The Big Lie: Women as Mondo Purchasers of Outdoor Gear
I've spent some time lately doing something I rarely do, shopping. Most of my outdoor clothing is/was flat worn out, so I've been shopping the sales replacing a lot of it. I remember about oh...a decade or a little more ago about how "women were being totally ignored in the outdoor products marketplace." Well...I hate to say it, but it was for a reason:
MOST WOMEN DON'T BUY LOTS OF OUTDOOR GEAR
See fer yerself, if y'a don't believe me: http://www.mountaingoatoutfitters.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=284
What's going on at Mt. Goat is pretty characteristic of what I'm seeing in stores: mountains of leftover women's clothes at the end of the season. And so it goes with the rest as well. If you're female and you need skis/boots/poles/etc., get thee to the store now because you can get it all for 50 to 75% off.
Back in the good 'ol days when it was 75% mens/unisex clothing and 25% stuff that needed to be specifically tailored to women, you could find men's outdoor gear on the rack. Now, the men's clothing/gear is mostly sold out midway through the season and all the outdoor chains have to firesale the women's gear just to get rid of it. What's really irritating isn't so much that I can't get stuff on sale, but it's even hard to get it at full price.
The hype rarely seems to mesh up with reality. Yes, there are a lot more women in the outdoors than there ever used to be, but it's not a 50/50 ratio, nor do I think it will ever be. You have to wonder how long this nonsense is going to go on. How long can can a store/chain stay in business when they have to firesale 2/3 of their remaining inventory at 40-50+% off? I'm not bagging on women here, so don't get the wrong impression. I'm happy to see more women participating in the outdoor/traditionally male-dominated sports, but the fact is, women are not participating at the same rate as men, and the purchasing volumes reflect that.
It's just an observation of commercial reality for any of you that might be in or going into retail.
MOST WOMEN DON'T BUY LOTS OF OUTDOOR GEAR
See fer yerself, if y'a don't believe me: http://www.mountaingoatoutfitters.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=284
What's going on at Mt. Goat is pretty characteristic of what I'm seeing in stores: mountains of leftover women's clothes at the end of the season. And so it goes with the rest as well. If you're female and you need skis/boots/poles/etc., get thee to the store now because you can get it all for 50 to 75% off.
Back in the good 'ol days when it was 75% mens/unisex clothing and 25% stuff that needed to be specifically tailored to women, you could find men's outdoor gear on the rack. Now, the men's clothing/gear is mostly sold out midway through the season and all the outdoor chains have to firesale the women's gear just to get rid of it. What's really irritating isn't so much that I can't get stuff on sale, but it's even hard to get it at full price.
The hype rarely seems to mesh up with reality. Yes, there are a lot more women in the outdoors than there ever used to be, but it's not a 50/50 ratio, nor do I think it will ever be. You have to wonder how long this nonsense is going to go on. How long can can a store/chain stay in business when they have to firesale 2/3 of their remaining inventory at 40-50+% off? I'm not bagging on women here, so don't get the wrong impression. I'm happy to see more women participating in the outdoor/traditionally male-dominated sports, but the fact is, women are not participating at the same rate as men, and the purchasing volumes reflect that.
It's just an observation of commercial reality for any of you that might be in or going into retail.
2 Comments:
Many studies have been done over the years as to the importance of women's products in the industry. A study (about a decade ago, the decision making time in question) by Outdoor Retailer magazine showed that women comprised approximately 42% of the market as long as the activity didn't require an overnight. If an overnight stay was involved (e.g. backpacking, camping, etc.) the number dropped to 11%. Most women's outdoor magazines are also failures. Why, then, does the industry keep producing women's gear? They make enough by doing it. Margins from cost (not wholesale)to retail on outerwear are in the hundreds of percent. If these companies have to clear things out for women at 70% off, it's not as great a loss as you think. Although, for a mens/unisex XL like myself, the sales are far and few between. Good Luck.
Good points!
They may be making some money, but I still regard the practice as bad business because they leaving a TON of dough sitting on the table selling goods at maybe a 5% return instead of the 30 to 50% they would have got had they sold something more marketable.
Very few industries besides volume commodities and Walmart can sell items at single digit margins and survive, so it's curious to me that the outdoor industry has been on this kick for so long. This is MBA 101 material. Surely *someone*, *somewhere* must have noticed the decline in profitiablity when this nonsense started.
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