Charm is a sleek summer sandal with a classic T-bar strap with pearl detailing in neutral and metallic tones.

“Team it with cut-off shorts, swapping for a flowing dress as the sun sets,” recommends Intershu.

Top to Vibe is another new style: a chic bottom: and functional open toe that is Lenny Desire, simple to put on and easy to wear.

Sunray, Charm, and Vibe.

It comes in a stylish colour palette and the front strap features a glittery shine.

Adventure sandals Outdoor lovers have very different expectations of the functionality of their adventure sandals than the fashionistas have of their dressy sandals — although they still expect them Hi-Tec Cajun. to look good.

Hi-Tec’s Crater and Cancun outdoor sandals each has three adjustable hook and loop fastenings for a secure fit, a comfortable neoprene lining, a compression moulded EVA midsole for cushioning, and a sleek carbon outsole for traction.

“There’s no better way to embrace the summer season than in a classic pair of classic outdoor sandals,” says the brand of Cancun.

Crevice is a shandal (shoe sandal) that guarantees comfort with a neoprene lining as well as a compression moulded EVA footbed, says Hi-Tec. A clip-on top strap allows feet to slip and out easily To p26

Socks with sandals?!

PAIRING SOCKS WITH SANDALS used to be a big fashion no-no and the individual daring to don this garb mocked severely. In fact, there’s even a meme of a man wearing socks with thick strapped outdoor sandals with the caption “the best way to protect your virginity”.

However, 2018 sees the return of socks and sandals … and it is now fashionable and worn by ‘those in the know’. Runways featured socks worn with sandals in both men’s and ladies’ collections.

The style is also not reserved to the traditional thick-strapoutdoor-look sandal — dainty fashion sandals with heels are also paired with socks.

Socks can either be worn in a similar colour hue to the sandal or in a clashing form — it depends on the wearer and the rest of the outfit.

Now is therefore a good time to invest in a variety of socks (see p28) and sandal types to sell to your customer as a fashion pairing.

How to advise your customer to pull this look off?

• Bulkier sandal styles should be paired with a heavier sock such as a ribbed style.

• Fashion sandals can be worn with anything from ankle socks to over-the-knee styles. Taller socks that are rolled down to the ankle can also add a fashionable addition to the outfit.

• Graphic socks can be paired with a pair of sandals that features at least one of the colours found in the socks. Patterns can also be matched, for example striped socks with striped sandals.

• Men’s slides can be worn with shin-length socks. These should be paired consciously to go with an overall look; not donned because they happen to be the closest available footwear options.

2018 Q3 :: Sports Trader

p26 :: Apparel & Footwear

Summer footwear cont. from p25 and the durable rubber outsole provides good grip.

It also has a high-performance upper for support, durability and breathability and a compression molded EVA footbed for comfort.

Hi-Tec has also given the Savannah and Ansellia a colour update for SS18.

Crater (above), and “The Ansellia Adventure multi-strap sandal is ready Crevice (below). to dress up with the perfect summer dress, denim shorts and favourite tee,” recommends the brand.

“Created with quality and comfort in mind, these sandals include a fully lined, adjustable synthetic upper with nylon webbing straps, a fully lined ergonomic foot bed for instant comfort and duel colour contoured rubber outsole. Ideal for a sunny day spent outdoors!”

Savannah features a fully adjustable PU upper with nylon webbing straps, an ergonomic molded EVA footbed for instant comfort and contour rubber outsole. “Stay stylish in our new feminine designs, without compromising on style.”

Water shoes

Hydro Vent is one of two new water shoe styles available from Aqualine, which is distributed by De Wet Sports.

It has a stretchy mesh upper with quick dry action and excellent ventilation, says De Wet Sports. The shoe also features a quick drain and anti-slip rubber outAqualine Hydro Rush sole that has multiple midsole drainage ports, and a cushioned midsole with high energy return.

“It’s perfect for hiking, surfing, beach volleyball, pilates, weight training, sailing, swimming, boating, kayaking, windsurfing, yoga and countless other activities.”

The other new style is Hydro Rush. It has a printed neoprene upper, a black, rubberised sole for grip in all conditions, and an adjustable toggle to help your customer achieve the perfect fit.

Right and below: Aqualine Hydro Vent is available in three colourways

Hi-Tec Ansellia

Hi-Tec Savannah

See the bigger picture to be on trend Apparel & Footwear :: p27

In order to predict what will be trendy and popular among consumers, you first need to understand the bigger picture and what is important to them, says WGSN • Meaning of making: older techniques are used to create items with modern uses, thereby elevating the status of the technique.

Sara Maggioni of WGSN

P

redicting future trends takes a little bit of maths and a little bit of magic, says Sara Maggioni of trend forecasting company WGSN. It analyses what’s being seen on catwalks, what’s being sold at retail, looks at what’s happening on the global market, looks at socio-economic changes, politics, consumer habits, their attitudes, hobbies, what’s happening on the art and culture front, etc.

WGSN has identified three macro trends for SS19 that summarise how people think and feel about their world: Common ground, In touch and Creative manifesto. Within the macros there are also different themes that link in with the larger movement.

Common ground With all the uncertainty in the global market, consumers are shifting their focus to their local areas. “They want a safe space,” she explains.

This is about establishing local communities, which help each other out and promote working with each other.

Keep in mind that this doesn’t mean it’s only with people who think the same. Diversity plays a big role in this macro trend. Consumers also want new types of partnerships and connections, and want to celebrate the differences between everyone.

• Allyship: consumers yearn for a partnership from a company and want a long term commitment to them and what they care for — not just a catchy slogan on a t-shirt. They also want to celebrate differences, but show that while people are different they can still work together. Companies can, for example, collaborate with someone who they wouldn’t normally — even someone from a completely different market, which would also add a new way of thinking to the partnership.

• Bridges over barriers: a common, unifying factor can be used to connect people from different areas and backgrounds.

In touch People feel anxious in an always-on world.

There’s a constant fear of missing out, and consumers are told what the ideal you should look like. It’s getting more and more difficult to keep the fine balance between wanting to be in-the-know (constantly connected to social media) and wanting to be in-the-now (off-line). They want to get back in touch with themselves more and focus on their emotional and physical wellbeing.

This macro trend is about accepting and embracing imperfections, (especially dealing with body positivity and overall self-acceptance) and brings spotlight on mental health.

• Anti-wellness: this is a backlash against the perfect image projected via social media of what a fit and healthy person should look and act like, which causes a lot of anxiety. This trend is about disregarding the calorie-counting ways, and is more about self-acceptance, and realising that you can both look after yourself by taking part in fitness activities

and enjoy a treat such as a beer or pizza.

• Mental health: depression has been making headlines more and more and the recording of it is at an all-time high. It’s not always easy to accept or talk about it though — especially for young men, says Maggioni. New campaigns are being introduced to share their struggles with mental health.

Companies can tap into this macro market by creating products that touch consumers on some level.

Creative manifesto Consumers have an urge to be different and stand out from the crowd. Creativity and selfexpression are very important to them and they use these to set themselves apart.

• Discomfort zone: this is about pushing boundaries and getting people out of their comfort zone. When people get stuck in their comfort zone, they won’t change anything, but being in discomfort inspires people to take action.

• Mood makers: this is especially related to interior design, including for stores. It introduces an element of playful escapism and especially pop-inspired designs are seen here.

And beyond 2019?

THE THREE global drivers for 2020 are majorities becoming minorities (and vice versa), the impact of improved mobile services, and money-based activism.

“The new decade marks a tipping point in the racial, ethnic and religious profile of popular majorities,” says WGSN. Brands need to work hard to find a way how they can be relevant to these consumers’ values and lifestyles, if they haven’t yet already, it warns.

“The transformative force of 5G on mobiles means m-commerce will dominate. Its take-up will accelerate mass adoption for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences, and further impact future consumer engagement.” Companies thus need to ensure their offerings are available on multiple platforms (mobile and comput-

er) and surfaces (smart glasses, VR screens, etc.).

“Crowd-based capitalism will emerge as a force to be reckoned with, as more consumers use activism to ensure their money stays local.”

“Companies will need to act to embed their values into the economic value chain at a local level, as this will be the difference between growth and stagnation in 2020,” WGSN explains. “A growing number of consumers will be opting for brands that adopt sustained and measurable positive action within their communities.”

In addition to the before mentioned, anxiety continues to be a driver: it causes people to challenge notions of perfection and gives rise to apathetic subcultures and behaviours, says WGSN.

2018 Q3 :: Sports Trader

p28 :: Apparel & Footwear

Join the dots with socks

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Who would have thought that selling socks could become such fun? Bright colours, dots and stripes create such fun designs that even local sock wearers want to put them on display by wearing socks with sandals, creating a new fashion trend

ot so long ago athletic socks came in all colours ... as long as it was white. Nowadays, socks come in all colours and vibrant and fun designs: from dots, stripes, stars, to squares, chevrons, reflectors and anything else imaginable.

Bold, colourful socks were even the trend at this year’s OutDoor show in Friedrichshafen where knee-high woolly socks in neutral colours used to be the norm. “Socks are more than purely functional, consumers want them in pop colours and with eye-catching patterns,” say the show organisers.

Out with the boring, in with the bright, was the philosophy behind the founding of the Happy Socks brand in 2008 by two Swedish friends who wanted to spread happiness by turning an everyday essential into a colorful design piece. The brand is locally available from The Kartal Distributors.

“Fitness gear, from shoes to apparel, have become very fashionable,” says Keaton Quarmby of local sock manufacturer Falke, qualifying that a performance brand “will never compromise on the fit or functionality of our socks just to make them look cool.”

They do, however, analyse local and international apparel and footwear colour trend predictions, up to 24 months in advance, to make sure that the colour combinations in their sock range compliments the latest activewear and footwear colour trends.

“Colour trends are showing a blend of neutral, monochromatic tones with pops of bright colors in accented areas,” adds Linda Concoran of the Feetures socks head office. The

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

brand is locally available from SBR Agencies.

But, don’t discard the basic black and whites. “Black, gray and white continues to be strong core colors for us that’s carried over from season to season,” she adds.

“Although white and black socks remain the most popular colours there has been a definite demand over the past few years for more colourful options as well,” qualifies Quarmby. of local sock manufacturer Falke.

Modern microfibres Years ago hiking socks were knee-highs knitted from natural wool, which didn’t smell, but did tend to sweat and stretch, which caused friction, resulting in blisters.

The modern microfibres, often used in combination with natural fibres, have gone a long way to to improve fit and functionality. They make the new generation of performance socks lightweight, breathable, fast drying and often odour-free. They also offer a secondskin like fit.

Although about half the local retailers who responded to the Sports Trader survey on consumer preferences in running gear say their customers prefer natural fibres in their socks.

“The market is always looking for performance fibers,” comments Concoran. “Whether it is natural fiber like wool that provides thermal regulation and moisture management, or synthetics like nylon that provides more durability and stretch.”

Moisture management or wicking is very important, as well as features like odour resistance and thermal comfort, she adds.

Every sporting discipline has its own requirements for the function features that will be important in socks, but for all activities “moisture management and ventilation are key focus areas”, agrees Quarmby.

Half of the retail respondents also say that their customers ask for more technical features. Technical features can mean the knit structure of the sock or the inherent benefits in the yarns used, clarifies Concoran.

In performance socks, the three F’s — fit, function and fashion — ensure comfort and increase performance for any sporting activity, says Quarmby.

“A perfect fit is crucial. Every Falke sock is designed to achieve a second-skin fit to decrease friction, which causes blisters.”

Manufacturers achieve this fit with ergonomic designs and the strategic placement of soft elastics, she explains.This includes a seamless design across the toes to prevent chafing.

“Targeted compression that helps support and increase the runner’s performance is important,” Concoran agrees with the running retail respondents.

Strategic compression stabilizes the foot arch and ankle, promotes better circulation and faster recovery of the calf muscles and the anatomical fit prevents blisters forming.

The no show tab (lower silhouettes) are popular for running, says Concoran, while hikers “would lean more towards higher silhouettes like quarters, mini crews and crew length.”

At OutDoor knee high socks were in voguefor running, while the new generation hikers preferred shorter cuffs.

What sets Falke apart?

The name Falke is known to all local athletes who wear socks. Founded 123 years ago in Germany, the Falke family has been manufacturing socks in South Africa since the early 1980s — and they are still innovating.

In a world of endless trends and mass production, quality and style are what guides Falke, says Group Marketing Director Keaton Quarmby. “When we create any Falke product, superior quality and world-class design are our highest priority.

They use their German engineering heritage to ensure that every Falke sport sock adheres to three core principles of Fit, Function and Fashion (see opposite page).

Founded in Schmallbergen in 1895, the Falke family opened a sock knitting mill in Atlantis, Cape Town in the early 1980’s and moved the factory to its current location in Bellville in the mid-eighties. In 1996 Falke bought a hosiery plant in Rosslyn, Pretoria.

“Flawless fit is achieved by offering more sizes than most competitors, using only the best quality performance yarns, strategic placement of soft elastics and ergonomic design,” says Quarmby.

“All our socks are engineered with an indepth understanding of the requirements for each sporting discipline.Close collaboration with sport scientists and athletes guarantees

that all our performance socks are engineered with the specific demands of various sporting activities in mind.”

“One of the pillars of Falke is innovation, so we are contantly working on ways to further improve on our core product principles (fit, function and fashion),” adds Quarmby.

“Although we are confident that our socks fit the best, we are tireless in our pursuit to find ways to further improve on this through using the latest knitting technology and often pushing past the limits of what is accepted as being possible.”

The South African factories work closely with the international team of experts in Europe and the US to create new fibre blends to improve comfort, functionality and durability.

All the styles in the latest Falke performance range have a seamless toe construction, and sensitive cuffs across the calves.

They also come in eye-catching colours and fun designs.

The All Terrain anklets (opposite page left) are made from a mohai/wool fibre blend that re-

Apparel & Footwear :: p29 duces friction and blisters. A honeycomb mesh construction cools the foot down, while ankle stabilising technology and a offer further comfort features.

In addition, the Limited Edition series have mesh panels for ventilation, a reinforced heel and toe for durability and arch support to prevent the sock from sliding.

The Limited Edition range includes the Dot (opposite page middle), Graphite (right top), Argyle (right middle) and Star (right bottom), which share the same technologies, but each have their own distinctive designs.

The ultra thin Hidden Dry socks (below left) have heel tabs to prevent them from slipping into the shoe and deep heel pockets to keep the sock in place. Constructed from artificial fibres, mesh panels aid ventilation and Dynamix technology provides moisture management. A seamless toe construction helps to prevent blisters.

In future there will be even more technologyies compression, colours, etc. in socks, predicts Quarmby.

ALL TERRAIN

Available at Sportsmans Warehouse and Specialist Sport Stores nationwide falkesa falke_sa falkesa

p30 :: Outdoor

Anglers spend R18.9-bn on fishing A study by academics and scientists show that recreational anglers contribute R26.5-bn to the GDP ... and spend R7-bn on fishing gear and clothing. This should encourage government to support this sector, says SACRAA, who commissioned the study funded by SAFTAD

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he South African Fishing Tackle Agents and Distributers (SAFTAD) loaned the SA Consolidated Recreational Angling Association (SACRAA) R1.3-m to commission a report by nine scientists and academics to determine the economic impact of the South African recreational fishing industry (see details at the bottom of the page).

The 31-page report tells us that the estimated 1.3-m South African anglers spend an estimated R18.9-bn per year on fishing activities — which has an indirect economic impact of R26.4-bn on the South African GDP. Of this, the researchers say South African anglers spend an estimated R1.97-bn on terminal tackle, R4.37-bn on other fishing tackle and R687-m on fishing clothing. This amounts to approximately R7-bn per year, which is 37% of their total spend on angling activities.

This project, which was also partly funded by the Department of Trade and Industry, is

intended to provide policymakers with information on the socio-economic importance of recreational fisheries, say the authors. “This research will also assist fisheries’ managers in understanding the consequences of changes to regulations and improve the planning and management of recreational angling.”

The approximately 29 000 competitive anglers have representation on SASCOC via their representative fishing bodies — but the social anglers, who are in the majority, have no voice, explains John Pledger, who was the liaison between SAFTAD, SACRAA and the researchers. “SACRAA will look after all the nonaffiliated anglers who just want to fish and we must protect their right to have access to clean fishing waters,” he adds. The report will show government how important this sector is to the economy — for example, that it supports 94 000 jobs.

While the report gives a detailed breakdown of the amounts anglers on average spend on

Estimated annual spend by recreational anglers

The researchers calculated the amounts recreational anglers spend on their hobby per year in two tables: right is the estimated spend during fishing trips and below is the estimated spend during the rest of the year. The column on the right represents the amount in R-m the total number of anglers would spend per item. This gave them an estimated total of R18 923-m (R8-bn plus R10.89-bn) spent by all 1.3-m South African recreational anglers in a year.

Spend in general per year Annual fees Fishing equipment Boat maintenance Boat seaworthy and safety Insurance on fishing items Mooring fees Fishing clothing Storage fees Other Total

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

items like parking, fish filleting, beverages, petrol, insurance, storage, accommodation, gifts and the many other expenses incurred during fishing trips, there is unfortunately no detailed information about the types of fishing equipment bought and the amounts spent on rods, reels, bait, etc. at retail.

The amount anglers would spend in tackle and sport or outdoor retail stores is only reported in the three broad categories mentioned above, namely terminal tackle, tackle and clothing. In the table showing expenditure during fishing trips, expenditure on fresh bait had been added (see tables below).

When compared to the import statistics from the DTI, it seems that the bulk of fishing tackle must be manufactured locally. In 2017 the value of imported fishing tackle (rods, reels, hooks, lures and accessories) was R201m. Even if wholesalers and retailers all made 100% margins and 14% VAT is added, the total retail value would have been R917-m if all the

Spend on fishing trips

475 3 289 701 196 667 23 517 47 135

631 4 367 931 260 886 30 687 62 180

Entrance fees Accommodation Transport Food Alcohol and beverages Boat fuel and oil Terminal fishing tackle Commercial frozen bait Locally harvested bait Gillies Boat hire Competitions Parking Charter or fishing guides Fish cleaning/filleting Gifts Medical (first aid/sunlotion)

6 050

8 033

Total

Spend per angler (ZAR)

Total spend (ZAR million)

Spend per angler (ZAR)

Total spend (ZAR million)

242 1 134 1 824 1 136 467 659 1 485 544 115 51 45 189 21 34 6 105 147

321 1 506 2 421 1 508 620 874 1 971 722 152 67 60 251 28 45 8 139 195

8 202

10 890

Outdoor :: p31

imported goods had been sold. In 2016 the total retail value of tackle imports would have been slightly higher, namely R1-bn — which is still R3.37-bn short of the annual spend on tackle estimated by the authors.

The figures in the report are all correct and cannot be questioned, says Pledger, as they had been peer-reviewed and compiled by highly-regarded economists and academics from several universities around the country.

He also points out that certain products, like sinkers are, for example, not imported and rods and accessories are made locally.

Most of the respondents vary between regular anglers, who go fishing between 21-30 days per year (21%), to really serious participants, fishing three to six months and more a year (16%), and on the other end of the spectrum are the occasional 17% who spend 11-20 days — or even less (14%) — fishing per year.

And they are really dedicated to their fishing: for 83% fishing is their primary recreational activity, although 24% also like to go hunting, and 9% play golf or hike.

They mostly prefer to go fishing in groups (80%) and most of them travel to fishing destinations in groups of two to five people. More

Profile of the respondents THE RECREATIONAL fishing survey questionnaires were completed online by 1 015 anglers between January and October 2016 after being advertised in consumer fishing publications and in tackle shops. Hard copies were also distributed at the Bloemhofdam Bonanza competition in 2016, where 147 were completed, and a further 158 questionnaires were completed by fieldworkers at popular angling sites in KwaZulu Natal, the Eastern Cape and Western Cape. A total of 1 320 questionnaires were received, which is 0.1% of the total number of South African anglers (3.1-m) estimated by the researchers.

Most of the anglers who responded to the

than half (52%) go on angling trips lasting 3-5 days, but 30% go on longer trips lasting 6-10 days. During the 12 months before completion of the study 60% of the respondents went on day or weekend trips, while 30% went on longer trips.

During these trips the anglers spend on average R27 265 per person per year — with most (R4 558) spent on terminal tackle, transport (R4 360), boat fuel and oil (R3 950). They make a considerable contribution to fishing spot economies by on average paying for accommodation (R3 879), food (R2 893), alcohol and beverages (R1 670) and gifts (R586). Poorer community members benefit from spending on items like harvested bait (R340), gillies (R293) as well as fish cleaning and filleting (R65).

Most anglers (85%) catch and release when fishing, while 59% eat the fish that they catch.

Twelve percent (12%) sell the fish they catch and 6% donate it. The percentages will not add up to 100% as respondents could indicate more than one option. Also, the sale of fish by recreational anglers in South Africa is illegal.

The majority (78%) of respondents have not yet caught a tagged fish — and of the 22% who had, only half had reported it to the relevant questionnaire belong to a sport fishing (40%) or social club (56%).

They are predominantly English (50%) or Afrikaans (49%) speaking males (90%), aged 45 on average. They are mainly well-educated more than half (55%) had obtained a tertiary, professional or post-graduate degree or diploma - and most of them are self-employed or in managerial positions (21%), or in professional occupations (17%). More than a quarter earn between R140 000 and R221 000 per year, while 17% earn more than R670 000 – but 25% have a relatively low income of less than R120 000 per year.

Most of them (84%) were introduced to fishing by their families when they were younger

authorities. Seventy-three percent (73%) of respondents bought a marine recreational angling permit and 65% a freshwater recreational angling permit. Some provinces do not require licenses or permits for freshwater angling and most freshwater licenses are held in the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal (31%) and the Western Cape (27%). The licenses of 66% of the respondents had been checked by a fisheries control officer, on average three times in the preceding year.

Using various methods (e.g. comparing angler licences purchased and members of competitive angling bodies to the survey respondents) the researchers agreed that the total number of recreational anglers is 1 327 633.

They then used a multiplier analysis to determine the annual spending by anglers (R18.9-bn) and the economic significance of angling for the South African economy (R26.4-bn).

Saayman, M., Saayman, A., Zeelie, E., Potts, W., Mann, B., Weyl, O., Van der Merwe, P., Wood, A., Raemeakers, S., Cowley, P., Pledger, J., Bova, C. & Scholtz, M. 2017. Economic significance of recreational angling in South Africa 2017. Potchefstroom: Tourism Research in Economic Environs & Society.

than ten.

Among the freshwater angling respondents tiger fishing is the most popular, followed by boat angling for carp, kurper, yellowfish etc. in a dam or river, followed by bass angling.

The respondents’ preferred freshwater species are carp (8%), bass (6%) and barbell (6%), while kabeljou (8%), mackerel (4%) and shad/ elf (4%) are the most popular marine species.

The online questionnaire was advertised in fishing magazines, and 28% of the respondents say they read Stywe Lyne/Tight Lines, 18% Bank Angler/Oewerhengelaar, 16% Ski Boat and 11% Rock Surf & Deep. Tight Lines and the Bank Angler sponsored the Bloemhof Bonanza, where questionnaires were distributed.

2018 Q3 :: Sports Trader

Mary-Ann Hodgson (right) and her team that manned the registration desk: Keisha, Serena and Clarah.

Mike Pereira (left) showing the Daiwa Tannacom electric SAFTAD action committee member Graham deep water reel, with committee member Mike Phillip on Hills of Pure Fishing with the new Penn SpinThe Kingfisher stand. fisher V1 reel.

SAFTAD 2018:

SAFTAD committee member Andrew Wentzel (right) with W.E.T. Sport agents Johan Minnaar, Ian Couryer and Leon Van Heerden.

Quality above quantity A flurry of late visitor registrations resulted in several exhibitors at this year’s SA Fishing Tackle Agents and Distributors (SAFTAD) show expressing satisfaction with the interest shown by visitors to their stands. Photos: LOUIS DU TOIT

A

week or two before this year’s SAFTAD tackle trade show in Johannesburg the committee was worried: pre-registrations were down 40% on last year, when the visitor numbers were already 20% down from the year before.

But, then there was a sudden flurry of late pre-registrations — even as late as the Thursday and Friday before the show.

“Although it placed Mary-Ann (Hodgson, who organises the show) under tremendous pressure, we knew that somebody who pre-registers on the Friday is likely to attend the show, and will not cancel as happened in previous years,” says John Pledger, who was re-elected SAFTAD president at the AGM on Saturday.

With the result that the initial tally shows that 189 companies sent representatives to the show this year. Many came from far — Louis Trichardt, Cape Town, Durban, etc.

“On the Saturday visitor numbers were up 15.4% on last year — we counted 105 companies coming through the door — and on Sunday 12% more dealers visited than last year, namely 84,” he adds. The final figures will be announced once duplicates and non-retail visitors had been removed.

Disclaimer: This year pre-registration forms were not distributed to retailers through

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

After 19 years, the show has become a fixture on the South African tackle trader calender Sports Trader as in previous years. We did, however, write about SAFTAD on our blog for the trade shortly before the show.

After 19 years, the show has become a fixture on the annual South African tackle trader calendar — but over the past few years exhibitor and visitor numbers have unfortunately been declining. This year’s 38 exhibitors on 35 stands were, for example, 27% down from the 52 exhibitors in the show’s heyday six years ago.

Visitor interest also peaked at that stage when more than 250 retailers sent more than 650 representatives to attend the show. That year, 2012, was also a boom year for tackle imports and retail sales, which unfortunately declined since then.

Waning interest in trade shows is, however, a global phenomenon. This year, for example, an attempt to resurrect the ailing Tackle & Guns Trade Show in the UK failed and the event planned for October was cancelled. The organiser is, however, confident it will succeed next year.

Yet, SAFTAD exhibitors were generally posi-

tive. “One exhibitor said it was the best show he’d ever attended,” says Pledger, adding that many exhibitors told him that they were happy with the quality of the visitors to their stands, who were serious about doing business.

Comments we received were cautiously optimistic, e.g. a qualified we are satisfied and the dealers came through and we were generally pleased, to “we did feel that the show was better than last year, but we will have to wait and hope the orders come in!” from Apex Walker.

Outdoor brand Columbia exhibited their Performance Fishing Gear (PFG) shirts mainly “to reach more fishing retailers that we do not normally deal with,” says National Retail Sales Manager of local distributor Brand ID. “I found Saturday to be slightly quiet, but expected that due to retailers that still trade. Overall, we were happy with the number of new contacts we received,” he concludes. Spend “The turnout was better than expected thanks to a last minute drive to get customers there after slow pre-registrations,” says Andrew Wentzel of W.E.T. Sports, who add that they are “always grateful for the effort customers make to be there, especially those who travel from far”.

Their table of new items from ProHunter — To p34 some already available, some

p34 :: Outdoor

Left: Part of the large Kingfisher stand. Above: Adrenalin Fishing Products. Below left: W.E.T. Sports was kept busy on their stand Right: Pure Fishing SA Product Manager Dexter Grewcock with an Abu Garcia Fantasista Premier rod and Abu Garcia MGX Extreme reel, which were popular items on their stand where all their prize-winning brands could be viewed..

SAFTAD cont. from p32 still on their way — received lots of attention — in particular the Frogs and Mice, Spiral Rap, Moth and the range of colourful tackle boxes.

“The award-winning (at EFTTEX–ed) surprise we had in store was from the Scandinavian company Westin,” says Wentzel. They provide “stunning packaging with awesome finishes.

Barry the Bass, Tommy the Trout, Mike the Pike and Danny the Duck attracted many positive responses, but Coco the Crab stole the show,” he says. And with such names, who could resist them?

W.E.T. Sports also introduced their 2018 fishing catalogue at the show.

Big offering from The Kingfisher As always, the many new products, including brightly coloured caps and shirts and Mustad accessories on The Kingfisher stand again drew the visitors.

Daiwa reels, which had many winners at EFTTEX (see overleaf) again occupied pride of place on the stand. The Tannacom 1000 Power Assist electric reel that makes deep drop fishing so much easier, attracted quite a bit of attention. The battery-charged reel automatically measures line let out and rewinds once the Power Lever is activated — until the lure reaches. This power assist helps to retrieve those heavy sinkers and an oversize line guide

aperture help stop large knots. The new LCD display screen also reads in English.

Pure Fishing reels them in “We always view the show as an opportunity to showcase our product range to retailers,” says Graham Hills of Pure Fishing SA. The show enables them to discuss the features of the new ranges, while ensuring the existing products remain top of mind.

“Our team was busy both days so I would say the show was a success for us,” he adds.

Some of the Penn and Abu Garcia reels that had visitors to this year’s EFTTEX and ICAST international tackle trade shows talking, impressed visitors to their stand at SAFTAD. “The Spinfisher VI range is a fully sealed range of reels that are sure to be popular with the rock and surf community,” says Hills. Several new features promotes it to a new class of durable spinning reel: highly rated IPX5 seals, for example, protect against any salt water getting into the gear box or drag system. A full metal body and sideplate keep the 5+1 sealed stainless steel CNC Gear System aligned, even when reeling in really big saltwater fish, while the HT-100 drag washers give the necessary stopping power.

Another Penn reel that attracted attention is the new Conflict ll LC — the lightest reel Penn has ever designed, but with the potential of delivering further and faster casts. “It is great Left: Brand ID National Retail Sales Manager Eugene Brown showed the Columbia PFG fishing shirts to visitors.

Right: Committee member Howard Joscelyne with Claire Ramsden and Bryan Tait on the Apex Walker stand.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

for spinning applications,” says Hills.

The 4000 model is the smallest model on the market and it goes up to the standard 8000 model. Its RR30 Rigid Resin body and rotor is made of 30% carbon, which ensures a very lightweight and stiff frame, while the added CNC gear technology gives a very strong, lightweight, gear, which is very durable and enables long casts. It also features a smooth HT100 drag and high quality 7+1 stainless steel ball bearings. The Superline Spool with rubber gasket keeps superlines from slipping.

Two reels from Abu Garcia that generated interest are the latest Revo 4 Beast and the Revo Rocket Baitcaster.

The Revo Rocket baitcaster’s unique 9.0:1 gear ratio ensures very fast action when casting or retrieving line. The reason To p36

SAFTAD Committee members John Pledger was re-elected chairperson Mary-Ann Hodgson remains secretary and show organiser.

The following people were elected to the action committee: Ahmed Hoosain of Sensational Angling.

Andrew Catchpole of S.I. Mias.

Andrew Wentzel of W.E.T. Sport.

Graham Hills of Pure Fishing.

Howard Joscelyne of Apex Walker.

Mike Phillip of The Kingfisher.

W.E.T. Sports Fishing Favourites Quality Products and Service Since 1984

Ball Sinker Mould Part of our affordable range of Sinker Moulds

Aqua Shad 80mm Rigged 3 Pack Embedded Holographic effect

Droppen Spinners now available carded separately

Mustad Boat Bags Hard Box Style Bottoms 18” and 24”

Mad Boy 60mm Highly Responsive Crankbait in variety of colours

Ez Gimbelt Durable Rod Buckets

Predator X14 Mouse in 5 colours Lifelike action

Mustad Branded Caps and Face Scarves in various colours/styles

Predator X11 Frog in 5 colours Lifelike action

Starter Tackle Kit 1 Tray Tackle Box plus 50 piece Starter Kit

Fat Boy 35mm Quick Diver 4 colours

Top Gun 115mm Pencil Popper Top water lure

Range of Back Pack Tackle Bags with Wooden Insert

Mustad MT 048 Snowman’s Carp Scissors

NEW Carp Dips Floaties and Feed For our full range of Fishing products and new Carp section make sure you have a copy of our new 2018/19 Fishing Catalogue. Contact us at W.E.T. Sports Importers Tel 021 948 8150 Fax 086 609 7343 sales@wetsports.co.za www.wetsports.co.za

p36 :: Outdoor

Winning brands from EFTTEX and ICAST Local suppliers of EFTTEX and ICAST 2018 winners EFTTEX

Winner

Local distributor

Rod Fly reel Fixed Spool reel Multiplier reel Fly line/leader Braid Hard lure Soft lure Metal lure Terminal Tackle Clothing Sunglasses

Okuma Helios SX Hardy HBX Saltwater Daiwa Exist LT Daiwa 18 Ryoga RIO Big Nasty 4D Sink Tip Rapala VMC 131 Super Shadow Rap Savage Gear 4D Line Thru Pike Madcat A-Static Rattlin Spoons Mustad Triangle Hook Snowbee Nivalis Down Jacket Wiley X WX Nash

Sensational Pure Fishing The Kingfisher The Kingfisher Xplorer Fly fishing Rapala VMC SA Rapala VMC SA RAD Fishing Gear DAM SA Various The Kingfisher Wiley X

Bags & Luggage

Daiwa Prorex Folding XL Bucket

The Kingfisher

ICAST

Winner

Saltwater Rod Freshwater Rod Fly Fishing Rod Saltwater Reel Freshwater Reel Rod & Reel Combo Freshwater Hard Lure Freshwater Soft Lure Terminal Tackle Eyewear Marine Electronics

St. Croix Rods Mojo Yak St. Croix Rods Legend Glass St. Croix Rods Mojo Trout Shimano Tekota 500 Shimano Curado DC Lew’s Team let’s Custom Black Westin Freddy the Frog LiveTarget Hollow Body Crawfish Rapala VMC Neko Skirt Costa Sunglasses Baffin Garmin Panoptix LiveScope

Local distributor Xplorer Fly fishing Xplorer Fly fishing Xplorer Fly fishing Rapala VMC SA Rapala VMC SA Thornveld Angling W.E.T. Sports Adrenalin Fishing Rapala VMC SA Rapala VMC SA Garmin SA

S

everal of the prizewinning brands at this year’s EFTTEX fishing tackle trade show that was held in Amsterdam are available to South African retailers via local distributors.

Daiwa, available locally from The Kingfisher, was the stand-out brand that won three categories: the Fixed Spool Reel (Exist LT), Multiplier Reel (18 Ryoga) and Boxes/bags (Prorex Folding lure bucket). The Kingfisher also imports the winning clothing brand, Snowbee Nivalis Down Jacket.

Rapala VMC won two categories and was runner-up in two more: their Rapala VMC 131 was voted the best braid line, while the Super Shadow Rap won the Hard Lure category. The brand was the runner-up in the Soft Lure category with the X-Rap Peto and in the Metal Lure category with the Storm RIP Spinner Bait. In addition, Rapala VMC in South Africa also distributes the Costa eyewear brand, which was a runnerup in the Sunglasses & Headwear category.

Products from the Pure Fishing stable were runners-up in 4 categories and the winner in one. The Hardy HBX Saltwater was voted the Best Fly Reel and Hardy’s HBX was the runner-up in the Fly Rod category. The company also came second in the Rod (Greys GR100) category, while the Abu Garcia Revo 4 Beast was runner-up in the Multiplier Reel and Berkley X9 Superline in the Braid categories.

Ten local distributors import these prize-winning brands, some of them import two wining brands, namely The Kingfisher (Daiwa and

Snowbee), Rapala VMC (Rapala and Costa), RAD Fishing gear (Prologic, Savage Gear) and Frontier Distribution (Sage and Scientific Anglers).

Differences at ICAST The many differences between the European and American markets are once again highlighted by the best product awards at this year’s EFTTEX (European) and ICAST (American) fishing tackle trade shows: not one product in any category won at both shows.

Costa sunglasses came the closest to recognition in both shows with a runner-up award for sunglasses in Amsterdam and a win in Orlando, while Rapala VMC had winners in both shows — but not the same products.

At ICAST St Croix, locally available from Xplorer Fly Fishing, was the biggest winner with awards in all three the rod categories: Saltwater (Mojo Yak), Freshwater (Legends Glass) and Fly Fishing (Mojo Trout).

Shimano, distributed by Rapala VMC SA, won two ICAST awards for reels: Best Saltwater (Tekota 500 Levelwind) and Freshwater (Curado DC). Rapala VMC itself won the Best Terminal Tackle category with the Neko Skirt.

Other locally available brands that won are the Best Rod and Reel Combo from Lew’s, available from Thornveld Angling; The Best Freshwater Soft Lure from Live Target (Adrenalin Fishing); Freddy the Frog was the Best Hard Lure from Westin’s (W.E.T. Sports); and the Panoptix LiveScope from Garmin was this year’s Best Marine Electronics on show.

EFTTEX winner at SAFTAD why they could achieve such a high gear ratio is because of the strong and powerful D2 gear system, explains Andrew Wheeler, Abu Garcia’s product manager.

“It also features an extended band carbon fibre handle, which is very lightweight and allows you to get your hand much closer to the reel, which makes it more ergonomic and comfortable to fish with.”

The extended handle also provides more torque, which gives you the power to reel in large fish, he adds.

Other features are the X-Craftic alloy frame and sideplate that gives the reel a lot of strength, and a very powerful drag system that gives high max drags.

The Revo 4 Beast is different to any other oversized baitcaster reel he has ever used to catch the really big fish, Bassmaster Elite fisherman Dave Mercer said on the Pure Fishing stand at ICAST. “It is not so heavy as the other big fish reels and feels comfortable in the hand —

Industry :: p37

B2C new threat to retail?

B2C is a concept that is growing in popularity — especially among big brands. It means by-passing the retailer and marketing and selling directly to the consumer.

This business model is now driven by some trade shows, which used to be safe havens for retailers to engage with their suppliers in a traditional B2B relationship

E

arlier this year members of the international outdoor community were surprised/shocked/delighted to hear that ISPO Munich had won the vote to become the next host of the European outdoor show that has been so closely associated with Messe Friedrichshafen for the past 25 years.

The umpah-pah of the Hofbrau Haus in Munich does have a certain charm, but surely that cannot compete with the holiday atmosphere and picturesque quaint villages around Lake Constance, was the first question that came to mind.

But, once ISPO did their slick presentation to the trade in Munich the reasons why more than 60% of the European Outdoor Group members — including several online retailers — voted to go to Munich, became clearer.

Concepts like digitization, 365 days a year platform (the new fancy name for the ISPO

cont. from p34 yet it has 22lbs of pulling power to move big fish.” It is therefore no surprise that it was the runner-up in the Best Multiplier Reel category at EFTTEX. Mercer also found that “one of nicest features is the handles, which you won’t miss as so often happens with other reels”. The oversized ergonomic handles are fitted with EVA power knobs and a deeper spool allows extra line capacity.

Titanium-coated sideplates provide a tough exterior with increased scratch-resistance, corrosion-resistance and a sleek finish.

“Our new range of Berkley topwater lures also received a lot of attention,” says Hills.

SAFTADs pre-show social media marketing campaign will tell consumers about the new products on show before retailers will see them. website and newsletter), reaching out to consumers, and inspiring the young, electronically attuned generation to love the outdoors — even if it is mainly as an extension of their digital lives — abounded.

The ISPO website, where products are featured throughout the year, was a major selling point as it extends the marketing of products — to consumers — far beyond the normal trade show week.

Everything was about virtual online experiences, the real world felt remote. A brave member on ISPOs presentation panel did mention that the whole object of the outdoor industry is to get people into nature, away from all their electronic devices, but that was glossed over by the other enthusiastic panellists, several from online and marketing companies.

Virtual experiences Even when just about all the youngsters in a video poll said travel when asked what they would do if they won a thousand euros, this was interpreted as the youth looking for new experiences which the virtual world can provide ... not, great, lets sell them backpacks, travel clothing, walkings shoes as a retailer might think.

This digital world was sold as the here now and the future. Oh yes, retailers were mentioned, as in come to the party if you want to

stay relevant.

The sport industry needs to digitize, ISPO said when promoting the first ISPO Digitize Summit with 443 participants from the sports retail and distribution market earlier this year.

Of the 443, 35% were retailers.

Sports retailers in particular are lagging behind when it comes to digitalization, Professor Karl Peter Fischer from the University of Applied Management, told the summit. Based on the initial results from the ISPO Digital Readiness Check, which has already been completed by 500 sport industry members, retailers are lagging behind at just 48%.

“Translated into words, this means that many companies are either just now planning or have only recently started digitalization.”

Digitize or die?

The sub-text is become a dinosaur if you want to continue with the old ways, namely buying from manufacturers and their distributors, and then selling it to your retail customers through your store. In other words, B2B, or Business to Business.

In such an atmosphere, who’ll be brave enough to put up their hand and say I prefer the old ways? Friedrichshafen did, with their Retail First presentation — but then, they came second.

They are, going ahead with another OUTDOOR show in Friedrichshafen in September next year, where outdoor retailers will again get free entry and enjoy other benefits. OutDoor by ISPO Munich will be held end June, early July (note the different spellings).

It is clear that it is believed that this reaching out and talking to consumers must be done by the brands, not retailers. B2C, Business to Consumers, is the new buzz concept.

To p38

2018 Q3 :: Sports Trader

p38 :: Industry

B2C retail from p37 How this would work, was already demonstrated at ISPO Shanghai, where digitization was a strong feature. The show organisers partnered with Tmall (which is part of Alibaba) to enable consumers, who weren’t allowed at the trade-only show, to watch the ISPO Goes Tmall Sports Fashion Show online.

They could then order the items they liked on the catwalk directly from the online retailer.

This B2C event went on for a couple of days, while the trade was conducting business behind closed doors in the halls.

An example mentioned by ISPO of how brick and mortar retailers can digitize was to equip sales staff with tablets so that they can look up product information when approached by a customer ... it was not explained how to monitor that these tablets are not used for chat rooms, to check on social media posts, or to play games, while the customers walk out because they can’t compete with these attention-seeking devices.

That B2C would be promoted through trade shows, always a safe haven for retailers to see the next season’s products and trends and while planning the stock they will show and sell to consumers in a few months’ time, feels a bit off.

SAFTAD reach out to consumers But, it is not only international trade shows that are favouring B2C. Next year will be the 20th anniversary of the SAFTAD fishing tackle trade show, founded because the original members were expelled from the SASGAM industry body when they refused to exhibited at a combined trade-consumer show.

Ironically, this will be celebrated by a pre-show social media marketing campaign to tell consumers about the new products before retailers will see them at the show.

The aim is to create sufficient interest from consumers to pressurise retailers into placing orders of the products their customers like, explains SAFTAD president John Pledger.

“We will get a company in to talk to the exhibitors before the show and then write about the new products that they will launch at the show on Facebook,” he explains, naming two Facebook pages with hundreds of thousands of consumer followers — one belonging to a wellknown distributorship — where anglers will be able to receive the information.

Until 2015 Sports Trader used to tell retailers about the new products to be launched at SAFTAD in our Tackle Trader publication, which was distributed free to retailers at the show and then mailed free to other retailers stocking tackle gear and apparel. We had to discontinue this due to lack of support from SAFTAD — especially the bigger exhibitors — who saw no need to market their products in a publication just for retailers.

The possibility of having a consumer day at SAFTAD was discussed at the committee meeting held during the show this year, but most exhibitors were against it.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

The panellists who discussed online retailing at Source Africa were Olivia Kennaway (Atelier Eleven & Lalesso), Sadie de Wet of Cape Union Mart, Tey Spanksta and Didier de Villiers of Magents, and James Robertson of Big Blue Retail.

Photo by Carin Hardisty.

Selling online reaches 1% shoppers IT IS certainly tempting to set-up an online business to sell directly to consumers. Just imagine, little overheads, no need to interact with demanding customers wasting your time by trying on everything in the store, and you can work wherever you may be ... on the beach, while travelling ... and, if you are marketing a brand, you can cut out the middle man, aka retailer. Sounds idyllic?

Certainly not!

A reality check will tell you that South African online sales are still hovering around 1% of total retail, as reported in the Worldwide Worx study*. And that includes electronics (computers, cell phones, gaming consoles, etc.), books, pet food, all other food, tickets, and all the other things that are far easier to buy online than sport, outdoor and lifestyle equipment, clothing and footwear.

No jobs, no money Online is the playground of the young, but according to Statistics SA double the number of youths are unemployed when compared to unemployment among the older population — in fact, more than 3.3-m working age young people are currently unemployed. They can therefore only shop in the virtual world where they do not have to spend the money they do not have. In other words, they can look and like, but can’t buy.

Therefore, while Takealot seems to have cornered good online market share, fashion traders Spree and Superbalist had to join forces recently ... not what one would expect if both were selling more than they could handle a day.

Spree recently predicted that online will grow to 4% of total retail sales over the next 3 years.

This could, of course change in a few years, but for the time being brick and mortar retailers would remain the preferred shopping platform for most South African sport, outdoor and lifestyle customers ... provided they have jobs and can afford to spend on more than essentials.

The pitfalls and benefits of online selling was this year discussed by a panel of experts at Source Africa, an annual sourcing trade show for textiles, apparel and footwear on the African continent, which is hosted in Cape Town in June.

Africa has more mobile users than the US and Europe, they said. The majority of South African online shoppers buy via their smartphones, the 2017 Connected Consumer survey shows, and 84% of responders said they

use their smartphones to look for information on future purchases (only 4% use tablets).

Amazon is a good wake-up call to our market, said Sadie de Wet from Cape Union Mart but it’s a sterile platform with no opportunity to implement your brand’s image.

By creating your own online presence, you have this opportunity. With the rising interest in online it’s important that you give consumers a reason to come to your store, she added.

Keep in mind that the person who shops online might not necessarily be the same as the one who wants to buy at a brick-andmortar, said James Robertson of Big Blue Retail. Shopping in a centre is an entertainment experience – a customer might meet a friend there, keep other appointments in the mall (e.g. have his hair done), in addition to shopping in a few stores. On the other hand, his online store does well with the “curvier woman, who might be embarrassed to shop for 4XL clothing in a physical store”.

Not cheaper Many might view etailing as a cheaper route to set up shop, but this isn’t necessarily true, warned Robertson. You need to invest in developing the platform, a payment system, need someone to keep up with what is happening on your social media account and interactions, you need to photograph and deepedge products to use on your online platforms (etail and social media), etc.

Online is great for smaller brands that don’t have as many inventory requirements as bigger companies and don’t need as complicated a set up, said Olivia Kennaway of brands Atelier Eleven and Lalesso, who uses Instagram to drive a lot of her business.

You can, for example, use a shopping platform such as Shopify to also track your social media referrals and sales conversions, she suggested. Social media in turn allows you to be flexible and change your strategy faster, because you can quicker gauge the response and adjust where necessary, she explained.

But it is especially important to know your customer if you sell via social media.

You can also partner with service provider companies who have already developed the resources you require, for example a courier, De Wet pointed out. * The report Online Retail in South Africa 2016 can be ordered from arthur@worldwideworx.com

Outdoor :: p39

Gun dealers take aim at CFR chaos

Photo of archer Wian Roux by Reg Caldecott for TuksSport.

I

n addition to the uncertainty about the status of close to half a million expired firearms licenses playing havoc with the trade, firearms retailers have the further frustration of having to deal with the chaos caused by the poor administration of the Central Firearms Registry (CFR).

The South African Arms and Ammunition Dealers’ Association (SAAADA) have, however, now had enough and in June asked the Gauteng High Court to force the registry to process the transfer of ownership documents correctly within a reasonable time, says its chairman Jonathan Fouché.

He cites several cases where the documents for the transfer of ownership — whether from importer to dealer, dealer to customer, even from customer to dealer — had either gone astray, been lost, misfiled, or certificates are simply returned incorrect or incomplete.

In some cases, firearms would stay on the import system for years, despite repeated attempts to have ownership transferred. “A dealer would, for example, submit a form for the transfer of five guns, but only two or three of them would be done,” says Fouché.

Another example is a dealer who is still trying to get the correct documentation for a firearm bought in 2013. “I spoke to a client today who bought a pistol a year ago from a dealer, but it is still reflected on the import code — someone at the registry simply didn’t bother to process it,” he adds.

“An importer brought in a thousand pistols about four to six years ago, which he sold to dealers, who in turn sold it to individual license holders. But when they wanted to re-

Gun dealers, owners and shooting organisations have taken to the courts to try and get relief from the arbitrary application of laws and inept administration of license applications new their licences they found that the guns were all still registered under the importer’s name.”

This leaves customers and dealers extremely frustrated he says — and more often than not customers will blame the dealer for the delay or mistakes. This often leads to cancelled sales. “Dealers are powerless,” he adds.

“There is nobody at the CFR to talk to who can resolve the problems.

In addition, dealers also have to try and soothe the concerns of customers whose licences have expired — a major topic of conversation, according to 86% of the firearms dealers who completed our survey on the impact of the failed application to the Concourt

by SA Hunters to change the Firearms Control Act so that a late renewal of a license would not result in the firearms being confiscated.

The same number (86%) of dealers blame this uncertainty and fear of persecution for the downturn in trade — although 43% added that the economic downturn also plays a role in fewer sales.

Firearms owners with expired licences did get a reprieve through an interdict granted

in the North Gauteng High Court on 27 July to the Gun Owners Association of SA (GOSA).

They asked that the police be prevented from demanding that owners with lapsed licenses hand in their firearms at police stations for destruction and also refrain from accepting firearms from owners with expired licences.

This is in anticipation of a possible amnesty for the holders of expired licences, as announced by Police Minister Bheki Cele, which has not yet been approved by parliament.

Once the amnesty is announced, this could mean that gun owners with expired licences would be able to hand in their firearms at police stations while they apply for new licences.

In the meantime, this uncertainty surrounding more than 400 000 expired licences has had a massive impact on the trade, with 83% retail respondents reporting a downturn in customers wanting to buy firearms.

A third of the respondents have, however, seen a higher demand for sport shooting and hunting guns as more people join shooting sport organisations. Only a few (17%) report that their customers that do not require licenses, like airguns, gas pistols, paintball equipment and archery.

The SA Hunters and Game Conservation Association (SA Hunters) is also still holding discussions with the SAPS and other authorities, after the Constitutional Court overturned Judge Ronel Tolmay’s ruling in the North Gauteng High Court that Sections 24 and 28 of the Firearms Control Act are unconstitutional, because it criminalised gun owners who renewed their firearms licenses late (i.e. not three months before the expiry date).

2018 Q3 :: Sports Trader

p40 :: Outdoor

Who is the

Photo: Messe Friedrichshafen.

outdoor customer

... and what does he/she buy?

A

What does the typical South African outdoor store customer look like? Is it the dog walker wanting comfortable shoes and clothes — or the intrepid climber and MTB rider seeking new adventures and thrills? Or none? We asked local outdoor retailers to describe the needs of their typical outdoor customer after the organisers of the two European outdoor trade shows sketched very different images of their customers.

fter 25 years of the annual trade show festival being held next to Lake Constance, the European outdoor trade will next year have to split its business between Munich and Friedrichshafen. More than 60% of the 115 European Outdoor Group members — of which 18% are retailers and country organisations — voted for a new trade show concept presented by ISPO. The split symbolises much more than a move from an outdoor lakeside venue to a major city. It also personifies two opposing views of the typical outdoor consumer and the best way for the trade to reach him/her.

ISPO’s customer is predominantly young, at home in the digital world, competitive, keen to measure his or her performance with the rest of the digital community, a fan of electronics, and an addict of adventure sports like MTB, paddlesport and trail running, who is forever seeking new experiences.

And the way to reach him/her, says ISPO, is for brands to communicate with him directly

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

The typical local customer is a mature man aged 3050 who enjoys hiking and mainly buys well-priced shoes or clothes in the digital world (see B2C article on p38).

Friedrichahafen drew the line in the sand when they announced their Retail First concept. For them the typical outdoor customer still visits the traditional outdoor store to receive advice on, and to purchase, the gear, clothing and footwear he/she needs to participate in his favourite outdoor activity.

The purpose of promoting outdoor activities is to encourage people of all ages to enjoy being in the outdoors and wean them from the electronic devices that keep them seated in the house, says Messe Friedrichshafen.

To demonstrate their support for retail they will partner with companies supplying retail

store items, while ISPO plans on partnering with the IT industry.

Who is the South African customer?

Sports Trader decided to ask local retailers who they believe are the typical South African customer by answering a few questions on Survey Monkey. This is how they responded: Customer profile: Mature men aged between 30-50 would be the most likely customers in local outdoor stores, say more then two-thirds of the retailers who responded to the Sports Trader snap survey about the typical South African outdoor customers. Family groups are the next most likely customers, according to 57% respondents — but a woman shopping on her own is a rarity, according to most of them.

Favourite activities: Most (71%) of them say their customers are either hikers or weekend walkers, or multi-sport participants. Family campers and the Average Joe or Jane looking for comfortable casual footwear and clothing with technical features are the next customer categories who’ll be most likely to set foot in

Outdoor :: p41 outdoor stores.

None of these respondents count competitive customers who want to measure everything they do, extreme sport enthusiasts, or paddle sport participants, among their customers.

Popular products: As in Europe (see box), clothing and footwear are by far the most popular product items, say 86% of the respondents.

Next on the shopping lists are equipment like hiking accessories, backpacks, knives and multitools and lighting products (according to nearly three-quarters of respondents).

Organisers of international outdoor shows — especially ISPO — have identified peripheral outdoor activities like cycling, paddle sport and trail running as major categories.

The South African retail respondents, however, report that there is no demand for paddle or other watersport products in general outdoor stores — probably because these items are usually bought from specialist stores.

Other product categories for which there are low demand in South African outdoor stores are monitors to measure performance, climbing gear, cycling and shooting gear like airguns and archery, which are also usually bought in specialist stores.

What makes them buy? For local customers Good price is by far the most important criteria when buying products, say 71% of the respondents. The only other deciding factor that more than half (57%) of the respondents identified is Reliable brand name.

New category growth: The respondents did not really identify any one customer category that has shown strong growth over the past five years: a lukewarm 43% did, however, find that more travelers (especially going overseas) visit their stores, as well as younger, more adventurous, customers.

Interestingly, the latest technologies in products is not such a high priority for South African customers, with less than half of the retail re-

Keeps the foot dry and cool at the sole of the foot … the point of highest foot perspiration.

spondents identifying this as a deciding factor when customers buy a new product.

Winning new products The whole object of international trade shows is, of course, to introduce the product developments to the trade. The Best New Product award winners at OutDoor Friedrichshafen are therefore a good indications of new trends that could be seen on retail shelves in future.

This year 37 new and innovative products received OutDoor Industry Awards. Eleven of them were singled out for their exceptional degree of innovation — and received a GoldAward. Among these gold-winning product innovations are: • Windproof jacket with fabric engineered in different density yarns in different sections to provide greater breathability or windproofing where needed (Terrex Agravic Windweave jacket by adidas).

• A shoe that is comfortable and functional with an integrated merino sock liner and natural rubber outsole (Unico by Naglev).

• Waterproof backpack with a new design to enhance easy access, for example with the special positioning of the rear entry zip.

It also features multiple attachment options (Atrack by Ortlieb).

• Backpack with a ventilated carry system that enhances air circulation and reduce contact points, and has an optimal tapered design for optimal load distribution. (Apex Wall by Salewa).

• Sleeping mat with a new hybrid construction: 50% self-inflating polyester fibre-filled channels; 50% insulating foam. It delivers high warmth without cold spots for 4-season use and is lightweight (FjellGuard 60 by Oase Outdoors).

• A satellite communication device that does not require network coverage and is so small that it will fit in a pocket or the palm of a hand (inReach Mini by Garmin).

Shoes perform best in Europe OUTDOOR FOOTWEAR was the leader in sales growth in the European outdoor market in 2017.

Shoe sales grew a high 13.4% to €1.7-bn, compared to only 7.2% growth for the whole industry, according to the State of Trade 2017 report published by the European Outdoor Group (EOG). The total value of the European outdoor market industry is estimated to be €5.86-bn.

“This is a very, very good performance, better than expected,” says EOG president John Jansen. “That is the strongest growth we’ve seen in the industry since 2010, and we’re very proud of that.”

Compared to the market stagnation in 2015 and very low 3% growth in 2016, this does constitute a big improvement. The State of Trade 2017 report was based on data from the 115 EOG member companies — of which 18% are retailers and country organisations.

Clothing remains the highest revenue earner at €2.94-bn, although sales growth was a low 5%. The next highest growth figure was achieved by sleeping bags — 9.7% growth to €118-m, and the biggest loss was in the tent segment, with sales 9.8% down to €152-m.

The growth in all the product segments were as follows: • Clothing: €2.94 billion (up 5%) • Shoes: €1.7 billion (up 13.4%) • Backpacks: €409 million (up 5%) • Accessories: €403 million (up 6%) • Tents: €152 million (down 9.8%) • Climbing accessories: €135 million (up 6.7%) • Sleeping bags: €118 million (up 9.7% “The results of the 2017 State of Trade show how successful our industry is,” says Pauline Shepherd, EOG Head of Market Research, who produced the State of Trade report.

Alligator

Tan/Orange

EVA concave contoured midsole cradles the foot for comfortable wear.

3D air mesh footbed provides superior breathability for improved comfort.

Pike

Black/Yellow

Pike

Tan/Orange

Bar Global Trading | admin@barglobal.co.za | 011 024 3615

p42 :: Outdoor

Interesting products for SA market duce him or her to the Thread LT Plus Watch — yes, with a fully functionable watch attached amidst the tools.

The Tread comes with the Leatherman 25year no-questions-asked guarantee. It is available locally from Awesome Tools.

LedLenser brings the power

Leatherman’s handyman bracelet THE LEATHERMAN Tread LT is a tool option that will keep your customers — and their families — intrigued and in-store for a long time. This new, lighter, version of the revolutionary Tread wrist-wearable tool, will appeal to all genders and ages, as it can be adjusted to accommodate any wrist by unclasping links with a coin.

Despite its slimline look, this fix-it-all bracelet doubles as a set of 29 tools — some offering solutions you didn’t even know you needed, for example, a SIM card pick, a carbide glass breaker plus cutting hook and a socket adapter plus bottle opener in the clasp.

Screwdrivers in all shapes and sizes comprise the bulk of the tool, e.g. six screwdrivers in different sizes, five Hex, four Torx, two Pozi and one Square drives. Six box wrenches complete the functions.

The wrist tool was injection moulded using durable 17-4 stainless steel that is corrosion resistant to stay looking good for a long time.

And if your customer is looking for a gift to really spoil somebody special, why not intro-

Wolverine MultiShox® Comfort System with individual compression pads absorbs shock and returns energy

Do not be deceived by the compact size and light weight of the Ledlenser ML6 camping light: it is not only a versatile and strong light source, it can also act as a powerbank to charge electronics via USB in the outdoors.

Its state-of-the-art 18 Power LED technology provides seven light functions, ranging from a high 750, to 550 to 20 lumens on the low power function. And it is highly energy efficient to boot.

It has three switches to promote intuitive and easy operation to ensure lighting that can be smoothly dimmed and brightened. It also has a built-in battery indicator.

Glare-free illumination is friendly on the

Buckmaster shoes for outdoor The Buckmaster range of outdoor footwear is designed so that it can be worn in the water.

This makes it ideal for people who need traction, but who will also be going in water, for example fishermen.

The Cross Channeled Circulation in the sole creates a circulation of water, air and perspiration and keeps the foot comfortable for longer.

It does this by making sure the To p44

Designed to move with you in your environment, Wolverine ContourWelt® provides the flexibility and comfort of an athletic shoe with the support and durability of a work boot

Revolutionary welt design allows the boot to bend and flex at essential points for maximum performance Lightweight rubber outsole is slip, oil and abrasion resistant

Bar Global Trading admin@barglobal.co.za | 011 024 3615

eye, and the lamp will therefore not be intrusive wherever it is attached.

There is a rubber hook for hanging the light, an integrated magnet to mount it on metal surfaces provides another option,. In addition, there is a removable stand with an extra builtin metal hook that can be flipped out to provide more light mounting options.

Fluorescent elements makes it easy to locate in the dark.

With a tube diameter of less than 4cm and weighing 280g with batteries, the ML6 will fit into a backpack with ease.

LedLenser is locally distributed by Awesome Tools. The camping light comes with a 7-year guarantee if it is registered on their website, otherwise the guarantee is five years.

RAIDER BOOT

CANYON-LO WATERPROOF 6” BOOT

RAIDER ROMEO

I90

BEDFORD

HAWTHORNE BROWN

p44 :: Outdoor

Iconic brands get new distributor THE WELL-KNOWN outdoor brands Campingaz and Coleman have a new, enthusiastic, Southern African distributor to independent retailers, namely LiteOptec. The former distributor will concentrate on supplying chain stores.

Coleman’s wide product range — covering all facets of camping — was introduced more than 100 years ago and collected numerous awards along the way. For many outdoor cooks Campingaz has become the go-to braai brand over the past 65 years.

LiteOptec has also added the Cobra range of two-way radios to its large stable of outdoor-related brands.

These brands will be marketed and distributed by brand managers with long years’ experience in the outdoor industry.

Christo Snyman, who many in the industry will know from his 18 years at Ultimo, has joined LiteOptec as brand manager for Campingaz and Coleman. He is also responsible for the Vanguard, Nite Ize, Barska Optics and Gerber brands.

Brendon Lambert is brand manager for the Cobra radios, as well as the rest of the Oregon Scientific range of tracking and measuring devices (weather, time, heat, etc.). He previously worked for marine electronics supplier Radio Holland for more than a decade.

Coleman for more than coolboxes Coleman has almost become a local generic name for cooler boxes, but the extensive range also includes four categories of tents; shelters that offer protection from the sun and light rain thanks to Coleman’s exclusive WeatherTec and UV Guard Systems; as well as liquid, multi-fuel and gas stoves used by hikers and campers. Coleman sleeping bags are available in mummy and rectangular shapes and cover all insulation needs, while the airbeds can be inflated or deflated in a few minutes.

The wide range of portable outdoor furniture has been designed with comfort, practicality and durability, in mind. Coleman’s portable lighting solutions now include the use of LED technology and energy efficient power sources in torches, lanterns and headlamps, while the stalwart Coleman gas and liquid-fueled lanterns remain popular.

Campingaz and Cobra

LiteOptec General Manager Aidan Romanis (middle) with Christo Snyman (left), who’ll manage the Coleman and Campingaz brands, and Brendon Lambert, who is responsible for Cobra radios. Photo: Nicol du Toit.

Campingaz has provided refillable gas cylinders, stoves and portable outdoor braais in various sizes since 1949. They now even provide a charcoal braai, quick-started with the help of a gas cylinder.

Their lanterns have also been stand-by’s on many camping trips.

The Cobra walkie talkie range has a long range of up to 5km and automatically shuts off unwanted noise caused by terrain and range constraints. The intelligent power saver feature ensures a longer battery life.

Interesting products cont. from p42

foot stays dry and cool at the sole, which is the area where the most perspiration takes place.

For even more comfort, the concave, contoured EVA midsole cradles the foot and the 3D air mesh footbed provides breathability.

Buckmaster is distributed by Bar Global Trading.

Fresh new look after 30 years LITEOPTEC, founded 31 years ago, has now decided that it is time for a facelift for their brand identity and logo to reflect the innovative and modern products they represent.

“After careful consideration, we chose a new identity (see above) that reflects a more modern and simplistic look, one that captures our mission to deliver exceptional quality products and service excellence across all the brands we represent,” the company says. “Our decision to go with the colour blue was based on what it symbolizes; trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence and truth.”

The company offers a wide range of branded products, including optics, lights, knives and multitools, drinking equipment such as flasks and mugs, firearm accessories, braai tongs, and much more.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

Wolverine’s welt flexibility Wolverine’s ContourWelt technology is designed to make its footwear “ultra durable, ultra tough and ultra comfortable,” says the brand.

ContourWelt gives the boots the flexible comfort found in sneakers, but the support and durability that consumers have come to expect from the Wolverine brand. The welts are designed to flex at critical points — it’s engineered for flexibility, and designed to move with the wearer.

The lightweight rubber outsole is slip, oil and abrasion resistant, and the MultiShox Comfort System keeps the feet comfortable all day: its individual compression pads absorb shock and return energy.

New cycling trends

p46 :: Sport

A

they fall and the visor doubles as foretrade show is the ideal place to spot upcomhead protection in this situation. ing trends and prodNew timeslot uct innovations and Next year’s Eurobike cycling trade Eurobike was no exshow will take place a little later ception. Sustainability, customisain the year: 4-7 September instead of tion, and improving on traditional Woom kids’ helmets feature a protective 31 July to 3 August as previously scheduled. product designs to make cyclists’ lives rubber sun visor.

This year the show took place 8-10 July, almost easier were among the trends spotted.

How sustainable and eco-friendly the product is are among the most im- two months earlier than the traditional time slot.

Industry members are divided about which timing works better for portant concerns for consumers. By adding the colour to the product during the weaving stage, the dying process uses 75% of the water, 67% chemicals them, but organisers and the German Cycle Industry Association (ZIV) have decided it’s better to move the show to a later date again. and 39% energy compared to the usual methods, a manufacturer found.

Eurobike was moved earlier this year to enable companies to do launchCyclists want good grip, comfort and support on their cycles’ handles, but life’s not always one-size-fits-all. The SQLab set of grips gives the cy- es at the show. For this same reason, this year the show was only open to clist the chance to get the best ergonomic grip for his hand on any cycle. the trade. Next year it’ll again have three days for the trade in the week, It was also the Gold winner in this year’s Eurobike Awards in the Acces- but the last day (Saturday) is open to the public.

The trade show will again be held in Friedrichshafen, Germany. sories category. “Apart from the saddle, the grips are the most important The 2018 show attracted 37 379 visitors and 1 400 exhibitors, of which 100 point of contact between rider and cycle,” said jury members. “With its new series of grips, SQLab has expanded its range: four different designs companies were new to the show. Last year there were 42 590 visitors, but each in three different sizes mean that all riders can be sure of finding keep in mind that this year only trade members were allowed to visit Eurobike.

“Although our premiere of Retail First, with strict admission managethe right grip for every ride.”

Finding sunglasses to wear over spectacles can be a problem, especially ment, led to a slight drop in the number of visitors, it also meant that when adding a helmet, and not everyone has a pair of prescription sun- the quality of visitors was pushed up to the highest level ever. Thus, glasses. These cyclists will be glad to hear about a new helmet that has the pure exchange between industry professionals at the stands was been designed with a visor incorporated into it: the visor tints itself in strengthened, even as the length of the show was reduced to three days. brighter conditions and has enough space between it and the face so that So Retail First proved to be a successful measure, and we will keep it in place going forward,” says Eurobike director Stefan Reisinger. the cyclist can wear spectacles should he need it.

Retail First was first introduced at the recent OutDoor trade show. It Another source of frustration is tyre punctures. An airless tyre was exhibited at the show: the solid expanded thermoplastic polyurethane offers free admission to speciality retailers and a simplified system for (E-TPU) inner tube consists of thousands of sealed air balls (similar to distributors to invite visitors, amongst others.

This year’s show took place 8-10 July (Sunday to Tuesday) in Friewhat is used in some running shoes) and it feels similar to air pressure drichshafen, Germany. of around 3.5 bar.

Talking about keeping tyres inflated, there is now an electric tyre pump, which is no bigger than two smartphones and looks like a power Awards a-plenty bank. The user can select up to a maximum of 7 bar air pressure and the This year 366 products were entered into the Eurobike Award (last year 458), which rewards products that have the potential to define new pump head is compatible with all standard valves.

Imagine a MTB clincher-wheelset that weighs 1kg. Well, that’s what’s trends in the bike market, says Eurobike. Of these, 45 were selected to possible thanks to the use of textile spokes and lightweight carbon rims. be included in a special exhibition area in the foyer during the show, 13 “With its spokes based on polyester fibres, Tune is employing a brand- of which received the Gold Eurobike Award and 2 the Green Award. Visit the Eurobike site to see all the winners and see some of the innovative new material to make wheels even lighter. A genuine innovation.”

Cyclists can now show when they’re braking. “The brake light is small, new products here.

The Start-Up Pitch was a new initiative introduced this year aimed at very bright and complies with road traffic regulations,” Eurobike Award jury members commented. “There are many options for mounting it on helping new companies get exposure and a stepping stone into the industhe bike. From the aspect of safety, we like the fact that it reacts to even try. The pitch took place on the day before the show opened and operated in a similar way as popular TV shows such as Shark Tank, giving each a slight contact with the brake lever.”

Versatility is the name-of-the-game for the LED strip light that can be participant three minutes to pitch itself and its products.

The twenty finalists presented their products to six jury members. mounted onto a handle bar, post, seat stays, cycle fork, clothing, a bag, helmet, and even socks — this thanks to the magnet in its backing. The From these finalists, five were selected to win Start-Up Awards. In-person light is available in a rear- and forward-facing version. Its use isn’t lim- and live-streamed audiences, via Facebook and Eurobike’s website, were ited to cycling either: runners can attach to clothing, campers to tents, also able to watch the presentation and to select their favourite product, which won the Public’s Choice Start-Up Award. it can even be used indoors by sticking it to a steel object.

Versatility also extends to cycles, with a bicycle that converts into a stroller or delivery cart in under five seconds. The stroller is designed to fit public transport.

There were also products specifically designed for kids to cater for their quirks. An example is a kids’ helmet that has a built-in rubber sun visor.

Young kids haven’t yet developed the reflex to put their hands out when Right: The small Elumatik tyre pump by M-Wave/Messingschlager.

Far right: Alpina’s Altona helmet incorporates a visor that allows enough space so that cyclists can also wear their spectacles.

All photos on page courtesy of Messe Friedrichshafen.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

47

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Recommending a hockey stick

T

he first hockey sticks were made from wood such as hickory, ash or mulberry wood with hand-carved heads. As time went by, wood was replaced by other manufacturing materials and when it is used now, it’s rarely used on its own.

It’s important to note that hockey sticks may not have metallic elements. Sticks are therefore made from a mixture of materials.

The stiffness of the shaft plays a role in the power* it releases back into the ball: the stiffer the shaft is, the more power. A variety of manufacturing factors can contribute to the shaft stiffness.

• Carbon: increases stiffness. ◦◦ Reduces the stick’s weight. ◦◦ Doesn’t enhance the feel** of the stick. ◦◦ Less forgiving than other materials, so requires more player skill.

• Fibreglass: adds durability, power and feel to the stick. ◦◦ Similar to carbon, but cheaper. ◦◦ Often used as a reinforcing material. ◦◦ Lighter and less rigid than carbon sticks, which makes them more forgiving for young or beginner players.

• Aramid: dampens and absorbs vibrations that occur when striking and receiving balls.

• Kevlar and Kraibon improve the feel and durability.

• Wooden sticks: originally sticks used to be only made from wood, but this is not so common anymore with wood most commonly wrapped in fibreglass for added strength and power. ◦◦ Lightweight feel. ◦◦ Flexible. ◦◦ Good for beginner players.

In addition to the materials used, the stiffness of the shaft is also affected by: • Where the materials are placed in the shaft.

• Quality of the materials and resins used.

• Moulding process.

Hockey stick rules The FIH (Fédération Internationale de Hockey) stick rules state:

Our cut-out-and-keep series to assist retailers with product knowledge Words: Carin Hardisty. Compiled with the help of Shane Schonegevel of OBO SA and websites ditausa.com, dickssportinggoods.com, www.harrowsports.com, www.sportsunlimitedinc.com and www. gryphonhockey.com.

smooth and continuous without any unevenness or other discontinuity.

• The stick must be smooth and must not have any rough or sharp parts.

Field hockey sticks Bow: the bend in the stick from handle to toe.

• There are three types: ◦◦ Regular bow: the highest part of the curve is in the middle section of the stick.

▪▪ Good for beginners and working on the basic skills. ◦◦ Low bow: the peak is closer to the toe.

▪▪ A good allrounder. ◦◦ Extra low/late bow: the bend is highest right before the head.

▪▪ Helps players with control, lift, drag flicking and performing aerials.

▪▪ For elite players, because the design makes basic skills such as hitting and stopping more difficult because of the position of the head to the shaft.

Head: the area that makes contact with the ball. Flat on one side (the face) and round on the other.

• A thinner head makes it easier for a player to get it under the ball when using aerial skills.

Photo: Nicol du Toit

• Inclusive of any additional coverings used, the stick must be able to pass through a ring with an interior diameter of 51mm.

• Any curvature along the length of the stick (bow) must have a continuous smooth profile along the whole length, must occur along the face side or the back of the stick, but not both, and is limited to a depth of 25mm.

• Max weight of the stick: 737gm.

• Max length (top of the handle to the bottom of the head): 105cm.

• The transition from handle to head must be

Toe: smaller toes provide the most manoeuvrability and agility, but limits the available striking surface and power, and vice versa for larger toes.

• Different shapes are: ◦◦ Shorti: good balance, manoeuvrability and control.

▪▪ Usually used by offensive players. ◦◦ Midi: a slightly larger area than shorti, but doesn’t reduce agility.

▪▪ Easier flicking, receiving and reverse play.

▪▪ Good for beginners and midfielders. ◦◦ Maxi: has a wide striking and receiving surface and creates solid power.

▪▪ Popular with defensive players. ◦◦ Hook/J-shape: creates a bigger surface area.

▪▪ Increases ball control for bet- To p48

2018 Q3 :: Sports Trader

p48 :: Sport

Recommending hockey sticks cont. from p47

ter drag-flicks and reverse stick play.

▪▪ Forwards, who need to get off quick passes, usually prefer this shape.

Indoor sticks Indoor hockey (see p49) is played on a smaller playing area compared to outdoor hockey and because of this the ball may only be pushed, and not hit.

The game is also quicker because of the smaller playing area, and players therefore need a lighter stick that makes it easier to control the ball at a fast pace.

Indoor hockey sticks are also much thinner than outdoor hockey sticks.

Weight When sticks were only made from wood, the weight played a big role on the power that the stick can generate, but with composite materials now common place and improved manufacturing techniques, sticks can now be made with stiff shafts. This means the effect of the weight of the stick on the power is negligible.

Sticks now tend to be lightweight, which makes it easier for players to execute skills.

Stick history One of the major developments in hockey stick design was shortening the head length, which used to be 300mm or more, and making a tighter bend: this design made it easier to move the ball across the feet and back, especially when the ball is wide to the left of

the player’s feet.

Over the years, the head was made shorter and the heel given a tighter bend — to such an extent that the head on the sticks for the 1986 World Cup only had a 91mm horizontal length. Players couldn’t control the ball well enough and returned the sticks.

In the early 80’s a stick with a hook head was patented, which Grays used to create the first mass-produced hockey sticks with laminated timber head parts (by then epoxy resin had been developed and it didn’t need perfectly dry timber for bonding and curing to the right strength).

From 1986, when the midi was introduced, consumers were able to enjoy a continued increase in the variety of different stick and head shapes and styles, and the number of companies that consumers could buy from.

By the early 90s, stick reinforcement was a big issue and composites had been accepted by the FIH for an experimental trial period, because of the concern over the power generated and the safety of players.

The 90s also saw the re-launch of the hook, as well as the growth in popularity of bright colours, bold graphics and painted heads.

At the time there were also sticks with metal handles, which later got banned. * Power: the ability to generate the greatest ball speed for the swing speed. ** Feel: the touch on impact and ability for the player to have instant responsiveness.

Range information Gryphon

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

Tour D II

The 2019 Gryphon hockey stick range sees the introduction of the Pro25 (P25) shape, which replaces the old Pro shape. “The new shape has been carefully crafted to be the ultimate all-round stick,” says Shane Schonegevel of local distributor OBO SA. An increased bow size means aerial skills are enhanced, but precise placement of the curve apex and crafting of the lower shaft means improved performance for hitting, slapping and trapping skills. The balance achieved with this shape also serves to improve close skills.

“The P25 shape now complements the two extra low bow shapes: the Samurai (the ultimate drag flicking weapon) and the Deuce II.” The T Bone provides a second all-

round option while the Classic Curve and P21 provide a more old-school look for players seeking to make basic skills easier. “Any player can find the shape ideally situated to complement their style of play and the skills they prioritise.”

The top end Tour range has also seen the introduction of Kraibon. “Directly integrated into the stick lay-up, Kraibon forms a chemical and physical bond which produces a remarkable, balanced stick for ultimate power and feel,” explains Schonegevel.

“Throughout the range, Gryphon’s secret, precise lay-ups and unique manufacturing processes enable it to achieve an unmatched blend of feel, power and balance at each price point. From the responsive feel and ultimate power of the Tour and Taboo range to the forgiving yet powerful nature of the Chrome range, there is truly a To p50

Sport :: p49

The fast-paced game of indoor hockey I

ndoor hockey is fast-paced and the matches are short: an ideal combination for today’s audience who loves shorter formats of games (e.g. T20 cricket and Sevens rugby).

Matches consist of two halves of 20 minutes each way with a five minute halfway break and only a couple of minutes between matches.

The playing area is also smaller: • Size: 44m long x 22m wide (field hockey: 91.4m long x 55m wide), but a smaller size may be specified. The minimum size is 36m long x 18m wide.

• Side boards mark the long perimeters of the pitch and back boards the shorter ones, which the ball can bounce off of them. The ball is out of play if it goes over a side board or back line.

Games can be played on any smooth, flat indoor surface.

There can be a maximum of six players per team in play (11 in outdoor). One of these can be a goalkeeper or a player with goalkeep-

ing privileges, or the team can decide to only have field players.

• Goalkeeper: wears a different colour shirt and full protective (at the very least headgear, leg guards and kickers, but may also wear body, upper arm, elbow, forearm, hand, thigh and knee protectors). The shirt is worn over the protective gear. Headgear and hand protectors may be removed when taking a penalty stroke.

• Player with goalkeeping privileges: wears a different colour shirt and may wear protective headgear while inside the defending half of the pitch, but not other protective such as leg guards, kickers, etc. Must wear protective headgear when defending a penalty corner or stroke.

The FIH recommends that goalkeepers and players with goalkeeping privileges wear a helmet with fixed full-face protection and cover for the entire head and throat.

Clothing or protective gear that significantly

increase the natural size of a goalkeeper’s body or area of protection are not permitted.

Field players may not wear protective headgear, with the exception of a face mask when defending a penalty corner or stroke. They may wear the following protection: • Hand protection so long as it doesn’t significantly increase the natural size of the hand.

It must also be able to fit comfortably (without compressing it) into an open-ended box that is 290mm long x 180mm wide x 11mm high on the inside.

• Shin, ankle and mouth protection.

• Body protection underneath normal playing clothing. If knee pads are worn for penalty corners they may be worn outside the sock as long as their colour is the same as that of the socks.

• Face mask: single colour, preferably transparent or white, or metal grill face mask when defending penalties and when in the circle defending.

To p50

p50 :: Sport

Indoor hockey cont. from p49 Growing the sport through tournaments PSi (Pro Series Indoor) was created with the aim of growing indoor hockey at school level, and to offer innovation and excitement in the game.

The series is sponsored by Princess Hockey.

In addition to bringing together players, coaches and related staff from various areas and promoting healthy competition, PSi also aims to create a fun and vibrant atmosphere with colourful kit and venues.

Tournaments are vibey events with music, cheerleaders, and a mascot who interacts with the crowd, in addition to the exciting, fast paced indoor hockey games.

“Indoor hockey is definitely a spectators sport and offers the wow factor. The need to develop it was long overdue,” says PSi founder Simon Martin, who used to play goalkeeper for South Africa’s national outdoor/field hockey team.

He got introduced to indoor hockey at school level through an one-day indoor tournament that was held at the University of Cape Town at the end of each season, which he says was the most enjoyable event of the season for him. Unfortunately the organiser moved by the time Martin matriculated and the tournament didn’t continue.

“This was a real disappointing way to end my school hockey career.

When I left school I felt that this was definitely the spark to ignite indoor hockey and allow kids to play the game on a more ongoing basis,” he says.

Martin founded PSi in 2005. In 2006 he organised the first regional tournament in Cape Town, with the first national tournament taking place the following year with 24 teams and four franchises. Namibia also joined the tournament in 2007.

By 2012 there were 2 000 players taking part and 10 franchises. The next year 144 teams took part in that year’s national tournament.

In 2014 PSi became an associate member of the South African Hockey Association (SAHA).

By last year, 298 teams from 20 franchises took part.

K&T Sports OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTOR

Tel: 012 653 0264 info@malik.co.za

Range information cont. from p48

stick model ideally suited for everyone’s game and pocket.”

The new Aero G6 boots will be available in three fashionable new colour ways. “Specced for use at the highest level of the game, it comes in a price point that offers unbeatable value.”

Gryphon’s extensive bag range covers 12 models and 5 different colourways including the new grey denim and lime. “The range is full of cutting edge designs and offers superb value, making it the prefect choice for an individual or team purchase.”

The glove range now includes the new Pajero Supreme full finger glove, alongside the G-mitt and G-mitt Pro. The seven shinpad models offer a complete choice and ultimate value for any player.

Malik In 2019 Malik sees something new with something old, says Tarryn Shuttleworth of local distributors K&T Sport.

Flagship sticks Platinum, Gaucho (used by Sulette Damons and Nicole Walraven at the 2018 World Cup) and Fresh are going strong with the return of our old faithful the VIP with 75% carbon, she says. New editions are the Malibu (35% carbon) and Punch (15% carbon) as well as the exclusive edition of Tiki (50%) & Paua (35%).

They also have a new look international backpack in three colours black/grey, navy/royal & coral/navy.

The stock is due to land first week in November

OBO “After years of development, concept and prototype testing, and help from over 15 leading goalkeepers drawn from 4 countries, OBO is about to release the Robo KICKER+ to the goalkeepers of the world!” says Shane Schonegevel of OBO SA. The kicker’s long and flat side profile enables lower and more accurate clearances as well as a 25% greater effective kicking area.

The square and flat front enables the toe kick clearance option, especially in a scramble situation.

Dedicated left and right kickers offer a thicker wall on the kicking side. This, combined with a new shock-absorbing material called ULTRASTOP that is hidden inside, provides a 20% increase in protection and contributes to even greater rebound than all previous OBO kickers.

All of this is achieved at the same time as a 20% reduction in the weight of the kicker. “The Robo KICKER+ is truly unlike anything seen before, and is a massive leap forward for goalkeepers.”

The new kickers complement OBO’s existing range of technical products catering for all levels of hockey goalkeepers.

“The unique manufacturing process and designs used for OBO products means that they are without peer in terms of performance and durability,” adds Schonegevel. “When OBO’s cost-toproduct life cycle is taken into account, the gear offers the best value available. OBO is by far the dominant goalkeeping brand in all markets around the world and the most popular amongst international goalkeepers.”

Voodoo Voodoo is built for players looking for style, fun and the ultimate stick.

“As always, the new-look 2019 range defies convention,” Shane Schonegevel of OBO SA. “Shaped in the LB, L2BC or the MBC whether it’s the Unlimited, Punisher, Code Red or Magic, any player who dares to be different can find his ultimate weapon.”

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

51

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Understanding swim accessories

C

onsumers new to swimming might need help choosing the accessories and training aids that are right for them.

Swimming goggles and caps are two of the main staples used by swimmers of all levels.

Goggles help a swimmer see better underwater and protect the eyes from getting irritated by chlorine in the water.

It’s important that your customer tries the goggle on before he buys to make sure it fits correctly.

• Ask your customer to hold the goggles to his face, without using the straps: if they fit, he should feel a low level of suction and even pressure around the eyes.

• An adjustable nose strap will help to give a good fit: if the nose strap is too wide the goggles will leak and if it’s too narrow the corners of the socket pinch the side of the nose.

When he puts his goggles on, he should hold the goggle lenses snug to his eye sockets, position them correctly and hold in place with one hand. Then pull the strap into place and re-adjust the lens if needed.

Where your customer plans to swim will play a role on the colour lens he needs: • Photochromatic: change colour based on the light. They start out lightly tinted, but darken when exposed to UV light.

• Outdoor or other bright conditions: polarised or mirrored lens for the glare. Polarised lenses are also good for overcast conditions. ◦◦ Some competitive swimmers like mirrored lenses, because other people can’t see their eyes. ◦◦ Smoke lenses: reduce brightness by creating a darker view. ◦◦ Purple: reduces glare in bright conditions. ◦◦ UV protection will help protect eyes from the sun.

• Indoor or low light: ◦◦ Amber or copper: repel blue light.

Our cut-out-and-keep series to assist retailers with product knowledge Words: Carin Hardisty. Compiled with the help of www.finis.co.za, www.tyr.com, www.yourswimlog.com, www.livestrong. com, www.zoggsusa.com, www.speedo. com, www.swimoutlet.com, and www. enjoy-swimming.com.

help the swimmer see.

Your customer can take these steps to extend his goggles’ life: • Do: use the pouch if they came with one.

This helps to prevent scratches and other damage from being loose in the swim bag. ◦◦ Rinse gently after use with luke warm water to remove chemicals and chlorine. ◦◦ Lay them flat to air dry after rinsing. ◦◦ Keep goggles away from the sun when they’re not being used. UV light can shorten the life-span.

• Don’t: use soap or detergent, which can damage the goggles and anti-fog coating. ◦◦ Touch or rub the lenses, because this will wipe the anti-fog coating off. ◦◦ Leave the goggles wet in the kit bag. This can lead to bacteria and mould forming.

Swimming caps

◦◦ Clear lenses let in the most light.

• Other colours: ◦◦ Blue: reduces glare in bright conditions, but can be used in both low light and outdoor swimming. ◦◦ Orange: increases contrast in bright and low light conditions. ◦◦ Pink: increases contrast against green and blue objects.

Lenses should have anti-fogging qualities to

Some customers might think that the swimming cap is used to keep the hair dry, but it’s there to keep the hair out of the face, protect it from chemicals, and to stop loose hair from ending up in the water filter.

A cap also helps to create a streamlined shape.

• Most caps are either made from silicone or latex: ◦◦ Latex: cheaper and more breathable than silicone.

▪▪ Thinner so provides better ventilation.

▪▪ Not as warm as silicone.

▪▪ Not as durable, especially when left unattended. ◦◦ Silicone: good for people with a lot of hair, because it’s soft and won’t tug on the hair.

▪▪ Durable, comfortable, warmer and more expensive than latex.

▪▪ Don’t stretch much, but are often available in different sizes.

▪▪ Don’t have as much surface area as latex ones so don’t wrinkle at the back and top of the head, which gives it a more streamlined fit.

To p52

2018 Q3 :: Sports Trader

p52 :: Sport

Swimming accessories cont. from p51 ◦◦ Lycra: aimed at recreational swimmers as it doesn’t do much to reduce drag.

▪▪ Soft and doesn’t pull or snag on hair.

▪▪ Good for warm water use. Doesn’t offer insulation.

▪▪ Can be worn with another cap over it.

Fitting a cap: • A cap is made to grip, which can make it tricky to put on to dry hair. It will help your customer if he can wet his hair or put leave-in conditioner on it before putting on the cap. The cap won’t grip onto the wet hair as much while putting it on.

• If the customer has long hair advise them not to tie the hair up, because the hair band can cause tension on the scalp and be uncomfortable. ◦◦ Rather twist or gather the hair close to the head, or leave the hair down and tuck it in at the end.

• He should put his hands inside the cap and stretch it as wide as possible, then lower it onto his head.

• First catch the cap on the forehead and then he should pull it down to cover the rest of the hair.

• He should then tuck in any stray hair.

To extend the life of the swimming cap, recommend to your customer that he follows the following steps: • After swimming rinse the chlorinated water off the cap with cold water.

• Dry it outside of a bag.

• When it’s mostly dry, sprinkle baby/talcum powder inside the cap. This helps to absorb moisture and keeps the cap supple.

Training aids The training aid that you can recommend depends on the area that your customer wants to work on. The following acts as a guide: • Improve overall fitness: fins.

• Improve lower body strength: fins.

• Improve upper body strength: paddles and pullbuoy.

• Improve speed: fins and paddles.

• Improve technique: snorkel, fins and paddles.

Fins: create resistance when kicking, and help to develop more flexibility and range of motion in the ankles and feet.

• Shorter is better: the longer the fins, the more difficult it is to kick.

• Find out what kind of training your customer plans to do in order to be able to recommend the right fin length: ◦◦ Sprinters and mid-distance: short blades. ◦◦ Mid- to long-distance: mid-sized blades. ◦◦ Leave the long blades for scuba divers.

• Fin stiffness: the stiffer the fin, the harder it is to kick. This is good for getting a harder leg workout, but it also promotes a slower tempo kick, which doesn’t help swimmers if they are trying to get faster.

• Heel type: you get open and closed heels: ◦◦ Open heel, which has a strap around the back, tends to provide a fuller range of

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

motion. ◦◦ If the swimmer doesn’t have good ankle flexibility, the top of the closed heel on a pair of stiff fins can dig into the Achilles when he kicks.

Flotation belt: helps with working on kicks.

• Good for vertical pool exercises such as water running or treading water.

Kick board: keeps the hands out of the water and forces the user to work his legs and improve fitness.

• Beginners can use it to work on their swimming position by holding onto the side of the board, instead of having their arms across its top, and have their head down.

• Helps to improve leg fitness.

• Promotes a high hip position.

• Gives shoulders a break during training.

Paddles: good for resistance training and improving stroke technique, catch position and hand placement. There are hand and finger paddles — the latter only covers the fingers, leaving the palm exposed.

• Finger paddles allow the swimmer to still feel the water movement through each stroke, giving him a greater awareness of his technique and arm positioning.

• Hand, or power, paddles improve power and feel. They crate a bigger catch, so the swimmer can work on his distance per stroke, as well as the pull if used with a swim snorkel. ◦◦ If your customer hasn’t used hand paddles before recommend that he starts with a pair that is just larger than his hands.

▪▪ If the paddle is too big he could hurt his muscles. Over-sized paddles can put strain on the arms. If your customer has weak or damaged shoulders he shouldn’t use these until the shoulder has recovered.

▪▪ If the paddle is too small he can develop the habit of curling his fingers over the edges.

Pullbuoy: improves body position by elevating the hips and allows the swimmer to focus on his arms.

Snorkel: a swim snorkel goes up in front of the face, unlike a snorkeler’s that goes up along the side, and is worn on a head strap.

• Helps the swimmer to keep the correct head position and to work on improving body position in the water. It forces him to keep his head straight — if not he’ll dip the snorkel in the water.

• Swimmer doesn’t need to focus on breathing, which allows him to focus on technique work.

Pool noodles can also be used as training aids: • Learn to flutter kick, scull water or tread water: place a noodle under an armpit, around the back and under the other armpit to float in a vertical position.

• Practice the flutter kick or the breaststroke

kick: place the noodle across the chest and under the armpits while floating in a horizontal prone position.

• Practice the backstroke kick: place the swimming noodle behind the neck in a supine position with arms extended overhead or resting at the sides.

• Practice the scissor kick used with the sidestroke: place a swimming noodle under the lower armpit while floating in the horizontal side position.

• Can be used instead of a kickboard when doing kicking sets: placed across the chest and under armpits, it allows the swimmer to keep his head above water without straining his neck or shoulders as he might while holding a kickboard in front of him with extended arms.

• Low-impact workouts: noodle goes around the back and under the armpits for vertical resistance workouts.

• It’s also a fun toy for kids and adults to use in the pool.

Other accessories These products will also be of interest to swimmers, or parents of prospective ones: • People are constantly tracking what they do, and trackers and watches that cater to swimmers are now starting to become more common too. Some track stats like strokes, lap and distance tracking in the pool and open water, and heart rate.

• Swimmers also need a bag to carry their equipment in. ◦◦ A mesh bag allows air flow, which helps wet items to dry faster.

▪▪ Some designs come with a small pocket, which is useful for keeping smaller items such as ear plugs or nose clips in an easy-to-reach spot, but not all come with one. ◦◦ Swim bag: your customer will appreciate a bag with many pockets so that he can easily find items.

▪▪ He’ll want a bag that is water-resistant.

• Diving rings and sticks • Buoyancy aids will help children feel safer in the water. ◦◦ Swim seat: a floating ring with a seating area for babies who can’t float unsupported. ◦◦ Floatsuits have foam inserts that the parent can take out as the child gets better at swimming. ◦◦ Inflatable arm bands. ◦◦ Float disks go around the arms, two around each to start with and removing one as the confidence grows.

• If your customer is susceptible to ear infections or just doesn’t like getting water in his ears, moldable silicone earplugs will bring him relief.

• Especially beginners, who are still learning to integrate breathing into their strokes, might struggle with getting water up the nose. Nose clips lie across the bridge of the nose and pinch the nostrils shut, preventing water from entering.

p54 :: Sport

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onsumers want to have an enjoyable shopping experience, and a large contributor to this is how they are treated by staff.

“People want to feel special,” says Leandra Cooper of Kloppers Sport in Brackenfell, Cape Town. “It’s important to be friendly and make customers feel at home in the store.”

This creates a more comfortable, family environment, especially among regular customers who have such a good relationship with staff members that they know staff members by name and sometimes even ask for a specific person to help them.

After all, several of the staff members, including Cooper, have been at the store since before it became Kloppers Sport, when it traded as Somerset Sport (see Retail icons join forces, May 2016 Sports Trader).

A customer is always greeted with a friendly welcome and asked if the staff member can help him find a specific product.

If he’s interested in darts, Cooper will find out if he plays for a club or wants for home use, get a rough idea of his budget and ask who is most likely to use the darts. Children and some women often prefer a lighter dart, for example, and club players will always want tungsten barrels, she explains.

It’s just as important, however, to know

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

when to leave a customer on his own, she adds. If he says he doesn’t want help, let him have a look around on his own — if he needs help he’ll come to you.

But customers don’t want to have to look around for someone to help them either — make sure you are visible in the store and that he can easily find you again.

Products that stand out Consumers like to hear about new or quirky items and will often buy because of that alone, says Cooper.

Dart barrels with a rubberised coating, for example, sell well for her because not many people know about it, it’s something different, and it’s a better quality than brass. The rubber also creates a nice texture to hold onto, she adds.

Testing area It’s not often that a consumer can test out a product before buying, but this can be the difference between a happy, and possibly returning, buyer and someone who buys the wrong piece of equipment and doesn’t return to buy the right one.

The smallest difference between barrels’ weights can make a big impact on how the dart feels to the player, and this problem is made worse when it’s a new player who doesn’t yet

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The Kloppers Sport store in Brackenfell, Cape Town, g tips f has built a name for itself, starting in the days 22 when it was still named Somerset Sport. Many of the original staff members moved over to Kloppers when they took over the store, thereby keeping the knowledge and dedication that their customers had come to love over the years.

Leandra Cooper is one of these staff members who has been with the store for years.

She is in charge of the darts department, as well as the clothing, swimming, rugby and soccer departments where she not only handles sales, but also has a say in buying decisions.

We’re looking for top salespeople We’re asking successful sales people in the industry for tips on how they clinch that sale in this series on Sales tips from top salespeople. Please nominate yourself, or a staff member, to share your sales philosophy by contacting Trudi du Toit on Tel: 021 461 2544, Fax: 021 461 2549.

Email: trudi@sportstrader.co.za. know what weight he prefers.

For this reason, Kloppers Sport has a dart board on which customers can test the darts that they are interested in buying; something that not many stores offer.

Build up knowledge Building up knowledge about the products they sell is key for the store’s staff. Not only is it needed to make sure they sell the correct product for the customer’s needs, it’s this information that enables staff to better sell the product as they will know what sets it apart from similar products, for example.

They’ll also not sit back and wait for someone to give them information — if the Kloppers Sport staff don’t have the needed information, they aren’t afraid of asking suppliers, reps or finding out themselves, says Cooper.

• Suppliers will often give some form of training when they introduce new products. This includes updating staff members on the new technologies and features in the products.

• If there is something staff members don’t know about a product, they have no problem with taking the initiative to phone the agent to ask for more information.

• They will also look for information themselves via various channels. Finding out what they need empowers the staff to do a better job, Cooper points out.

p56 :: Sport

Tips for selling darts

When it comes to flight colours, it’s a case of the funkier the better, says Leandra Cooper of Kloppers Sport in Brackenfell, Cape Town. This is especially true for the customer who is buying to play at home, who tends to like wacky and eye-catching graphics.

Club players sometimes also go for eyecatching graphics, but the ones they choose usually have less of a bar image compared to those of an at-home player, she adds.

There are also many customers who like to colour match everything from the tip to the flight. These will often go for a more conservative flight colour.

In general, pink is a popular colour among ladies, no matter if they’re playing at home or club, she has noticed.

It’s not only the colour that interests her customers. The durability is especially important to club players, as is how the flight affects how the dart moves through the air.

In her experience, the most popular flight among club players is around 120 micron, because it is stable and durable.

In general, bigger sized flights are good for beginners: they provide more air resistance, which slows the dart down, but are more stable and forgiving.

Barrels and weight At the Kloppers Sport store, customers are able to test darts on an in-store test dart board. This makes it easier for them to get a feel for what weight they should throw with.

The speed with which your customer throws helps to determine what weight the dart needs to be: the lighter the dart, the harder or faster he needs to throw.

Heavier darts overcome air resistance more efficiently than lighter darts and provide greater control, because they are less susceptible to variations in the throwing release.

Because tungsten is dense and heavy, the dart barrel can be slimmer while still maintaining the preferred weight. The higher the percentage of tungsten in the dart, the better the dart.

The slimmer barrel also creates less air resistance when the dart is thrown and it’s easier to group the darts together in a small space on the board.

It’s because of these qualities that club players know to ask for tungsten when they buy darts, says Cooper.

It’s only the home market that plays with brass barrels, which is the cheapest kind. It’s a heavy, but soft, metal and is prone to dull and wear down quickly — therefore not ideal

SA Marathon Championship part of Cape Town Marathon STARTING THIS YEAR, the SA Marathon Championship will be incorporated into the Cape Town Marathon, which takes place 23 September. ASICS is the technical sponsor for the race The marathon provides athletes with the opportunity to compete with the top of the world, says Alan Barnes of Athletics South Africa. The level and awareness of South African athletics have also been raised through events such as this.

The most notable route changes are: runners no longer have to go through Paarden Eiland and there are now six fewer turns. It has been designed to be fast and relatively flat, and starts at the V&A Waterfront and finishes near the Green Point stadium.

The expo and number collections are 21-22 September at the Century City Conference Centre.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q3

for long term or constant use.

Shafts Players can also choose the type of shaft that they want to use: • Plastic and nylon are inexpensive, available in many colours, but can also break easily.

• Solid aluminum: more rigid and durable than plastic or composite shafts. Available in many colourful styles and/or engravings.

May vibrate loose, especially on heavy darts.

• Carbon-fibre or -composite: lightweight and durable, but more expensive than plastic or nylon shafts. High quality carbon shafts have the durability of aluminum shafts without the potential for loosening or bending, which maintains accuracy.

• Composite: plastic base threads into the dart and metal alloy top holds the flight.

Durable and won’t vibrate loose from the barrel.

Photo: Mark Sampson

Totalsports uplifts women and communities THIS YEAR marked the 100th year since Nelson Mandela’s birthday (18 July 1918), and for Mandela Day Totalsports again partnered with Fives Futbol in its Plant a Ball initiative to bring soccer balls to sporting projects, schools, orphanages and NGOs around the county. “Each ball that is planted represents an opportunity for change with immeasurable and unlimited potential,” they explain.

Last year more than 200 balls were planted in Cape Town and Johannesburg with the help of influencers.

“Central to the initiative is the objective to uplift communities through the distribution of soccer balls. Each ball can influence tens of

youths and play an integral part in honing life skills and developing key character traits.”

On Women’s Day the sports retailer encouraged women to Run United in its Women’s Day races in Johannesburg and Cape Town, which were held in support of PinkDrive, a non-profit organisation that is dedicated to improving breast cancer awareness, education, and providing and offering free services to the medically uninsured across South Africa. Last year, the race donated R25 000 to PinkDrive.

In addition to it being in aid of a good cause, the Totalsports Women’s Races had a festive vibe with runners of all ages #PimpThemselvesPink in support of PinkDrive.

Trade show news

Trade shows :: IBC

25th OutDoor show attracts 30 000

THE 25TH OutDoor show held in Friedrichshafen this year attracted 30 000 visitors from 88 countries. And despite the European Outdoor Group voting to support an outdoor show with a strong digital and consumer focus organised by ISPO in Munich from next year, the Friedrichshafen show organisers are confident that the attractions around Lake Constance will again convince members of the outdoor industry to support the Friedrichshafen show, which they vow to continue.

“With the concept for this fair, we are continuing our tradition of showing what the industry needs — in the past, in the present and in the future,” says Klaus Wellmann, CEO of Messe Friedrichshafen.

“We have the highest hopes for next year.”

This year a Retail First initiative was launched at OutDoor Friedrichshafen, which focused on the needs of the international retail trade: "Our new approach has widespread approval,” says Head of OutDoor, Stefan Reisinger. “Visitor quality is exceptional and there is continued growing appreciation from retailers for this annual get together at Lake Constance.”

The annual party took to the water this year: Messe Friedrichshafen invited retail, industry and media partners aboard the Sonnenkönigin cruise ship to celebrate the show’s 25th birthday.

During the show 200 international products were launched by the 950 exhibitors from 40 countries, of which 247 were entered for awards. There were also 137 talks and presentations.

AFTA considers consumer show

ICAST & IFTD to split DESPITE A RECORD number of visitors at the combined 2018 ICAST and IFTD fishing trade show this year, the American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA) has decided to go independent again and to host their own show in Denver, Colorado, in 2019.

The American Sportfishing Association and AFFTA seven years ago decided to pool resources and host one trade show for the whole American tackle industry. AFFTA, however, decided that going on their own will give the fly fishers “control over logistics and allow the show to generate more awareness and visibility for its members”. They report that there are already more exhibitors committed to the 2019 show than they had at this year’s show.

The more than 15 000 trade visitors who attended this year’s trade show was a new record. They could view products from more than 600 exhibitors across 220 000 net square feet (more than 67 000m2) of exhibition space shared between ICAST, IFTD and the Marine Accessories Pavilion Next year the fly fishers will head to Denver and the sport fishers will gather in Orlando, Florida, between 9-12 July.

THE AUSTRALIAN FISHING TRADE ASSOCIATION (AFTA) is looking at ways to make their next trade show more attractive and beneficial to attendees … and is the latest of many trade shows to consider including a consumer day in its program, despite stating that it wants to support retailers.

This is an option considered by several trade show organisers to stimulate waning visitor interest, but discarded by several, as it is not popular with retail visitors who fear that it would encourage consumers to wait for the products on show and not buy existing product already in stores.

A change of location is another of many options considered by the board to encourage future support of the show.

This year’s AFTA show already introduced format changes such as a fishing tournament, round-table board discussions, a wholesale and retail forum and the AGM that preceded the three-day show itself.

There were 400 retail visitors, 80 exhibitors and the 2018 show took place at the Gold Coast Convention Centre on 24-26 July.

Advertisers index A1 Star 17 Aqualine 53 Asari 35 Awesome Tools 43 Bar Global Trading 9, 41, 42 Bolton Footwear 10, 11 Brandfolio OBC Buckmaster 41 Campingaz 45 Coleman 45 Crown Group OFC, 2- 3, 22- 23

De Wet Sport 53 Falke 29 Fish On! 35 Gola 9 Gryphon 48 Gumbies 26 Hi-Tec 1 Jack & Jones 17 Jack Parcels 17 JFK Trading 17 Jordan 10, 11

K&T Sport 50 Kakiebos OFC, 2-3 Leatherman 43 Ledlenser 43 LiteOptec 45 Malik 50 Munkees 26 Mustad 35 Novateur 35 OBO SA 48 Opal Sport 55

Outdoor Supply Company 26 Penn 33 Princess 49 Pro-Hunter 35 Pure Fishing 33 React 35 Rocky 22-23 Skechers OBC Unicorn 55 W.E.T. Sports 35 Wolverine 42

2018 Q3 :: Sports Trader