CALGARY Canadian sporting goods retailer Sport Chek has seen a huge growth in its e-commerce business this year as it heads into the heart of the Christmas shopping season.
The retailer, one of the banners of FGL Sports Ltd. which lls is owned by Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd., saw revamped strategies for the recent Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions increase e-commerce sales by 32 per cent and 57 per cent respectively at sportchek.ca.
Im kind of a newcomer in Canada because I was in Europe and I spent a lot of time around the world and Im pretty excited … and thats probably one of the reasons why I came here is what Im seeing all the excitement, all the hypes going around e-com. It started with digital but now its really getting into e-com. Theres a big momentum in Canada, said Frederick Lecoq, vice-president of marketing for FGL Sports.
Lecoq said website traffic right now is about 50 per cent higher than last year.
The overall e-com business is up almost 60 per cent year-over-year, he said. Were keeping on the trend.
Its a consistent growth and its an ongoing growth. We keep seeing it and next year were forecasting 50 per cent growth again … Thats what were looking at because I think were able to capture online momentum.
Buoyed by the success of recent promotional days, Sport Chek for the first time ever will be launching Boxing Day sales early this year at its stores from December 22 to January 1. Its the only time of the year that sales run across the entire store with a minimum of 20 per cent to 60 per cent off items and about 75 door crashers.
Sport Chek has been a key brand for Canadian Tire, which took it over when it bought out Calgary-based Forzani Group Ltd. in August 2011.
The company previously announced it would be expanding the brand across the country. Canadian Tire said its accelerated growth strategy for FGL Sports corporate banners will focus on aggressive expansion, primarily of Sport Chek as its most-strategic and best-positioned corporate banner.
That has also included an increased online presence.
Sport Chek has used a number of different channels to promote sales including a Facebook marketing program, e-mail, in-store signage and a variety of online advertising.
The strategy is based on current trends in the retail industry.
According to Statistics Canada, in 2010, 51 per cent of Internet users ordered goods or services for personal or household use. In total, Canadians placed nearly 114 million orders valued at $15.3 billion.
Just over a month ago, a survey showed consumers in Alberta are the most likely in Canada to shop online this holiday season.
An Angus Reid survey commissioned by Federal Express Canada Ltd. revealed that 55 per cent of Canadian holiday shoppers will turn to e-commerce this holiday season. Last year, about 45 per cent of Canadians were expected to shop online.
Consumers in Alberta (70 per cent), British Columbia (67 per cent), and Atlantic Canada (63 per cent) are the most likely among Canadians to shop online this coming holiday season. Consumers in Saskatchewan (38 per cent), Quebec (43 per cent), and Manitoba (44 per cent) are less likely to choose e-commerce, said the survey.
Men (57 per cent) are slightly more likely than women (53 per cent) to shop online.
Most consumers aged 18 to 34 (73 per cent) will shop online, compared with more than half (58 per cent) of survey respondents aged 35-54 and just over a third of those aged 55 and over (36 per cent).
The survey also found a strong correlation between income and online holiday shopping intentions, with 75 per cent of respondents who earn over $100,000 expected to shop online, compared with 60 per cent of Canadians who earn $50,000 to $99,999 and 45 per cent of respondents earning less than $50,000.
Twitter:@MTone123
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Source:
http://www.xdloutdoor.com/2012-12/sport-chek-sees-spike-in-e-commerce-sales/