EuroSIMA Study Shows Trend Toward Online Purchasing Habits

European boardsport consumers are purchasing a large amount of their gear online, according to a September 2008 study on consumer trends conducted by the EuroSIMA Cluster, a network of private and public boardsport companies in South West France.

Here is a complete outline of what the study reported:

Boardsports consumers purchasing habits

The EuroSIMA Cluster has conducted last August-September 2008 (in collaboration with the ARCANE Institut agency) a consumer research study on consumption trends of boarsports gear (surf/skate/snowboard), based on a representative sample of 4200 persons of 15 to 35 years-old across seven countries in Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom).

This unique European internet study provides the freshest insight about the boarsports consumers’ profile, their hobbies, their sports participation, their buying habits, their purchasing motivations…

After a first wave of information released last February, the EuroSIMA Cluster reveals today new figures on the consumption habits of the 15-35 years-old.

Purchasing channels for boardsports products
Signs clearly show that boardsports gear consumers are becoming cyber-consumers.

• Even if most of boardsports articles are bought in general sports stores (34.4%), or in specialized shops (26.6%), online purchase is becoming widespread (26%).
• Internet is the first channel used in the UK (38.3%) and in Germany (35.1%) in order to purchase boardsports articles, but is not really used buy Portuguese shoppers (11.3%) who widely prefer general sport stores (46.9%).
• Females buy boardsports articles in general sports stores (36.5%) slightly more than males (32.5%).
• On the other side, males use the internet slightly more than females for buying boardsports articles (26.5% vs. 23.3%).
• Those practicing boardsports buy sports articles in general sports stores (29.4%), on the Internet (28%), or in specialized shops (27.7%).
• Internet is by far the first channel used in the UK (40.9%) and in Germany (36.3%), and is widely used across other countries except in Portugal (14%) whose shoppers prefer general or specialized sports stores.

Types of websites used for boardsports products online shopping
Online shopping sites such as private-public sales, EBay…, are one of the fastest growing sectors on the internet today.

• Online shopping sites (45.7%) are websites the most commonly used for purchasing boardsports articles by those using the Internet for their purchases.
Then, the most common online sources are specialized boardsports sites (24.4%), surf brands sites (14.8%), and mail order sites (14.8%).
• Specialized boardsports sites tend to be slightly more popular with males (25.7%) than female (22.8%) and with those aged 15-25 (26.6%) than the older group (22.3%).
• Online shopping sites (43.5%) are websites the most commonly used for purchasing boardsports articles by boardsports participants using the Internet for their purchase.

Key factors when shopping for boardsports products

• For the majority across countries, the brand (65.1%) is declared more important than the price (7.3%).
The brand is relatively more important than the price for females and for those aged 26-35.
It is also the case for those practicing boardsports.
• Shops and brands fame are important for all countries.
In Germany, Portugal and Switzerland the shop reputation is more important whereas it is the other way round in France, Spain and the UK.
For boardsports participants, shops and brands fame have the similar importance.
• In all countries (except Portugal), consumers are inclined to switch brands rather than buying the same.
The study reveals that males are slightly more inclined to switch brands than females.
It is also the case for boardsports participants.
• When shopping for boardsports products, impulse motivates customers much more than need.
This tendency is even more evident with boarsports participants.

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