Amer Sports sales and channel management
The Amer Sports international sales and distribution network rests on a solid foundation: global brands with real appeal to consumers; a wide spectrum of sports; close ties to the retailers; and a deep understanding of the local market and customer behavior.
First class service
The Amer Sports product portfolio is sold world-wide. Product distribution is primarily handled by Amer Sports sales companies. In small markets, distribution is handled through independent importers and distributors who work closely with individual Amer Sports business areas.
Local Amer Sports sales companies are responsible for the sales and distribution of our products in their own markets. These companies have experience and specialized expertise in every type of sport we participate in. Furthermore, local personnel know their own markets and the preferences of sports enthusiasts in their own territories. This allows them to adapt both product offerings and marketing to the needs and conditions of each market. This market know-how is also leveraged in research and product development in different business segments.
Reaching consumers and own brand stores
Our new area of focus, on top of the Group’s global sales network, is the development of emerging markets. We will also develop our e-commerce solutions and own brand stores. The purpose is not to create competitors to current distribution channels but rather to strengthen our existing brands. Amer Sports is already piloting online sales on a limited scale. The projects either function locally or target a single brand.
We are currently working on an overall strategy for brand stores. Within Amer Sports, the concept has developed the furthest at Arc’teryx and Salomon. Arc’teryx has its own stores in Montreal and Vancouver, while Salomon has long operated stores in several countries. Salomon also has shop-in-shops as well as factory outlets in France and Switzerland.
By running our own stores we can boost our brands and increase sales through other distribution channels. In this way we can also be in direct contact with consumers and react to changes in consumer behavior without delay.
Nothing short of excellence will do
Our biggest and most important task involves further developing our global sales network. A big step towards this end was taken with the fusion of the Salomon and Amer Sports sales organizations. Rather than merging either of the two organizations into the other we fused the two into one. Our goal was to create a new sales organization that was the best of its kind. We now have a highly competent and competitive network that runs smoothly and covers all brands. We will continue to make the new network increasingly efficient and customer-oriented.
Our individual sales companies have been grouped into three large geographical segments: Asia Pacific, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and Americas, which includes the United States, Canada and Latin America.
In the United States, the sales functions of Salomon, Atomic and Suunto are directed from Odgen, Utah. Precor’s sales organization is managed from near Seattle in Woodinville, Washington, and Wilson sales are managed from Chicago, Illinois. EMEA is headed up from Munich, Germany. Starting in 2008, Asia Pacifi c will be headed up from Shanghai, China.
Delivery capability increases in importance
Service and delivery capability continue to be more and more important in our business. Sports retailers order goods in smaller batches and at shorter notice. In addition, deliveries must be scheduled to coincide with a store’s special offers and sales.
A number of major structural changes have already been carried out. Amer Sports Winter and Outdoor Americas, in charge of the sales of Salomon, Suunto, and Atomic in that region, centralized its operations in Ogden, Utah.
The logistics of all U.S. sales, except Precor, are handled out of Nashville, Tennessee. By concentrating warehouses, transportation, and telecommunications in a single efficient unit, Amer Sports can provide increasingly better service to its customers.
Sourcing activities in Asia are also centrally handled by a single unit. At the turn of the year Amer Sports opened a country organization in China, with headquarters in Shanghai. We want to be part of the growing Chinese sports equipment market and its development.
Having competitive advantage
All of our customers place a high value on their suppliers’ knowledge of the sports equipment market and their expertise in individual sports and categories. Beyond these attributes, reliability, delivery accuracy and speed have become increasingly important competitive advantages for sports equipment suppliers.
Developing our operations in cooperation with our partners is extremely important. It is essential to develop product offerings and offer the right kinds of products and services to our retail customers. Amer Sports experts serve the whole spectrum of retailers from specialist stores to large chains.
