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First Words - March 2011
It’s pleasing to be able to report such positive feedback on the changes we’ve made to SGB Sports, and on the changes we continue to make, such as colour coding the Industry, Buying and Selling editorial to make it even easier to find what you’re looking for.
It’s also pleasing to be able to report that, despite the ongoing recession/financial crisis/austerity period, so many people are talking positively about business.
Being exposed to so many people at ISPO, which itself achieved a record number of visitors, gave me insight to so many different views on the business environment.
Of course times are still difficult, and no-one seems to know when things will ‘return to normal’, or if they ever will, but sales records are tumbling and turnovers are growing in various categories.
The one thing I have learnt about difficult times is that, rather than being a time for sorrow and fear, they are times for reflection and change. Tough decisions are an unfortunate necessity of difficult trading periods, but that can be used positively in my opinion.
Speaking to people like Original Sports in Essex, as featured in the SGB Sports February 2011 analysis piece and this month’s Trading Intelligence contributor, I can’t help but feel positively about the ‘Dawn of the Specialist’ and what that means for the future of the sports industry.
Retailers who can trade through these tough times and emerge on the other side streamlined and focused will fair better than those struggling with a broad product set, at least in my opinion, and that of many others across the supply chain.
Plus, there is the added bonus that the next few years will bring three major sporting events to the UK in the shape of the 2012 Olympics, 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2015 Rugby World Cup. These are sure to boost interest in a number of sports, and drive increased participation (see p6) that will help set cash registers ringing.
