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Comment - SPORTS
Well, the economic downturn didn't go away while I slept last night, and it seems to be getting a lot worse. As I type this, with Radio 4 on in the background, the news is telling me that in the next 24 hours, there could be an EU-wide agreement to help bail out hardest-hit banks and ensure liquidity remains in all western currency markets.
In the US, the FBI is apparently investigating if laws were broken and the full(ish) stories of who knew what and when, is gradually coming out. All this, and they have an election looming.
But it genuinely is not all doom and gloom. People are still shopping, and they are looking for the best value proposition they can find. Some people have forgotten that it's often cheaper to shop locally, and it's more fun; many people have rediscovered this, though. Have you compared your running shoe prices to an online retailer recently, for example? They're probably pretty favourable, so why not shout about it? Why not yell from the rooftops that if people come to you, they can try the shoe on before they buy it, and there's no P&P to pay. Worst case scenario, they might have to pay for parking to get to you... Or you could help fight obesity and tell them to walk.
I'm not forcing this upbeat tone - I think in both the sports and outdoors industries, there is reason for hope. And it's for a reason I already highlighted; if people come to you and they feel they get value along with what they wanted to buy, if they get some good advice and encouragement, they will come back. People are still spending money, but they're being discerning about what they're buying. We just have to make sure the independent is the first choice, not the last, and we'll ride this looming recession out with a smile...
Jon Bruford, Editor
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