Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 35

"WE CARRY LESS CLIMBING- AND SKIING-SPECIFIC
PRODUCTS BUT HAVE REPLACED THEM WITH PRODUCTS THAT CAN TRANSITION BETWEEN MULTIPLE
SPORTS, INCLUDING CLIMBING AND SKIING."
Boomers are accumulating more. The New
York Times reports that while the average net
worth of 30-somethings has fallen, the wealth
of those 56-64 has doubled. Some of our readers commented that these purchase patterns
may be more purely economic than generational: "Older shoppers seem to have more
disposable income, which makes it easier for
them to upgrade to more sport-specific performance gear," one respondent writes. As
another reader puts it, people who have the
money will buy nice things, regardless of age:
"Preference for the best depends more on income. Younger customers in their 20s and 30s
will spend the money if they have it."
Seventy-two percent agreed that
Millennials want items that can be used
across a range of activities, but in their comments pushed back on our assumption that
multi-purpose also implied an expectation
for lower price. "Millennials definitely want
items that can be used across a range of ac-

THE HOT SELLERS

Andrew Kornylak

The following brands are doing a good
job of meeting shoppers' demands for
lifestyle products.
Here are some of
the bigger brands
mentioned repeatedly by our reader
respondents for hitting the mark with
an outdoor look for
everyday wear:
Kuhl
PrAna
Patagonia
Mountain Khakis
Kavu
The North Face
Columbia

And lesser-known
ones receiving callouts for balancing
athleticism and
style in a socially
responsible business model that
Millennials look for
in brands:
Outerknown
Howler Brothers
Duer
Ten Tree

WHY BUY?
Millennials
are more likey
to rent than
purchase bigticket items.

tivities, but it's not necessarily a proposition
of price, too. In fact, people are willing to pay
more if an item's value can be perceived in its
function," writes one reader. Another reader
cautions against conflating minimalism
with low standards: "Not necessarily lower
priced, but we only want one or two jackets
rather than a closet full. We have less physical space and less income for overconsumption." Others agree, if an item is important to a
Millennial, she will find a way to pay for it.
Maybe this is why only 24 percent of our respondents say sales of high-end, sports-specific gear have gone down over the last 10 years.
Of the rest, 25 percent say sales have stayed the
same, while 34 percent report an uptick, particularly in ski and snowboard, where highend sales remain strong.
Outdoor recreation activities can carry
elements of risk, which for many means bad
gear is not an option . One respondent sums
it up: "No one wants sh*t gear for an activity
that could have them in the hospital." It's not
that Millennials are being cheap, says Patricia
Jones of the The Ski Bum shops, based in the
Mid-Atlantic. It's that they've been conditioned by online shopping and post-recession inventory excesses to anticipate price

reductions. "I don't think it's that the younger
generation doesn't appreciate what (technical pieces) can do or that they need it," she says.
"They don't appreciate that they can't get what
they want without paying full price." This can be
true about older generations as well. They want
to make sure they are making a purchase at the
right time at the right price, which may well end
up being in the height of the season at full price,
ensuring they get exactly the item they want.

LIFESTYLE
It helps though, when an item can be used for
more than one scenario, including everyday
life. Cue the lifestyle trend: "As a Millennial, I
like being able to wear my technical gear across
many different activities," writes one retailer
respondent. "However, I don't like looking
as if I am about to climb a mountain while
commuting to work. So I purchase technical garments that have more of a lifestyle look
to them." Him, and everyone else. If it's true
that Millennials are driving the lifestyle trend,
they aren't the only ones participating in it.
Only 7 percent of our respondents are selling
less lifestyle products than they did 10 years
ago, with 72 percent selling more (only one
respondent didn't sell any lifestyle products).
"We carry less climbing- and skiing-specific
products but have replaced them with products that can transition between multiple
sports, including climbing and skiing," writes
one reader. Others are flat-out reducing technical product offerings, particularly in hardgoods, to make way for lifestyle goods-fewer
backpacking stoves, more hoodies.
While retailers may be surprised to find
themselves selling "waterproof shoes with high
heels," splashy "Stance socks by the thousands,"
and "brands that are entirely just trendy and
have no technical use" such as Free People and
Frye, they concede that change is the nature
of doing business. One reader says keeping up
with trends is "part of the excitement of what
we get to do everyday! If it were predictable
and easy, everyone would do it." O.R.
Is there an issue you would like to see made
into a survey topic? Let us know by emailing
carol@carolkauder.com

Summer 2018 / OUTDOOR RETAILER 35



Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018

OUTDOOR RETAILER - SUMMER 2018
CONTENTS
THE PULSE
HEADLINES
MERCHANDISING
MARKETING
BIG PICTURE
CASE STUDY
IDEAS
CHRISTIAN DE LA IGLESIA
SHIRA EPSTEIN
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
RESEARCH
SAWYER LAND + SEA
DISASTER STRIKES
BE THE BRAND
BREAD+BUTTER
PADDLING HARDGOODS
THE RENEWAL WORKSHOP
BROWN GIRLS CLIMB
COUNTER CULTURE
THE VIEW
HOW I GOT HERE
FROM THE ROAD
#REPLIFE
BACKSTORY
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - OUTDOOR RETAILER - SUMMER 2018
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - Cover2
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 1
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - CONTENTS
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 3
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 4
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 5
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 6
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 7
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 8
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - THE PULSE
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - HEADLINES
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 11
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - MERCHANDISING
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 13
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - MARKETING
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 15
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - BIG PICTURE
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 17
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 18
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 19
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - CASE STUDY
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 21
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 22
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 23
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 24
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 25
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - IDEAS
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 27
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - CHRISTIAN DE LA IGLESIA
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 29
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - SHIRA EPSTEIN
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 31
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 33
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - RESEARCH
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 35
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - SAWYER LAND + SEA
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 37
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 38
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 39
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 40
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 41
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - DISASTER STRIKES
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 43
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 44
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 45
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - BE THE BRAND
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 47
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 48
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 49
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 50
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - BREAD+BUTTER
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - PADDLING HARDGOODS
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 53
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - THE RENEWAL WORKSHOP
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 55
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - BROWN GIRLS CLIMB
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 57
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - COUNTER CULTURE
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 59
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - THE VIEW
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 61
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 62
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 63
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 64
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 65
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - HOW I GOT HERE
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 67
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - FROM THE ROAD
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 69
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - #REPLIFE
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 71
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - BACKSTORY
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - Cover3
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - Cover4
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