Mark Ryski’s Post

"I appreciate Academy Sports’ cautious approach to opening new stores – slow, steady and deliberate," says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corporation. "Investing more time and effort upfront in site selection and store configuration should improve the probability of success of any new location. Furthermore, their strategy of clustering new store openings to create critical mass in a new market also makes good sense. I would advise Academy Sports’ leadership to analyze store traffic volume and conversion rate performance of their best performing stores and consider these characteristics as they build-out new stores. The important thing to remember is that, opening stores is the easy part – getting the stores to deliver the outcomes required is a different matter. Even the very best store locations won’t be successful if the store team can’t execute effectively." Check out more insights from one of the retail industry’s leading experts - https://buff.ly/3qRfPx2. More great comments on this topic by RetailWire's BrainTrust experts including: Neil Saunders, Ashish Chaturvedi, Brian Numainville, Lisa Goller, MBA, David Naumann, Robert Amster, and Mohammad Ahsen (Socially Ahsen).

Academy Sports Tweaks Formula for Entering New Markets Academy Sports + Outdoors has accelerated its store opening targets, but it is also adjusting its real estate strategy, including the geographic mix of new stores, the pace of openings, and initial sales targets. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/enQ9RAX8 David Naumann "Academy Sports realizes the importance of brand awareness in driving foot traffic and revenues. Focusing on multiple locations in markets is a smart strategy…" Neil Saunders "While the sports market is quite competitive, Academy Sports’ focus on smaller and medium markets is sensible. These are often underserved by sports stores and are not the domain of Dick’s (other than via online sales), so there is some market share up for grabs." Mark Ryski "The important thing to remember is that, opening stores is the easy part – getting the stores to deliver the outcomes required is a different matter. Even the very best store locations won’t be successful if the store team can’t execute effectively. "

Shares for Academy Sports + Outdoors dipped nearly 8 percent in Thursday morning trading after the company issued soft guidance for the year following a miss in net sales for fiscal 2023. For the full year, net sales at the Katy, Texas-based retailer fell 3.7 percent to $6.16 billion, down from $6.40 billion in 2022. Net income for fiscal 2023 was $519.2 million, down 17.3 percent from $628 million the year prior. In the fourth quarter, however, Academy made some gains with net sales in the period up 2.8 percent to $1.79 billion, up from $1.75 billion in Q4 2022. Net income in the quarter was $168.2 million, up 6.7 percent from $157.7 million the same time last year.

Marketing Matters The Trafford Centre is one of the most well known brands in the North West It attracts 30 million visitors annually. And here they are marketing to existing customers and potential customers that Lego, Lululemon and other well known brands are at the centre If MASSIVE BRANDS NEED to market their offering Then small businesses with no history, legacy, brand, footfall certainly need to. I often say to businesses "When a small business says they don't need to market themselves Remind yourself that virtually everyone in the world knows of Apple, Coca Cola, Pepsi, McDonalds, Starbucks, Subway et all & they still market their business You are never too big for marketing" #Marketing #Advertising #Sales

JD Sports Fashion has made no secret of its ambition to win in the North American market and has, to-date, undertaken some impressive expansion activity. This includes the acquisitions of mall staples Finish Line and Shoe Palace, as well as via the expansion of its own JD Sports fascia. These initiatives have given the company a very firm toehold in the market. The addition of Hibbett to the JD family will provide a big boost to the US business and gives JD Sports a presence in a lot of markets where it is currently underrepresented. Although Hibbett has a very strong sneaker business, the acquisition will also allow JD to play to its strengths in the sports fashion and athletic wear arenas. While Hibbett has had nowhere near the growth of Dick’s, it has nevertheless been a solid performer over recent years and has carved out a clear point of difference in serving smaller and mid-sized towns — places where competition from other sporting retailers is relatively thin on the ground. With only around a quarter of stores within 10 miles of competitors, Hibbett is a destination for sporting goods in the markets it serves. Nevertheless, competition is heating up as more sales are made online and players like Academy Sports + Outdoors look to expand. In my view, this makes the timing of the acquisition by JD Sports favorable as the group will be able to use its superior buying power to drive up margins. Under JD Sports, there is also more likelihood of investment in Hibbett stores and the proposition. All in all, this gives Hibbett a more defensible future. While JD will immediately benefit from the bigger scale, it will have some work to do in integrating Hibbett if it is to get the full benefit from the acquisition. It will also have a balancing act in modernizing the operation while, at the same time, respecting Hibbett’s place in local communities. None of this represents a major challenge to Dick’s, which remains the preeminent retailer of sporting goods and has a much wider proposition that includes deep expertise in sports equipment. However, it does increase the competitive temperature in the sports and sneaker market. #retail #retailnews #sportinggoods #sports #mergers

DICK'S Sporting Goods continues to impress with strong Q2 results, outperforming Wall Street expectations across the board. What's driving their success? A laser focus on customer experience and differentiation. The expansion of their experiential Dick's House of Sport format and the rollout of "field house" concept stores are paying dividends. These innovative store designs create immersive, interactive environments that draw customers in and keep them engaged. But it's not just about flashy store concepts. Dick's is doubling down on the fundamentals of great retail: 1. Curated assortments that resonate with customers 2. Knowledgeable, attentive staff 3. A commitment to service excellence On a recent store visit, I was struck by the level of engagement from employees. I was greeted warmly at least 5 times and offered assistance 3 times - a refreshing change from the hands-off approach many retailers have adopted. This focus on the basics of customer service, combined with experiential store formats and smart merchandising, is clearly setting Dick's apart in a competitive landscape. As other retailers struggle, Dick's is proving that investing in your customers pays off. What are your thoughts on Dick's strategy? #Retail #CustomerExperience #DicksSportingGoods

When it comes to emerging retail brands, DICK'S Sporting Goods is taking it to the next level. With 75 years of retail experience, Dick’s is reimagining shopping in a customer-centric manner. They are creating emotional connections with shoppers by offering sports driven activities across retail concepts like House of Sport and Galaxy Golf. In fact, they plan to open 75 -100 House of Sport stores by 2027. 🚀 Experiential Retail Concepts - Dick’s is reshaping retail with House of Sport, offering experiences like rock climbing and yoga. Testing concepts like Public Lands, Going Going Gone, and transforming Golf Galaxy with high-tech features. 💼 Strategic Acquisitions & Digital Growth - In March 2023, Dick’s acquired Moosejaw, expanding its digital reach. Simultaneously, they sold Field & Stream stores, converting them to House of Sport, showcasing a customer-centric strategy. 🛠️ Adaptability and Innovation - Dick’s Sporting Goods thrives by embracing change, innovating, and meeting evolving customer needs. Hit the 🔔 to follow along for weekly segments on Emerging Retail Concepts you need to know. #retail #emergingbrands #retailrealestate #CRE

Have you heard of the incredible growth story of Franklin Sports? For years, they've managed to keep up with dramatic changes in demand and consistently bring exciting new product lines to the market. Take pickleball, for example. It has been the fastest-growing sport in America for 3 years and Franklin Sports was there, riding the wave. This achievement would not be possible without significant improvement to their supply chain. Read how they managed to enhance it by bringing in industry veterans and applying robust forecasting methodologies with GAINS. #SupplyChainPlanning #SupplyChainOptimization #innovation

Gymshark are reinventing retail with their flagship store. Here are some GCSE business questions Q1. How is Gymshark adding value in its new store in Westfield Stratford? Q2. What are your views of the new Stratford store? Did it make you want to visit? Why? Why not? Q3. What are the likely results of this different approach to retailing by Gymshark? https://lnkd.in/euFipT-D

Have you heard of the incredible growth story of Franklin Sports? For years, they've managed to keep up with dramatic changes in demand and consistently bring exciting new product lines to the market. Take pickleball, for example. It has been the fastest-growing sport in America for 3 years and Franklin Sports was there, riding the wave. This achievement would not be possible without significant improvement to their supply chain. Read how they managed to enhance it by bringing in industry veterans and applying robust forecasting methodologies with GAINS. #SupplyChainPlanning #SupplyChainOptimization #innovation