Why so many sports related stores in 1 area

Why so many sports-related stores in 1 area?

The location: Kanata Ontario

The Suspects

First Impressions

Half of the sign

lighted

Inventory stacked against window

Posters randomly

placed

Later in the day, advertising hot

tubs

hmm, must be about golf

Probably means

something

Bars on the windows

hmm, must be about hockey

Dominant dark colours

Odd tag line

Proud to be 100%

Canadian

What about the rust?

a rigorous survey was completed

That generated a lot of data

Thanks to modern analytical techniques, I can summarize the

observations

Warehouse Feel

• Fitness Depot

• Sport Chek

• Sports Mart

• Golf Town

Professional Feel

• Pro Hockey Life

• Clubhouse

As if a contest for the most

disheveled store

Smelly

• Fitness Depot (rubber, vinyl)

• Sport Chek (polyester, rubber)

• Sports Mart (supper)

Not Smelly

• Pro Hockey Life

• Clubhouse

• Golf Town

Fitness equipment is rather stinky

Staff Ignored Customers

• Fitness Depot

• Clubhouse

• Sports Mart

Staff Greeted Customers

• Pro Hockey Life

• Sport Chek

• Golf Town

Stores where women work more likely to be greeted

Greeted fast in all 3 stores

Shopping Alone, Mainly Men

• Fitness Depot

• Clubhouse

• Sports Mart

• Golf Town

Family Shopping

• Pro Hockey Life

• Sports Chek

Stores with the most diverse inventory tended

to have the most shoppers (Sports Chek)

Stores with the most niche products had the

more engaged customers (Golf, Hockey

Can Touch and Try

• Fitness Depot (no one was)

• Sports Chek (Golf)

• Golf Town

• Pro Hockey Life

Mainly Clothes

• Clubhouse

• Sports Mart

Stores with the most diverse inventory tended

to have the most shoppers (Sports Chek)

Stores with the most niche products had the

more engaged customers (Golf, Hockey

Most professional display, best floor (wood) - Clubhouse

Most engaging display: Pro hockey life

How did the stores make me feel?

• Didn’t matter if the door was open or what colours were used, shoddy display ands are

not welcoming

Most stores were aiming to be about the same

Merchandize was crowded

Except for Clubhouse

Radio music was playing loudly

Except for Pro Hockey Life who were playing old hockey play-by-play

Diagnosis: Stores that effectively differentiate draw in buyers

Stores that differentiate seem to benefit from proximity to stores

with similar merchandize

When those other stores fail to keep up appearances and fail to

provide compelling differentiation

Other conclusions…

• Cash register location

• Eye level merchandize

• On-sale merchandize

• High cost merchandize

• Colouring schemes

Were not materially

different among

all the stores visited

And, what does a fitness equipment that sells hot tubs

mean for brand consistency?