Premiere of the Consumer Insights Report: The most important brands in the sports and outdoor industry

Being informed in advance about future trends and consumer wishes - who doesn't want that? ISPO's new Consumer Insights Report makes it possible. The first edition of the new trend barometer for the sports and outdoor industry was presented online at the ISPO Academy Talk and more than 100 participants followed the presentation of the results with great interest.

Christoph Rapp explained in the talk that the Consumer Insights Report will inform companies and important players in the industry about the latest developments in the sports and outdoor industry on a quarterly basis in the future. "The report is just one small element of our comprehensive offering in the ISPO Collaborators Club," said Rapp as head of the new ISPO Collaborators Club.

Anyone who becomes a member (basic membership is free) of the innovative business network - which we will be presenting in detail in the near future - will automatically receive the Consumer Insights Report every three months. We see the world through the eyes of the consumer. And it's about the future and not about the current state," promised ISPO brand strategist Christoph Beaufils at the presentation of the premiere version.

The report regularly captures mindset, trends and brands that are leading the way in the industry on an international basis. For the first edition, 599 industry members were surveyed, predominantly in the relevant age groups between 20 and 40. The results of the survey were quite surprising - and show why the Consumer Insights Report, accompanied at its premiere by Blackroll as exclusive partner, could become a "must have" in the industry.

The otherwise familiar field of top brands has been redefined by ISPO Collaborators. When asked about the top 5 sports brands of the last three months, On is found alongside expected heavyweights like Adidas, Nike, Asics or Salomon. "On won the ISPO Brandnew Award in 2010 and has consistently developed since then," Beaufils explained.

And there were other exciting results. In Connected Athletics, Suunto, Garmin and Polar are still ahead of electronics giants like Apple or Samsung, which are newcomers to the sports and outdoor sector. The most promising newcomers in key megatrends include Hammerhead, Picture Organic Clothing and Garmin.

In general, it is not individual brands but the entire outdoor industry that is making the running - which also has to do with a change in consumer behavior accelerated by the Corona pandemic.

The Consumer Insights Report from ISPO shows that consumers are no longer divided into product categories, but into lifestyles think. "For example, the group of people who are concerned with mindfulness is becoming increasingly important. Who view sports, outdoor, nutrition and quality of life holistically," says Beaufils. This is also reflected in the growing relevance of mindfulness brands such as Headspace and 7mind.

For each of the lifestyles identified as important, the Costumer Insights Report highlights top brands and trends. It is also interesting to note that ski touring has become the number one trend sport.

Rich Ware, Senior Sales Manager from the payment service provider Unzer, also provided interesting insights on the topic of customer-centricity as a guest in the ISPO Studio during the presentation of the first report. "The customer must always be at the center. And the shopping experience decides whether the customer comes back. The topic of payment plays an important role here," described the expert, whose company offers payment solutions for Rose Bikes, Bergfreunde and Keller Sports, among others.

Rich Ware, who was fed questions from the webinar participants by Christoph Rapp, revealed that you have to offer between five and nine different payment methods to satisfy most customers. And, that just offering a payment option on account in the DACH region ensures growing sales. So there was plenty of added value for the audience at the ISPO Academy Talk, even beyond the presentation of the Consumer Insights Report. Which already increases the excitement for the second edition planned for September with a focus on sustainability.