Once again in 2021, Decathlon is the event partner for the MetaSprint Series. We wanted to get their perspective on some of our new projects, such as the new eco-friendly MetaMiles rewards program. We were also curious to find out what has 2020 been like for the biggest sporting goods retailer in Singapore. Keep reading for more.
MetaSport: The MetaSprint Series is the first physical event after circuit breaker. What are the main drivers to collaborate with the MetaSprint series again in 2021?
Decathlon Singapore Team: We are proud partners of the MetaSprint Series for the second consecutive year because we are strongly aligned in achieving the same objective. While Decathlon Singapore aims to make sport accessible to many with a range of more than 5000 models over 60 different sports, the MetaSprint Series offers a great opportunity to get into triathlon and multisport races in an accessible and family-friendly format.
Additionally, the MetaSprint Series is the first driver of physical events taking place in Singapore, and we are honoured to be the Official Partner of this big nationwide event. We are sure that it would be a winning partnership for both parties.
MS: You are one of our rollout partners for the new MetaSport Shop and MetaMiles program. Why did you join this initiative? (in the aspect of going green, reducing waste, practical items)
DST: Our mission is to make sport accessible to the many sustainably and we carry this out in every aspect of our actions. Being part of the new MetaSport Shop and MetaMiles program is one of the right strategies we can take to have a real impact in the environment, while continuing to share our love for sport.
MS: What was the fastest growing sport during 2020 according to your customers’ spending habits?
DST: One of our fastest growing sports was cycling. In May (one month after circuit breaker was announced) alone, the total quantity growth of bikes sold solely online (as physical stores were closed then) soared to 118%. Even after stores reopened, bikes continued to sell strong, maintaining a strong quantity growth of 47% in June and 64% in July.
This will definitely play strongly in Metasprint’s Duathlon race, and we hope to see more participants to take on the challenge of cycling and running!
MS: Have you seen a shift in the demographics of your buyers through 2020? How does Circuit-Breaker and Covid-19 impact this shift?
DST: We did not see a shift specifically in the demographics of buyers but more of a shift in consumer behavior in types of products that were purchased. This was due to a direct correlation in the lockdown limiting the variety of sports that Singaporeans could practice to only home workouts, running, or cycling. As such, sports such as yoga, pilates, cross training and bodybuilding, running, and cycling experienced a huge surge as compared to other types of sports.
MS: Have you seen any new audiences beginning to incorporate exercise into their lifestyle since Circuit Breaker?
DST: Ever since circuit breaker, we have seen a huge increase of people practicing sports in Singapore but the main 3 sports that had the biggest increase were Cycling, Running and Fitness at home.
MS: Has the response in Singapore been similar to what you have seen in other parts of the world?
DST: Yes. In Decathlon’s context specifically, we have seen a tremendous growth for the 3 sports that were mentioned above. As people are mostly stuck at home during the lockdown period, one of the options to continue staying fit is to do yoga, pilates and high intensity interval training at home.
MS: Which are the most popular items within your store for the triathlon community?
DST: Our most popular item would be the Decathlon tri-suit, which is produced by our in-house triathlon brand Aptonia. We are very proud to be the top go-to brand for users to find apparel for their race. We do hope that more and more Singaporeans will discover this beautiful sport.
MS: Are there any new or innovative products you can recommend to participants for their triathlon training or race?
DST: Recovery is an essential part of triathlon training and we would like to recommend the Vibrating Electronic Massage Roller for effortless deep massages after sport, and also the Double Vibrating Massage Ball for massaging more acute areas.
Our full range of recovery products can be found here.
