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Inside Outdoor | WINTER 2021 6 SHIFTS TO A BRIGHTER 2021 Yes, 2020 was a crap year, for most everyone, and that certainly includes outdoor specialty retailers. Despite some sales booms in certain categories, and robust holiday sales, specialty dealers watched as market share shifted to online and big- box stores that were better equipped and funded to make quick COVID adjustments. Doors closed; jobs were lost. This past and future pain notwithstanding, NPD Group’s Dirk Sorenson, present- ing at the Outdoor Retailer virtual event, provided at least three reasons for a bit of optimism among outdoor specialty dealers heading into 2021 outdoor seasons. The first and most obvious is the new influx of possible participants. Outdoor brands spend a ton of time and money trying to attract new customer bases to their activities. Distancing, shutdowns, and lockdowns did more for that than all their efforts combined. While it’s unlikely we’ll see repeated surges in big-ticket items such as tents, kayaks, SUPs, and car racks (at least until the next replacement cycles), Sorenson is bullish on the opportunity to sell accessories and add-ons to 2020’s new entrants and the likeli- hood that new sentiments regarding open spaces, outdoor entertainment and exercise, and connecting with nature will persist at least through the near term. Of course, if there is one thing that keeps new entrants from participating in outdoor activities, it’s time, or the lack thereof. Surveys repeatedly show, across all demographics, that “not enough time” is the most common reason for not participating or not participating more in outdoor activities. As it turns out, recent realities have suddenly given many folks more time. A large percentage of adult workers still are working predominately from home, and it’s expected that as much as a quarter or more of U.S. employees will work remotely at least a few days a week for years to come. The average commute, meanwhile, is about 25 minutes, each way, said Sorenson. Throw in a few minutes on each side of the commute, less time grooming, and work-from-home employees gain about an hour a day of “free time.” We already may be seeing a re-allotment of free time within exercise habits. NPD noted an increase in consumers who are exercising on a regular, weekly basis. (I guess survey respondents weren’t lying when they said they would exercise more if they had more time.) A third bright spot shows up within demographic shifts. Looking at NPD data on U.S. population changes by age heading toward 2025, Sorenson argued that the only age segment showing any consistent growth outside of Millennials and Boomers is children 8 years old and younger. This isn’t surprising, as Millennials are heavily entering the stages of life when they move away from urban locations, buy homes and have kids. The good news for outdoor retail is that young families are core par- ticipants of many core outdoor activities – including camping, skiing, biking, hiking, picnicking, and playing on and around natural water. As Sorenson pointed out, many millennials are entering a stage of their lives when they are more apt than when at any other stage to pick up and participate in these activities. In other words, outdoor specialty is about to see increasing numbers of a target consumer group, who could possibly have less inclination to spend entertainment budgets inside movie theatres, amusement parks, ocean cruises, international flights, and crowded beach condos. Seizing these opportunities, Sorenson warns, will require an upgrade to outdoor specialty retail’s digital capabilities, be it the adoption of full-blown e-commerce engines or otherwise. Make no mistake, the accelerated shifts to all things e-commerce and omni-channel that we witnessed in 2020 were historic, beyond anyone’s expecta- tions, and they will be felt in the coming quarters. For the outdoor dealers that can figure it out, the market appears ripe at a time when the charm of specialty retail and the sense of a smaller community than typically found at a big-box store could be particularly appealing to shoppers. From the Editor Martin Vilaboy Editor-in-Chief martin@bekabusinessmedia.com Gerald Baldino Contributing Editor gerald@bekabusinessmedia.com Bruce Christian Contributing Editor bruce@bekabusinessmedia.com Percy Zamora Art Director outdoor@bekapublishing.com Rob Schubel Digital Manager marketing@bekabusinessmedia.com Ernest Shiwanov Editor at Large ernest@bekapublishing.com Berge Kaprelian Group Publisher berge@bekabusinessmedia.com Anthony Graffeo Publisher anthony@bekabusinessmedia.com Nazal Parvin Associate Publisher nazal@bekabusinessmedia.com Beka Business Media Berge Kaprelian President and CEO Jim Bankes Business Accounting Corporate Headquarters 10115 E Bell Road, Suite 107 - #517 Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 Voice: 480.503.0770 Fax: 480.503.0990 Email: berge@bekabusinessmedia.com © 2021 Beka Business Media, All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in any form or medium without express written permission of Beka Business Media, is prohibited. 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