Contents
- Summer frontrunners: biking and camping are very popular
- No compromises when buying shoes: Superfit and Timberland
- Aiming high with La Sportiva and Salewa
- Always well protected with Uvex and Scott
- Fully equipped for every outdoor adventure with NEMO, Leki and Osprey
- How exactly is the Trend Brand Monitor calculated?
Our Trend Brand Monitor is entering its second round! Last time, we looked at all sales in 2023, now it's getting a little more specific: this time we are analyzing the sales figures of our brands in summer 2024. Which manufacturers were particularly on trend? What are the reasons for the success of these brands? We took a look at what was so popular with SportFits this summer.
Summer frontrunners: biking and camping are very popular
After many customers equipped themselves with camping and cycling equipment during the coronavirus years, manufacturers have seen a corresponding drop in sales in recent years. This trend now seems to have reversed, judging by the figures from SportFits.
1st Place: Sweet Protection
At the top of the list of the most successful brands of summer 2024 is Sweet Protection with a 192.06 percent increase in sales compared to the previous year. The Norwegian outdoor outfitter is primarily known for its advanced helmets and reliable protective equipment. In summer 2024, the Falconer 2Vi Mips Helmet, the Falconer Aero 2Vi Mips Helmet and the Outrider Mips Helmet were particularly popular with SportFits. All three models are equipped with Mips technology, offer excellent protection and are very comfortable to wear. At the Tour de France 2024, Sweet Protection also equipped the Norwegian Uno-X Mobility Team, which generated a lot of interest in the brand. Sweet Protection also gets a lot of attention on social media, where the brand's styles are popular with influencers and cycling fans.
2nd Place: Alpina
Alpina, a renowned manufacturer of helmets, sports goggles and protectors, also took second place in our ranking. The German brand achieved sales growth of 190.41 percent in SportFits. The most popular products here were also three high-performance bike helmets: the Gent Mips, which received top marks in all tests, the Rupi, which provides children with all-round protection on every tour, and the newly launched Apax Mips, which is an off-road all-rounder and now also features the latest Mips technology. The new, high-quality products are enjoying great popularity, which is not least due to modern marketing, which in addition to traditional strategies also focuses heavily on selected brand ambassadors in social media.
3rd Place: Exped
In third place in our ranking, with sales growth of 153.01 percent, are the sleeping mat pioneers from Exped. This summer, we are experiencing a new upswing in the camping sector in our store, especially for high-quality equipment. With popular classics that are perfect for tents and vans, such as the Megamat 10, but also extra-light models such as the Ultra 3R and robust mats such as the Dura 5R, Exped was able to score points with SportFits. The Swiss brand's ingenious design and decades of experience are reflected in the quality of its products and ensure customer confidence. What has also contributed to the success is the good availability of Exped's wide range of products, which has enabled us to optimally display the range in our store.
No compromises when buying shoes: Superfit and Timberland
Many parents are becoming increasingly aware of how important good shoes are for children, which is why manufacturers such as Superfit are becoming more and more popular. The Austrian brand achieved sales growth of 108.51% at SportFits, making it the first pure shoe brand in our ranking. The most popular models this summer are the lightweight sneaker Breeze and the flexible sandals Sparkle and Lagoon. In addition to the colorful, lovingly designed shoes and the ergonomic soles specially adapted to children's feet, Superfit also impresses with its excellent price-performance ratio.
Timberland is a brand in our ranking that is known and loved worldwide for its timeless classics - the 97.67 percent increase in sales and the bestsellers in our store are proof of this. The Mens Classic Boat Shoes in various designs were very popular with our customers, but the most well-known model from the American brand also took first place in the summer: the 6 Inch Lace Up Waterproof Boot, which accompanies you on outdoor adventures as well as in everyday life. The well-known classics are currently experiencing a new hype, which is clearly noticeable in our store.
Aiming high with La Sportiva and Salewa
It is no coincidence that La Sportiva is the world market leader in climbing and high-altitude mountaineering shoes. The brand is also extremely popular with SportFits and achieved growth of 86.82 percent in summer 2024. The best-selling products are the Bushido II Woman GTX, the Helios III and the Bushido II Woman. All three shoes can be used flexibly in everyday life and for sports, but are particularly popular for one trend sport: trail running. What has also led to the brand's great success at SportFits is the connection of our system to their stocks, which has enabled us to always reorder their favorite products for our customers
The northern Italian brand Salewa stood out this summer thanks to its innovation. Fresh, new collections, state-of-the-art technologies, creative strategies and a completely new brand image as a result. Targeted marketing measures at SportFits brought the new products even closer to our customers. There are therefore several reasons for the 69.01 percent growth in sales. By far the most popular Salewa shoe was the Wildfire Canvas M, followed by the Wildfire 2 GTX M and the MS Wildfire Edge. The three models with a great price-performance ratio are suitable for versatile mountain tours and via ferratas. According to Salewa, their shoes are currently experiencing a general upswing again, but the success of SportFits is exceptionally high. For Salewa, the collaboration is therefore also an important reason for the brand's success in our store:
SportFits is the best example of achieving outstanding results in difficult times with outstanding work and a team that lives and breathes sport. Especially in the specialist area (such as hiking boots without membranes), where the customer often doesn't get the choice in stationary retail, we can achieve great growth with SportFits!
Always well protected with Uvex and Scott
Another expert for helmets and goggles in our ranking is the German brand Uvex with an 82.92% increase in sales compared to the previous year. The most popular products in our store were the Urban Planet and Urban Planet LED, two city helmets that not only meet the highest safety standards and look stylish, but are also made from recycled, bio-based materials. What surprised us was that our top helmets are not really among the bestsellers at Uvex - so we cover products here that are not necessarily found at other retailers.
Another brand that is benefiting from the fact that cycling is becoming extremely popular again after the brief lull following the coronavirus years is Scott. The growth of 25.98% compared to summer 2023 clearly shows that bike fans continue to rely on quality brands. Cyclists will find everything they need for their tours in the American manufacturer's wide range. The bestsellers at SportFits show that customers now not only value safe helmets, but also reliable shoes: the Sports Crus-r Boa, the Mtb Comp Boa and the Road Comp Boa are Scott's best-selling products at SportFits, along with the Arx Plus (ce) helmet. When it comes to marketing, Scott relies on a targeted strategy with us, but also on collaborations with well-known professional athletes such as Nino Schurter, which help the brand to become even better known.
Fully equipped for every outdoor adventure with NEMO, Leki and Osprey
The American outdoor outfitter NEMO has become a secret favorite brand within our company. Not only because cooperation always runs smoothly, but also because NEMO's high-quality products are extremely light, robust and reliable. The 67 percent growth in sales is also due to the wide product range, which is also reflected in our bestsellers of the summer: The Tensor Ultralight Sleeping Pad, the Moonlite Elite Reclining Camp Chair, the Tensor All-Season 2024 Mat and the Hornet Osmo 2-person tent.
Nemo himself says about the summer success:
High quality, sustainability and products that enhance the outdoor experience are top priorities at NEMO Equipment - this is also reflected in the retail trade and makes customers reach for NEMO products.
Many people know Leki as a manufacturer of premium gloves, but in summer the German brand shines above all with its selection of high-quality hiking and trekking poles. The Ultratrail FX.One, the Ultratrail FX.One Superlite and the Makalu FX Carbon were particularly popular in our store. The fact that Leki was able to achieve a 56.82% increase in sales in summer 2024 is partly due to the increasing popularity of the trend sport of trail running, for which the poles are perfectly suited. This, combined with strategic marketing measures at SportFits, led to a significant increase in sales.
With an impressive sales growth of 44.2 percent, Osprey is holding its own against the competition. The particularly ergonomic backpacks are perfectly designed for specific purposes, but the range also includes versatile all-rounders. Osprey is particularly popular with a young and travel-loving target group, which the brand has noticed especially with SportFits: "Our customers particularly like to buy travel backpacks for longer trekking tours, for traveling and for backpacking. We used targeted marketing measures such as competitions, newsletters, banners and performance teasers to promote these topics at SportFits in particular.
How exactly is the Trend Brand Monitor calculated?
We wanted to find out which brands achieved the greatest sales growth in our store this summer compared to summer 2023. To do this, we looked at the anonymized sales data of our almost 600,000 customers from the beginning of March to the end of July 2024 and compared the results with the same period last year. We preselected the brands in order to narrow down the list somewhat and make the figures more comparable: they had to have generated sales of at least 50,000 euros in both periods and achieved sales growth of over 20 percent.