Southern Africa’s business-to-business magazine for the sport, outdoor and leisure industries • Vol 39 No 2 • Q2 2018

Cricket bats, balls, heroes and cheats Walking shoes get boost from President Meet the top agents and service providers Vol 39 Nr2 Q2 2018 www.sportstrader.co.za

Highlights: The best agents and service providers Cricket bats, balls, heroes & cheats

On the cover Charging equipment on the go The newly launched men’s Thalgo from Duca del Cosma’s How to sell footwear for kids lifestyle range was made in Portugal and designed with Do player endorsements sell bats? p24. Photo: Nicol du Toit. genuine Italian DNA that is re- fl ected by its sleek, sportive de- Regulars Sport sign and combination of bright colours. Adding to its luxuri- ous feel, is the soft-leather lin- People on the move Can players sell cricket bats? Who or what infl uences the sale of cricket ing. On the functional side, its News about people in the industry. 24 equipment? waterproof booty system has 2 a breathable membrane that Brands on the move keeps feet dry; it’s fi tted with News about brand activity in the industry. Ins and outs of cricket ball What makes a diff erence to the way a cricket an ergonomic, comfortable and 9 28 ball behaves — legally and illegally? removable, soft PU-insert sole for extra comfort with every Industry step; and the 5mm nubs of the Cricket range and other news Airplay III outsole provide extra The best service providers The end of the Gupta infl uence in cricket and 30 what’s new in ranges. traction and stability. The per- Retailers nominate the agents and admin fect choice for looking classy 4 departments who give them the best service. and stylish on and off the golf Indoor rowing benefi t all athletes course. Contact Duca del Rowing machines not only off er on water rowers Bryan Lidgey fondly remembered 32 a more aff ordable and accessible way to train, Cosma Africa at 021 506 6900, Colleagues pay tribute to an industry legend. [email protected] or 7 but is good training for all sports. visit www.ducadelcosma.co.za. More awards Outdoor Another agent and brand win industry awards. Publisher: Nicol du Toit 8 Editor: Carin Hardisty Fishing company news Managing editor: Trudi du Toit Brands at CWG and FIFA WC Pure Fishing in the market and ups and downs Features: Carin Hardisty, The exposure brands got at the Commonwealth 35 for fi shing brands. Carl Alfonso, Trudi du Toit 14 Games and can expect at the FIFA World Cup. Design: Carin Hardisty, Trudi du Toit Charging equipment Photography: Nicol du Toit Brands changing the retail game A product knowledge article explaining the Advertising: Nicol du Toit Big brands have made it clear that they want to 37 diff erent options for charging equipment used by Subscriptions: Carin Hardisty 16 focus on consumers and selected retailers. athletes and in the outdoors. Printing: FA Print Distribution: InsideData SA retailers respond to big brands Selling tips for knives Sports Trader is published quarterly Retailers discuss the impact on their stores if the A retail expert shares his knowledge about how by Rocklands Communications cc. 17 big brands should stop supplying them. 40 best to sell knives. Reg. No: 1997/057165/23. Members: N. J. & G. C. du Toit & The trademark minefi eld New products to show customers C. Hardisty Why are some of South Africa’s trademark Ideas for new knives and other outdoor Contact details: 19 registrations so unique? 42 equipment that your customers might like. PO Box 12197 Mill Street 8010 22 Rocklands Avenue, Vredehoek, Retail sales remain positive Trade shows Cape Town 8001 First quarter retail sales still show signs of Tel: 021 461 2544 Fax: 021 461 2549 23 Ramaphoria. Website: www.sportstrader.co.za Event and trade show news Facebook: SportsTraderMagazine News from local and international events and Twitter: @SASportsTrader How to get closer to customers 48 trade shows. Blog: sasportstrader.wordpress.com A conference looked at ways technology can Advertising: [email protected] 44 help retailers to reconnect with customers Editorial: [email protected] Subscribe: [email protected] Sustainability in the industry Various eco-friendly initiatives aff ecting the Publication information: The 47 industry. title and contents of Sports Trader are protected by copy- right. It is a business to busi- Clothing & footwear ness publication compiled to inform, entertain and educate retailers, distributors and man- Are walking shoes more popular? ufacturers of sports and out- Has Pres. Ramaphosa’s passion for walking door equipment, footwear and 20 inspired consumers to walk for fi tness? clothing. It is available only to members of the sport, outdoor and activewear industries and Selling kids footwear is published quarterly. Fitting and recommending children’s footwear © Rocklands Communications. 22 requires specialised skills and knowledge. Retailers select their best service providers p4. 1702 ASI Kayano 25MagAd_297x210_FINAL_FA_R1.indd 1 2018/05/24 15:53

MADE/ASI1702 p2 :: Industry People on

This is the 30th year that Jean Davies has been with W.E.T. Sports — a milestone Joe and Michelle Schoeman of Swimming International, South African distribu- not seen so often these days. She is the Internal Sales Administrator for the com- tors of FINIS swimwear and equipment, are probably the proudest parents in the pany. “Jean is a pleasure to have on the staff and she still sets the example, and land after their son Henri won South Africa’s fi rst gold medal at the Gold Coast often the pace, for her much younger colleagues,” says Patrick Franck. “She is Commonwealth Games in Australia. He won the men’s triathlon race in 52 min- usually the fi rst at her desk in the morning, never calls in sick and likes nothing utes and 31 seconds to take a podium place above the local favourite, Australia’s more than to look after the customers’ needs. Jacob Birtwhistle, and Marc Austin of Great Britain. “Gems like Jean don’t come along every day. She is loved and appreciated by all Henri’s 2nd ranked team mate and bookies’ favourite to win, Richard Murray, the people she’s touched over the last 30 years.” fi nished 6th in the triathlon. Schoeman was ranked 3rd. His father, Joe, can justifi ably enjoy this achievement on a personal level as he is his son’s cycling and running coach. A cross-country athlete who also cycled in duathlons, he was quoted by the Sunday Times as saying that he is not Henri’s swimming coach because “he kicks faster than I can swim”. Veteran trainer Alis- dair Hatfi eld oversees this part of his training. Instead, he trains his son’s running and cycling legs — on a cycle. England’s Brownlee brothers (Alistair and Jonny) had dominated triathlon events for years: Alistair had won the gold medal at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games while Jonny won bronze and silver. Both the Brownlees fi nished behind the two South Africans in the Gold Coast race. Alistair, who is also the defending Commonwealth Games champion, fi nished 10th and Jonny 7th. This year started on a high for Schoeman when he won the Abu Dhabi Triathlon World Series. In 2016 he not only won bronze at the Rio Olympic Games, he had also won the World Series grand fi nal in Mexico. In 2014 he had won silver in the mixed relay at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. His older brother, Riaan, had won bronze in the 400m individual medley at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games and had also competed at two Olympics as a swimmer. Skechers athlete Weldon Kirui this year clocked his second win in the Los Angeles marathon in three years — his fourth marathon win to date. This year he also beat his previous Los Angeles Marathon time. Skechers Performance has been the title sponsor of the event for the third year. Kirui wore a pair of the GOmeb Speed 5 and has been a Skechers Performance elite athlete since 2016. Meb Kefl ezighi, Olympic medallist and Skechers Performance elite athlete, and David Weinberg, Chief Operating Offi cer of Skechers, held the fi nish tape for Kirui.

Prince tennis ambassador John Isner (right) says his win in the ATP Masters 1000 Miami Open was the “best moment of my career”. The 32-year old beat Alex- ander Zverev of Germany in a 2 ½ hour fi nal to win his fi rst major title — the biggest victory in his 14-year career. The fact that #14 seeded Isner was the fi rst American man to win the tournament since Andy Roddick in 2010, resulted in widespread media coverage. According to Prince, the online reports about the win resulted in K-Way-sponsored teams won both the men’s and women’s divisions in the re- 277-m impressions. Following this win, cent AfricanX Trailrun presented by ASICS. Team K-Way Wintergreen (Bernard Isner is back in the ATP Top 10, ranked Rukadza and AJ Calitz above) have so far won all three of the AfricanX Trailrun #9. He is the highest-ranked American presented by ASICS races to date. Carla van Huyssteen and Nicolette Griffi oen in player on the ATP Tour. Isner has been Team KeyHealth Neverest/K-Way won the ladies’ division. The AfricanX Trailrun using Prince throughout his career and consists of three stages over three days (27-29 April) in Jonkershoek and the currently plays with the Prince TexTreme Boschendal Wine Estate. Stage three was the most troublesome for both teams Warrior 100 racket, which was ranked #1 because of its fl atness. “We looked at the profi le of each stage beforehand,” says all-around frame by Tennis Magazine in Calitz. “We knew what our strengths were and knew what to expect. Teams of two 2016. During 2015 he assisted the Prince (male/female/mixed) put teamwork and endurance to the test when they battled Research & Development team by play- it out on a route that varied in distance between 20-36km each day. The three testing several prototypes to develop the routes had been planned in such a way that the runners had the opportunity to right combination of technology, fi t and tackle a different breath-taking scenic route each day. feel for him.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2 Industry :: p3

Gordon Stokes has been pro- moted and now holds the title of Product Director for Hi-Tec South Africa. He has been work- ing at Hi-Tec for more than three the move years and has been instrumen- tal in driving the growth of the brand across all categories, says Jo Esterhuizen, Marketing Director for Hi-Tec South Africa. Stokes has a long history in product development: before he joined Hi-Tec he was foot- wear developer and designer at Jordan & Co (now part of the Bolton Footwear group) for more than 18 years. “I am happy and proud to be associated with a dynamic brand like Hi-Tec and having the freedom to develop new ranges,” says Stokes. “Being with a brand that is constantly evolving and being part of that journey is an honour.” Left: Be careful what you promise your staff, Tekkie Town CEO Bernard Mostert learnt when he told the Tekkie Town team that he would walk between two of their buildings (in the same complex) in a pair of tight fitting swimming briefs if they reach the exceptionally high targets he set them. He had to ‘pay up’ when the team’s marketing hit the right spot, enabling them to reach their targets.

The Expedition Africa endurance race is extremely tough — but so is battling against cancer. Two teams in this year’s event (still on the road at the time of going to print) chose to link their epic races to beating cancer. Rather than letting leukaemia stop him in his tracks, Don Sims drew strength from the vasbyt attitude he needed to focus on the end goal, cultivated by years of adventure rac- ing as member of the Merrell Adventure Addicts. Instead, he assembled a team of cancer survivors to take part in Expedition Africa. Together they make up the Merrell Cancer Crew. His three team mates are: • An endurance sportsman at heart, Mike Clarke survived colon cancer. Some of his en- durance sporting achievements include several Cape to Rio yacht races. • Angie Austin is a surf skier and canoe marathon paddler who was diagnosed with mela- noma cancer. She also has MTB and triathlon racing experience. • Athena Sims, Don’s wife, has been through the effects of cancer with her husband as well as cancer in her parents. Team Black Diamond decided to dedicate their race to young Josephine (Josie), the two- year old daughter of physiotherapist Andrew Seymour, who needs specialist treatment not available in South Africa after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. They hope to raise funds to help pay for her treatment. Team members Ryan van Niekerk (of local Black Diamond distributor Ram Mountaineer- ing) and Nicolette van Niekerk are both clients of Seymour. Team mates James Lea-Cox and photographer Terence Vrugtman supported the decision. Expedition Africa is a non-stop, multi-day and multi-discipline endurance event in the Ced- erberg and Namaqualand. The 52 teams race and climb as a unit through an unmarked course where they only have each other to rely on, on foot, cycle and canoe. Courses can be as long as 198km per day. It is part of the Adventure Racing World Series and covers approximately 530km. The Russian winning team completed the race in 72 hours (sleep excluded), while the slowest teams are expected to complete the course in six days. Above right: Team Merrell Cancer Crew members Don and Athena Sims (front), Mike Clarke, and Angie Austin. Right: Team Black Diamond: Nicolette van Niekerk, Terence Vrugtman (photographer), Ryan Van Niekerk and James Lea-Cox, . Photo: Karin Oliver.

Palesa Deejay Manaleng (left), a 31-year-old journalist for eNCA and public rela- tions student at the University of Johannesburg, who became a paraplegic in 2014, was part of the Totalsports OCAL Global team who undertook an epic 2200km, 10-day, non-stop journey from Pretoria to Cape Town in May. She used a hand cycle, another member of the team of twelve, Ipeleng Khunou, was on crutches and another, Warnell Engelbrecht, has impaired hearing. Sandile Mkh- ize was a quadriplegic support crew member. They left Totalsports Centurion on May 10th to cross the finish line of the Cape Town 12 ONERUN on May 20th. The OCAL (One Chance At Life) team undertook the challenge to change perceptions of disability and to raise funds to assist 133 Northern Cape children with mental and physical disabilities. Totalsports sponsored the kit for the runners and also donated R120 000 to assist OCAL Global projects, founded by Nicolene Anley. “I got to cycle off road for the first time while chasing the sunset,” Manaleng posted on the OCAL Global Facebook page. “It was the most beautiful experi- ence ever and I am sure 100 years from now I will look back and say to the person sitting next to me ‘I once saw heaven’.” Photo: Dom Barnardt.

2018 Q2 :: Sports Trader p4 :: Industry

Winning agents from PUMA SA: Left: the Cape Town sales team, led by Derek Freemantle (right): Ben Meyer, Derrin Bassage, James Mullen, John Pereira and Natalie Hart-Douglas. Middle: Andrew Ross, head office. Right: Richard Michael of KwaZulu Natal (second left) and his team Andrea Hamer (left), Lee Besnard, Karishma Inder, Kevin Richards and Rosalee Michael. Photos supplied. They provide the best service to retailers Retailers nominated the best agents and retail customer service departments in our survey

he retailers have spoken and nom- Cox in Bloemfontein also nominated by name Paul Copson of Brand-ID; inated the top agents and cus- — got the second highest number of nomina- • Sporting goods sellers: LGB’s Admiral sales tomer service staff who look after tions from retailers as the best agents; team, Mike Andrews of Leisure Holdings and their needs the best. #3 The ASICS SA team — Gerhard Wolmarans Oliver Sport in Durban; “We as retailers have to deal and Donovan Shehab singled out — tied in third • Outdoor goods sellers: Flo Clarke of Elba Twith good and bad agents from suppliers as place with independent agent Stan Holmes Gas, Ram Mountaineering and Sensational well as good and terrible admin departments with nominations from several retailers. Hol- Angling. from suppliers and I think it’s time good agents mes was the individual agent who was nomi- Others who were also nominated by retailers get recognized and bad agents get exposed,” nated as the best by most retailers. as the second and third best agents (in alpha- Frankie Sequeira of 80-year old Novels Sport in Just to put this into perspective: there are betical order: De Aar wrote to Sports Trader earlier this year. more than 500 distributors and agents who sell • Sellers of apparel and footwear: Adam Me- “I don’t think suppliers always understand sport, outdoor and lifestyle products to retail- htar, American Man, Colin Davies, Craig Cou- how important their agents are! I have been ers in Southern Africa. It is therefore already rie (Salomon/Jeep), Ingrid of Second Skins, running Novels for over 17 years — and also an achievement to be one of the 38 agents to Janine of Hi Tec, Mass Supply, Performance grew up in the store — and have seen many be nominated by retailers for supplying a very Brands and Peter Bassingthwaighte; agents in my time. Most agents are (thank- • Sporting goods sellers: Natasha Rossouw of fully) great and many have become house De Wet Sport, Jeff Harman, Nick Wiltshire of friends, but there are some who should be do- An agent who knows your Pat Wiltshire Sport, Omni Sport and W.E.T. ing something else.” business and recommends Sport (servicing Mossel Bay); We decided to follow his suggestion to do a relevant products is ap- • Outdoor goods sellers: Adventure Inc, An- survey about what retailers appreciate most preciated most by far the drew Taylor from Lite-Optec, Claude from about the best and what makes them angry Adrenalin Fishing Products and The King- about the worst agents and service depart- highest number of retail- fisher. ments. They could also nominate the compa- ers (74%) South Africa is in the unique position that nies/people who serve them the best, second 3 500 of the retailers that sell sport, outdoor and third best. and lifestyle goods are independents. They are good service. To be one of the top three — spread across all geographical areas — often The best of the best which required nominations from several re- remote — and therefore rely on agents and Retailers responded with gusto (mostly anony- tailers — is exceptional. sales reps to visit them so that they can order mously) and nominated 41 agencies/sales On the outside looking in, also with multi- stock and stay abreast of the latest products. teams for the service they provide. These ple nominations, were Kookaburra agent Leon were the best of the best*: Lotter, Roy Bennet of John Bain Services, adi- Just visiting impresses most #1: PUMA SAs agents — with Richard Michael das SA agents (with Terry Thornton and Pine It is therefore not surprising that more than (KwaZulu Natal) and Andrew Ross (head office) Pienaar mentioned) and New Balance SA. half (57%) of the retail respondents said that mentioned by name — were nominated as one There were a further ten companies/people the one element that impresses them most is of the best three sales teams by the highest that were singled out by at least one retailer an agent who visits regularly and stays abreast number of retailers. Seventeen percent indi- for offering them the very best service (in al- of what they do. Sadly, more than a third (35%) cated that they are the #1 agents; phabetical order). said that they seldom see any agents or mem- #2: Falke agents — with Allie and Liezel Coet- • Sellers of apparel and footwear: Allan bers of suppliers’ sales teams. The good news zee in Cape Town singled out twice, and Stuart Wrankmore, Greg Howe, Mike Wallace and is that 17% are often visited and nearly half

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2 Left: PUMA’s Martin Nefdt Agency in Port Industry :: p5 Elizabeth members are Margy Nefdt, Mar- tin Nefdt, Desire Fou- rie and Gustav Nefdt.

Right: The Sarel Nel Agency (PUMA), with Sarel on the left, At Nel, Craig Thomson and Caitlin Kuhn.

Photos supplied.

Right: PUMA’s Renee Aucamp Agency: Jo Dafonseca, Jennifer Kemp, Anika Hargoon, Renee, Petra Ntuli, Francesca Santamicone and Michelle Laesecke (standing) with Shiraz Cassim kneeling.

Falke agents Allie and Liezel Coetzee (left) and Stuart Cox (Bloemfontein, right) were nominated as top agents by retailers. Photos supplied.

Stan Holmes (right) is the individual agent who received the highest number of nominations as the #1 agent, here visiting Riaan Boshoff of Top- sport in Vryheid. Photo supplied.

* How the survey was done We awarded the following points for each The ASICS SA sales team are Dean Wight - KZN Sales Rep, Allan Smith - Field Sales Manager, Donavon Shehab - Key Account Manager, Craig White - National Sales Manager, Marc Gibson - Key Account Manager, Gunner Way - nomination: 3 for the agent or admin depart- Western Cape Sales and Gerhard Wolmarans - Gauteng Sales Rep. Inset: Chanelle Bushby - Key Account Manager. ment who was rated best; 2 for second best Main photo: Nicol du Toit. and 1 for third. Most (39%) of the retailers who made nomi- nations are independent sport or specialist (48%) receive regular visits. impresses, an anonymous respondent said. sport traders, who would also sell athletic Many retailers have a close relationship with “Most agents are partners in our business,” clothing and footwear. One could therefore the agents who visit them — although it is no says Sequeira. But there are those who make expect that agents who sell athletic clothing longer the norm as in days gone by. But, an him angry by “not being honest about their and footwear and sporting goods would be agent who knows your business and recom- products, to who they sell and not being pro- nominated by more retailers. That is why we mends relevant products is appreciated most fessional ... there are still agents who don't stress that to be nominated at all is a big com- by the highest number of retailers (74%) by far. book appointments in advance and don’t put pliment — to be nominated as the best (even An anonymous respondent mentioned that he through orders speedily. Luckily for us, they just by one retailer) is an achievement and to is impressed if an agent knows his birth date. are few!” receive multiple nominations is reason for a Efficiency is also appreciated, for example, big celebration. an agent who immediately contacts you if Poor service and uncaring angers Retailers were also given the opportunity to name agents and service departments who there is a problem with an order (impresses Ignoring you by never visiting and being lax in they believe performed below an acceptable 52%) and makes sure that your orders are de- responding to calls and correspondence from standard — but this is not for publication. We livered speedily and correctly (48%). you are the things that make nearly two-thirds did, however, deduct points if an agency was Product knowledge is very important — an (65%) of the retail respondents see red. Get- cited as performing badly by one company, agent who knows his products so well that he/ ting orders wrong annoys 34% of them, while but nominated for good service by another. she can assist with the training of retail staff being treated disrespectfully, be- To p6 2018 Q2 :: Sports Trader p6 :: Industry

The De Wet Sport team delivers the best support service to retailers. Front, PUMA’s highly recommended credit controllers: Jennifer Bartes, Wilma Lynch, Mi- from left: Natasha Rossouw (also nominated as a good agent agent), Amy chelle Morris, Christine Bierenbroodspot, Lynn Louw and Mandy Fortune. Dorrington, Leslie Krogmann, Nathan Wagner, Mienke Cloete. Back, left to right: Willem Cloete, Kevin Gordon, Edward Simon and Llewellyn Alexander. Photo: Nicol du Toit.

Right: The adidas customer service team that serves retailers well: Simone Acker, Anthea May, Samantha Moses, Tanya Jacobs, Car- men Scheepers, Adiela Beyers, Yonene Manual, Rebecca Pillay, Roger Barthus, Nata- sha Joorst, Ibtehshaam Kolbe, Gail Bowers, Kirsten Smith, Farhad Fredericks, Taryn Abra- hams, Porschia Harris, Heidi Raymond, An- drea de Voux, Andrew Green, Darren Cooke, Wendy Gibbons, Ielhaam Hendriks, Joan Ok- kers, Janine Hendriks, Fatima Jedaar, Tamlyn Rooza, Yolanda Louw, Candice Jacobs and Jean Austin. Photo: Carin Hardisty. Best customer service cont. from p6 ing encouraged to use an online portal instead • Sport: Pat Wiltshire Sport; of direct contact and trying to convince you There are more than 500 • Outdoor: Adventure Inc, DK Gas Tokai and that you should stock unsuitable products an- South African suppliers The Kingfisher. noys 30% of the retailers. to retailers in the indus- Service departments from the following sup- “Very poor service and a don’t care atti- try, therefore being nomi- pliers were also nominated as one of the sec- tude” are most annoying, Shabeer Mayet of nated one of the best is an ond or third best in the country (alphabetical Reeds Mans Shop sums up these complaints. order): “What you (Sports Trader) should ask is: accolade that deserves a • Apparel and footwear: All Wear, Crouch are you happy with your suppliers supplying celebration Footwear, Falke, Kappa, Katz Footwear, Le coaches to sell to the public and the suppliers Coq Sportif, Medicus Shoes, Musgrave Agen- selling direct to the public? This is going to cates that they must be doing something right cies, New Balance SA, Performance Brands, destroy retailers at the end of the day!” Tony as they were also rated as providing the best TYR and Vans; Jackson complained. sales service. • Sport: Acushnet, Charmers Sportswear, Kev- Independent retailers must often compete ro, LGB/Admiral, Oliver Sport, School Sports The adidas SA customer service department with several key account chains in their imme- Gear and W.E.T. Sports Importers; was one point behind them in third place. diate area — and they can only do this by pro- • Outdoor: Adrenaline Fishing, Awesome Tools, All three these top scoring companies were viding the merchandise their customers want, Lite-Optec, Ram Mountaineering and Sensa- one point behind each other and all received when they need it and at a decent price. To tional Angling. multiple nominations from retailers who say achieve this, they are at the mercy of the sup- Retailers were asked to describe in their own they deliver the best customer service. Con- pliers’ customer service personnel who send words what impresses them most about a good sidering that there are more than 500 South out the orders and ensure that the billing is customer service department. Not surprising- African suppliers to retailers in the industry, correct. ly, the word most frequently used to describe being nominated the best (or one of the best) The people who dispatch the orders and good service is efficiency. keep accounts up to date may play a back is an accolade that deserves a celebration. room role, but they are crucial for retailers to Other companies among the Top 10 rated Getting the basics right trade competitively. We also invited retailers service providers are (in alphabetical order): Efficiency is further characterised as deliver- to nominate the supplier companies who give American Man, ASICS SA, Hi-Tec, Leisure Hold- ing the correct orders on time and sending them the best admin service (or worst), and ings, Nike and Omni Sport. This means that at correct invoices — in other words, just getting they responded by nominating 45 companies. least one retailer reckons that they provide the basics right. The result showed that you don’t have to be the best service, plus others consider them This was highlighted by 59% of the respond- the biggest to be the best. Family-owned com- among the top three. ents. What is concerning, though, is the fact pany, De Wet Sport, was rated the highest by At least one retailer also reports that he/she that retailers are impressed by suppliers who the retail respondents — three of them indi- receives the top service from the following are efficient, as if this is a rare occurrence, cated that De Wet’s admin team gives them the suppliers (in alphabetical order): instead of a given. best service of all the South African suppliers. • Apparel and footwear: Intershu and Skye Next to efficiency, “good communication PUMA SA is a close runner-up — which indi- Distributors; and a willingness to help,” are appreciated by Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2 Industry :: p7

Brian Lidgey fondly remembered

Bryan Lidgey, who passed away earlier this year, was one of the legendary figures in the sports retail industry. Even if you never had the pleasure of meet- ing him, stories in which he featured are bound to surface when people reminisce about the good old days. JOHN PLEDGER explains why he was such a memorable figure in this tribute he wrote with in- sets from Lidgey’s son Philip and industry friends

“BRYAN WENT to school at Christian Broth- (South African Sports Goods, Agents and Manu- befriend customers, some who became lifelong ers College in Boksburg. As a schoolboy he was factures Association). mates.” an excellent sportsman, particularly at cricket “He had what might be described as a wicked He recounts that he and his wife Debbie spent where he obtained Nuffield colours and at soc- sense of humour. Always smiling, happy and many happy days with Bryan and his wife Lesley, cer where he was an above average player. Over with a wise crack, often at someone else’s ex- his son Philip and his family, at Madikwe Game and above these sports he was more than an ac- pense. He was undoubtedly one of the great Lodge, and to a lesser extent a number of visits complished tennis player, reaching the final of characters of the sports goods industry and to the Kruger Park. “Bryan spoilt me by taking the SA Junior Open, and later at squash as well. some of his escapades are still talked and me to ISPO (the trade show) in Germany, where He also excelled on the golf course where he laughed about, to this day. I was amazed at how his overseas principals was a 3-handicap player. “During his time in industry, there was a tre- were spellbound by his unfaltering knowledge “In his youth, he was participating in a tennis mendous amount of comradery even amongst of the racquet sports industry. tournament in East London when he was of- fierce competitors, which was unique and could “Well, Old Chap, we are all going to miss you fered a job as a counter assistant at the sports only have taken place if all the players abided BIG TIME,” he concludes. counter of Hughes & Co East London. The man- by a good business ethic. He was one of the Indeed, agrees Pat Wiltshire, founder of Pat ager of the store, Mr Frank Carey, realised that catalysts at that time, which held the industry Wiltshire Sports: “He was jovial and hale and Bryan was destined for greater things, and ar- together. The sporting goods industry is a lot hearty chap, but very courteous. Bryan was a ranged for him to join Paxton’s sales team, a poorer after the passing of one of their great wonderful chap and a great colleague — even sports distributor in Johannesburg. From there characters. Bryan Lidgey will be sorely missed." though we were competitors, he was always he secured a job at Dunlop Sports, where he ul- Mike Millar of Mike Millar Agencies agrees. very courteous and considerate.” timately became the marketing manager of the He says Bryan Lidgey was not only his employer, Lidgey was the local head of sales and market- sports division. “but more than that, he was a great friend to ing for Dunlop, which was THE market leader in “He then went into partnership with his great myself and my family. In matters of importance, the sports industry at the time, when Wiltshire friend Rohan Summers and they formed a com- he was a confidante (although he occasionally was working for rival agency Joscelyne and At- pany called Game Set and Match. They ran this battled to keep a secret!), advisor, entertainer kinson. “He was a very considerate colleague. company for a few years until they decided, due of huge proportions when on form, never shy He would organise the Dunlop Masters golf to conflicting agencies, that they should part of sipping on a good old whiskey discussing mat- tournament at his club, Kensington, and even company at which time Bryan then formed Bry- ters such as horse racing, betting on any topical though we were competitors, he would invite us an Lidgey Agencies, which he ran successfully sports match, or arguing about fauna and flora.” for drinks afterwards.” until the company was ultimately bought out. They spent many hours on the road, visiting They also served together on committees, like “From these very simple beginnings, he customers, “where I took note of Bryan’s un- SASGAM and visited the ISPO trade show and achieved great things in the sporting industry canny modus operandi in capturing an order - he game parks together. "A wonderful, wonderful and ultimately became chairman of SASGAM never had an order book! He had this ability to chap..." he concludes. most retail respondents. Also, “receiving the correct goods within the tration, for example, “sometimes the items in Keeping the communication channels open delivery time frame specified with all invoic- the package is wrong, or not in the package at when problems arise is especially important ing in order”. all,” complains Wolfaardt. for retailers, says Sequeira. “Correcting mis- The things that irk retailers most are on the Delivery delays is another cause for concern takes and putting through credit notes speed- flip side of the coin of the things they appreci- for several retailers. For example, “orders ily so that accounts are kept up to date,” are ate most, again relating to efficiency and com- that cannot be packed and sent the same day other actions that impresses him. munication. “Errors on invoices, late delivery, or the next day.” This view is shared by many other retail re- short deliveries, no communication regarding “Lack of follow up with transporters and spondents. They appreciate it when they are back orders …” Bester and Cooney summarise lax responses to enquiries,” angers another advised when the stock they ordered is no the views expressed by many of their col- retailer. longer available, says Michael Bester and John leagues. Complaints about accounts departments Cooney of Brian Bands Sports in Port Elizabeth. It is as simple as “picking up the phone to mostly focus on incorrect or late invoicing. Even better, “if they let you know if something discuss my issues,” laments a retailer. “Not “Some suppliers send statements late or nev- is out of stock and recommend something communicating when things don’t recon- er send out statements,” says an anonymous else,” says Laurika Wolfaardt of Robertson Bo- cile and not coming back to us with queries retailer. “I don’t get credit notes by email,” land Sports. placed,” adds another. “Short supplies and complains Riaan Boshoff of Topsport in - Vry Apart from on time deliveries, easy returns back orders without getting notified,” upsets heid. Or otherwise “not putting through credit when required are most appreciated by Rake- Audrey Crawford of SwimMaster. notes” and unwillingness to supply credit are sh Morar of Modway Shoes in Pietermaritzburg. Incorrect orders are also much cause for frus- other frustrations encountered by retailers.

2018 Q2 :: Sports Trader p8 :: Apparel & Footwear More awards MIKE WALLACE had only been with Hi-Tec SA for a year when he was awarded the title Hi-Tec Salesman of the Year for 2017. He won a trip overseas through his dedicated work as Western Cape agent. “I was very hon- oured to win the prize and I thank Hi- Tec SA for giving me the opportunity to sell such a wonderful brand,” he says. With Wallace are Caroline van Wezel, wife of Hi-Tec SA owner Frank van Wezel, and Hi-Tec SA sales director, Mike Farrer.

Sugar Ray Leonard, Denise Austin and Skechers President Michael Greenberg at the 2018 Skechers Friendship Walk Check Presentation. Photo: Business Wire. Skechers leading Service Provider & Ladies Brand AT THE 2018 UK Footwear Indus- $100 000 in college scholarships to try Awards Skechers won the La- American students for the coming dies Brand of the Year as well as school year through its Foundation the Leader in Customer Service Scholarship Program. categories, and also received Since it started, the Skechers recognition as highly commended Pier to Pier Friendship Walk has Footwear Brand of the Year and raised $9-m for education. Fashion Brand of the Year. “Over nearly a decade, the Ske- It is the second year in a row chers Friendship Walk has enabled that Skechers won Ladies Brand of thousands of children to thrive — the Year. with millions of dollars that have “Thanks to our international made kids with special needs and business, we were able to produce our schools a top priority,” says yet another solid year, with an- Michael Greenberg, president of nual sales setting a new record of Skechers. $4.16 billion,” added Marvin Bern- The Skechers Foundation awards stein, managing partner of Skech- scholarships to US students based ers S.à.r.l. “The brand’s continu- on their fi nancial needs, academic ous growth has allowed Skechers performance, athletic abilities to be one of the most in-demand and leadership qualities. footwear and apparel brands in “Scholarships don’t just give the UK for nearly a quarter of a kids the ability to pursue higher century.” education — they also give them more confi dence and motivation Skechers scholarships to follow their dreams,” says leg- The Skechers Foundation, which endary boxer and Skechers am- supports kids with special needs, bassador Sugar Ray Leonard. “This this year received more than $510 prestigious program has helped 000 from funds raised by the Ske- ambitious students from all over chers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk. the country attend top state and More than $1-m was also donated Ivy League schools.” to education foundations and, Skechers is distributed in South additionally, Skechers awarded Africa by Brandfolio SA.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2 Apparel & Footwear :: p9 Brands on the move South African retailers help redesign iconic Fila Mindblower sneaker

THE DEMAND for FILA has gone crazy due to retailer Shelflife with stores in Cape Town and panel, and the name Jack Lemkus appear on the excitement around the great collabora- Johannesburg; Jack Lemkus, which started as the heel. Jack Lemkus and FILA are written in tion between retailers and the brand to rede- a sporting store more than 80 years ago, but bold on the translucent sole. Only 45 of these sign the classic Mindblower shoe, says FILA’s recently evolved into a streetwear destina- sneakers were for sale in South Africa. South African distributor Laurence Slotsky of tion; Archive, part of The Foschini Group, Footwear Trading. is a streetwear and sneaker retailer with Four of South Africa’s leading sneaker com- 18 stores; and Sneaker Lab SA, designer of panies are amongst the 47 global companies a range of environmentally friendly sneaker and designers selected by FILA to create and shoe care products. a modern new look for this iconic sneaker Shelflife’s design for the Mindblower 2.2 whose oversized, warped logo on the midsole (left) is in Pantone Orange 021C and only 100 made such an impression when it was first in- pairs were made. “The FILA Mindblower X troduced in 1995. Shelflife took inspiration from the boldness Archive’s interpretation of the Mindbreaker of the Mindblower silhouette,” the brand shoe (above) include braided laces, a store explains on its Mindblower website. “The logo on the tongue and an inner-sole lining brand’s colour and identity has always been designed by illustrator Chris Moore, which is orange. Shelflife wanted the footwear to a street map of Cape Town CBD, indicating stand out and to be instantly recognizable.” the location of the flagship Archive store. The FILA X Jack Lemkus (below) Mindblower “draws colour inspiration from vintage 90’s neon windbreakers,” explains the brand. 1935 — the year the store was founded — is prominently embroidered on a hot pink suede These design collaborations were launched at the end of April in the participating stores and FILA pop-up stores in New York, Seoul and Tokyo. “Imagine, shoes designed by South Af- ricans are being sold in FILA stores in New The stylish FILA Mindblower X Sneaker York,” says Slotsky. Lab shoe (above) is a blend of heritage and The four South African companies invited to fashion with subtle colour highlights on the be part of the project are trendy streetwear nubuck and suede uppers.

Santa Cruz Blur tested at the Cape Epic IN APRIL Cape Town’s moun- tain bike com- munity joined international Downhill super- star Greg Minnaar in launching the Blur in South Af- rica at the V&A Waterfront. With its full carbon frame weighing in LP Supports local netball at just 2.06kg this Munnik of distributor Rush Sports. W.E.T. Sports, local distributor of LP Support, has donated thoroughbred race machine is Santa With nine Cape Epic finishes to his equipment to the Bellville Netball Club, which suffered a big Cruz’s lightest ever dual-suspension name, Munnik was the perfect rider loss last year. “When the club lost all of its equipment and half cross-country bike. Modern geometry to get the most out of the Blur. paired to 100mm of patented VPP sus- of its clubhouse in a fire last year we felt we had to help out,” “During the Cape Epic, the Blur per- pension makes the Blur ideally suited says marketing manager Patrick Franck. fectly balanced efficiency, reliabil- “Not only is Bellville one of the oldest netball clubs in South to South Africa’s cycling market. ity and confidence inspiring handling Africa, but it has a proud tradition and has supplied the Protea This year’s ABSA Cape Epic proved making it ideally suited to events like netball team with many players over the years,” he adds. to be the ideal opportunity to put the “We felt that donating equipment to get them playing again Blur through its paces ahead of its of- the Epic,” he says. “After eight days was the least we could do,” says Darren Wentzel, sales manager ficial launch. “Think of it as proving in the saddle, it is clear that Santa for W.E.T. Sports. “Here’s hoping they soar to new heights in its worth at the coal face before go- Cruz have done their homework. It’s the future.” ing on show to the public,” said Oli a superb racing machine.”

2018 Q2 :: Sports Trader p10 :: Apparel & Footwear Brands on the move Extreme protection from ASICS Gel-Kayano 25 AFTER a quarter of a century a popular one, especially the ASICS’ Gel-Kayano is prob- among slightly heavier cus- ably the best-known running tomers. shoe amongst marathon runners ASICS’ proprietary tech- who appreciate good cushion- nologies provide protec- ing. Every year the brand man- tion from top to bottom. ages to add improvements that Strategically placed GEL addresses issues distance ath- technology ensures a softly letes ask for, or introduce fea- cushioned landing, while a tures that will have them asking responsive feel toe-off is for more. provided by Flytefoam Pro- The newest model, Gel-Kay- pel Technology. ano 25, aims to offer runners Features like an Extreme Protection Perfected, says the Heel Counter, Guidance brand. With the campaign line Trusstic Technology and Du- Flow Further, the 25th Kayano omax Technology ensure a provides runners with max- supremely stable ride. imised stability and comfort In addition, ASICS’ light- through industry-leading cushioning, a responsive feel and supreme est-ever midsole technology, Flytefoam Lyte, ensures that athletes will stability. appreciate the shoes’ lightness, without sacrificing durability. A com- Retailers who have not yet done so, can now place orders with ASICS fortable fit is further provided by two layers of Jacquard Mesh and a SA. The brand predicts that the launch of this running shoe, will be secure heel hold from the Extreme Heel Counter.

A great fit from ASICS Gel-Cumulus 20 IT IS NO coincidence that ASICS’ popular Gel-Cumulus is named after the puffy soft cloud formations. In addition to the traditional soft and responsive cushioning, the new Gel-Cumulus 20 (left) offers the ulti- mate fit in performance running shoes, says ASICS. The taglines Ready. Fit. Go. and Fit for Distance sums up the main feature of the latest model, namely outstanding fit. “Fit, which al- lows long distance runners to have a more enjoyable running experi- ence, and not be held back by their running shoes when going the extra mile,” says the brand. This should reconnect ASICS with its core audience of run lovers, po- sitioning it as the premium market leader, it predicts.

Anele Mnukwa (left) is a former winner of the Doing good with local ASICS running events Sanet Wentzel TO CELEBRATE the 10th anniversary of the AfricanX Trailrun presented Spirit Ward by ASICS this year, participants could again nominate inspiring trail in the ASICS African X Trail runners who they feel are worthy of winning the Sanet Wentzel Spirit Run event. He Award. The award was inspired by, and named after, one of the partici- is photographed pants in the first of these three-day team trail events in 2009. with team mate “Wentzel had an adventurous spirit and enjoyed AfricanX to the full- Francois est — so much so that she could not wait to compete again in 2010,” Groenewald. Photo: Tobias explains the event organisers, Stillwater Sports. Unfortunately she was Ginsberg. knocked down by a car during a morning training run and passed away. “Today the award honours AfricanX entrants who persevere irrespective Another ASICS-sponsored event won an international award for caring of the adversity they face.” about the environment (see details on p47). The Sanlam Cape Town In 2017 Anele Mnukwa, a petrol attendant from Grabouw, won the Marathon last year won the Athletics International Marathon and Dis- award. He could not afford the entry fee, but Big Box Containers heard tance Races (AIMS) Green Award. The organisers not only took steps to of his dream of taking part and offered him a complimentary team en- minimize the events’ impact on the environment, but it was also certi- try. This was two weeks before the start of the event, and Mnukwa and fied a climate-neutral event. team mate Francois Groenewald immediately started training. This marathon is also the only one in Africa to earn the International The next setback was a leg injury: while running, he fell and the in- Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Gold Label status. jury became infected. With time so short, the next training session was Organisers will be aiming for the Green Award again for this year’s scheduled four days later. Then Mnukwa was attacked by seven men event in September, and encourage participants to get involved in the who stole his shoes and watch, but he wasn’t injured. Run4Change legacy programme by taking the pledge to #RunGreen, Despite all this Mnukwa and Groenewald finished AfricanX in the over- #Run4Peace and #Run4aCause. all 10th position in the men’s category. ASICS is the technical sponsor for the event.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2 READY. FIT. GO.

GEL-CUMULUS® 20. FIT FOR DISTANCE. MADE/ASI1701

1701 ASI Cumulus Mag Ad_297x210_FINAL_FA.indd 1 2018/05/24 15:12 p12 :: Apparel & Footwear Brands on the move Ravus Vent Low Vent Ravus Ravus Vent Mid Women’s Vent Ravus

The Duca del Cosma journey

DUCA DEL COSMA’S recently launched life- tian name used in Baldovino’s family for many style range bears testimony to all the luxury generations and this strong sense of Italian her- features that has made this Italian brand so itage forms the foundation of every collection. sought-after among discerning customers, es- Inspired by the Italian way of living, the pecially golfers: Portuguese shoe craftsman- Duca del Cosma golf and lifestyle collections ship, combined with classy Italian designs, are sporty and sophisticated, whilst developed Ravus Vent Low minute attention to luxurious detail and all with strong functional and technical benefi ts. the functional technologies that ensures foot Each design is crafted with attention to detail Best outdoor qualities from Hi-Tec comfort (see p1 and cover). ensuring comfort and exuding elegance. At the heart of the Duca del Cosma brand Over the years Duca del Cosma became a WATERPROOF, comfortable, supportive, good is the evolution from golf to lifestyle. It was successful international player in shoes, ap- traction … qualities an outdoorsman wants established in 2003 by talented fashion de- parel and high-end accessories in the golf in- from his footwear. Hi-Tec’s Ravus Vent shoe signers, Italian born Baldovino Mattiazzo and dustry and was rewarded year after year for and Altitude OX Chelsea boot feature these — German born Antje Elle. Both passionate golf excellent designs. and more. players, they recognized the need for more so- The company was acquired in 2016 by Frank “A grippy M-D Traction outsole and sup- phisticated and fashionable golf attire. and Caroline van Wezel, who has once again portive EVA footbed on the Ravus Vent work Duca, Italian for Duke, is a traditional Vene- brought the fi nest craftsmanship to South Africa. together to absorb bumps on uneven terrain, while the durable fork shank helps to stabilise the foot with each step,” explains Hi-Tec. The Winning golf shoes from Skechers outsole provides grip both up- and downhill. The shoe also has a suede upper with syn- SKECHER’S GO GOLF Elite V.3 bility on the green, and lightweight and re- thetic trim and breathable mesh underlay for golf shoe is Golf Digest’s Best sponsive 5Gen cushioning. a secure and comfortable fi t. Men’s Golf Shoe of 2018 and The Pro V.3 also features replaceable Soft- Altitude OX Chelsea is MyGolfSpy’s Best Spikeless a “great looking men’s Shoe of 2018, while its GO outdoor crossover boot,” GOLF Pro V.3 is the Most says the brand. It has a Comfortable golf shoe on Michelin outsole and XLR8 MyGolfSpy’s Best Spiked midsole for tough terrain, Shoe of 2018 list. as well as an OrthoLite “We are incredibly honoured to Impressions insole be recognized as top performers that creates a in the golf industry,” says Skechers President spikes for added grip. cus- Michael Greenberg. “Our Skechers GO GOLF MyGolfSpy puts products tom- collection outperformed its competitors, be- through rigorous side-by-side tests and scores ised cause we use our unique innovations to de- them across a range of categories. Golf Digest and liver on both stability and comfort. And we’ve uses information gathered by research fi rm com- now made the Best Spikeless list with MyGolf- Golf Datatech. fortable fi t. Spy for two consecutive years, further refl ect- In addition to its award-winning footwear, The boot has a waterproof Buff alo leather ing the credibility of the GO GOLF line both on Skechers has also seen success with golf am- upper for durable comfort, and i-shield tech- and off the course.” bassadors such as Brooke Henderson who re- nology that repels water and dirt and is resist- The Elite V.3 focuses on comfort to help cently won the Lotte Championship (her sixth ant to stains.Both feature the Dri-Tec water- golfers feel good throughout all 18 holes. It career LPGA win). Other sponsored players are proof membrane, which keeps feet dry, but is is waterproof, has a spikeless traction outsole Matt Kuchar, Russell Knox, Wesley Bryan, Colin also breathable. for a durable grip, TPU bottom plate for sta- Montgomerie, Belén Mozo and Billy Andrade.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2 Western & Northern Cape ... Heinrich van Zyl: 082 803 6773 Free State & Lesotho .... Darius Blomerus: 076 773 9267 ...... Mike Wallace: 072 445 5285 Limpopo ...... Mari du Toit: 082 820 5032 Eastern Cape ...... Derek Creed: 082 893 9619 Gauteng & North West ... Jeff Maroos: 082 902 8791 KZN...... Shaun Moran: 083 391 2035 Mpumalanga ...... Janine Muller: 082 776 3069

Cape Town Head Office – 021 506 6900. Johannesburg Regional Sales Office – 011 658 0195 HI-TEC.CO.ZA p14 :: Apparel & Footwear Good exposure for Lotto at Commonwealth Games Italian brand Lotto has re-entered the SA market with a bang with good exposure as sponsor of Team SA at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games this year

fi ed the features of the performance wear. tralia, showed their Diadora kit sponsor logo 198 times on the podium. Compared to Glasgow In the 2014 Commonwealth Games Team SA Running exposure THE LOTTO logo on the Team SA 2018 Gold won 40 medals, but came 7th, compared to PUMA, kit sponsor of the Caribbean fast run- Coast Commonwealth Games tracksuits might this year’s 37 medals and 6th place. At both ners (Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Bahamas) have gotten less podium exposure than the events our athletes won 13 gold medals — but as well as #3 placed India (66 medals), had the 361º logo in Glasgow in 2014, but this year the this year most of them were in swimming (6) third most podium exposure — athletes wear- exposure came in the slots that counted most: and athletics (5) — sporting codes that attract- ing the brand were photographed receiving frequently watched athletics (14 podiums) ed many South African viewers, with highly 100 medals in total. and swimming (12). recognisable star athletes. These two sports Canterbury appeared on the podium 69 The well-known Italian performance brand contributed 70% of South Africa’s medals. times thanks to athletes from Scotland and Lotto Italia re-entered the South African mar- In 2014 most of our gold medals came from Wales, but 11 of the Welsh medals were won ket last year. Best-known for its association lawn bowls (5), which few locals would have by swimmers (wearing Speedo) and cyclists with tennis stars like Boris Becker and Martina watched. (wearing Craft). Navratilova, footballer Ruud Gillitt and Milan The UK sports brand Kukri was mostly un- Nike aimed its kit sponsorship mainly at the FC, the 45-year old brand also has a strong known before Gold Coast 2018, but the 230 runners from African countries: Nigeria (24 lifestyle off ering under the Lotto Leggenda times it was seen on the podium is sure to medals), Kenya (17), Uganda (6) and Botswana label. The interesting textures and colours of create some interest in the brand. It was the (5) showed the swoosh logo 52 times. its uppers have already ensured a following sponsor of 2nd placed England, which won 136 Chinese brand Peak provided the kit for the amongst sneakerheads. medals (45 gold), as well as Canada (#4) which New Zealand team, which won 46 medals, 15 Lotto is sold in more than 60 countries world- won 82 medals and Northern Ireland, whose of them gold, to fi nish just above South Africa wide and earlier this year the local distributor, athletes appeared on the podium 12 times. on the medal table. Bearded Monkey, approached SASCOC to sup- Kukri came on the sport scene in 1979 as the Not surprisingly, well-known badminton ply the kit for Team SA at the Commonwealth kit of a combined army and RAF rugby club brand Yonex provided the kit for the Malaysian Games. — from where it became a kit supplier for athletes, who won 10 badminton medals out The athletes commission, led by Natalie du various other sport clubs and has since then of a total of 24. The brand also provided cloth- Toit, gave input in the designs of the track- expanded to seven other countries. ing for the Singaporean team, which won 6 of suits, while the diff erent sporting codes speci- The Games champion and host nation, Aus- its 9 medals in table tennis.

Group A Group E Winning brands at the 2018 FIFA World Cup? Egypt adidas Brazil Nike AFTER NEARLY half a century as FIFA’s World Cup sponsor, adidas has pretty much taken ownership of this event. This month in Rus- Russia adidas Costa Rica New Balance sia it will again supply the offi cial match ball, uniforms for the Saudi Arabia Nike Serbia Umbro tournament’s offi cials and volunteers, and also sell offi cial gear. Switzerland PUMA In addition, 12 of the 32 teams will wear the 3-stripes on their Uruguay PUMA jerseys, including the current title holders Germany. Other adidas Group B Group F teams that can expect to still be in the tournament in July, when Iran adidas Germany adidas the knockout stages start, are Spain, Argentina, Mexico, Belgium, Colombia and Japan. Egypt or Russia could also make it through in Morocco adidas South Korea Nike the unpredictable Group A, while Iran, Morocco or Sweden could Portugal Nike Mexico adidas cause an upset. Spain adidas Sweden adidas Nike is worn by ten teams, including possible title contenders like Brazil and France, Portugal or England. Croatia could also still be Group C Group G playing in July. Saudi Arabia, Australia, Nigeria, South Korea and Australia Nike Belgium adidas Poland will also be wearing the Swoosh. Strong Nike teams the US, Denmark Hummel England Nike Netherlands and Chile did not qualify for the Russian fi nal. PUMA teams Uruguay and Switzerland are possible advancers to France Nike Panama New Balance the next round, while the brand signed on as technical sponsor of Peru Umbro Tunisia Uhlsport Senegal just before the start of the World Cup. But, PUMA suff ered Group D Group H a blow when a previous winner Italy didn’t qualify for the World Cup fi nals, nor any of the African teams they sponsor. Argen� na adidas Colombia adidas Costa Rica and fi rst-timers Panama are playing in New Balance, Croa� a Nike Japan adidas while Peru and Serbia chose Umbro. Iceland Errea Poland Nike Denmark, which is loyal to Danish brand Hummel, has an outside chance for advancement in Group C. Uhlsport sponsors Tunisia and Nigeria Nike Senegal PUMA Errea is worn by Iceland.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2 BL FB 500 III 5 PK12 BL FB 500 III 5 PK12 T3688 T3688

TECHNICAL DATA TECHNICAL DATA Hand-stitched training ball. Five-a-side controlled-bounce football TPU cover material with polyurethane in PU. internal foam layer to Rubber bladder. guarantee exceptional softness. Machine-sewn. Wear resistant Lotto graphics. Wear resistant graphics. Butyl bladder for perfect air retention.

BL FB 1000 IV 5 PK12 BL FB 900 IV 5 PK12 T3693 T3692

TECHNICAL DATA TECHNICAL DATA Machine stitched PVC recreational ball. Machine stitched PVC recreational ball. Wear resistant Lotto graphics. Wear resistant Lotto graphics. Rubber bladder. Rubber bladder.

BL FB 1000 IV 5 PK12 BL FB 900 IV 5 PK12 T3694 T3691

TECHNICAL DATA TECHNICAL DATA Machine stitched PVC recreational ball. Machine stitched PVC recreational Wear resistant Lotto graphics. ball. Rubber bladder. Wear resistant Lotto graphics. Rubber bladder.

BL FB 300 5 PK12 BL FB 900 IV 5 PK12 T3681 T3690

TECHNICAL DATA TECHNICAL DATA Heat-welded training ball. Machine stitched PVC recreational Covering material in high quality ball. PU for greater resistance. Wear resistant Lotto graphics. Rubber bladder. Contrast graphics for better visibility Rubber bladder. of trajectories.

Contact: +27 (0) 87 057 1111 [email protected] [email protected] p16 :: Industry

The end of retailing as we know it? Big American brands like Nike and Under Armour have now announced that their objective is to reach consumers directly via online sales and key account retailers, cutting out what Nike calls mediocre retailers. European brands, like adidas, are also honing their focus on the end con- sumer. Will this upset the traditional retail model, whereby brands supply goods to the many local independent retailers via agents and sales teams or can independents survive without some of these big brands?

an independent retailers survive scale the company said in a press release. This without stocking a big brand like Nike is going to concen- means concentrating on consumers in 12 key Nike? This is a question that is be- trate on 40 key global cities in ten countries, namely New York, Los ing asked in various countries, as retailers, its own stores Angeles, London, Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, independents are finding it more Paris, Berlin, Mexico City, Barcelona, Seoul, and online sales direct to andC more difficult to get stock from some of and Milan, which are expected to account for the big brands. consumers. 80% of Nike’s growth by 2020. For many years independents have found it In 2017 Nike sales grew a low 6%. As can increasingly difficult to obtain the products as well as dedicated Nike salespeople. be expected, these announcements did not they knew their customers wanted from big What the implication for South African retail- inspire retailers to rush out and place future brands. The strategies Nike announced last ers would be, is unclear. “The Nike Consumer Nike orders either. Between June and Octo- year has now made it official: independent re- Direct Offense was rolled out globally,” says ber 2017 futures orders were down 2% — and tailers are not a priority for the brand. Seruscka Naidoo of Nike in SA. “Unfortunately, these included orders from Nike’s own stores The Consumer Direct Offense policy was an- we are not able to provide more information and online operations. In the Q3 2018 financial nounced in June 2017 and CEO (and chairman on the retail strategy.” report Nike didn’t report any future orders as and president) Mark Parker said end October The idea behind Nike’s Consumer Direct Of- these are no longer an indication of product that they were only going to concentrate on fense is to offer the restless must-have-the- demand because they are now cutting out the 40 key global retailers in 12 cities, its own latest consumer “the most personal, digitally middleman by doing business directly with the stores and online sales direct to consumers. connected, experiences” in the industry, consumer, the brand said. Nike brand president Trevor Edwards told an Parker said. It includes a new NikePlus online In the UK and Ireland several independent investor summit that Nike will not summarily membership programme that gives member- retailers have already taken stock of their cut off the 30 000 retailers the brand currently only access to certain products, matched to Nike options and decided to rather concen- supplies through 110 000 distribution points their individual preferences and buying pat- trate on growing relationships with brands worldwide, but that the brand would over the terns. Earlier this year the company bought who are keen to supply them, Paul Sherratt of next five years phase out supplying "undiffer- artificial intelligence computer firm Invertex, Solutions for Sport wrote on LinkedIn. entiated, mediocre retail”, which he claimed which creates scan-to-fit shopping experienc- The Consumer Offense was initially driven by “won't survive”. es that include 3D-digitization, and consumer Trevor Edwards, who was touted as a succes- The select 40 chains would, on the other data analytics firm, Zodiac. sor to Parker, until he resigned under a cloud hand, get special attention and they will pro- This Consumer Direct Offense allows Nike in March. He departed shortly after the brand vide a special branded space for Nike product, to better serve the consumer personally, at sent an email announcing that it To p18

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2 Industry :: p17 SA retailers respond Nike’s policy of not supplying smaller retailers comes as no surprise to South African retailers — especially independents, who have for many years been denied access to certain products or brands. And Nike is by no means the only brand to do this. While retailers have learnt to trade without these brands and aspirational products, they are not happy about it

s things stand, independents are treated with dis- can overcome losing the essential brands by stocking a wider range of other dain, with restrictions on what you can buy, a retail- brands. And these substitute options mentioned are numerous — even though er responded to our anonymous survey on whether many are not exactly multi-sport athletic brands. Bronx, Brooks, Converse, retailers can survive without big brands. His feelings Ellesse, Hi-Tec, Kappa, Le Coq Sportif, Lotto, Olympic, Salomon, Skechers, are echoed by many others, who point out that big Soviet, Under Armour, Umbro, or Vans have all been mentioned as substitutes Abrands restricting supplies to smaller retailers is nothing new ... for the big brands. but, announcing it openly as policy is new. Sadly, 3% of respondents believe they will have to close their stores if the big Just a few samples of the comments we received: brands turn off the taps completely. • It is very sad as independents helped build these brands. We Main mul-sport brands stocked put them on the map, because we could pick up and analyse on The multi-sport big brands stocked market trends. Now, they limit our purchases more and more; • We looked after the Big Boys before the development of the 9% 23% Sportsmans Warehouses, Studio 88’s and so on ( all the chains); 16% • I may not stock the products my customers want; • Only the top 5% retailers get access to the premium product; • At one stage (1995-1997) I was the biggest seller of [Brand A] in town, today [Brand A] does not supply me. In 1995 and 1996 22% 19% I was in the Top 10 stores in KwaZulu-Natal selling [Brand B], today [Brand B] does not call on me! • We are not at all happy with the so called big brands; 20% Nike may be the #1 multi-sport athletic brand in the world due to its dominance in the American market, but in South Africa more retailers who responded to our survey stock PUMA (23%) and adidas (22%) than Nike (20%), closely followed by Asics (19%). Retailers also consider other brands as more essential to stock — for example, adidas (68%) and PUMA (61%) are considered to Reebok New Balance ASICS Nike adidas PUMA be essential by more retailers than Nike (58%). Brands that are essenal to stock This is not because there is no consumer demand for Nike, but The multi-sport big brands that are essential to stock due to the brand’s stratified distribution policy favouring a small number of key retailers, and restricting products to others, an 16% independent explains. This meant that independent retailers 68% 26% have become accustomed to trading around the brand and to compensate by offering other brands. 35% The shift by the big brands to communicate directly with con- sumers via digital can be turned into a positive, believes an inde- pendent retailer — especially in South Africa, where online sales 61% comprise less than 1% of total retail sales. 58% “The only way to survive is to offer something different to what any media platform can — and that is customer service,” the retailer wrote. “This is a huge challenge as the right people have to be employed and continual and repeated training needs to be given … sourcing and admin have become critical too. The posi- tives are that we can adapt and modify a lot quicker than the big Reebok New Balance ASICS Nike PUMA adidas boys can — we must just be willing to make the effort!” OptionsOpons iiff brbigands brands don't refusewant to to suppl selly to yo youu Can retailers survive without brands? The retail respondents are equally divided on the question whether independents can survive without the big brands: 48% 60% say yes, 52% say no. 50% Several respondents qualify this, for example with comments like we can, it will just be more difficult and we will probably 40% have to cut down on staff; it is getting harder but we have to 30% survive!; it might be difficult or it would need a change of busi- 20% ness model; these brands may be good sellers, but they are not the foundation of our business; it will be very difficult, but it 10% depends if he (the retailer) has his own brand and if he is in a 0% niche market, and other similar comments. Consider closing Obtain stock via a Replace it with Stock a wider range Most (59%), however, believe that an independent retailer store wholesaler another brand of other brands

2018 Q2 :: Sports Trader p18 :: Industry

Skechers grows wholesale sales by 18%

SKECHERS HAS enjoyed a bumper first quar- house, from where it is dispatched. growing year-over-year and resonating with ter in 2018 with record sales of $1.250-bn (up Globally, Skechers’ international subsidiary consumers globally, we believe our moment is 16.5%). International wholesale sales have in- and joint venture businesses have reported a now,” says Robert Greenberg, Skechers CEO. creased by 17.9%. combined 25.7% quarterly increase. “Now at “We are experiencing the continued success The brand prides itself on providing such a 54% percent of our total business, we continue of our men’s Skechers Sport, women’s sandals wide offering to retailers (4 000-odd SKUs at a to see international as our greatest growth op- and men’s and women’s On the Go collections. time) that they will have stock to suit the cus- portunity,” says Skechers COO David Weinberg. In addition, with the global focus on the tomer profile of any retail store (see p21). The trend-right Skechers D’lites, we’re seeing local distributor, Brandfolio SA, therefore does Skechers’ South African this product turn into a must-have item by not decide on behalf of retailers what would accounts and the press, resulting in new op- sell in their stores by pre-selecting samples to distributor does not de- portunities.” show in South Africa, but present the full in- cide on behalf of retailers He gives a lot of credit to the brand’s mar- ternational range. what would sell in their keting campaigns. “Our targeted marketing on They also do not limit retailers on what they stores by pre-selecting air, in print, and digitally continues to raise may order. They can deliver so many differ- samples awareness of our vast product offering and ent SKU orders — big and small — because of drive sales around the world.” their unique distribution set-up: local distribu- In South Africa, the local distributor Brand- tor Brandfolio SA is a subsidiary of Brand-Folio Domestic (US) wholesale sales grew 8.5% and folio SA is running an extensive TV campaign LLC, headquartered in Dubai, which supplies retail sales were up by 7%. Company-owned to introduce the brand’s comfort features to thousands of retailers across vast territories retail sales grew 26.4% around the world the public. in the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe, (comparable same store sales up 9.5%). There They are also keen to do shopping mall ac- explains country manager Ahmed Habib. are 2 197 company-owned or third-party Ske- tivations with participating stores benefiting Therefore, a small order from one South Af- chers stores outside of the US. from the foot traffic they attract, says Skech- rican retailer is added to similar orders from The European distribution centre also expe- ers brand manager Yusuf Vadi. the other countries they supply, to become a rienced a record quarter in shipment volumes. Skechers expects sales between $1.120-bn big order delivered to the Brand-Folio ware- “With our men’s, women’s and kids’ product and $1.145-bn in the second quarter of 2018.

to a drop in sales. Two shareholders are su- Brand focus on consumers cont. from p16 ing Plank and the board over a development project in South Baltimore. This Port Coving- was investigating improper workplace conduct ers dropped 3%, but a 14% growth in direct-to- ton project is a big mixed-use development related to behaviors (sic) that did not reflect consumer sales contributed to a low 3% rev- that will have new Under Armour offices as an its values, namely allegations of harassment enue growth (to $5-bn) for the year. anchor and the aggrieved shareholders allege and discrimination against female employees. At the end of the first quarter of 2018 the that Plank is using Under Armour to enrich By May this year eleven very senior Nike ex- company’s loss had grown to $30.2-m from himself through the development. ecutives had resigned under the same cloud. $2.3-m a year ago. This was mainly due to And if that is not enough to cause stress, restructuring costs of $37.5-m incurred dur- Under Armour announced in March that the Under Armour’s consumer focus ing the quarter — without which the company My Fitness Pal app it acquired in 2015, was NIKE IS by far not the only brand to adopt would have broken even, it reported. hacked a month before, compromising data of this policy of sidelining retailers. In the fourth No wonder CEO and founder Kevin Plank told approximately 150-m users. quarter of 2017 Under Armour’s direct-to-con- investors that the brand is going through the Adidas grows through online sumer sales represented 42% of all its revenue most challenging period in its history. He also ADIDAS AG’S strategic focus on e-commerce from sales. During the full 2017 fiscal year the said that the re-structuring allows the com- to reach consumers and the North American brand’s direct-to-consumer sales comprised and Chinese markets contributed to the com- 35% of company revenue. In the fourth quarter of pany’s 10% currency-adjusted growth in sales This strategy was, however, not as profitable (2% in euros) in the first quarter of 2018. as shareholders could have hoped. In Q4 2017 2017 Under Armour’s E-commerce represented its fastest growing the company reported its second quarterly direct-to-consumer sales sales channel, increasing 27% from the same loss in a row. represented 42% of all period in 2017. Strong sales growth in China In the last quarter of 2017 sales to retail- its revenue from sales. (26% currency-adjusted) and North America ers had dropped 1% to $733-m, but the 11% (21%) contributed to the positive results for the growth in direct-to-consumer sales contrib- company. In Western Europe, sales grew 5%. uted to the 5% (4% in currency neutral) sales Sales of the adidas brand grew 11%, with run- growth reported in the quarter. pany to bring product innovations to the mar- ning, football, training and Originals achieving Its first quarter net revenue did, however, ket faster, targeting consumers directly, which double-digit growth. Reebok sales, however, grow 6% to $1.19-bn due to a rise in interna- will drive consumer demand for Under Armour dropped 3% due to a lower demand for the training tional (27% growth) and direct-to-consumer apparel and footwear. So he hopes. and running categories. (17% growth) sales. Wholesale sales to retail- The ongoing restructuring plan announced in Although relatively low, “the results are ers grew only 1% in the quarter. August 2017 aims to reduce the product rang- fully in line with our expectations,” says CEO Sales were down 1% in its domestic market, es, but to introduce new products more rap- Kasper Rorsted. “We succeeded in increasing the US, which accounts for the bulk of Under idly. They will also be targeting specific con- profits significantly faster than sales, although Armour’s business. sumer groups with merchandise placements. we continued to invest in increasing the at- In the full 2017 financial year sales to retail- But, Under Armour’s woes are not restricted tractiveness of our brands.”

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2 Industry :: p19 Negotiating the SA trademark minefield Verifying the legal use of a brand name in South Africa can be a fascinat- ing exercise. Even when the name had been registered and used extensively internationally, it does not mean that it will be legal here — just ask McDon- ald’s and Polo! TRUDI DU TOIT explains some of the reasons why trademark In South Africa the Leatherman watch on a tool registration in SA is such a minefi eld wristband is known as Tread Plus Watch, elsewhere it is named the Tread Tempo.

ver wondered why certain prod- A recent example is the name of the tool ucts are known by a diff erent name The Olympic trademark wristband with watch from Leatherman, which in South Africa than in the rest of is owned by Bolton Foot- is called Tread Plus Watch in South Africa — not the world? This is due to our unique wear in Class 25, but by Tread Tempo as it is known in the rest of the pre-1995 trademark legislation that world, on Leatherman’s international website, the IOC in other classes Eallowed companies to register a trademark lo- and described in Q1 of Sports Trader. cally that had been in use internationally. That is because the Foschini Retail Group Trademark rights in South Africa subse- & Co “opposed it [in Class 25] and we are the pointed out (after publication) that they had quently became a fascinating topic that can only registered owners of the trademarks [in registered the name Tempo in July 1986 for be about as precarious to navigate as running this Class],” says Noel Whitehead, CFO of Bol- goods in Class 14, which includes watches and full steam through a minefi eld. ton Footwear, which bought Jordan & Co in goods of other precious metal and alloy mate- This led to the interesting situation that 2014. rials. That prohibits any other company from some well-known international brands could “In these instances we are dealing with a using the name Tempo for a watch locally. not be marketed locally under the name they trade mark principle of common in the class are known internationally, because they would meaning a specifi c word which is an ordinary FIFA World Cup infringe the trademarks of a local company dictionary word is in common use by traders in South African companies will well remember (e.g. Polo International clothing). Or a product the marketplace in relation to the same goods the severe restrictions that were imposed on name has to be changed for the South African or services, and also appears in various trade using the FIFA name and symbols in 2010 — market. marks in the names of various entities in the they even tried to regulate the use of 2010, Register,” says Fleurette Coetzee, Senior Man- World Cup and other names associated with International names ager: Trade Marks at the Companies and Intel- the event that saw FIFA becoming our substi- The most famous trademark case, which be- lectual Property Commission (CIPC). tute government. came a Harvard Law case study, involves the Thus, while the IOC is the trademark own- But, the use of the FIFA World Cup trademark registration of the McDonald’s, Big Mac, and er in other classes, Bolton Footwear has the without permission had actually been illegal large yellow M trademarks by the local owners rights for clothing and footwear (Class 25). in South Africa long before 2010 — in fact, of the Chicken Licken franchise in the early They opposed the IOC application because since 1993, when it was fi rst registered with 1990’s. What’s more, they applied for the ex- Jordan & Co had registered the Olympic trade- CIPC. Various other permutations of FIFA and pungement of the US McDonald’s right to these mark a hundred years ago for clothing, and in the World Cup were subsequently registered trademarks in South Africa —and succeeded, 1972 for footwear. When Jordan was sold to in various classes. despite vigorous opposition from the US trade- other companies (e.g. Rennies, Kap Manufac- Companies and brands must remember to mark owners. turing, Conshu, etc.) they, in turn, became the renew their South African trademark registra- In May 1995, however, the Trade Marks trademark holders. tions every ten years in each class. Interna- Act No. 194 of 1993 come into force, with “The Act clearly provides for trademarks to tional brands can slip up here, because most Section 35 protecting well-known trademarks be transferred/assigned at any point in time other countries are signatories to the Madrid emanating from certain foreign countries. subject to the prescribed process being fol- Protocol, which provides for a single applica- McDonald’s appealed, and won the trademark lowed,” explains Coetzee. “One of the chang- tion process that can cover various countries. fi ght with costs. es the Act specifi cally provides for is the as- “South Africa cannot be designated for pro- The crux of this judgement was arguments signment of a registered trade mark from the tection until such time as South Africa is a around what constitutes well-known in South registered proprietor to a new proprietor.” member state of Madrid,” says Coetzee. “The Africa — which McDonald’s could prove with Madrid Protocol will not come into eff ect re- market research. Local takes precedence trospectively, but will only apply once the in- The well-known trademark name must, how- In other cases, where a specifi c international struments of accession has been submitted by ever, be unique and not a generic name like, product or brand name is not so well-known South Africa.” This process is in motion, which for example, Olympic. When the IOC applied in South Africa, the local registration will take will also make it easier for local brands to get to register the name Olympic in 2009, Jordan precedence. protection globally via one application.

2018 Q2 :: Sports Trader p20 :: Apparel & Footwear Did Ramaphoria boost walking shoe sales?

Our new president’s habit of taking early morning constitutional walks attracted the nation’s interest earlier in the year. Did this translate into walking footwear sales or haven’t retailers noticed a difference? asks CARIN HARDISTY

ne great thing about walking as from walkers for off-road natural movement a fitness activity is that anyone Many customers are pur- footwear designed for trails, says Stuart can do it: go for a walk in the chasing footwear for mul- Hutcheson of Moove Claremont. Footwear park, walk with the dog, with tiple purposes such as that offers natural movement and have thin, friends … yes there are serious flexible, puncture resistant, outer soles are walking the dogs, com- walkingO athletes (it’s even an Olympic sport), the most popular items in his store. Other but even the average Joe Soap can easily start muting every day and popular features include lightweight and walking at his own pace right this instant, no even in the office. flexible footwear that have wide toe boxes. matter his fitness level. Comfort is a major consideration in foot- This is perhaps one of the contributing factors wear, says Shuaib Smith of Cape Union Mart. surrounding the excitement earlier this year ple who want footwear that will keep them “Many customers are purchasing footwear for when it became clear that our President, Cyril comfortable on the famous pilgrimage trail, multiple purposes such as walking the dogs, Ramaphosa, is an avid walker — the President Camino de Santiago, in Spain or France. commuting every day and even in the office. does things that the rest of us can also do! And There are retailers who disagree with them These type of activities also require extended then he invites Joe Soap to do it with him too that there is a renewed interest in walking, periods of time on the feet and the footwear … what a wonderful PR opportunity for walking. though. For example, a retailer says he needs to prevent uncomfortable situations Did this all result in an increased demand for doesn’t think the “President’s early morning such as swelling, over-heating, dropped arch- footwear to walk in? perambulations have interested the general es, and general foot fatigue.” “I think so!” says Riaan Boshoff of Topsports. populace in Pietermaritzburg yet”. Therefore, when designing their K-Way Yvette Jackson of the Village Vibe Surfstore Another anonymous respondent adds that shoes, one of the key considerations is always agrees. There has especially been a bigger the stores in his goup haven’t seen any growth comfort. demand for light hiking boots and entry-level in walking, trail or road running footwear sales The age of the customer also makes a running shoes since Pres. Ramaphosa’s walking since news of Pres. Ramaphosa’s walks started difference in what they want. “Older people, became news, she noticed making headlines. especially, want cushioning and comfort in There has been an increase in demand for their shoes,” explains Jackson. Comfortable, good quality walking shoes, agrees Gavin le What do people buy? moulded footwear sells well among her Roux of Trappers in Worcester and Somerset Most retail respondents who stock walking- customers who buy footwear for walking in. West, but he doesn’t think it’s directly due to specific shoes report that there has been a Entry level running shoes is the most popu- the President’s influence. Instead, he attrib- growing demand for shoes specifically designed lar shoe amongst his walking customers, adds utes this rise to the growing interest in devices for walking. Entry level running shoes (or cross Boshoff. that measure steps, as well as medical scheme trainers) are also popular choices. His customers prefer a technical trail run- incentives. Judging by retailers’ responses, consumers ning brand, because it is “not only a comfort- “In both of my stores there is a large walk- are, however, buying a wide range of footwear able, well supported shoe for walking, but also ing for health community. The Somerset Mall to go walking in: from casual walking footwear, extremely fashionable as it has a very wide store serves many customers looking for com- trail and road running shoes, to sneakers. range of colours and styles,” says Le Roux. fortable shoes to walk on the newly completed Sneakers might do for promenade-type walk- Not only is colour fashionable, but it is also Strand Promenade and hiking type boots for ing, but when your customer wants to go walk- practical. the beautiful Helderberg nature reserve and ing in the outdoors, where the terrain is less “It seems that white is very close to being surrounding mountain trails.” even, he needs a pair of shoes that is specifi- out,” adds Cobus Visagie of Dirt Road Traders. On the other side of the walking spectrum, cally designed for this purpose, they caution. “Most of my customers want a dark shoe for his stores are also regular destinations for peo- There has been an increase in demand dirt purposes.”

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2 Apparel & Footwear :: p21

Skechers GoWalk flying off shelves his is such a positive time! It is a very good time for the country and small business is going to thrive,” Ahmed Ha- “T bib, Country Manager for Skechers SA distributor Brandfolio SA said earlier this year when they were introducing retailers to their ranges that will drop in August-September. He had much to smile about: the benefits of early morning walks that President Cyril Ramaphosa is promoting is sweet music for the brand ac- knowledged as the world’s #1 supplier of walking shoes. And the strengthened Rand reduced the prices of the 4 000-odd SKUs they were showing to retailers by as much as R100 per pair. Locally, they have had very positive sales feedback — Skechers flies off their shelves, report the retailers, many who are placing bigger orders than before. “The brand is trending and selling in store,” says brand manager Yusuf Vadi with satisfaction. The large number of SKUs they offer is one of the main reasons for the successful local growth of the brand over the past few years, says Habib. “It means that several retailers in one mall or area can all stock Skechers without one of them selling the same shoes,” adds Vadi. “Eve- Brooke Burke-Charvet and Sugar Ray Leonard are among the celebrities ry retailer has a different customer profile and there are enough styles that took part in Skechers’ annual Pier to Pier Friendship Walk this year. for them to choose a range that is completely different to any other They are photographed with Skechers president Michael Greenberg (left). retailer in the vicinity.” Photo: Trayvon Stinnett Photography. Habib points out that there is not only a wide variety in the categories customers as soon as they try on a shoe, he explains. of footwear on offer — walking, running, trail running, golf, hiking to san- In the Gowalk and Gorun ranges a full seamless sock as upper — affixed to dals, smart wedges, lifestyle and the latest urban street — but within one a Goga mat foam sole that is similar to a yoga mat — is a new comfort ad- category there will be colour and style choices for the young and trendy dition to the performance ranges. The socks are supported by strategically as well as more mature customers. “A more mature customer does not placed cosmetics like straps or heel caps. Without a seam or any pressure have to wear old ladies shoes, she can look fashionable,” says Vadi. points these walking shoes are especially beneficial to diabetics, who can But, all have a common denominator, says Vadi: comfort. The air- suffer from diabetic neuropathy and then won’t be able to feel irritations cooled breathable or gel-infused balanced memory foam and Flex or chafing, points out Vadi. technologies in most shoes, whether performance or fashion, wins over The new performance styles also feature a new generation of pods in the soles to enhance toe-off and their trail running shoes, with smaller pods, have seepage holes that allow water to drain completely and keep the feet dry. As in Johannesburg, they are now able to create a permanent display showing the full offering to Cape Town and environs retailers — previ- ously they had to hire venues in the city for a limited period. The new Cape Town offices in the M5 Business Park feature their new individual fittings that can be attached and turned to show shoes to their best advantage. Following the quarterly range showing in Cape Town and Johannesburg, regional reps showed samples to retailers who were unable to visit their showrooms. Retailers who missed the order period can still order ex- stock and top up ranges — although these numbers and styles will be The new Gowalk range features a seamless sock upper. limited by availability.

Hi-Tec eases cross-over between outdoor and urban “WITH HI-TEC PRODUCTS a great outdoor ex- lasting cushioning and comfort, and the M-D perience is always within reach — from a walk Traction outsole for improved grip walking both around the block to a hike across the country- up- and downhill. side,” says Gordon Stokes. “The path has been set — outdoor crossover The new women’s OX Trail (available soon) continues to spread its grip around the world features a high-performance synthetic upper and Hi-Tec is here to give people multi-purpose for support, durability and breathability, a footwear integral to their outdoor experiences.” molded impact-absorbing EVA midsole for long The OX Trail men’s has the same features as the women’s. Gravity, part of Hi-Tec’s new SS18 collection Men’s OX Trail and available in men’s and ladies, is “a style that will truly benefit its user: features ensure the enjoyment of the out- whether your customer is doors for longer”. navigating busy cities It has a breathable, lightweight air mesh upper or walking wood- with supportive PU overlays, molded EVA foot- land trails, its bed and a dual density CMEVA midsole for long lasting cushioning and comfort, deep lugs on the outsole for off-road traction, and flex grooves to enhance the natural motion of the foot.

Women’s OX Trail Women’s Gravity 2018 Q2 :: Sports Trader p22 :: Apparel & Footwear

The wrong type or size of shoes at a young age can cause serious foot problems later in life. It is therefore important to pay extra attention when selling footwear for a young child, writes CARIN HARDISTY

In addition to its Performance range, Skechers is also known for its kids’ shoes. Seen here are styles that lace up as well as ones with velcro closures. Selling kids’ footwear

hildren’s feet are still soft and width — simply having a longer shoe won’t do and won’t damage the foot. developing, and will only be fully them much good. • Ensure that the widest part of the foot is in developed when they’re around Additionally, if the shoes are bought larger the widest part of the shoe so that the shoe the age of 18, and they therefore than needed to allow for growing room, the bends with the foot. need footwear that won’t limit natural flex points in the shoe and on the foot • The foot should also not bulge over the sides theC natural movements of their feet. won’t align, which will hurt the child. of the shoe — this indicates that the shoe is Because the feet are still soft, ill-fitting foot- If you become aware that parents are con- too narrow. Too tight shoes can cause friction wear can cause problems such as ingrown toe sidering giving a younger child his older sib- and blisters, and can also hinder walking. nails, calluses or bunions, for example. ling’s footwear that he has outgrown, inform • There should be enough space to put your Feet also form the basis of support for the them that this is not a good idea: the wear little finger between the heel of the shoe entire body and have numerous muscles, liga- patterns, which have been made by the first and the child’s foot, and about 1-1.5cm ments, tendons, etc. that affect other parts — wearer’s feet, won’t properly support the space between the front of the shoe and the if they are not properly looked after, it could younger one’s foot shape, as it’ll be different. longest toe (not always the big toe). lead to more serious issues affecting postures, • The top part of the shoe shouldn’t press on walking style, etc. as they get older. Fitting the shoe the toes or toe nails. It is therefore extremely important to be The following will help to get the best fit: • The heel should be narrow enough to hug the able to recommend the correct footwear for • The child should stand up while trying the hind foot, but prevent rubbing inside the shoe. the individual child. shoes on. When the foot is bearing the weight, • The shoe shouldn’t press the little toe inwards. Parents might be tempted to buy a pair of as in the case when the body is resting on • As with adults’ footwear, if the shoes will shoes that are slightly too big so that the child them, the foot stretches in width and length. be worn with socks, the child should wear will grow into them, and save the parents ◦ Make sure the child’s weight is resting socks while trying on the shoes to make sure some money, but if shoes are too big they can equally on both feet and that the feet are they’re not too tight. make it difficult for the child to walk in and flat on the ground. • If the cuff of the shoe sits on the ankle bone could make him trip. • Measure both feet: one foot is often larger than it could rub and cause blisters. This can be Usually parents think of getting a pair of the other. Fit the shoe to the larger of the two. prevented if the shoes have padded collars, shoes that are longer, but they would also ◦ Make sure to measure both the width and which will also support the ankle. need to buy footwear that are wider than the length of the foot to make sure the • The shoe should fit from the start, and needed, because feet grow both in length and shoe you recommend is also wide enough shouldn’t need to be broken in first.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2 Apparel & Footwear :: p23

Footwear features • Rounded toe boxes give the toes more room • If the child is comfortable with lacing up his own shoes, recommend this option. In general, kids benefit from having the fol- to move. lowing features in their shoes: ◦ These are also well suited to wider feet, ◦ Eyelets are designed for the laces to be pulled towards and tied by the person • Uppers: with narrow toes suited to narrow ones. wearing the shoes (in this case, the child). ◦ Lightweight so that the feet can move, for Footwear for different ages example leather, canvas, or mesh. If parents pull the laces towards them, as happens when they do the tying, they ◦ Must be breathable, because kids’ feet Certain stages in a child’s development call might break the eyelets. Laces are meant sweat a lot. for more specific features: for kids who can tie their own. • Insole: • Babies and crawling stage: don’t need ◦ Laces provide more stability and support ◦ Absorbent. shoes — only booties, warm wide socks, or compared to velcro closures. ◦ Padded. pre-walking shoes that don’t hinder the feet. ◦ The laces should be long enough to double ◦ Most children won’t need arch support ◦ Should be flexible and shaped like the foot. tie. This will help prevent the laces from untill they are older. Young children, for • 9-18 months: a high-top will stay on the coming undone, which could cause the example, have flat feet that don’t need foot better than a lower profile shoe. the support. child to trip. ◦ A shoe with laces will keep it on the foot • If the child is not yet comfortable with laces, • Outsole: and better fit the fat feet at this stage of ◦ Flexible and non-skid. recommend footwear with a velcro closure. development. ◦ The shoe should fit secure when walking. ◦ Treads with grooves to prevent slipping, but ◦ Sole should be smooth, which provides less which are not deep enough to create the If the strap has to be over-tightened, the friction and won’t grab the floor, which risk of tripping on a carpet, for example. child probably either needs a smaller shoe can cause the child to trip. ◦ Cushioning. size or a different style. ◦ Shoe should be lightweight. ◦ Fat soles make it easier to begin walking. ◦ In terms of growth, velcro closures don’t ◦ Stability and support. ◦ Older kids can have heels on their soles, allow as much flexibilty as laces do. • Pre-schoolers are at the stage that they run but these should not be more than about • Buckles: easy to fasten, but still allows for around a lot and play, and as such need du- 2cm, because heels can cause the foot to some adjustment to accommodate sizing. slide forward, pushing the toes against the rable and functional footwear. ◦ Make sure the buckle won’t cause an ir- inside of the shoe. The age of the child also plays a role in deciding ritation. If it’ll come into contact with the • Support and stability, without being too tight. on the most appropriate type of shoe fastening. ankle bone it can hurt the child. • You should be able to bend the shoe without much effort. Consumer confidence boosts retail sales etail Ramaphoria is still trending, and Advice for your customers the news is getting better. In March, IT’S ALSO important for parents to know R South African retail sales grew by 4% when to shop for new shoes for their kids. year-on-year after the effects of inflation — the You can advise your customers that they highest retail spending growth since May 2013. should get their child’s feet measured every Monthly retail sales for the first quarter of 2018 three to four months, because kids’ feet grew on average 3.8% year-on-year, following grow so quickly — and the younger the child, 3.3% growth in the fourth quarter of 2017. the faster his feet grows. As a guideline, feet January recorded the highest sales volumes grow by half a foot size approximately: since Mastercard SpendingPulse* started track- • Younger than 16 months: two months. ing South African retail sales trends in 2013, and • 16-24 months: three months. February’s volumes were up by 4.6% on average • 24-36 months: four months. compared to the previous five months. • older than three years: four to six months. The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) record- Feet will keep growing into the high school years. ed a record high 26 points in the first quarter of The following are signs that the child’s 2018 — the highest level in more than a decade. footwear doesn’t fit right: The previous record high was 23 index points in Retail trade sales at constant 2015 prices: year-on- • Rashes or redness on the spin on the toes, the first quarter of 2007, when the South African year % change. Source: Stats SA. in the foot arches and below the ankle bone: economy pumped out real economic growth of this could indicate breathability problems. nearly 6%. During most of 2017, consumer con- a difference of 3%, which is the lowest since • Blisters or red marks on the heel and fidence was in the negative (around -8 points). March 2013. toes: the shoes move too much while SpendingPulse attributes this confidence to “The shrinking gap between retail sales, with walking, which can mean they are too big. Ramaphoria and a positive economic outlook for inflation included and without inflation includ- • Inflammation around the nail bed can indi- the year. The economic outlook index jumped ed, indicates we are starting to see real growth cate an infection, which is possibly caused to +34 from -2, and “the extraordinary improve- in the South African economy and retail sector,” by an ingrown toe nail. These can develop ment in consumer sentiment during the first says Sarah Quinlan, senior vice president and when the shoe is too small or narrow, forc- quarter of 2018 can largely be ascribed to the group head of market insights for Mastercard. ing toes to rub against each other. change in the country’s leadership, which trig- March’s retail sales increased by 4.8% year-on- • Deformed toes: toes should lie straight in line year, measured in real terms. Textiles, cloth- with the foot. If they are deformed it could be gered many positive economic developments,” says Mamello Matikinca, chief economist at FNB. ing, footwear and leather goods recorded the that the shoes are too small or narrow. second highest annual growth rate (10.6%), • Consumers responded to their renewed con- If the feet appear to be excessively with household furniture, appliances and equip- turned in or out, or very flat, it’s likely fidence in the economy by going shopping. In ment recording the highest (20.7%). Retailers in that the shoes being worn aren’t offering January overall consumer spending increased textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods enough support. by 3.8% year-on-year without the effects of In- contributed the most to the 4.8% growth (1.6%). It’s also best if they shop for their kids’ flation. Inflation contributed just 3.5% points to shoes later in the day because feet swell the overall 7.3% sales growth. * The Mastercard SpendingPulse report uses ag- during the day, especially if it’s warm. gregated and anonymous Mastercard transaction The impact of inflation was even lower in Feb- data as well as survey-based estimates for other ruary, at just 3.3%, and by March there was only payment forms, including cash and cheque.

2018 Q2 :: Sports Trader p24 :: Sport

AB de Villiers (below) is the Protea player who’ll sell the most bats. Respected Hashim Amla also has some impact. Do top cricketers sell more bats? AB de Villiers is an exciting player admired and liked by all — does that mean that he influences cricketers to buy his bat brand? And what about other top cricketers who have been signed as brand ambassadors by brands: do they deliver the goods? TRUDI DU TOIT asked some retailers which cricketers influence sales, and if disgraced play- ers can have the opposite effect. Photos: NICOL DU TOIT

all him Spiderman, or call him Su- the ones they know and trust,” says Werner perman, but AB de Villiers’ grav- Mels, a keen cricketer who heads the cricket ity-defying leap and catch in the section at the Sportcentre Knysna. recent IPL match elevated him to Many cricket fans are also to a large extent superhero status. It also explains influenced by how a bat ambassador performs whyC so many fans love him: he’s an incredibly at a specific time, several retailers comment- exciting player — whether at the crease or on ed. Almost a question of out of sight, out of the field — who fires the imagination just as mind. Or, conversely, “equipment exposed on Jonty Rhodes did so many years ago, whether TV makes a big difference, especially when playing in India or South Africa. the player is top class and a likeable charac- No wonder he is seen as the one South Afri- ter,” says Vincent. can player who can launch a thousand bats. Successful players influence bat sales be- He is admired, has an engaging personality cause their name is associated with the bat and delivers the Wow! factor. brand, agrees Hans de Bruyn of JZ Sports. Pictures of the packed Bangalore stands be- “That is why manufacturers sponsor only play- hind AB jumping high shows another reason ers that catch the eye.” why he is such a good choice as brand ambas- Pix. BackPage Muzi Ntombela Photo: How does this reflect on the influence other sador: he is a hero in India, where cricket is ers who gave their opinion on who — or what players in the Protea team have on bat sales? another religion followed by millions. He not — sells bats. Or, at least, he will prompt cus- (Please note: our mini-survey was done at the only plays in the team captained by Virat Kho- tomers to ask for his bat brand. end of the Indian and Australian tours and li, he wins matches for them. And that sells But, the main selling point for a bat is a completed by retailers who mainly opted to bats in the biggest cricket market in the world trusted brand name, which is well-known stay anonymous). — especially when they are supplied by Indian among cricketers, say the majority (84%). To • Quinton de Kock (Gunn & Moore) is rated brand MRF. a lesser extent price also has an influence on as a bat-seller by the 2nd highest number “Players certainly make a difference to bat sales, adds Mlanda Landman of Trevor Smith of retailers. Some comments: A definite sec- sales, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be Sports in Benoni. ond to AB — Vincent; A big impact on youth South African players,” says Wayne Vincent of “Personally, I think that players definitely and boys cricket — Mels; Yes, he has an in- The Cricket Company. “AB is the biggest influ- make a big impact on the sales of the brand, fluence because he is well-known and does ence by a very long way.” but this accounts more for the younger crick- well — Landman. AB is the one player who can generate sales, eters. More developed cricketers will go for • Faf du Plessis (IXU) ties with Quinton as a agree most sport and cricket specialist retail- the brand they found is the best for them and bat sales influencer, according To p26

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2

p26 :: Sport

Kagiso Rabada has an impact on adidas bowling shoe sales, say retailers. Test captain Faf du Plessis helps to promote sales of his bat brand.

bowler, he can even influence (Gray-Nicolls) Cricket influencerscont. from p24 bat sales,” says Godil. to retailers. Comments: He is the face of he was dropped from the Protea squad for But, what about players from other coun- this brand and as test captain he can push the third test and lost influence. tries — can they influence equipment sales? some sales, specially in the Gauteng area • JP Duminy is another player who is trying to Nowadays, players get TV exposure across the — Yahya Godil of cricket specialist Khotso launch an unknown local brand — MK Hand- world, and even more when they play locally. Sport; Yes, as captain he is well-known and crafted is partly owned by himself. This is, Ultimately, “it's the way you play the game, plays well — Landman. however, seen as a gamble by retailers. We that influences people,” says De Bruyn. “When • Aiden Markram (Gunn & Moore) is the play- had a lot of requests but don’t stock the big scores are made and the players’ bat cos- er rated as an influencer by the third most brand — Mels; He can maybe sell his own metics are nice, some people come in to ask retailers: He is rising steadily — Vincent; He brand in a small area — Godil. for that colour equipment,” adds Landman. has a big impact on youth and boys cricket And as far as selling cricket shoes are con- Yet, the reality remains that not even en- — Mels; For sure, he influences sales to a cerned, there is no doubt amongst retailers dorsements from the world’s two greatest young generation of cricketer’s as opening that Kagiso Rabada is the one player that has players ten years ago, Sachin Tendulkar and batsman in tests. It also makes a difference a big influence on the sale of adidas bowling Brian Lara, could launch MRF successfully in to bat sales that Gunn & Moore is a brand shoes. “He is popular and kids specially notice South Africa. It took a South African, AB, to that is more than 100 years old — Godil. what he is using, and even though he is a fast change that. • Dean Elgar (Kookaburra) fired the imagina- tion when he equalled a world record for batting through an innings for a third time What about disgraced brand ambassadors? in the eventful third test against Australia. It made a big difference to sales — Mels; He RETAILERS ARE unsure if players who are dis- But, former captain Steve Smith and vice- is the new face of Kookaburra — Godil, who graced — like the Aussie cheats — would ad- captain Warner retain their bat sponsorships says Elgar influences sales in his store be- versely affect bat sales. But, since these players during their year-long suspensions. Smith is still cause Kookaburra is also one of the biggest had been banned from playing first class and an ambassador for the New Balance brand and Warner is still representing Gray-Nicolls bats on brands in the country. test cricket for 9-12 months they will certainly be out of sight — which could either make them behalf of GN Sports in Australia — a separate • David Miller (New Balance), has retailers out of mind or leave a nasty taste when they are entity to Grays International, which supplies our debating his impact on bat sales. Comments remembered. local Gray-Nicolls bats, says Grays marketing di- vary from People like him because of his Kookaburra therefore suspended Cameron rector Richard Gray. hitting ability David is going — Landman; to Bancroft as a member of Team Kookaburra dur- In October last year New Balance ended Eng- through a tough time, but New Balance did ing his 9-month ban from representing Australia land all-rounder and former vice-captain Ben well on choosing him as a player — Godil; after the Supersport team caught him on cam- Stokes’ contract worth £200 000 after he was to an emphatic No impact — New Balance era tampering with the ball … with the resulting involved in a fight outside a Bristol pub and is growing, but it was carried more by (Joe) fall-out. mimicked a handicapped boy on video. At the Root, (Steve) Smith and (Ben) Stokes … until “Like all cricket fans Kookaburra was shocked time they said: “New Balance does not condone recently — Vincent. at the events during the Cape Town test,” a behaviour by our global athletes that does not • Hashim Amla (BAS) is well-liked and as a brand spokesperson said. “Kookaburra, in ac- match our brand culture and values.” test cricketer (and former captain) he does cordance with its contract, is suspending Cam- Warner was identified as the instigator of have an influence on sales, but he is going eron Bancroft for the duration of his CA suspen- the plan to tell team rookie Bancroft to apply through a bad patch, retailers comment. sion. We hope to support Cameron continuing sandpaper to the ball during the third test at • Heinrich Klaassen (IXU) illustrates the fick- his career after this time.” Newlands. Smith admitted that he knew about leness of fame — after a great performance ASICS immediately dropped David Warner it beforehand. in the ODIs and T20 against India they had and Bancroft as footwear ambassadors be- Their actions cost Cricket Australia their main sponsor, investment firm Magellan Financial some requests for his bat, says Mels; and cause “the decisions and actions taken by David Warner and Cameron Bancroft are not some- Group. Both Smith and Warner have been Yes, he had influence to an extent … when thing that ASICS tolerates and are contrary to barred from playing for their IPL teams, where he had exposure with the Proteas — Vin- the values the company stands for,” the brand they were each on $2.5-m contracts. But, they cent. But, after less than inspiring perfor- said in a statement. may play English county cricket. mances in his debut tests against Australia,

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2

p28 :: Sport What affectsa cricket ball?

The way a cricket ball is put together and handled during the game by the players all play a role in how the ball acts during play

cricket ball is a relatively inex- shiny, smooth, side offers very little wind re- overs’ use. In the third test in Cape Town the pensive item of sporting equip- sistance while travelling through the air, but Australians were achieving this reverse swing ment compared to a bat, but it is air will grip to the rough areas and cause the after ± 26 overs, which tipped off commen- one that can have a huge impact ball to fly in a curved projectory. tators and cameramen that there might have on the game. Additionally, applying a lot of saliva or sweat been some interference with the ball surface. ATelevision commentators, who picked up the to one side will weigh it down more than the The fielding side might also attempt toil- ball tampering during the Australia and South other, which will also have an effect. legally pick at or lift the ball’s seam, which Africa cricket test match earlier the year, will exaggerate the ball’s bounce. In general, commented that the ball wasn’t acting as it In general, the thicker the the thicker the seam, the more movement a should, even before it was confirmed that the seam the more movement bowler might get from the ball. ball had been tampered with. They were com- menting about what they considered excessive a bowler might get from it. Time on pitch reverse swing. In a test, the fielding side may ask for a new The tampering scandal reminded one how Players can polish the ball on their kit or tow- ball once 80 or more overs have been bowled sensitive the ball can be, and that the smallest els and apply saliva to the ball, but may not with the same ball. If a ball needs to be re- change to its surface can make a big impact on use artificial or foreign substances, for exam- placed for other reasons (e.g. it has become how it performs. This is because it will change ple saliva sweetened by something like mints damaged), the umpires may replace the ball the aerodynamics of the ball, how it moves (it’s believed this creates a better shine), lip with one that has had comparable wear. through the air, and therefore its flight. balm, rub the ball on the ground, scuff it with Their test cricket balls are designed to last At the start of the game both sides of a crick- a fingernail or sharp object, pick at the seam, for 80 overs, says Shannon Gill from Kooka- et ball are smooth and shiny so that the air etc. — anything that will alter the ball in an burra in Australia (Kookaburra is locally dis- travels at the same speed around the ball and unnatural way is not permitted. keeps the ball straight on its path. The Kooka- tributed by JRT Crampton). “This is a part of burra ball used in test cricket in South Africa, Swing bowling the fabric of cricket. The ball is supposed to can swing conventionally from the start. Conventional swing is achieved by bowling the deteriorate as time goes on and Kookaburra In a test each innings will see a new ball, and ball so that it lands on the seam at an angle to is loath to mess with this essential aspect of one day internationals (ODIs) start with two the flight, which will make it swing out. With the game.” new balls — one from each end. As the game Reverse swing the ball will swing inwards on There has to be some sort of gradual deterio- progresses the ball naturally gets scuffed and an outswinging delivery, and vice versa, when ration over a day’s play, and it’s how the dete- roughened as result of impact with the bat, bowled at pace. The ball moves unexpectedly rioration is achieved that shows the skill of the ground, etc. and the batsman has very little time to make product, says Dilip Jajodia of British Cricket The fielding team will keep one side of the a judgement on how to play. Balls Limited, manufacturer of Dukes balls, ball smoother and shinier than the other and Reverse swing can be achieved naturally which is locally distributed by Opal Sports. allow the other side to remain scuffed. when the ball gets older and has more signs Deterioration should not be to such an extent This is to enhance the swing of the ball. The of wear on one side, usually around 40 or 50 that the ball has to be replaced prematurely.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2 p28 :: Sport Sport :: p29

The final step is to polish the ball. There is a greater risk of the seam splitting with machine stitching because there is less control in the machine manufacturing pro- What affectsa cricket ball? cess. There is, for example, a chance that the thread might get damaged, which can make the seam split. Hand-stitching avoids destroying the thread. “That is why our balls don’t open,” adds Jajodia. “Kookaburra balls used in international cricket have a hand stitched closing seam (the seam that holds the ball together), but a de- finitive view on what kind of stitching is more conducive to swing is unclear,” says Gill. Hand stitching the seam on a test ball. “Many claim that hand-stitching makes a ball Photo: Kookaburra. swing more, but, for those involved in grade and first class cricket in Australia, it’s generally How the ball is made accepted that machine-stitched balls used be- Using a top quality leather is the first crucial low first-class levels can swing more than their step to making a quality ball, and manufactur- hand-stitched counterparts at first class level.” ers will look for any imperfections or blem- Getting the colour right ishes before selecting one. Dukes cuts the leather into strips and uses The colour of the ball assists the batsman to the inside strips for test balls, because the pick out the ball against the background and strongest part of the leather is on the back. players’ kits whilst it is travelling towards him. The leather hemispheres can each either be The pink ball, used at night under flood- made from one circle or two pieces that are lights, was first used in an international day- stitched together with an inside seam, leav- night game in 2015 between Australia and New ing it barely noticeable on the outside. A ball Zealand. In addition to having to find the right The way a cricket ball is put together and handled during the game made from four pieces (two on each hemi- colour, the stitching on the new ball also had to be right because players pick up the stitch- by the players all play a role in how the ball acts during play sphere) is a higher quality, but it’s also more expensive. es and the seam — green, as used on the white Inside the leather cups is a core of cork, ball, is also the seam colour for the pink. Red is the only colour that permeates the cricket ball is a relatively inex- shiny, smooth, side offers very little wind re- overs’ use. In the third test in Cape Town the which is tightly wound in layers with string leather enough to remain red throughout play, pensive item of sporting equip- sistance while travelling through the air, but Australians were achieving this reverse swing (and sometimes additional layers of cork) to so the pink needs to have a special coating to ment compared to a bat, but it is air will grip to the rough areas and cause the after ± 26 overs, which tipped off commen- create a round shape. Kookaburra, for exam- maintain the colour. In turn, this coating also one that can have a huge impact ball to fly in a curved projectory. tators and cameramen that there might have ple, uses five layers of cork and worsted yarn keeps the ball shiny for longer. on the game. Additionally, applying a lot of saliva or sweat over the cork core, which helps control the been some interference with the ball surface. “We managed to dye through the leather ATelevision commentators, who picked up the to one side will weigh it down more than the The fielding side might also attempt toil- consistency and performance of the ball by in pink so that if the ball hits something it is ball tampering during the Australia and South other, which will also have an effect. controlling its hardness and by ensuring that legally pick at or lift the ball’s seam, which pink underneath and it doesn’t come through Africa cricket test match earlier the year, the ball’s bounce will be even and consistent will exaggerate the ball’s bounce. In general, white,” says Jajodia. “You can dye it pink, but commented that the ball wasn’t acting as it over the duration of the cricket match. In general, the thicker the the thicker the seam, the more movement a you can’t make it natural, so we put a bit of should, even before it was confirmed that the There are six rows of stitching. The seam, seam the more movement bowler might get from the ball. pigment on top and applied polish on top of ball had been tampered with. They were com- the middle two rows, holds the ball together. that. That is why our pink ball lasts.” menting about what they considered excessive a bowler might get from it. On a machine-stitched ball, this is the only Time on pitch A white ball is made from naturally off-white reverse swing. stitching that holds the ball together (the rest In a test, the fielding side may ask for a new leather, but as it wears and scratches the ball The tampering scandal reminded one how Players can polish the ball on their kit or tow- is decoration). On a handmade ball, the outer ball once 80 or more overs have been bowled picks up the green from the grass. This is why sensitive the ball can be, and that the smallest els and apply saliva to the ball, but may not two rows are hand-stitched, going backwards with the same ball. If a ball needs to be re- ODIs use two new balls in each innings, one at change to its surface can make a big impact on use artificial or foreign substances, for exam- and forwards underneath the seam. By going placed for other reasons (e.g. it has become each bowling end. how it performs. This is because it will change ple saliva sweetened by something like mints through both sides it adds extra strength and damaged), the umpires may replace the ball Apart from the colour process, which in- the aerodynamics of the ball, how it moves (it’s believed this creates a better shine), lip tension, which hold the ball together tighter with one that has had comparable wear. cludes an extra layer of lacquer finishing on through the air, and therefore its flight. balm, rub the ball on the ground, scuff it with and keep the shape better Their test cricket balls are designed to last the pink, the three types are manufactured At the start of the game both sides of a crick- a fingernail or sharp object, pick at the seam, It takes about three and a half hours to make for 80 overs, says Shannon Gill from Kooka- the same way. et ball are smooth and shiny so that the air etc. — anything that will alter the ball in an one of their balls, of which the hand-stitching burra in Australia (Kookaburra is locally dis- itself takes over an hour, says Jajodia. After travels at the same speed around the ball and unnatural way is not permitted. the stitching, the ball has to be pushed back keeps the ball straight on its path. The Kooka- tributed by JRT Crampton). “This is a part of Official sizes Swing bowling the fabric of cricket. The ball is supposed to into shape. burra ball used in test cricket in South Africa, The official ball sizes are: deteriorate as time goes on and Kookaburra Each ball is weighed, put through rings to can swing conventionally from the start. Conventional swing is achieved by bowling the Men: make sure that the size is correct, and are put In a test each innings will see a new ball, and ball so that it lands on the seam at an angle to is loath to mess with this essential aspect of • Ball weight: between 155.9g and 163g; through a bounce test. one day internationals (ODIs) start with two the flight, which will make it swing out. With the game.” • Ball circumference: between 22.4cm The stamp is then heat-sealed onto the ball, new balls — one from each end. As the game Reverse swing the ball will swing inwards on There has to be some sort of gradual deterio- and 22.9cm. and the ball put through the milling process progresses the ball naturally gets scuffed and an outswinging delivery, and vice versa, when ration over a day’s play, and it’s how the dete- Women: for final shaping to gain the perfect shape. roughened as result of impact with the bat, bowled at pace. The ball moves unexpectedly rioration is achieved that shows the skill of the • Ball weight: 140-151g; After these steps, the ball is put through ground, etc. and the batsman has very little time to make product, says Dilip Jajodia of British Cricket • Ball circumference: 21-22.5cm. lamping for a good look and so that it also The fielding team will keep one side of the a judgement on how to play. Balls Limited, manufacturer of Dukes balls, Junior (U13): performs well during the game: it spreads the ball smoother and shinier than the other and Reverse swing can be achieved naturally which is locally distributed by Opal Sports. • Ball weight: 133-144g; grease that is in the leather evenly over the allow the other side to remain scuffed. when the ball gets older and has more signs Deterioration should not be to such an extent • Ball circumference: 20.5-22cm. ball by rubbing it in and heating it up. This is to enhance the swing of the ball. The of wear on one side, usually around 40 or 50 that the ball has to be replaced prematurely.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2 2018 Q2 :: Sports Trader p30 :: Sport

The Guptas fi nally exit the cricket stage WHEN CRICKET SA (CSA) and its affi liates replaced Nkonki Inc. as their auditor in May, the 14-year partnership between South African cricket and Gupta- linked companies ended. Cricket news It started innocently in April 2004, long before That Wedding in Sun City in 2013 alerted South Africans that the Gupta brothers and hangers-on were our Kookaburra has a bat for every player Machiavellian powers behind the throne. Then, a relatively unknown computer KOOKABURRA’S RANGE of cricket bats caters for a variety of players. company called Sahara signed a naming rights sponsorship deal with the oldest One of its most popular bats, Kahuna is made for the shot-maker three cricket grounds: Newlands in Cape Town became Sahara Park Newlands; that likes to take control of the game. “The iconic Kahuna has been Kingsmead in Durban became Sahara Stadium Kingsmead; and St George’s Park the spearhead of the Kookaburra range for over a decade,” says the in Port Elizabeth became Sahara Oval St Georges. brand. It has a powerful profi le, with big edges with a generous sweet At the time the Gupta-owned Sahara IT company was so unknown that it was spot. initially confused Another favourite, Ghost, is one of Kookaburra’s most popular bats with the major in its history. It features minimal scalloping through the back of the Indian IT company bat, which provides a powerful profi le, and understated graphics that Sahara, sponsor of give a classic fi nish for the classic player. the Indian cricket Fever is made for impact and is for the player who favours impro- team. vised shots and aims to disrupt, while Blaze is designed for the player The Guptas actu- who “embraces the 360 degree run scoring”. ally paid R25-m for Surge is for the batter who loves to drive. It has a low middle and the 5-year naming distinctive shaping to the toe for enhanced pick up. rights — not the Kookaburra’s bats conform to the MCC Law 5 – Match Legal rule, other way around, which came into eff ect in October last year and defi nes the permitted as frequently hap- size of the cricket bat. No bat is allowed to have an edge thicker than pened in later 40mm or a spine height taller than 67mm including a 5mm curve to the The Gupta cricket links are revealed in the Myburgh book SOE state capture face profi le — a maximum height of 62mm if there is no curve. (above left) and Graeme Smith’s book (right) was spon- transactions. Kookaburra is locally distributed by JRT Crampton. sored by the Guptas. There was quite an outcry about the renaming of the grounds, but the Guptas had always been GM’s Fantastic 5 made to win marketing masters and they signed the 23-year old Protea captain, Graeme Smith, to be a Sahara brand ambassador. GM’S FANTASTIC 5 bats (Zelos, ened L540 blade design for a dy- According to Pieter-Louis Myburgh’s book, The Republic of Gupta (published Haze, Chrome, Mana and Neon) namic sweetspot, 310mm handle, by Penguin), Smith was a speaker during the ceremony announcing the naming are designed to perform. a F4.5 face profi le and a concaved deal, and he reminded the audience that the cricket federations needed money Zelos (below), Haze and Chrome back profi le. to survive. Not only federations, because when Smith launched his book, Cap- each features a traditional L555 Neon has massive edges at the tain’s Diary (published by Jonathan Ball in 2009), Sahara was identifi ed as the blade length, 295mm handle, and drive zone, which are off set for offi cial book sponsor. At the book launch Smith heartily thanked the Guptas for a F4.5 face profi le. an increased power-to-balance their support during the previous fi ve years, reports Myburgh. A new contract The brand new Zelos bat has an ratio. It also has a mid to high between Smith and Sahara for the next fi ve years was announced at the launch, ultra-curved face profi le, low to swell position for overall stroke reported the Sunday Tribune. mid swell position for all round play and a reduced sweeping The popular captain was soon joined by some of the most popular cricketers power play, a contoured spine spine profi le for superior pick up. profi le, and a partially concaved of the time, as team mates Shaun Pollock, Jacques Kallis, Makhaya Ntini, Boeta The edges on the Mana bat are Dippenaar, Jacques Rudolph, Martin van Jaarsveld and Neil McKenzie became back profi le for balancing. substantial, it has a pronounced Sahara brand ambassadors in December 2004, continues Myburgh. Thus, the Similarly, Chrome also has a low spine profi le, and it has a fl atter fans grew accustomed to the Sahara name linked to cricket. to mid swell position and partially toe design. To be fair, in those days a Gupta-contract didn’t have the same implications concaved back profi le. It has mas- All are made in Eng- as it would have today. sive contoured edges at the drive land from prime Eng- St Georges Park was the fi rst stadium to break the ties with Sahara: in 2009 zone and a large swell for maxim- lish Willow. they found a new naming sponsor in Axxess DSL. In October 2015, Newlands ised power. gave Sahara the boot and PPC cement became the naming rights sponsor. Haze, also new, has the same GM is locally KwaZulu Natal held on to their 13-year sponsorship deal until the Sahara busi- contoured edges and concaved distributed ness was closed in February this year — 18 months before the contract was sup- back profi le, but also features by Opal posed to end. At the time of writing it had reverted back to the name Kingsmead a mid to high swell position for Sports. Stadium as KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union president Fa-eez Jaff er lamented the power play and large swell for end of the Sahara company, which, according to him, always paid up front. added power. Apart from naming the grounds, the sponsorship agreements obviously also Neon and Mana each has a short- bought the Guptas a lot of infl uence in cricket circles. Myburgh maintains that they infl uenced the Protea team’s playing schedule during their tour to India at the end of 2005 so that they could show off stars like AB de Villiers, Makhaya Ntini, and Graeme Smith in the Gupta home town Saharanpur. National cricket stadiums, “will bring effi ciencies to the audit process”. He added: “This is a team members were also given a Saxonwold send-off before international tours. progressive move by CSA and the members and it re-affi rms that cricket is com- While each union’s members could appoint their own auditors at their AGM up mitted to transformation both on and off the fi eld.” until 2015, all unions knew that CSA had a point system that determines how After it emerged that Nkonki was a Gupta front, bought by Salim Essa of Tril- much money is allocated to a union — so when, in September 2016, CSA made lian Capital fame to audit certain state capture transactions in SOEs, the Auditor them the off er to swop the auditors they had appointed until then (like the General Kimi Makwetu’s ended the government’s contract with Nkonki (and the highly regarded fi rm Deloitte) for an unknown black-empowerment fi rm called compromised KPMG). That was also the end of the 25-year old Nkonki, which Nkonki Inc., unions jumped on the off er. had prepared and presented one fi nancial report (2016/17) for CSA and its affi li- At the AGM on September 3 2016, CSA president Chris Nenzani said that for ates. PWC has now been appointed cricket’s new auditor to fi nalise the 30 April the fi rst time appointing one audit fi rm for CSA, its members, franchises and 2018 year end audit — and the last Gupta cricket link has been broken.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2

p32 :: Sport

Indoor rowing, using ergometer equip- ment, is not only a recognized competi- tive sport, but also provide very good Row, training for athletes who enjoy various other sports. CARL ALFONSO of Rebel Elite Fitness explains why indoor row- row, ing is becoming so popular row your

TuksSport student Kayla de Beer (left) recently machine reached the A-fi nal in the sprint canoeing World Cup-event in Hungary. Photo: TuksSport.

owing on water has for thousands eplaat dam situated 22km north-east of Pre- of years been one of humanity’s The cost of equipment and toria. There are only two other large water primary methods to explore the access to rowable water bodies in Gauteng that are rowable — Victoria world’s oceans, wage war, hunt are the two major factors Lake and Wemmerpan, with only a handful of and develop global trade routes to limiting the growth of on smaller dams and lakes that can be used for exchange,R barter and sell commodities. Mod- training. There are over 2 500 schools in Gaut- ern on water rowing has evolved considerably water rowing. eng across more than 100 cities and towns. over the past 3 000 years. The challenge is clear. Although still used by some people in remote Access, affordability and coaching In South Africa specifi cally, the cost of equip- regions as a mode of transport, or hunting In South Africa, the majority of on water row- for subsistence, the bulk of on water rowing ing athletes include students and alumni from nowadays centers around the sport of rowing schools and universities. Individuals who have — a far more refi ned and professional activity. been introduced to rowing at a young age, and Globally, athletes compete individually or in have been provided with a stable and support- teams of 2,3,4,5 or 9 and race over specifi c ive platform to train and grow as athletes with distances, with the goal to fi nish fi rst. the support of parents, coaches, family and FISA (The World Rowing Federation) governs friends. There are four major pillars that all the sport of rowing internationally and con- professional rowing athletes require if they sists of 153 members, representing National are to succeed on the world stage: Rowing Federations as well as the National • Access to rowable water for training and Olympic Committees and the International competition Olympic Committee. • Access to fi nancial resources for tuition, In South Africa, ROWSA (Rowing South Africa) was established as SAARU in 1934 and today coaching and equipment (boats and oars) represents 3 000 registered rowers, includ- • Access to equipment (boats and oars) ing novices, juniors, university students, sen- • Access to coaching expertise Rowable water Gauteng. iors and masters and people with disabilities. If one of these pillars can’t be established Rowing South Africa's International Commis- and sustained throughout an athlete’s career, ment and access to rowable water are the two sion is responsible for selecting and prepar- it’s unlikely they will be able to compete in- major factors limiting the growth of on water ing athletes and crews to win medals at the ternationally for any length of time. rowing. annual FISA World Championships, University Having access to rowable water, an excellent World Championships, Paralympic and Olym- coaching team and attending a school with the Indoor rowing in SA pic Games. fi nancial resources means nothing without ad- A rowing machine like the Concept2 Model D South African rowers have had signifi cant equate equipment. Weight, ergonomic design (see box) — which costs about a fi fth of a scull success over the past 7 years, including a and durability are critical factors at play dur- boat and oars — bridges this distance by bring- gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics in ing a single race. For teams and institutions ing rowing and the sport of indoor rowing to the men’s lightweight coxless four. The team investing in the latest boat and oars, which the people. If we can grow the sport of indoor included James Thompson, Matthew Brittain, need to last at least fi ve years in a competi- rowing and a love for rowing in general, then John Smith and Sizwe Ndlovu. More recently, tion environment and many more if used for this will in turn develop an awareness and Kirsten McCann, who represented South Africa training purposes, a small change in the design carry over to on water rowing. at the 2016 Rio Olympics, became the fi rst and weight of an oar blade could mean the dif- ROWSA is spearheading this initiative with South African woman to win gold in the light- ference between winning and losing at the end their formal development and transformation weight women's single sculls at the Rowing of a 2km race. plan called the Learn to Row rural program. World Championships in 2017. The main rowing venue in Gauteng is Rood- Their focus is to convert schools To p34

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2 Sport :: p33

Concept2: From blades to fl ywheels THE CONCEPT2 machine has been credited with launching the sport ent locations, of competitive indoor rowing, and their Concept2 Model D is also the altitudes machine used in most indoor competitions, including online. This is be- and in vary- cause the patented electronic performance monitor compensates for ing weather diff erences in resistance adjustment and results can therefore be fairly conditions. compared. The perfor- The company was founded in 1976 by Dick and Pete Dreissigacker, mance moni- who pioneered the design and manufacture of composite racing oars. tor measures Today, Concept2 oars have become the product of choice amongst power out many of the world’s top rowing athletes and teams. In 1981 the brothers put, calorie created the Concept2 indoor rowing machine, which quickly became the expenditure, world’s best-selling rowing machine in its class. time and distance — providing coaches and athletes with empirical data It is an innovative, simple, cost eff ective and durable training tool that and valuable feedback in preparation for race days. utilizes air resistance and a fl ywheel system to create resistance and From a cost perspective, indoor rowing is far more accessible than simulate an athlete’s exact rowing stroke. open water. In a current price comparison, a single scull boat and oars This provided athletes with a comparable and accurate tool to devel- cost between R80 000 and R120 000, compared to a Concept2 Model op their fi tness and competitive edge during the off -season and when D indoor rowing machine that costs R15 750. It is therefore aff ordable weather would not permit rowing outdoors. Athletes who lived far from for home use. open rowable water, or travelled regularly, could now ensure consist- The Concept2 Model D weighs just 26kg, is smooth and quiet whilst de- ency in their training. livering an accurate and responsive rowing stroke. The rowing machine The powerful performance monitor, which has remained an important can be conveniently moved using its two castor wheels and can be easily component of the product throughout the last 40 years, enables ath- broken down into two major sections to be stored in a room or garage letes and coaches to measure every aspect of training. The performance and taken out and used at home on a daily basis. monitor is simple by design, featuring a monochrome screen with large The performance monitor provides easy to understand and compre- and easy to read icons and fi gures. The strength of the performance hensive feedback during and after training sessions, measuring time, monitor lies in its ability to not only read, record and display information, distance, calories (energy spent) and watts (power output) accurately, but re-calibrate the machine with each stroke, ensuring highly accurate even after 1 000 000 km. Machines can be connected to one another data year after year. This, in turn, makes coaching far more accurate and for competition purposes, and even used to compete with athletes on competition and record validation precise, even when working at diff er- other sides of the world at the same time.

REBEL Elite Fitness_C2_Sports Trader Ad_PRINT.pdf 1 2018/05/15 4:46 PM

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Molten relaunched in SA; official UEFA ball Rowing training for other sports SOUTH AFRICAN RETAILERS can now order Molten, which is the new of- ficial ball for the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Europa ATHLETES USE indoor rowing machines for conditioning and training League, from Two Ocean Sports. The brand’s partnership with UEFA runs or recovery to enhance their performance in various other sports. This from the 2018/19 season through to the final in 2021. is because in rowing upper as well as lower body muscles are used and “Re-launching the Molten balls in South Africa gives South Africans especially muscles in the abdomen, back and hips are strengthened. • Cyclists, runners and swimmers who train by rowing benefit from the opportunity to again experience internationally-accredited prod- strengthened the stabilizing back and abdominal muscles; ucts that enhance and improve our performance in basketball, soccer, • Endurance athletes, like distance runners, appreciate the cardiovas- indoor soccer, netball and volleyball from grassroots level up,” says cular workout provided by rowing Anisa Bhamjee of Two Oceans Sports. • Rugby players use rowing to improve whole body aerobic fitness and The young, dynamic team at Two Oceans Sports prides itself on its ser- improve power endurance. vice excellence, which it aims to use to be an excellent distributor for • Baseball players use rowing as a conditioning tool because sprinting the brand. “Trade enquiries will be attended to with personalised and is too high-impact and it provides a shorter workout than aerobic ex- efficient service, and sales agents are invited to join the Two Oceans ercises. Sports team.” • Rowing also helps maintain — or with losing — weight. According to The Europa League features 55 European countries and is said to at- the online blog Sport Fitness Advisor, rowing is one of the most en- tract 1-bn television viewers each season from across the world, so ergy demanding activities, with tests showing that 36kcal per minute the brand will find many eyes on its balls. “UEFA chose Molten for its are burnt in a 2km race. advanced manufacturing technology, product durability and superior in- ner ball and outer quality,” says Bhamjee. “Molten’s unique thermal bonding technology has realised excellent sphericity and ultra-low water absorption,” explains Kiyo Tamiaki, cont. from p32 President and CEO of Molten Corporation. “The dimples on the surface Row training reduce wobbles in the ball trajectory that result from air resistance that have active indoor rowing through trending fitness methods when the ball is in the air. clubs into on water rowing clubs such as CrossFit and the CrossFit “Molten strives to be at the cutting edge of technological innovation between 2016 and 2020. Games Competition. and is committed to helping further the growth and success of the UEFA Objectives of the program: The appeal of indoor rowing is Europa League by developing and supplying the absolute highest quality • Create an active indoor rowing certainly growing in South Africa and value products for the greater football community.” program where clubs compete. as potential consumers are in- Molten is also endorsed by FIFA, FIBA, FINA and FIVB, and is the new • Establish indoor rowing as a troduced to and begin to under- official ball for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) starting with the mass participation sport. stand the benefits of rowing as a AFC Asian Cup in January 2019. • Use indoor rowing as a vehicle lifelong fitness activity and the for talent identification. convenience of owning their own • To meet the goals of the SRSA rowing machine at home. (Sport and Recreation South A few reasons are: Africa) for all sporting codes, • As a skill, rowing is easy to which is to transform the sport learn. of rowing across age, gender, • Indoor rowing consists of low disability and geographical impact functional movements. spread. • Indoor rowing utilises the entire The Concept2 Model D rowing body with each stroke. machine provides an accurate • Progress can be accurately training tool for athletes that measured using a Concept2 have never sat in a rowing boat, Model D with a Performance which can be incredibly intimi- Monitor 5. dating at first. In addition, it cre- • Indoor rowing burns calories ates a platform for children and and elevates heart rate. adults from different backgrounds • Indoor rowing can be used to to be introduced to rowing and develop strength, speed, pow- the sport of rowing in an inviting, er, endurance and stamina. user-friendly and fun way. • Indoor rowing can be done in- dividually, or in groups, using Indoor rowing for all multiple machines. What started as a convincing row- • Indoor rowing can be enjoyed ing training alternative 40 years almost anywhere. ago, is now recognised by many • Rowing provides a great alter- International rowing bodies and native to running and cycling, associations — including FISA — as especially when it rains or dur- an independent sport. Indoor row- ing winter. The stroke rate is ing has started to gain traction comparable to cadence in run- amongst regular gym members ning and cycling. and the general public who want • Rowing can be used for adap- a good cardio-vascular and upper tive athletes or patients reha- body workout as Virgin Active SA bilitating from injury. and other national gym franchises For information about rowing have been installing the Concept2 in South Africa visit www.rowsa. Model D rowing machine. The co.za and for global event and sport of indoor rowing is also gain- rowing information visit www. ing global and televised exposure worldrowing.com.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2 Outdoor :: p35

Top fi shing brands taking strain Barely two years after acquiring Jarden Corp, its new owner wants to sell off the company’s fi shing segment, Pure Fishing, to reduce operating costs. In addition, one of the biggest fi shing tackle brands, Rapala VMC, reported a loss in 2017. At least Shimano had a good start to the year and the Sébile founder is back

ure Fishing, owner of well-known parative growth was therefore not possible for year sales at Rapala VMC Corporation were award-winning fi shing brands like its Play division. In the 4th quarter the Play 3% down from the year before. The company Abu Garcia, Penn, Sébile, Shake- division, which includes Pure Fishing, various singled out concerns such as operational chal- speare, Hardy, Greys, among oth- outdoor brands and Team Sport (Rawlings), lenges at its Indonesian manufacturing facility, ers, is in the market. Its holding grew sales 6.6% to $563m. retail turmoil in North America, which saw two company,P Newell Brands, told investors at its Core sales grew 5.4%, with strong growth of of its key customers enter Chapter 11 bank- Q1 2018 results presentation in New York that Coleman, Contigo, Marmot and Team Sports ruptcy, and declining market conditions in it is willing to sell Pure Fishing as part of its partially off set by declines in Fishing. The divi- Russia and France as reasons for its poor per- transformation plan. sion’s reported operating income was $51.1-m, formance in the 2017 fi nancial year. The brand Rumours about a possible sale of the fi sh- compared to $37.6-m in the year before. reported net sales of €253.3m for the year. ing company has been around since the end In the fourth quarter last year, net sales in “The ongoing structural changes in the US of last year when Newell announced staff cuts the Outdoor Solutions segment grew 3.8% to retail market had a negative impact on our and reduced marketing spend on Pure Fishing $730.6-m compared to the previous year. This sales and profi tability as consumers are in- brands. This was seen as an attempt to reduce was an improvement on the third quarter when creasingly going online,” says President and the operating costs in the Jarden division, sales declined 3.2% and growth at Pure Fishing CEO Jussi Ristimäki. “We are responding to which includes Pure Fishing, by $500-m. was weighed down by declines at Coleman. this by making more investments in our digital In December 2017 Newell Brands dismissed Sébile founder back in business presence and by increased focus on customers 30 staff members who made up Pure Fishing’s operating online.” While the fate of Pure Fishing is uncertain, marketing team at its Columbia, US, head- “One of the key priorities for 2018 is to gen- Patrick Sébile, who had sold his award-winning quarters. The company also made cuts to its erate a signifi cant profi tability improvement lure brand to Pure Fishing in 2011, has launched professional angling roster. at our Indonesian lure factory,” he adds. a new company, A Band of Anglers. Yet, Pure Fishing was one of the better per- The carp business, its Marttiini knives, and He has already employed a number of design- forming divisions in Newell Brands Inc’s Out- the successful turnarounds in the Canadian ers to help him create a range of lures, rods door Solutions segment in the previous year’s and Southeast Asia markets are positive high- and accessories, which he plans to showcase 4th quarter. lights from this past fi nancial year. at EFTTEX and ICAST later this year. Every- Newell Brands Inc. was formed early in 2016 body involved in the company is a fi sherman or when Newell Rubbermaid Inc. bought Jarden Shimano has good start to year -woman and understands fi shing tackle and the Corp for $15.4-m. This included the Jarden Shimano, however, had a good start to the market, he told Angling International. Outdoor Solutions segment, which owns more 2018 fi nancial year, reporting 6.7% growth in Sébile’s lures had won every category at EFT- than 50 sporting goods brands and is worth fi rst quarter sales to 85-bn yen. First quarter TEX, ICAST and the Australian tackle show, but $2.74-bn a year. fi shing sales were 13.2% more than the same it started to decline after he sold the brand to We know the company locally as Jarden SA/ Pure Fishing, who fi red him last year just be- period in 2017, while sales of bicycle compo- Pure Fishing, which distributes outdoor brands fore the EFTTEX show. nents (the biggest division) grew 5.1%. Coleman and Campingaz in addition to their Instead of accepting any of the numerous job Overall fi shing sales reached 17-bn yen, with fi shing brands. off ers in the industry, Sébile launched his own operating income growing 65.8% to 2.2-bn Their team sport brand Rawlings, locally new company. yen. This growth is due to good sales in Ja- available from Everest Sport, is also in the pan and better performances in the US, Eu- market for an estimated $360-m. Rapala sales down rope and Asian markets, despite poor weather Newell Brands only acquired the former Pure Fishing is, however, not the only fi shing conditions for fi shing in Europe, Taiwan and Jarden Corp. in April 2016 and full year com- company taking strain. In the 2017 fi nancial Japan, the company announced.

2018 Q2 :: Sports Trader

37

Visit Sports Trader’s website for more product knowledge: www.sportstrader.co.za Powering up

n 1896 the fi rst battery was marketed wall outlet charger that comes with the for consumer use by then National Car- Our cut-out-and-keep series to device. bon Company (now Energizer): the 1.5V ◦ 3.7V: devices such as a GPS or MP3 player. Columbia dry cell, which measured 6” assist retailers with product ◦ 5V: smartphone with a USB input, e-read- long (more than 15cm). knowledge ers or tablets. IFortunately, today batteries are much small- Powerbanks, solar chargers and internal re- er and the user has many more options when Words: Carin Hardisty. Compiled with chargeable batteries charge the electronic de- it comes to powering his portable devices. The the help of Richard Turkington of Ram vice via USB cables (and they themselves can most common are single-use and rechargeable Mountaineering, and websites http:// also be charged via USB). cell batteries, powerbanks, and solar chargers. batteryuniversity.com, www.belkin.com, Therefore, in addition to investing in the These are measured in voltage (V) and mil- https://lenpenzo.com, https://www.rei. power device itself, your customer will also liampere hours (mAh) — voltage being the out- com, and https://sciencing.com. need a USB cable to connect the USB charger put from the battery, ampere the speed of the with the item that needs charging. Make sure electrical current, and mAh a general indication that the end that goes into the device is the of how long the battery will last. right type (e.g. micro or mini USB, USB C, lightning cable, etc.). Charge via USB The same applies when recharging the re- Outdoor and sport participants often take elec- charging device, which can be charged from tronic devices with them, for example lights, anything with a USB output, for example a fi tness wrist bands, cell phones, GPS devices, computer, wall unit, car charger, etc. MP3 players, etc. If your customer plans to be The quality of the cable also aff ects the per- away from a wall socket for a considerable formance — a higher quality cable will protect length of time, he might want to invest in a from overheating and power surges Ledlenser charging device to be able to recharge some of his items while he’s out. Powerbanks When you recommend a USB charging device Powerbanks are convenient, and many are you’ll want to keep these points in mind: small enough to carry in a pocket. The bigger • Length of trip: a powerbank will work fi ne the powerbank, the more charge it holds. for a weekend trip. If your customer plans to Their prices have also been getting lower be away from electrical sockets for a lengthy over the years, but your customer will quite time solar panels might serve him better — likely still have to part with a few hundred once a powerbank is drained your customer rands — remind him that it’s also an invest- can’t use it until he charges it again. ment in future use as he won’t need to buy • How much mAh needed: add up the mAh for another power source for quite some time. the devices he’ll want to power and ask him Bigger powerbanks have two USB outputs, how often he might need to charge them which allows two devices to be charged at once. — the more he’ll use the device, the more • Some devices have one port that can charge often it’ll need charging. Multiply the two faster than the other. numbers and you’ll have a rough idea of how • Others that have two ports share the power much mAh he needs. • How quickly will it charge? The powerbank’s over the two (full power to the one port ◦ Compare the mAh of the powerbank with amperage (A) value will tell you — amperage when one device is connected, and half the this number to get an idea of the power- measures the strength of the electrical cur- power to each port if more than one device bank capacity that he’ll need. Transfer- rent, so the higher the amperage, the faster is charging). ring energy from one battery to another the charging. is not 100% electrically effi cient (e.g. you ◦ Keep in mind that not all devices are equal Solar chargers can’t power a 1 000mAh device twice off a when it comes to charging. A tablet will, for A solar panel converts power from the sun into 2 000mAh charging device) — the formula example, need a higher amperage than a battery power, which is stored either in an in- is an indication of the minimum require- cellphone, so it will charge slower than a ternal or a separate battery. ments and work as a starting point from cell on the same amp. • An internal battery creates a convenient all- which to fi nd the right charging device. • The output (volts) from the charging device in-one power solution. ◦ Vice versa, if he has a powerbank and must be the same as the input requirement • An independent battery gives more fl exibil- wants to know how many times he’ll be for the electronic device — if it’s lower it’ll ity as the user can just take the charged bat- able to charge a device, divide the power- drain the power instead of powering it. tery with him and leave the solar panel at bank’s mAh by the device’s — this gives a ◦ Your customer can fi nd the voltage re- home or camp. rough estimate, for the same reason as the quirement for his device in the owner’s The solar panel itself doesn’t always have a previous point. manual. It’s also usually indicated on the way to regulate the fl ow of elec- To p38

2018 Q2 :: Sports Trader p38 :: Sport

power. Powering up cont. from p37 ▪ Can go unused for a long time without losing charge. tricity, so it’s not recommended that your cus- Single-use: these batteries can be stored for ▪ The most expensive of the four. tomer charge his device off the panel, but only several years. ◦ Rechargeable alkaline: not to be confused off the battery it charges (wether internal or • Higher output than nickel-based rechargea- with regular alkalines that cannot be re- external). bles (see below). charged. In addition to being able to charge electric • Available in alkaline or lithium (not the ▪ Costs less than NiMH and NiCads. devices, the battery on a solar panel can also same as lithium ion): ▪ Doesn’t require special recycling. be used to recharge powerbanks, for example. ◦ Alkaline: for low to medium drain devices. ▪ Low long-term performance. It is therefore a good option for long trips. ▪ Lower voltage than lithium batteries • Rechargeable cell batteries require a charg- A solar panel can have a stationary set up, (1.5V). er. Remember to fi nd out if your customer for example at camp, or can be strapped to ▪ Cheaper than lithium batteries. already has one or needs to buy one still. something (e.g. backpack, tent, bike, etc.), to ◦ Lithium: for medium to high drain devices. ◦ A good charger will monitor and control charge its batteries while the user is on foot. ▪ Higher voltage than alkaline (3V), which the charging process — some even shut The eff ectiveness of this will be determined means a longer life, but makes it more down when charging is fi nished. by how much sun shines on the charger — it expensive than alkaline. ◦ A bad one can shorten the life span of re- won’t be eff ective when hiking under trees, ▪ Because of the high voltage it can be too chargeable batteries, because it works too for example. powerful for certain devices. Your cus- • If your customer will strap his solar panel to quickly and heats the batteries, damaging tomer should consult the device’s man- them over time. something, have a look at the attachment ual to make sure he doesn’t damage it. options. ◦ Most chargers can only take one type of ▪ If your customer plans to fl y with a Panels are rated in watts: the higher the battery, so your customer should pay spe- device that uses lithium batteries, he number, the more electricity is generated. To cial attention: the NiMH charger can also needs to consult the airline provider’s convert watt hours (Wh) to mAh, use the fol- charge NiCad batteries, but NiCad, Li-ion rules: some don’t allow you to fl y with lowing: (Wh/volts) x 1000 = mAh. and alkaline chargers are restricted to them, while others restrict where you Panels are available in diff erent sizes and their specifi c types of batteries. can pack them. stiff ness: • The bigger the panel, the more sunlight it Rechargeable: for devices that have a me- Disposing of batteries collects and the faster it converts it to pow- dium to high power draw. Batteries are made of chemicals, among other er (doesn’t have to stand or be exposed to • More environmentally-friendly than single- things, such as lead, cadmium, zinc, lithium sun for as long as a smaller panel). use batteries since it doesn’t get thrown and mercury that can leak into the ground if ◦ Big panels are better for low-intensity away as often. its casing corrodes, which causes soil and wa- light, for example on cloudy days. • Initially more expensive, but if he has de- ter pollution if they are simply thrown away • Smaller panels are easier to transport, but vices that require frequent battery change with general household waste. take longer to charge. your customer will save money over time The best is therefore to recycle them. Not • Panels are either rigid or semi-fl exible, since he can simply recharge his batteries only is it good for the environment, but it also where the latter can be folded or rolled up instead of buying more. means less raw materials need to be made as Klean Kanteen for easier transport and can usually open up • There are four diff erent types of recharge- they can be re-used. There are several com- to a greater surface area than rigid models. able cell batteries: panies in South Africa that recycle batteries. ◦ Nickel-based: NiMH (nickel-metal hydride) If your customer insists on throwing batter- Single-use and rechargeable cell and NiCad (nickel–cadmium) are both ies away in his general household waste, he batteries 1.2V. should still keep the following in mind: Some devices run only on battery cells (the ▪ NiMH performs better than NiCad and • Don’t dispose large numbers of alkaline bat- most commonly used are AA and AAA). In some doesn’t have toxic heavy metals, which teries in one go. instances, devices can take both rechargeable NiCad does (and therefore has to be dis- • Don’t throw away rechargeable batteries in and single use types, but in others only one posed of in a specifi c manner). household waste. can be used. Your customer should consult the ◦ Lithium Ion (Li-ion): 3.7V output. NB: disposing of batteries in fi re can lead to device to make sure, before he damages it. ▪ Good for products that drain a lot of explosions.

Black Diamond recharges the way it looks at powering lights BLACK DIAMOND is focusing on battery conser- • Revolt, for a full night run, provides 300lm slow strobes and a solid light), and is worn on vation to give the user more usage time. Cer- and can last for around 30 hours on either the back of the head to alert passing vehicles tain headlamps, for example, switch on initially alkaline or its internal batteries. It can also in low light. It’s also exceptionally lightweight. at 70% power output instead of full power, but take rechargeable batteries, but the user will It can slide onto a standard headlamp strap, a they can be adjusted to full as needed. only get around six hours on them because backpack strap, dog’s collar, etc. Some of its lanterns and headlamps can also of the diff erence in voltage (alkaline’s 1.5V vs The Icon headlamp — marketed at the more act as powerbanks. The Apollo and Moji Charg- rechargeable’s 1.2V). serious athlete — now has a brand new op- ing Station lanterns each have a built-in battery, • Iota is lightweight (56g) with 150 lumen (lm) tional add-on: a rechargeable battery pack that but they can also run normal AA batteries as output that will work well for trail runners. the user can strap under a jacket or inside his a backup option. The built-in battery not only • Sprinter (200lm) is designed for road run- backpack to keep the battery warm. The colder powers the lantern, but it doubles as a power- ners: it has a red light on the back of the head, the battery, the lower its performance, so it’s bank that the user can use to charge other re- which allows the runner to be seen better by important to keep it in a warm place when pos- chargeable items such as a phone, headlamp, vehicles in low light or night time conditions. sible. It only arrived at Ram Mountaineering, GPS, etc. Stride might look like a headlamp, but it’s ac- the local Black Diamond distributor, at the end Its rechargeable Sprinter, Iota and Revolt tually designed as a safety device: it has three of April so this should be an exciting new item headlamps are aimed at runners: modes each in red and white light (fast and for your customers.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2

p40 :: Outdoor

Few people can become as tips enthusiastic when talk- g fr ing about knives as Stan in o l m Gordon, owner of cutlery l

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a l m e Sandton. After almost s a lifetime selling cutlery — any item with a blade like kitchen and outdoor knives, swords, etc. — he still becomes excited when talking about new products and design trends. With almost 50 years’ experience in the knife business, he is also an expert salesperson who understands what en- courages and what upsets customers. That is why we thought he would be the ideal master salesman to share his knowledge with others. Selling more ... cutlery o attract customers to your store, knife or multi-tool in addition to buying the “With merchandise like knives one has to ap- you need to create excitement product he came in for, or he might think preciate that the majority of items will have that will entice them through about what you discussed and come back later to be kept behind glass for security and safety the door, believes Stan Gordon of to buy. reasons and to prevent theft,” Gordon advises. Sharp Edge, Sharp Shooter. Customers can feel overwhelmed in a store But, the element of touch and feel is impor- T“One of the main elements is that store and where there is a vast selection on display. A tant for selling and one needs to make sure window displays should be dynamic and at- way to eliminate this is to ask questions like that your staff will be opening display cases to tractive, and you need to change the displays is the knife for yourself? If it is a gift, enquire take out merchandise for clients to handle. “It regularly to prevent regular customers from who is it intended for — an executive, out- is therefore important that there is easy and becoming bored. doorsman or farmer? This will enable you to regular access for sales staff.” “Another important element to attract reg- steer him to a handleable section. Sales staff should also clean the merchandise ular customers is to ensure that you carry a The last thing you want to ask is how much on a regular basis as you don’t want grubby fin- comprehensive range of products.” do you want to spend? Once the customer is gerprints to show up over blades and handles. You should continually add the latest models committed to spending R100, not R200, he will “The key to success of selling in a specialised to the range so that you have something new complain when you show him merchandise in environment is to offer a wide variety of mer- to show to customers on an ongoing basis, he higher price categories. chandise,” Gordon stresses. “Offer a complete explains. Mentioning something new is always Rather show items in different price catego- spread of different quality merchandise at dif- a door opener that leads to a conversation ries — lower, middle and higher — and provide ferent price points.” about product features and a potential sale. additional information on why the better- That is where an online presence can be quality products cost more, Gordon suggests. beneficial to a brick and mortar store, which Interacting with customers “This may sway him to upgrade to the better- might not be able to display 3 000 knives. “Our He always trains staff how to greet everybody quality product.” website is probably our most valuable com- within a few seconds of entering the store. munication element regarding new product “Greeting is the most important element of Product knowledge launches and enables us to show our entire the shopping experience. You greet custom- “Selling is one of greatest occupations in the range in a manner that is attractive and easily ers with a smile and direct eye contact and world,” says Gordon. “It is satisfying to assist accessible.” ask, can I be of assistance? Often the response someone to make the right choice, which is But, be very careful of the proliferation of will be that the customer just wants to look the real function of a good assistant.” fake and counterfeit products, which has be- around. You must, however, have in-depth product come a serious problem, he warns. Some of Allow him to browse and ask that he calls knowledge to be able to offer the correct the counterfeiters import cheap products in you if he needs assistance. But, be pro-active: advice. “The advice and product variety you boxes that are a direct copy of a brand’s box, once you see the customer hovering in an offer will encourage customers to return to which they sell at a pittance. area, you can approach him and ask have you your store. Not every customer needs to be This has harmed many brands “because there seen this new model?, which gives you the op- bombarded with technical information, but is a piece of rubbish inside, even though there portunity to engage with the customer, Gor- sales staff must be able to answer questions is a well-known brand name on the blade”. don advises. and impart knowledge without overwhelming He strongly advises retailers not to encourage Once you start a conversation, all kinds of a customer.” and support counterfeit products, as it will re- avenues open — a customer who just came in A specialist store should be an advertisement bound and give them a bad reputation if they to browse might become interested in buying for a category of products that will educate sell a product worth R1 000 for R100 and it the new model you showed him, or he might customers about what is available in the mar- cannot perform the functions promoted by the decide that he needs to upgrade his existing ket, believes Gordon. real brand.

Sports Trader :: Q2 2018 Outdoor :: p41 Tips for selling knives n order to recommend the most suitable extreme conditions, and would normally be a Colours play an important role in certain type of knife, you need to know who fixed blade knife as opposed to a folding knife. categories — for example, diving knives have will be using it, and for what activities it The Tanto shape of blade has also become bright yellow or lime handles, which can be will be used, says Stan Gordon of Sharp popular over the past few years and the de- seen under water. Edge, Sharp Shooter. An outdoorsman, sign traces its origin to the Japanese Samurai forI example, will want to carry a much stur- sword design. It is popular amongst military Selling extras dier knife than an executive who will prefer a and law enforcement personnel, as well as When you are close to closing the sale, it is more compact every day carry pocket knife. enthusiasts who are looking for a blade that important to advise the customer on how to All knives are also designed with specific fea- features a sharp and strong tip that can pen- care for his knife and how to sharpen it cor- tures that are best suited for the job they will etrate hard materials. rectly, Gordon advises. “This normally leads to be required to perform. Serrated blades, which are good for cutting additional sales.” It will require comprehensive product knowl- cardboard, rope, sinews, etc. are, however, Sharpening: every knife will go dull at some edge for a salesperson to guide a customer to more difficult to sharpen than plain blades. stage and 99% of people do not know how to purchase the correct knife that will cater for The serrations will stay sharp for some time, sharpen a knife correctly, he believes. Sales his needs. Important facts to know will be ba- but will require a special tapered sharpening people should not only know how to sharpen sic knowledge of steel qualities and hardening steel to re sharpen the teeth. knives correctly, but also need to know how to processes, handle materials, shapes of blades, Opening systems have come a long way on demonstrate various sharpening implements, etc. he advises. folding knives and many of the knife compa- which are stocked in the store. Some guidelines to keep in mind when mak- nies offer a variety of one handed opening op- Protective oils: you need to educate the cli- ing recommendations: tions, including the self-assisted blade open- ent to look after the knife by not leaving it Fishing knives: a general knife used for fil- ing systems that incorporates a torsion bar in wet after returning from hunting or fishing, leting should have a thin, flexible blade. For the handle and deploys the blade very rapidly not leaving it in its scabbard when storing it deep sea game fishing, one would require a and safely. Another very popular development and to protect the blade with a thin layer of more robust butcher’s type knife. is the flipper, which is also a very quick and oil. With a folding knife, it is important to Hunting knife blades come in different vari- safe way of opening the knife with one hand. occasionally put a drop of oil in the moving eties, and notwithstanding the fact that one parts, which will undoubtedly extend the life could carry a general purpose knife in the Knife handles of the knife, Gordon advises. bush, a specific shape of blade is required for It is important to understand the advantages An important fact to remember is that all skinning or caping of an animal, or for meat and disadvantages of the different handle good quality blades are manufactured from preparation, says Gordon. A skinning knife shapes and materials, says Gordon. high carbon steel to enable the blade to hold will have an upswept blade point to prevent Outdoor knives — especially for hunting and a good edge and be easily re-sharpened. But, piercing the skin, and a caping knife would fishing — should have a tactile grip, preferably if not cared for, the blade will develop some be a small blade so that one can have good polymer rubber or something similar, which surface corrosion or marks. control whilst performing this delicate job. will give a positive and comfortable grip and Accessories: a salesperson should always be Preparing the meat for biltong or the freezer will be safe and not slippery when wet. alert to the potential of selling up on accesso- will require a butcher’s and boning knife. Materials: one of the modern mainstay han- ry products — for example, if the customer is Tactical knives, which have gained in popu- dle materials used in the knife industry is buying a folding knife without a pocket clip or larity over the past decade, are designed for G10 — a fibreglass composite material — that pouch, there is an opportunity to sell him one. defence purposes, and survival knives are is very lightweight and strong and is normally used by survivalists and outdoorsmen for all chequered to give it a good feel and grip. Guard against fakes chores, which may include wood preparation, Other popular materials used include plastic, Retailers should be aware of the proliferation construction of shelters etc. These knives are aluminium, titanium, stainless steel and some of fake and counterfeit products, which has normally manufactured from heavy duty car- natural bone and horns. “People also enjoy the become a serious problem in the industry, Gor- bon steel to enable them to be used under natural feel and warmth of wood,” he says. don warns. In many instances To p42

More about Stan Gordon offer a good selection of products in dynamic dis- plays, prompted the Gordons to open a specialist AFTER NEARLY 50 years of selling cutlery, Stan Gor- cutlery store in the Carlton Centre in 1975. This don, owner of Sharp Edge, Sharp Shooter in Sandton, store, specialising in all forms of cutlery, offered can legitimately be labelled a master seller of knives. the widest selection of cutting edges in the coun- He joined his father’s business, Cutlery Distributing try at the time. Group, after he left school in 1971. His father, Colin, This was followed by branches in the Eastgate had secured the Victorinox agency for Southern Africa Mall and Sandton City. The Carlton branch was in 1954 and Stan had been visiting the factory since his closed when their clientele moved out of Johan- early teens, and developed a passion for the brand and nesburg CBD and they eventually closed the East- knives in general. gate branch to concentrate on their flagship store. His first job in the business was selling to retail stores This Sandton store is a destination frequented by and it was during this period that he was struck by the customers from all over the world who often just lack of product knowledge and selling skills displayed visit to browse and admire the interesting displays by the majority of store owners and sales staff. of more than 6 000 products — coats of arms, swords, knives of A major frustration was the lack of imagination and attitude every description, sharpening equipment, scissors and grooming towards presentation and display of the merchandise in counters gear. and shopfront windows. Most traders were quite happy to stick They added martial arts equipment, firearms, bows, darts and the blades into an old piece of polystyrene at the bottom of the flashlights, but the more than 4 000 cutlery items remain at the counter, and then wonder why the knives did not sell. heart of the store, where striking window displays attract eye- The need to provide knowledgeable advice to customers and buyers long after closing time.

Q2 2018 :: Sports Trader p42 :: Outdoor New products to show New products are door openers that gives you the opportunity to engage with a customer, says knife expert Stan Gordon. These are some of the new products available

Knife sharpener for all uses create a fast, easy, and very eff ective sharp- sharpen most serration sizes. ening system any knife owner can use. The Combo knife sharpener is sold EVERY HOUSEHOLD has many knives — kitch- The Flexible Belt technology creates a con- with a pre-installed and ad- en, pocket, utility, outdoor etc. — that will vex cutting edge, favoured by professionals ditional abrasive belt and need regular sharpening. Recommending an and knife makers for its ability to cut better user’s guide. It is avail- easy to use and effi cient sharpener to your and stay sharp longer than fl at ground edges. able locally from customer will save him the time and expense The premium 3M™ abrasive belt was engi- Cutlery Distribut- of taking his cutlery to a professional knife neered for cool sharpening and a long life, ing Group. sharpener. sharpening any type of blade steel The Work Sharp Combo Knife Sharpener was without over-heating. The sharp- created for those who want a fast, easy-to-use ener uses precise 25° angle guides machine that sharpens every type of knife — for both sharpening and honing. even those with serrated edges. The innovative It combines power sharpening — using fl ex- Tapered Ceramic ible, abrasive, belts — with manual sharpening Rod hones a technology like angle-guided ceramic honing. razor-sharp edge This combination of technologies and features on any blade and will

Leatherman’s Wave gets even better For Leatherman users the Wave, with its out- “It’s not an easy task to improve on the Along with the replaceable wirecutters, the side accessible blades, one hand use and 17 greatest multi-tool of all time, but we always new Charge+ will include a serrated blade with essential tools, is the tool of all tools. That is look to our fans for inspiration. They’ve been cutting hook and redesigned aluminum scales. why more than 10-m of these tools have been asking for replaceable wirecutters for some Leatherman is available from Awesome Tools. sold since 1998 and why the Wave tops the list time,” says Tim Lyden, Leatherman Product of saved my day tales told to Leatherman by Manager. “Now the iconic Wave gets new life grateful and impressed customers. with fresh wirecutters.” This year the Wave got an upgrade that will The Leatherman Wave+ has a newly designed make the wishes of many fans come true — set of pliers that includes removeable and re- even those who didn’t know they wanted placeable wirecutters (see right). these features. It also has an all-new and improved sheath, redesigned from the ground up for better per- formance, longer life, and updated styling. It’s Velcro closure has been replaced with a premium metal snap that will provide a more secure closure and longer life. Each sheath is made of a high quality nylon webbing, premium elastic, and reinforced stitching for improved performance, durabil- ity, and more dependable fi t. Updates for the Charge Leatherman has also updated the Charge and Charge TTi tools for 2018. The Charge+ TTi Knives cont. from p41 (left) will receive the updated pliers and new the counterfeit products will be packaged sheath designed for the Wave. in almost the identical printed boxes as the genuine products, which is very misleading Victorinox caters for all modern handle tastes and confusing to the end user. “The bot- tom line is that the quality will be nowhere KNIFE HANDLES nowadays come in a wide va- well,” says Stan Gordon of the local distribu- near the genuine item, and will sell for a riety of materials — from traditional wood and tor, Cutlery Distributing Group. very low unrealistic price as well,” warns bone to the latest synthetic materials — as well Victorinox also introduced a line of brightly Gordon. as colours, which should appeal to all coloured handles on their small kitchen knives “There is a world wide eff ort to educate customers. (see below), which have taken the dealers and end users as to this scourge, “Victorinox market by storm, he adds. which has had a very negative eff ect on has identi- Handles in camoufl age colours are many top brands.” fi ed a growing also currently in high demand, espe- He strongly advises retailers not to en- demand for natural cially with the current popularity of courage and support counterfeit sellers and wooden handles, and now hunting-related items among avoid trading in these items, as it will even- off ers a range with walnut outdoorsmen. tually rebound and destroy the reputation handles (right), which is that the store has painstakingly built up. selling exceptionally

Q2 2018 :: Sports Trader Outdoor :: p43 Ensure a clean world with Klean Kanteen “THE WORLD we live in drives everything we do,” explains Klean Kanteen, locally distributed by Awesome Tools. “All of our products are designed to replace a single-use alternative or improve on an existing solution in the market that may not have considered end of life, recyclability, disas- sembly, versatility, modularity, easy cleaning and materials safety.” Even the coating is designed with this approach: in addition to the regulatory safety compli- ance, Klean Kanteen further applied the GreenScreen chemical hazard assessment method, which scores chemistry options by their inherent hazards. Products are BPA free, vessels are made from 18/8 stainless steel, the gaskets and o-rings are food-grade silicone, and food canister lids are insulated with corrugated cardboard instead of foam. Some of the other features of this range include: • vacuum insulated flasks keep drinks cold for 100 hours and hot for 30; • a durable leakproof cap with few moving parts, which make it easy to clean; • the coating is also chip resistant and handles daily wear and tear better than before, so the product stays looking good (and people will want to use it) for longer; • it’s easy to clean, with smooth electropolished interiors, round corners, wide openings, few moving parts, and removable gaskets. Ledlenser headlamps make night runs easier LEDLENSER’S HEADLAMPS enable people to en- also feature the Energy Saving and Backup modes, joy their passion for running even after the sun which are helpful in long runs as it also warns when sets by allowing them to be seen (red blinking rear batteries are low. They also feature the IP57 rating, light and reflective headband) and for them to see which means they are protected from dust and can exactly where they’re going thanks to the swivel- handle a water depth of up to 1m. mounted head. The NEO4, NEO6R and NEO10R “The NEO10R, the top performer of the NEO se- each features the Constant Current mode for con- ries, will also show you paths where there aren’t stant illumination throughout the run. any,” says the brand. “Whether you are going NEO4 gives “unbeatable bang for the buck,” cross-country, uphill or downhill, the NEO10R is the says Ledlenser of the lightweight headlamp, lo- perfect guide when trail running. Focusable and cally distributed by Awesome Tools. The NEO6R is with a swivel head, it can be adjusted to any circum- quick to charge and start thanks to the micro USB stance in order to provide constant illumination via and built-in lithium ion battery. People who run in Constant Current Mode right to the end of your groups will also appreciate its ability to be worn as run. The sporty design of the NEO series makes this a chest lamp (chest belt included), which reduces lamp a true legend out in the country.” Like the 6R, mutual glare. In addition to Constant Current, both it can also be worn on the chest. p44 :: Industry Use technology to reconnect with customers A recurring theme among speakers at this year’s Seamless* event was the need for retail chains to again get in touch with their customers, as they used to when they were independents. This can be done through clever use of the possibilities that technology now offers, reports CARIN HARDISTY

he industry has lost its the use of an NFC tag on a product, says Rustum connection with the Retailers need to modern- Naidoo of Connecting Africa. When the custom- consumer — it has all ise, but still keep the old er places the product on the NFC reader, which become about maths,” personal values, for exam- is connected to a media player and a display says Sterling Hawkins, ple, the manager on the device (e.g. a monitor or TV), the display can “Tthe co-founder of Centre for Advanced Retail show a video, information or imagery related to and Technology. This is especially an issue he floor and staff knowing their the product. This provides entertainment and has found in chain stores. regular customers information at the same time. “I am a fifth generation retailer, and when Expensive products are often kept safe in I grew up my parents knew their customers’ tracking a customer’s previous purchases via a glass display so that customers can see the names. I remember my parents putting cus- a loyalty card — with this information the product, but not much else. How about a dis- tomers’ orders in the boot of our car and drop- retailer might, for example, notice that the play on the glass, through which the customer ping it off on the way home.” customer regularly buys a certain brand and can still see the product? Again, a video or im- When he was growing up, there were no chains the customer can then be sent information on age can be used and this will also attract the — only mom and pop stores, says Philip Kruger, that brand’s latest styles as they arrive in the customer’s attention. co-owner of Philip Kruger Consulting. “We were store. Connecting Africa also has a display bar that greeted by name in the store, we knew the When the retailer notices the customer has sits on the edge of the shelf and doesn’t take owner’s name, and he was always on the store a certain shopping trend, he can offer to put much space away from the stock. It can display floor.” It was an enjoyable experience, still of- together the items and the customer can just video and images, which can all provide cus- fered by the many independents is our industry. go to the store to pay and pick up. This con- tomers with eye-catching information. “When the first chain came, people flocked venience creates a sense of being valued. Retailers can also use facial recognition tech- to it, because it was new, but there was no With the help of technology, even chain nology to get a sense of their customers: a owner on the floor to make you feel welcome stores can again create a more personal ex- camera at the store entrance can scan people’s or who knew what products to recommend.” perience for the consumer, says Hawkins, who faces and either identify the person individual- Retailers need to modernise, but still keep feels that retail has become stagnant and ly or gain an impression about shoppers’ gender the old personal values: for example, the hasn’t changed in too long a time. or race (it scans the face for certain traits in- manager on the floor, staff knowing their Many retailers have partnerships with other stead of identifying personal details and storing regular customers (if not by name, at least stores, but these are often within the same it). The former can be used to connect the con- by sight), always having someone who will retail group. Think out of the box for ways to sumer entering the store with details the store help the customer, who knows where to find convenience your customer, which will keep him already has of him, for example through a loy- the product, and who will go out of his way to coming back. A clothing store could, for exam- alty program that has the person’s photo on file. help the customer. “If a store creates this re- ple, create a referral partnership with a tailor. lationship with the customer, he’s more likely Often a clothing item is a tad too long or wide, Customer behaviour to return,” Kruger points out. but if the customer knows that he can easily If your company’s focus does not start with (and affordably!) have this altered, he’ll be less the customer, before moving inwards, it’ll run Tech for a personal connection inclined to leave the store without buying. into problems, warns Portia Heynes, of Group The ideal solution to create a better experi- Learning and Development at Sun Internation- ence in a big store would be to recreate a Tech helps to service customers al. “As a company that provides a service, you personal, human, scenario, in which the store There are already various technologies avail- need to find a way to influence the customer’s manager and staff know their customers and able that can help retailers take their stores impression of you. It’s important that his ex- their preferences, agrees Mpumi Nhlapo, Head to the next level of creating a good shopping pectations and the experience he has meet.” of Demand Management at T-Systems. experience. Together they create his perceived value of This isn’t really practical in big stores, because Africa is becoming a young population with your company and products. staff and customers move around so much: they more young people than old, and young peo- If his experience is bad he won’t go back to move to different areas, can go to different ple want to learn, says Frans van der Colff, your store, she warns. He will disengage with branches, even in the same city, etc. This makes Director for Africa at Fruit and Veg City. Have you and will shop around for other places to it even more difficult to create that bond be- displays, flyers, etc. in store with information buy. “Customers have many options, and these tween store and customer, he explains. that customers can use to inform themselves days loyalty is more about how loyal you are The only practical solution for brick-and- about the product, he advises. to your customer than the other way around.” mortar retail chains who want to create a There is a variety of products that a retailer The same goes for brands and your products. personal connection to customers is to incor- can use for his customers to interact with and What’s even more difficult for companies porate technology, he says. An example is by that will also educate them. One example is these days is that his experience might not

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2 Industry :: p45

Isvari Naidoo, BU Channel and Customer Manager — Digital can help you reach out to your customers in Sterling Hawkins, the co-founder of Centre for eCommerce and Food Aggregators for Coca-Cola SA. various ways. Advanced Retail and Technology. even have anything to do with how good or you do to create this in your store? Interactive CX the key differentiator bad you or your product is: it might be more walls, scrolling electronic banners, signs with By 2020 customer experience (CX) will over- about the consumer’s personality, which influ- videos playing, in-store demonstrations — these take price and product as the key differen- ences how he experiences it, she says. “Con- attract attention and are all already available to tiator between brands and companies, reports nect and engage with empathy: price doesn’t retailers, and aren’t things of the future. Walker Research. create an emotional connection. Consumers Your company needs to know what your pur- CX consists of six elements: customer ser- want to touch, hear, smell, etc.” pose is and what you stand for — for example are vice, brand affinity, communication, your Retailers no longer just sell products; they sell you known for being innovative? Do you pride advertising and entertainment to the consumer, website and/or app interface, the store en- yourself on customers visiting you specifically says Isvari Naidoo (BU Channel and Customer vironment and the product itself, says Julia for your service and knowledge? Do you carry Manager — eCommerce and Food Aggregators) Ahlfeldt, a Certified Customer Experience Pro- from Coca-Cola SA. “The role of the store needs the widest range of sneakers? Your customer fessional (CCXP). to change. Customers want a place to learn, ex- buys from you based on this, and he engages Customers want to get what they were perience and connect with the products.” with your staff and online presence, so it’s very promised and hate being lied to (the company The price is important, but the perceived val- important that they also reflect your company. therefore needs to deliver on its promise), ue trumps this. Customers want an experience This will help to ensure his expectation of doing they want problems to be sorted out quickly — retailers are told this constantly, but what can business with you meets his experience. and completely, and they want To p46

Innovative thinking needed to grow your company COMPANIES WHO have a linear type of thinking, Don’t get hung up on the risk of doing some- changes and to keep like items together, which and only look at what they have done in the past thing! warns Mpumi Nhlapo, Head of Demand will help your customer navigate to where he and where they can improve on it, don’t move Management at T-Systems. Only thinking about needs to be. It’s also a good idea to take note of forward, says Sterling Hawkins, the co-founder of things from the perspective of how much risk how people want to shop in your store, he adds, as Centre for Advanced Retail and Technology. Look- you’re taking will stop a company from moving opposed to how you want them to shop. ing backwards leaves them with a better version forward. Yours should be more than just another store, of the past, which helps the company improve on One should look at the world in three ways, ad- says Frans van der Colff, Director for Africa at Fruit past mistakes or solve problems, but it doesn’t vises Dylan Piatti, Africa C&IP Senior Chief of Staff and Veg City. Try to give the customer such an help them to progress. at Deloitte SA and chair of the Africa Ecommerce experience that he enjoys shopping at your store Innovative thinking asks questions such as what Forum: what’s possible, what’s probable, and — he’ll then look forward to shopping with you, else is possible? or what if I do X?, instead of just what’s preferable. To determine probable look at instead of dreading the experience. adding technology onto what has always been what’s happening in the world in politics, socially, The same goes for eCommerce store design: done in the past. Innovation is what sets one apart developments, etc. and get an overview of what is consider your customer’s needs first and then from another. “Someone has to put their neck on likely to happen in the future. For preferable, think see how you can marry this with those of your the line,” Hawkins adds. about ways of how to get to your company’s pre- company, advises Isvari Naidoo (BU Channel and Changing the thinking inside the company and ferred future. Customer Manager — eCommerce and Food Ag- the company culture is important in order to move gregators) from Coca-Cola SA. “Remember: you’re forwards, and away from what’s always been Design with customer in mind not the customer.” done, he says. On the other hand, change without a solid reason Of the top rated sites on Alexa, 80% are mobile “South African retailers aren’t being innovative, can also lose you customers. Updating the store’s adaptive, says Naidoo – 44% of the sites’ traffic is and many of our eCommerce sites are just fancy look and layout can be a good thing, but make from mobiles, but mobile purchases account for catalogues,” says Lauren King, Executive: eCom- sure there is sense and reason behind it. Too dras- 61% of sales. This signifies that a lot of people are merce and Web Services for Edcon. Retailtainment tic a change from what your customers are used shopping via their mobile phones and tablets, and is the way to draw consumers: fuse experience to will leave them confused and unable to find there is a strong likelihood that they will be using with the store experience and the consumer will be the products they came to buy from you, and you data to access your eCommerce store. Keep this in in the store longer. “The longer people are in the might lose them and the sale — especially if your mind when you want to design a site that will take store, the more they might buy.” staff aren’t on their toes and immediately avail- a lot of data to download. Big, data-heavy images VANS has a skatepark at their store, Le Creuset able to take the customer to where the product mean nothing if customers have a browsing limit. runs cookery classes, in-store product customisation has been moved. Similarly, customers expect a fast page load … these are just some of the examples of how retail- “Never underestimate the stupidity of the pub- speed and want it to load under four seconds, adds ers are already incorporating entertainment. lic,” warns Philip Kruger, co-owner of Philip Kru- Naidoo. If people have to wait too long, they won’t Thinking is stuck in the old legacy system, she ger Consulting. “Don’t assume they know how stick around to shop. Lower the barrier to shopping says, and it’s expensive to take a risk. your things work.” It’s a good idea to make logical and people will buy more, agrees Hawkins.

2018 Q2 :: Sports Trader p46 :: Industry

Connecting Africa used facial recognition to Connect through technology compile this data. cont. from p45 It’s also important to note that these boards were just placed in passages — not in prime experiences that minimise the effort on their if the post is applicable to the company (e.g. positions such as at till points. part. If you use CX right, you’ll build customer Mango can be an airline or a fruit), what it’s Of the people who looked, a third were kids loyalty, she adds. about (e.g. product quality, wait times, etc.), and 41% were adults. Another 23% were seniors. It is therefore crucial to be up to date about and the emotion in the post (happy, angry, Additionally, they found that more men than how your customers experience your store and etc.). The AI learns from these results and gets women looked. Sandton is a business hub and products — and AI (Artificial Intelligence) can better and better. the views by men spiked during lunch time, help companies track how people feel via social Companies can then use this information to explains Melanie Klopper, Sales and Market- media mentions of your products, brands and see in which areas they need to improve and ing Executive for Connecting Africa. It would the perceived emotions behind their posts. Per- which areas of the business customers love — therefore make sense to advertise during ceived, because last year a competition was run and they can also use this technology to see lunch on a week day if a company wishes to between the major AIs active on Twitter to test how customers feel about competitors. reach adult men. their accuracy on a controlled sample of tweets On average people’s eyes were on the boards — the top scorer had an accuracy of 66.4%. Digital advertising attracts for 8.46 seconds, she says, which means that the This is because people use offline language The vast majority (85%) of people who walk advertiser’s loop should be short. Too long will be online, and AI doesn’t know how to read things past or stopped at digital advertising boards overkill and the whole message won’t be seen. like sarcasm, slang, the various different lan- actually look at them, Connecting Africa found This technology can also help the retailer get an guages, etc. that people include in their posts, during a six-month project, which was con- accurate impression of his busiest times, which says Nic Ray of BrandsEye. ducted over the period of December until May will help him schedule staff’s shifts optimally. Companies such as BrandsEye incorporate hu- in Sandton. This period covered two school * Seamless is an exhibition and congress focusing on innovation in retail, eCommerce and payment cat- man interaction to teach its AI: it runs samples holidays and back-to-school, as well as normal egories. The 2019 event will be held 12-13 March past a test group of people who then indicate day-to-day business and shopping traffic. at the Cape Town International Conference Centre.

Using different platforms can gain you new retail value USING VARIOUS interaction channels, or platforms, can give local retailers or brand what he wants through an incredible opportunity to get a head-start on competition, says Mpumi the content he creates. Nhlapo (right), Head of Demand Management at T-Systems. These plat- 4. Match the producer and con- forms offer different communication areas to facilitate the flow of value and sumer, which facilitates the flow information. “This is in sharp contrast to the typical retail model: a linear, of value between them as they one-dimensional flow of value from the manufacturer, to wholesaler, dis- can give each other feedback. tributor, and retailer and finally to the consumer.” A website or app that allows consum- A platform creates a flow back from the customer with input about his ers to customise footwear online is shopping habits, which enables the retailer to see what needs to change and an example of a disrupting platform: how he can provide more personalised services to customers. in addition to providing entertain- Schools and clubs, for example, require new kit and sport equipment for ment for the consumer and allowing their teams at the start of each season. “With so many of these items stand- him to create on the portal, the brand ardised for everyone, what’s stopping retailers from partnering with the can also gain useful information major schools in the area, and preparing pre-bundled offerings that encom- on the end users’ preferences such pass everything the parents need? This entire basket could be paid for by as colours, materials and favourite a transfer by the school, or paid for at the touch of a smartphone app, and styles. This information can in turn be readied for in-store delivery at the customer’s convenience. used to improve the styles in the brand’s ranges — and the consumer can “Platform thinking asks what are the new stakeholders and role-players that have a say in what he wants to see from the brand. can be plugged into the retailers’ platform? — such as a network of schools A digital platform consists of: in this particular case.” • Things: inventory, stock and logistics. This information can help your A platform also helps to connect all the various systems that a retailer company respond better and more accurately to a crisis. might have together in one place, for example loyalty programmes, store • IT systems that need to be able to handle the load and not crash. credit systems, debtor management, stock management, Customer Rela- • Ecosystems: it’s not just you that will use this platform — your partners tionship Management (CRM) and marketing tools. and customers will also make use of it to communicate (and co-inhabit) “By adopting a new breed of loose, decoupled middleware applications on the platform with you. and micro-services, retailers can glue together these systems to start expos- • Customer: if the platform isn’t created with the customer in mind and de- ing services to external third-parties in the ecosystem [see further on],” he signed to win him over and create brand loyalty, he won’t use it. says. “This also helps to build richer customer profiles, as the very heart of Brick-and-mortars are growing their footprints and are still very much any good platform strategy must be the focus on getting to know custom- the predominant force in the market, says Nhlapo. Many have expanded ers better.” their business into eCommerce, but there is still often a separation of the The type and use of platforms range from those that adapt to what is two sides. already in place within a company’s structure and is used in an internal role, “Platform business thinking represents a deepening of this digital jour- to those that disrupt and are accessible by the public. These steps, in the ney — where it isn’t simply about taking the old linear model of retailing following order, will take a company’s platform from adapt to disrupt: and porting it into a digital space. Instead, retailers need to think differently 1. Collaboration: enable the different silos within your company to work to- about how they interact with their ecosystem. gether. “From a technology vantage point, this requires that they ultimately 2. Orchestration: aggregate and combine different abilities. He uses the move away from the traditional approach of building high-cost monolithic example of stock delivery: instead of delivering the product first to a systems, in favour of more flexible architectures and interfaces that can warehouse and then sending it to the end customer, cut out the ware- adapt to ever-changing business and customer needs.” house delivery step and go straight to the customer. An example is to make it easy for schools to provide retailers with a list 3. Creation: a space where employees and/or the end customer can create of their required kit and equipment, to ensure that they have the stock content and share information. This allows the customer to tell the retailer available.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2 Industry :: p47 PETA video lashes SA mohair farms A CONTROVERSIAL VIDEO made on. We’re in the process of gath- by PETA (People for the Ethical ering all the information we can Treatment of Animals) alleging to see what transpired — we are maltreatment of Angora goats on also not sure if PETA enticed the 12 South African farms, resulted workers to behave in a certain in a mohair ban by 70 top cloth- way, because we know that sen- ing retailers and brands. PETA re- sationalist reports get them their leased a video showing that these funding.” farms engage in unethical prac- But large companies such as tices, for example allowing goats Arcadia Group, Gap Inc., H&M, that had been sheared to die from Inditex, Marks & Spencer, Next, exposure to rough weather condi- Primark and Mango have already tions and cruel treatment of goats indicated to PETA that they plan being slaughtered. to eliminate mohair from their South Africa is responsible for apparel, accessory and footwear producing the biggest percentage lines. of the world’s mohair supply. Gap Inc. represents Athleta, “It’s very, very sad that PETA Banana Republic, Gap and Old published something like that, Deon Saayman of the South Afri- video), then it’s a freak. Navy, while Arcadia Group has because it’s totally misguided. We can Mohair Growers Association “PETA visited the farm(s) under eight brands of which Topshop have a Code of Production. That’s told Times Live. “If this happened false pretences. We don’t know is one, H&M also has eight, and not how mohair is produced,” (the way it seems to have in the which farms the video was taken Inditex has seven, including Zara.

Eco-friendly marathon events Washing clothes THE SANLAM Cape Town Marathon, held in September, will this year again try to win the Athletics International Marathon and Distance Races (AIMS) Green harms the environment Award. ASICS is the technical sponsor for the event. In 2017, the marathon’s organisers took deliberate steps towards minimis- “TWO-THIRDS OF all the environmental impacts associated ing its impact on the environment and it achieved zero waster to landfill sta- with our clothing are caused during the consumers use,” ex- tus and was also certified a climate-neutral event. Dedicated chuckzones and plains Steve Richardson, a sustainability expert who has de- an onsite waste-sorting facility significantly contributed to a more than 25% veloped sustainable materials for companies such as adidas, waste reduction per runner. Close to three tons of recyclable waste (paper, where he was involved with the Parley collection, and Patago- glass, etc.) and 1.4 tons of non-recyclable solids (organic and general waste) nia. were collected, with the non-recyclables sent to the New Horizon Energy He did research into the environmental impact of the care Plant, which converts this into renewable energy sources such as biomethane of clothing and found that 65% of all greenhouse gases are and gas. produced during the use of a product (washing, drying and Organisers are encouraging participants in this year’s race to get involved ironing) – and the manufacturing of said product only 35%. in the Run4Change legacy programme by taking the pledge to #RunGreen, Energy consumption again is higher for use than #Run4Peace and #Run4aCause. The 42.2km marathon as well as a 10km Peace manufacturing: 73% vs 27%. Here the tumble dryer is the Run take place 23 September, while shorter Peace Runs and Walks take place biggest culprit, followed by the washing machine and iron, on the 22nd. accounting for 54% of water used. Therefore, the less a product needs to be maintained, the more eco-friendly it is overall. “If we wash less, we also extend the life of our clothes.” When washed once a week, fleece can lose up to 20% of its weight in a year, all of which ends up polluting our water, he explains. In the case of a polyester garment, it can release 700 000 fibers in one wash, Greenpeace found, which sends microscopic pieces of plastic into the water system and can then be swallowed by fish. The washing of synthetic textiles accounts for just over a third (35%) of microplastic pollution, the Primary microplastics in the oceans: a global evaluation of sources report by IUCN found. The equivalent of throwing 150 plastic bags per person per week into the ocean comes from the US, 57 from East Asia The day before the FNB Cape Town 12 ONERUN was held in May this year, a and Oceania and 54 from Europe and Central Asia. Microplastic group of citizens went around with bags to collect rubbish as part of a Cape pollution from Africa and the Middle East account for the Town City Clean-Up expedition to get the streets ready for the event. This was equivalent of 22 plastic bags per person per week. a repeat of the City Clean-Up campaigns held in Johannesburg before the FNB Technology such as odour control help to prolong an item’s Joburg 10K CITYRUN and Durban (FNB Durban 10K CITYSURFRUN) last year. wear before it needs to be washed, and natural materials such The organisers, Stillwater Sports, teamed up with waste management special- as merino wool have natural odour-repelling qualities. ists PETCO and Averda to collect plastic and other waste. PETCO manages the Additionally, higher-quality products tend to lose less in the PET plastic industry’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). PET is short for wash than their low-quality counter parts, and therefore will polyethylene terephthalat, a form of polyester moulded into bottles and other last longer. Highlight this to your customer next time he isn’t items, which can be recycled to make new bottles or polyester fibres used in sure if he should invest in a more expensive product. duvets, pillows, shopping bags, clothing, etc.

2018 Q2 :: Sports Trader p48 :: Trade shows Event and

Falke partners with big trail and MTB events FALKE IS the new partner for the Fedhealth XTERRA Grabouw, which is regarded as the largest XTERRA in the world. Entrants received a pair of Falke’s ultra-thin Advanced Run Hidden Dry socks and were able to enjoy an interactive recovery experience post-race at the Falke Foot Zone, which featured comfortable chairs, recovery towels, and mas- iser, Stillwater Sports. sage therapists to massage the tired feet. Falke South Africa is also the new sponsor of the FNB Magalies Monster “This partnership is guaranteed to deliver on-point brand exposure, MTB Classic and FNB Platinum Trail Run events in June. One of the ways while showcasing and increasing awareness of our unique offerings,” that athletes benefit from this partnership is the Falke Foot Zone at the says Keaton Quarmby, Falke Group Marketing Executive. end of the race where they can get foot massages. “With innovation at its forefront, Falke boasts a wide range of sport- “Both these events give us the perfect opportunity to connect with specific performance socks (including mountain biking and trail run- our core mountain biking and trail running consumer,” says Keaton ning) that offer ultimate functionality and wearer advantage. Whether Quarmby, Group Marketing Executive Falke. “We have the perfect of- training or racing, XTERRA Warriors are sure to benefit by having Falke fering from our advance and every day sports range for these consum- in their corner and can look forward to an athlete experience like no ers. This is the ideal platform for us to showcase our bike and trail other on and off the trails,” says Michael Meyer, MD of the event organ- offering to the right target audience.”

Two OutDoor shows from 2019? show in Munich, as well as the subsidiary stance from 2019.” ISPO Shanghai and ISPO Beijing shows. “Before the vote, we had already received Messe Friedrichshafen, the current Out- very positive feedback for our vision of a fu- THE OUTDOOR SHOW will be held in Munich Door organiser, has expressed its disappoint- ture outdoor show,” says Stefan Reisinger, from next year. For years the show had been ment in the vote. “After all, the OutDoor was Head of OutDoor/Eurobike. “This came from held at Friedrichshafen, but members of the born at Lake Constance and has been here for several of the 96 EOG members and also a European Outdoor Group (EOG) voted it a quarter of a century,” says CEO Messe Frie- large number of the 869 other exhibitors should move. Messe München will now work drichshafen Klaus Wellmann. who attended the 2017 show and were not with members of the EOG and turn OutDoor The EOG’s vote won’t stop an outdoor-fo- part of the EOG decision.” into a cutting-edge industry platform, says cused show taking place at Friedrichshafen The EOG reacted to Messe Friedrichshafen’s the events company. though. “Our location, and in particular our plans by pointing out that it represents “As part of these changes, [we] will make concept for a new direction for the leading around 70% of the total European outdoor OutDoor something more than a trade show show, has good support from many EOG market. Additionally, it undertook large-scale that is held for a fixed period of time and turn members, plus backing from numerous other studies in the European outdoor industry it into something that can be experienced at outdoor industry players,” explains Well- among dealers, brands and suppliers, repre- any time throughout the world with the help mann. “Friedrichshafen will continue to offer senting more than 90% of the stakeholders. of digital services aimed at retailers and con- a unique trade show atmosphere. As such, This shows that the decision to move Out- sumers.” we’re confident and well prepared to enter Door to Munich was not taken by a select mi- They also organise the ISPO sport trade a new outdoor trade show era at Lake Con- nority, says the EOG.

More wins for Skechers at Ironman

SKECHERS PERFORMANCE had light and well-cushioned running another successful triathlon run shoe, providing good impact at the Ironman African Champs in protection, with a breathable Port Elizabeth. The brand, which knit fabric upper with 3D printed is an official South African Iron- overlays. The GoRun 600 is a well- man partner, not only introduced cushioned, lightweight trainer its latest performance ranges, but with a responsive midsole and a also celebrated good podium fin- breathable mesh upper. ishes by brand ambassadors. The winner of the woman’s During the three-day pre-race race, Lucy Charles, delivered a expo athletes and other visitors great performance in her Skech- learnt about the benefits offered ers Performance GoMeb Speed 4. by the newly launched GoRun She finished almost 10 minutes The latest Skechers Performance ranges, GoRun Ride 7 and GoRun 600, were introduced at the Ironman expo. Photo: Skechers. Ride 7 and GoRun 600, as well as ahead of the second woman. other models in Skechers’ exten- Ewert Kleynhans, second in the mance finishing in his Skechers ergy and celebrations,” say the sive Performance range. 35-39 age group and the first Performance GoRun 5. staff members from the local Ske- The latest addition to the popu- South African in this age group, “Amongst the hustle of race day, chers distributor, Brandfolio SA, lar GoRun Ride series is an ultra- delivered another good perfor- it was amazing to witness the en- who manned the stand.

Sports Trader :: 2018 Q2 Trade shows :: p49 trade show news Fewer people, more sales at HuntEx this year ALTHOUGH 15% FEWER people Yet, a substantial number of 8 000 visited this year’s HuntEx show people visited per day. “Previously, than last year, exhibitors indicat- we believed that 10 000 visitors ed better sales figures at the 2018 a day, was the ideal figure,” says event, says owner and organiser Woudstra. “Experience has shown of the event, Adriaan Woudstra. us that 8 000 visitors per day, is This year 32 365 people visited probably a much better ratio.” He the booths of 422 exhibitors at believes that fewer visitors and Gallagher Convention Centre in less congestion allow more time Midrand over the four-day long and space for exhibitors to inter- weekend at the end of April, com- act, which had a positive impact pared to the 38 202 people who on sales. visited the 386 exhibitors at the While the main focus of HuntEx show in 2017. remains firearms and accessories The lower visitor numbers is an for hunting and sport shooting, the are just lovers of the outdoors. 80% of the exhibitors this year indication that consumers are still many outdoor lifestyle products The first HuntEx show was held have exhibited at the show be- feeling some economic pressure, among the 53 exhibition categories in 2011 and the show has grown fore. This year 9% more compa- Woudstra believes. also attract many consumers who substantially since then. About nies exhibited than last year. Eurobike supports startups Advertisers Index THE EUROBIKE cycling trade show is creating a supportive environment for start- ups through its Start-Up Academy and a special category in its Eurobike Awards. An alphabetical list of “With their unbiased and sometimes radical thinking, start-ups are quite often advertisers in this issue important impulse providers and drivers of innovation for the bicycle mar- ket,” it explains. “However, gaining access to the market is not always easy A1 Star 8 for newcomers.” ASICS SA 1, 11 Start-up finalists in the Eurobike Awards will be able to present their companies and products live to a specialist jury on the day before the Awesome Tools 36, 39 trade show starts, and winners in that category will be announced on BAS 31 the day. Bearded Monkey 15 The Start-up Academy takes place on the first show day (8 July) and will cover examples of both successful and failed cycling start-ups Brandfolio SA OBC to explain what to do and what to avoid. Concept2 33 Eurobike 2018 will feature 1 300 exhibitors and the organiser ex- Cutlery Distributing 43 pects more than 40 000 trade visitors over the three days. It takes Group place 8-10 July in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Duca del Cosma OFC Friedrichshafen says goodbye to OutDoor in style Dukes 29 THE START of the 25th OutDoor show later this Gunn & Moore 25 month, the last to be held in Friedrichshafen, will be a celebration with outdoor activities, music, and Hi-Tec 13 movies to entertain visitors. Jack & Jones 8 The German Bouldering Championship will be held Jack Parcels 8 on the show grounds in hall B5 on 16 and 17 June and will also be livestreamed online. JFK Trading 8 The same weekend, the Friedrichshafen prome- JRT Crampton 27 nade will be transformed by the Midsummer Festival Klean Kanteen 39 that will feature various outdoor activities such as slacklining, Stand Up Paddling and a climbing island, Kookaburra 27 as well as live music. Ledlenser 36 Additionally, the open-air OutDoor Movie Nights Lotto 15 will take place on both the Saturday and Sunday be extreme or involve distant destinations — they evenings, and the Sunday will also see the fifth In- can also take place on your doorstep. Simply pack Molten 34 ternational Ocean Film Tour. your outdoor gear and head off to sleep out with Opal Sport 25, 29 It’s not only about fun and parties: OutDoor will friends under the stars after work, and enjoy the ex- Rebel Elite Fitness 33 continue to focus on new themes, such as Hangout, perience of outdoor cooking.” Lifestyle Collection, Water Sports and Running and For its jubilee edition, OutDoor has arranged a spe- Sedgars Sports 31 selectively connect with consumers, for example cial micro-adventure for end consumers: a group will Skechers OBC through micro-adventures. “As the name suggests, be exploring the surrounding Lake Constance area, micro-adventures are all about spontaneous, fun sleeping outdoors and enjoying a new adventure to- Two Oceans Sports 34 mini adventures in nature that fit in with everyday gether. Last year 21 412 visitors attended the show Work Sharp 43 life,” explains the show. “Adventures don’t have to where there were 965 exhibitors.

2018 Q2 :: Sports Trader