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14 Inside Outdoor | WINTER 2021 Buyer’s Side On the other hand, a few supply chain improvements were universally desired by the sporting goods indus- try or maintained a consistent appeal throughout this trying calendar year. In every monthly survey by WFSGI from April to November, “flexibility” was named as the top trait required of sup- pliers during this difficult period, consis- tently cited by 90 percent to 100 per- cent of respondents. In much the same way, when asked how they would like their supply chains to be transformed after the pandemic, sporting goods vendors and retailers consistently placed “lean and adaptive” as the most popular answer month after month – peaking with as many as three-quarter of respondents in July. “Close to mar- ket,” meanwhile, was cited by as many as 50 percent of those surveyed at the end of the summer, but it fell to 0 per- cent by November. Incidentally, responding sporting goods vendors and retailers also consistently listed “environmentally friendly products” as their top an- swer when asked what the emerging market trend would be after the pan- demic. “Outdoor” was consistently listed as the top product category to prevail after the pandemic, followed closely by “running.” Certainly, online channels – both direct and through e-retailers – are where companies up and down the supply chain see the greatest op- portunity for future growth, as both surveys showed. And as analysts at eMarketer noted, brick-and-mortar sales growth has been dwindling for years as consumers increasingly turn to online channels. The pandemic only accelerated this trend. The retail research firm forecasts a 32.4 per- cent increase in ecommerce sales in 2020, while brick-and-mortar sales will end up falling by 3.2 percent. Still, while the future of traditional wholesale models is viewed less optimistically than digital alternatives, one in four brands surveyed by Nu- Order are still committed to investing more in traditional wholesale over other channels in 2021. m Source: NuOrder How do you want to reframe your sourcing priorities after the pandemic? Source: WFSGI 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% No change 100 % 90 % 80 % 70 % 60 % 50 % 40 % 30 % 20 % 10 % 0 % Local for local Sourcing Tent Camping NET RETENTION OF NEW CAMPERS Deluxe Cabin Camping RVing Rustic Cabin Camping Glamping Regional centric sourcing Global market centric sourcing April May April July August September October November New Campers to Continue Camping in 2021 Source: Kampgrounds of America 26% 18% 20% 9% 13% 23% 22% 19% 17% 12% 9% 5% 27% 18% 15% 9% 15% 10% 7% 27% 17% 17% 10% 16% 5% 8% 23% 18% 15% 11% 14% 9% 10% 22% 18% 16% 10% 17% 9% 10% 5-Very likely to continue 4 3 2 1-Very unlikely to continue Uncertain Have not tried this type of camping The Shows Must Go On One part of the supply chain that outdoor specialty retailers apparently hope does not change is the existence of old-fashioned, in-person, B2B trade shows. According to a survey of more than 6,500 specialty retailers by EnvoyB2B, retail buyers still overwhelmingly prefer to engage in-person and physically with brands and their product offerings. Once COVID-19 vaccines are adequately distributed, a full 87 percent of respondents said they will attend physical trades show as much or more than they did prior to the pand mic. Conversely, 75 percent of specialty dealers said they were “not satisfied” by virtual trade events that took place during the past 9 months, with responses repeatedly citing an inability to see and touch the products in-person. Once a vaccine is distributed, do you think you will attend trade shows … The same as before 75% More than before 8% A lot more 4% Less than before 12% A lot less 0% Source: EnvoyB2B And while physical interactions could be accomplished through in-store visits by brands and their reps, only 25 percent of retailers said they would encourage brands to work more directly with them in place of trade shows. Three-quarters of respondents, meanwhile, said they would encourage brands to continue attending IRL trade shows. See you in Denver this summer?