T.K.O. - A Survey Of The Women's Market

By Michael J. Pallerino
Connecting with today's growing women's market is just a matter of trying. For the sporting goods Industry, that has not been easy. Our exclusive research study breaks down some of the stereotypes and helps open some doors..
Editorís Note: This is the first in a three-part series based on SPORTS TRENDís Womenís Research Study.
So, you want in on the growing womenís market? You've heard that, in the United States, women account from more than 85 percent of the consumer purchases and influence over 95 percent of all buying decisions for sporting goods and services.
OK. So just because you manufacture or sell sporting goods products and/or services, you think you understand the dynamics of marketing and selling to this growing segment? Well, did you know that their buying decisions are often based on something than price? In fact, although price usually shows up statistically as being the highest priority, how you treat women during the buying process can also be very important.
You know, thereís really a lot to know when it comes to the growing womenís market. Thanks to our exclusive womenís research report, you can tap into some of the secrets. To assist you, SPORTS TREND and the Womenís Sports Foundation joined forces to uncover some of the truths about female shopping and buying preferences. Our results provide qualitative and quantitative statistics that, properly utilized, reveal tremendous opportunities for reaching the female consumer.
Over the past 30 years, womenís sports participation has grown tremendously. Until the 1960s, there were only a few womenís sports programs at the collegiate level and the majority of women werenít even active or fitness conscious. Take a look around and youíll see that times have changed.
According to the Womenís Sports Foundation, in 1970, 1 in 27 women participated in sports. Today, that number has grown to approximately 1 in 3. During the 1998Ñ99 school year, 2.7 million girls participated in at least one high school sport.
According to the ST Womenís Research Study, 69 percent of women today consider themselves active, a sports enthusiast or athletic.
The survey also showed that the sport most women participate in is walking, followed by aerobics (dance exercise), cycling, swimming and weight training. Other growing sports include hiking, backpacking and golf. And women are also team players, with 46 percent reporting they play team-related activities.
Itís also interesting to note that the average age of women participating in the study is 38, which is also the average age of todayís women in the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that there are approximately 141 million women and 135 million men in the United States, with 90 million females falling between the age of 18 and 54 (the targeted research group).
But where does the sporting goods industry fit in? We know that retail sales have been generally increasing overall. Nationally, the numbers rose nearly 10 percent in 2000. Consumer spending hasnít shown too many signs of slowing, though thereís speculation of a slight recession in 2001. On the womenís side, the apparel industry is outpacing national retail sales levels by 2 to 1.
But there is bad news: Many sporting goods retailers may be missing out on even more womenís sales because they fail to recognize this influential group when it comes to sporting goods purchases. If you examine the market, youíll find that women are influencing sporting goods sales in many ways. Often times, it is the women who are purchasing sporting goods products ó they shop more than men, teens or children.
Hereís a fact you know: Women are controlling more money than ever before. And while they are still earning as much as 25 percent less than men, theyíre spending just as much. This means that todayís women represent a significant opportunity for the sporting goods industry.
What does this mean? For starters, there are approximately 6 million more women in the United States than men. And what makes the womenís market different? How about the fact that women buy differently than men. For years, consumer marketers have successfully leveraged womenís brand affinity, loyalty and stringent criteria for making purchase decisions.
Unfortunately, much of the sports products industry still use sales strategies tailored to men. In fact, our study shows that the No. 1 place women shop for activewear or athleticwear is department stores, not sporting goods stores. But when it comes to athletic footwear, they are choosing specialty stores.
To sell effectively to todayís women, you must recognize the subtle and important differences in female buying styles and design your sales strategies accordingly. Here are some starting points:
ï Women process information differently, and many use both qualitative and quantitative criteria to make decisions.
ï Women ask many questions ó and tend to keep asking until they understand. Be prepared to explain the products and/or services in more than one way so that youíre clearly understood.
ï For many women, the process matters as much as the product. Women are holistic thinkers, and identify a good product with a comfortable, pleasant sales process.
ï Women are loyal shoppers. While there are many reasons for buying, theyíll buy again from the same source if the experience and products are a fit.
ï Women have too much to do and too little time to do it. Creating a sales process that respects this will help to maintain a lasting relationship.
How do we do this? The sporting goods industry is working on ways to reach the womenís sports market. But how? Here are some tips:
ï Know the female buyer; her wants and desires, likes and dislikes.
ï Target this market differently than the menís.
ï Design, merchandise and market your retail stores to todayís women.
ï Educate sales associates on apparel, fabrics, technologies, etc.
ï Provide customer service.
ï Design your retail stores to appeal to women, too.
Some retailers and manufacturers have tried to expand their womenís presence within sporting goods stores. This approach appeals to sporting goods companies with established womenís lines, as well as those looking to reach this market. For example, more manufacturers can promote fitness lines within department stores. Those who do so know the way to sell fitness attire and sportswear is to go where women buy most of their clothes.
You can also set up specialty shops that cater to women. Some retailers believe the womenís market is unique enough to warrant stand-alone stores. They believe women are most comfortable buying products from other women who understand their needs.
Try offering more apparel, footwear and accessory presentations. Today, many retailers arenít set up to handle the growing womenís business ó especially mall-based athletic specialty stores. Many women wonít walk across the sales floor to view hook-ups. Also, the sales associates often possess little knowledge of technical fibers and fabrics.
Until the late 1990s, even if retailers managed to get women to shop their stores, there was little for them to buy. But thatís changing.
Today, there are more products designed specifically for women, including smaller sleeping bags with more padding; backpacks tailored to a womanís dimensions; soccer shoes with special cleats; smaller golf clubs with smaller grips, lighter shafts and heavier heads; lighter tennis racquets with smaller grips; inline skates for a womanís foot; and softball gloves with smaller palm areas and tighter finger holes.
And thatís important considering that women not only tend to spend more per item than men, but spend more time shopping for specific items. This holds specifically true when it comes to technical products. Our study reports that 78 percent of women consider fibers and fabrics when purchasing apparel.
Theyíre also seeking comfort, durability and value ó often shopping around until they find what they need. Thatís why point-of-purchase material is critical to selling womenís products.
According to our research, 91 percent of women find descriptive hangtags helpful when shopping. In addition, 69 percent of women expect retail sales associates to be knowledgeable of the apparel they sell.
If you draw any conclusions from our research, remember that the womenís market is primed for continued growth, with sporting goods just being part of the equation. If youíve been one of the many retailers and manufacturers on the outside looking in, now is the time to come inside ó before itís too late.
Our Survey Says:
ï 71 percent believe women's sports help them to become competitive and successful in business; 21percent do not
ï 81 percent of athletic women believe women's sports help them to become competitive and successful in business
ï 60 percent of sedentary women believe women's sports help them to become competitive and successful in business
ï 83 percent of women encourage their kids to participate in sports and to lead active lifestyles; 16 percent say they do not
ï 73 percent say they are familiar with Title IX, which requires non-gender discriminatory sharing of limited financial resources; 24 percent say they are not
ï On average, survey respondents play two different individual sports and one team sport per week, with the total sports played varying slightly by lifestyle.
RESULT HIGHLIGHTS:
Table 1: Which One Best Describes Your Lifestyle?
ï Active (Exercise one to two times per week): 48%
ï Sports enthusiast (Exercise one to two times per week and participate in various physical sports Ñ i.e. tennis, softball, running, golf, etc. Ñ one to two times per week): 11%
ï Athletic (Participate in physical sports more than twice per week: 10%
ï Sedentary (Exercise less than once per month and do not participate in physical sports): 22.5%
ï No answer: 8.4%
Table 2: Please Check All Of The Sports You Play Or Have Played In The Last Six Months:
Walking: 74%
Bicycling: 58%
Aerobics or dance exercise: 41%
Swimming: 37%
Weight Training: 31%
Running/jogging: 27%
Hiking/Backpacking: 15%
Golf: 14%
Boating: 14%
Inline Skating: 10%
Volleyball: 10%
Tennis: 9%
Hunting/Fishing: 9%
Team Sports: 7%
Yoga: 7%
Kick Boxing: 7%
Skating: 6%
Snow Sports: 3%
Climbing: 3%
Racquetball: 2%
Martial Arts: 1%
Football: 1%
Ice Hockey: 0%
Table 3: Besides Specific Products, What Else Attracts You To A Store?
Price: 80%
Location: 78%
Sales: 60%
Product Selection: 59%
Store Name/Reputation: 41%
Customer Service: 38%
Promotions: 28%
Table 4: Overall, Do You Find Retail Stores Inviting/Attractive To You As A Customer?
Type of Store/Yes/No/Not Reported:
Department Store/79%/12%/9%
Specialty Store/59%/15%/20%
Catalog/47%/32%/21%
Online Retailer/21%/49%/30%
Full Line Sporting Goods Store/49%/24%/27%
Discount Store/66%/17%/17%
Athletic Footwear Store/61%/19%/20%
Table 5: How Important Is Each Of The Following To You When Purchasing Activewear Or Sports Apparel?
(1=not at all; 2=somewhat; 3=very)
Cost: 2.79
East of Mobility: 2.64
Fabric: 2.59
Fashion / Style / Color: 2.58
Functionality: 2.57
Performance: 2.51
Shopping Convenience: 2.45
Customer Service: 2.39
Shopping Atmosphere: 2.07
Brand Name: 1.70
About Our Study: