Exit Through the Gift Shop - The Role of Merch
Style is valued as highly as skill when it comes to action sports: a drag of a hand on a ski slope, a relaxed posture on a critical section of a wave, a casual drop-in to a giant skate bowl. Underpinning the illusion of effortlessness, conversely, is thousands of hours of effort.
This focus on style in sport has lent itself to action sports being a lifestyle. Many of your customers will be drawn just as much by the action as the lifestyle. The chasm between the pros and those at the upper level of skill at your venue versus the much larger slice of customers at the beginner’s stage is bridged by fashion. “I may not be as good as him, but I can wear the same clothes.”
Capitalizing on the lifestyle element of your sport can be a pillar or a pitfall of your establishment, depending on your practices.
Pitfall Practice: Going it Solo
Buying merchandise, plastering your logo on it and then upselling can leave you high and dry. It takes time to build your reputation and before that, your customers may not value your logo. You can be left with lots of merch to move.
Pillar Practice: Partner with a Brand.
Find a retail brand that matches your sport venue and size. If you are a smaller player, you may be out of reach of the global brands, but there are always local and regional brands popping up who may be eager to build off your local demand. We have found success within partnering with brands to not only stock our shop, but for loyalty giveaways, packages, and contests. Partners can offer free or steeply discounted merchandise from their marketing budget, to give you some serious leverage among your target market.
Pitfall Practice: Head to Toe Uniforms
Staff kit can cost a fortune. With casual staff and part-timers, you will go through your initial uniform purchase quickly. A top is sufficient for the basics, with the more permanent staff dressed with some flashier gear. You also don’t want to snuff out the sartorial choices of your team – who themselves are adding to the lifestyle element of your brand. More often than not, their young tastes will be a better indicator of current fashion, than a pre-opening mood board.
Pillar Practice: Kit Your Staff Out
Your team should be recognizable to your customers so a uniform is good practice. Provide a few bits of sellable merchandise to your employees, altered with STAFF or something that makes it stand out. Your team will be branded ambassadors for the merchandise. This stash is also great recruitment for entry-level staff who would prefer to wear cool uniforms than an Aldi polo.
Pitfall Practice: Distracting from the Venue
Security, staffing, inventory checks, pricing – these can all be time-consuming and resource-diverting. Set a reasonable sales target for your retail and try to build that ancillary stream – but remember it is not your primary income generator – so don’t let it distract you.
Pillar Practice: Find the Balance
A good merch shop will have ample low-cost items which give plentiful opportunity for browsing, but won’t cost a fortune sitting on the shelves. The higher-value items are there to draw the eye, but don’t worry about carrying every size, shape and model. Curate a few items and when product starts getting dusty – throw it into a contest prize bundle.
