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Business name: Clubsport Kington Ltd
Location: Herefordshire
Owner: Simon Hussey
Opened: 1987
Affiliation: Intersport
Number of staff: 125
Speciality: Everything in sport
Not a lot of people know this about my business, but ...
We will be 25 years old in 2012. Let’s hope we get there.
How is business at the moment?
Very tough. Like for like, sales seem to be a thing of the past, but we are holding our own, with high standards of service levels. My only concern is that when the new VAT kicks in after Christmas it is going to be a real bun fight, and price will probably be everything.
What has been the greatest success for your business over the past 12 months?
The greatest success has been joining Intersport, with the extra discounts available with Frame Deals etc. It at last gives us a chance to compete on certain products. Sadly our margin overall in the sports trade is still not high enough.
What recent supplier initiative has been successful?
The most successful supplier initiative has been The Waboba ball for us. With the video screen as a demo tool we have sold over 2,000 units. We also owe a big thank you to Tim at Bat & Ball who told us about it. That was the strength of the old Allied Partners Buying Group: communication.
What will be the biggest challenge for your business over the next 12 months?
The main challenge at present is to get through this recession and stay in the game. Suppliers have a key role to play in this, by making sure there is plenty of margin on products. It is made much harder with the likes of Sports Direct still heavily discounting key products.
Also the supply of brands to internet companies and the terms they give them must change, or the specialist sport shop will become a thing of the past. We are fed up with holding stock of all the top models only to be between 20-40% more expensive than e-retailers. The suppliers have now got to play their part in saving the high street, by charging the retailer and the e-retailer two different prices. Unless this happens, top-end product on the high street will become a thing of the past, and the manufacturers will have nowhere to showcase their latest technology. Everyone must stick together - supplier, buying group, and the retailer.
