In this guide:

A review of how Covid-19 affected the outdoor participant base
How the Outdoor Retail Industry responded to the “Outdoor Boom” from 2020 - 2022
Retail’s roles in attracting, engaging, and retaining new outdoor consumers
Display and merchandising solutions outdoor brands and retailers can use to foster long-lasting relationships with outdoor consumers and their communities

In 2021 a headline made its way through the digital sphere: “Is spending 2 hours outside the new 10,000 steps?”

We think so. From stress reduction to increased energy, supercharged immune systems to boosts in creativity, the benefits of the Great Outdoors are many. This isn’t new news, but for many this is forgotten news - news we know in theory, but not in practice.

Then, 2020 happened.

Remote work orders, global shutdowns, and a general sense of life reevaluation inspired thousands of people to venture outside of their homes and into Mother Nature. From urban playgrounds to backcountry oases, abandoned neighborhood soccer fields to days spent at the lake, new and newly-engaged outdoor visitors made new memories, checked off old bucket list items, and found their sense of sane by going outside.

The business of outside

Two years later, we’re still going outside.

As the world slowly returns to business as usual, many analysts in the Outdoor Industry continue to be optimistic that the events of 2020 will make a permanent impact in our collective remembering of how necessary, important, and interesting the outdoors can be.

City planners, hobbyists, industry associations, parks and rec commissions, conservationists, R3 activists, outdoor brands and retailers, and many others have ramped up their efforts to make the outdoors a safer, more accessible, better understood place for people everywhere to enjoy responsibly for the long-haul.

As retail design manufacturers ourselves, we understand the powerful role outdoor brands play in the lives of their customers.

From championing their craft to creating the best products for their adventure, establishing stronger local communities to educating the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts, our work within this space is focused on connecting mission to brand, brand to retail, and retail to human being.

For the remainder of this piece we will:

examine how the outdoor retail industry has evolved to keep up with this new demand
explore retail display and visual merchandising tools available to brands and retailers looking to retain, engage, and grow relationships with newly-engaged outdoor participants.

CURIOSITY – A CORNERSTONE FOR CHANGE.

2020 was a catalyst for change.

In the Outdoor Industry, this meant many people ventured outside for the first time - or the first-time in a long time - simply because they desired to do something different.

According to a 2021 report by the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) and Naxion titled “The New Outdoor Participant,” people left the comfort of their homes to:

Get exercise
Stay healthy - mentally and physically
Get out of the house
Avoid screen fatigue
Connect – to themselves and others

These motivations caused a tremendous uptick in consumer interest for a wide variety of outdoor activities and products. Data from the Outdoor Industry Foundation, reported camping participation grew 28 percent, freshwater fishing nearly 9 percent, and that “8.1 million more Americans hiked in 2020 versus 2019,” an increase of over 16 percent.

Insights from the 2021 ‘The New Outdoor Participant’ report provides even more perspective:

The most common outdoor activities among participants were the ones that had the lowest barrier to entrance, were close to the participant’s home, and/or could be enjoyed safely alone or with others in the household.

Making Lemonade

Naturally, growing consumer interest in outdoor activities created a flurry of conversation within the Outdoor Retail Industry. As people flocked outside, brands and retailers shifted resources to meet the demand.

In an article for the Outside Business Journal, the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance reported a 10.8 percent sales lift within their nationwide outdoor retailer network from June 2020 to January 2021 compared to 2019.

Others in the Outdoor Industry echoed boosts in sales:

Bike sales across categories are consistently growing at shocking rates with the boom expected to continue
The hiking and trail footwear market is poised to grow $4.25 Billion over next five years
Paddle sport category sales grew by 56% in June 2020 compared to 2019 - with the fastest growing outdoor category in the outdoor specialty channel being water sports
Birdwatching, golf, and camping all grew at impressive levels throughout 2020 as well

While many other sectors of retail suffered dramatic declines and disruptions due to the pandemic, for the most part, outdoor retail did not. Vice President, Senior Industry Advisor - Sports for NPD Matt Powell states:

“It is undeniable that consumers have found refuge in the industry during the pandemic, the outdoor consumer base is growing, and this engagement will endure for the long haul. I truly believe that the pandemic has spurred a renewed interest in and commitment to health and fitness, and this will play a role in continuing the positive momentum for outdoor products.”

Even so, data from the OIA ‘The New Outdoor Participant’ report found that of the 600+ respondents surveyed, a quarter of them do NOT plan to continue their outdoor activities once Covid restrictions lift citing travel, resuming other activities (e.g., going to restaurants, bars, gyms, theatres, concerts; hanging with friends/family, etc.), and family demands as the main barriers.

This provides outdoor brands, retailers, and industry professionals with an exciting opportunity: find a way to keep these new outdoor participants engaged, inspired, and willing to come back for more!

Retail’s Role in Fostering New Outdoor Participant Retention

In general, retail has been a challenging industry to be in over the past few years. It will likely remain that way forever forward.

It would be irresponsible to downplay or disregard the dramatic effects e-commerce, demand swings, supply chain concerns, labor shortages, vendor communication breakdowns, and other similar disruptions have had on the typical buying process, but Vice President of Grassroots, Gabe Maier, believes authentic shopping experiences are still possible.

Part of redeveloping retail to fit the demands of today’s market means looking at how the industry can best pivot to keep these new outdoor participants engaged.

Powell of NPD writes,

“As an industry, our community is expanding, and brands and retailers must have a complete view of the market to meet consumers’ needs and wants, as well as understand which outlets they are flocking to, to profitably grow business and maintain health for our industry.”

Though not directly related to retail, data such as that found in the OIA “The New Outdoor Participant” report can help brands and retailers achieve that more ‘complete view of the market’ Powell speaks of by adapting store design, construction, and merchandising strategies to prioritize and solve for industry-wide challenges and opportunities.

For example, in response to learning that a quarter of new outdoor participants do not plan to continue their outdoor activities once the pandemic subsides, the Outdoor Industry Association suggests five ways to improve retention of new participants.

These suggestions provide fertile ground for which retail designers and marketers can launch new store design initiatives and retail marketing programs that are rooted in service - achieving the ultimate goal of fostering long-lasting relationships between (1) customers and the sport, (2) the brand and the retailer, and (3) the outdoor community and society as a whole.

Create more outdoor recreation activities close to home
Help new participants make their activities more social
Develop programs and services with the goal of diversifying the participant base
Develop strategies for encouraging people to start small
Position outdoor recreations as an antidote to poor mental health

Drawing from a few of these suggestions, we’ll now explore how brands and retailers can generate retail solutions that appeal to new outdoor participants, promote collaboration between outdoor brands and their retail networks, and continue to position retail as a friend and advocate to the larger issues facing the outdoor industry today.

Explore: How can retail help new participants make their activities more social?

These days there is a lot of talk about reimagining retail to be more than just a place to shop. Before 2020 this was a luxury. After 2020, this is a necessity.

But reimagining retail doesn’t have to only center around beefing up curbside pickup, better BOPIS operations, and more streamlined online integrations. The best “reimaginings” are usually the ones that make a conscious effort to reconnect to consumers based on their emotional needs and motivations, not just on popular industry trends. For many consumers, an innate desire to commune, share, and be social is a primary emotional need.

Often, “a lack of information about where to go, how to participate, and with whom to participate can be a barrier to trying new outdoor activities,” notes the Outdoor Industry Association. OIA and Naxion found that the following social media content would be most likely to help encourage continued outdoor participation:

Information about close-to-home places to recreate
Information about training and outdoor activities
Networking and connection opportunities to find other with whom to participate

Let’s take a look at what translating that social media guidance into brick and mortar retail experiences might look like in real life.

Example: Nike Live Concept Stores

Nike’s most recent ‘Nike Live’ concept store opened in Eugene, OR in January 2020. According to information presented to Retail Dive,

“The [Nike Live] neighborhood stores emphasize localization and community, tailoring the assortment, design and community engagement elements to what customers in the area want most.”

Being that Eugene is Nike’s birthplace, one way this concept store motivated customers to deepen their engagement was by providing “Eugene run maps customers can pick up that point out sites of importance to Nike and image of athletes with ties to Eugene'' (Retail Dive).

Additionally, the store rotates new assortments every three weeks, and provides University of Oregon merchandise.

To help customers network and connect with one another, the main welcome area of the store serves as a gathering place for running groups and other athletes to meet (Retail Dive).

The store also focuses on its community’s kids, making a point to foster relationships with local organizations that encourage youngsters to be active.

Helping customers “make their activities more social,” means more than just connecting them to like-minded people, clubs, and organizations in their community; it also means giving them share-worthy content to post.

Nearly one-third of new outdoor participants learned about their outdoor activity from friends and/or family (OIA). In a culture where almost every moment of our day has the potential to become content, brands and retailers who turn their store experiences into things worth sharing help facilitate long-lasting buzz about outdoor opportunities.

Example: Dick’s Sporting Goods House of Sport Concept Store

Dick's Sporting Goods Rock wall — *Credit: Dick’s Sporting Goods*

In April 2021, the outdoor sporting goods retailer debuted its first ‘House of Sport’ concept store. According to a release, the store intends to:

explore the future of retail through multi-sport experiences inside and outside the store
broaden its integration with the community
elevate customer service that relies on passionate and skilled employees
incorporate enhanced technology for ease of connection with the brand

In other words, Dick’s created a sporting goods playground - a very visible, endlessly engaging, hyper share-worthy playground.

A foot turf field, running track, climbing wall, golf simulation, putting green, batting cage, wellness and recovery space, rotating featured product area, and a variety of service areas outfit the store.

While flagship in nature, this concept store challenges what outdoor retailers can do with their space to deepen “relationships with customers [while] offering services beyond shopping.”

Explore: How can retail help develop strategies for encouraging people to start small?

We know the above examples may feel like pipe dreams for many, but one thing retailers and brands of any size, budget, or store format can do is think like their customers .

When picking up a new hobby (or simply trying to keep up with the rules on how to be in public again), overwhelm is a common shared emotion.

For new outdoor participants in particular, personalized guidance and simplicity go a long way in turning a newly found outdoor interest into a sustainable hobby or lifestyle one can feel confident about.

When bike sales initially shot up during the pandemic, Outside reported that interest in casual bikes occurred first - bikes that catered to leisurely family riding, fitness, children, and lifestyle (such as beach cruisers). Later in the year, the baton was passed and interest in enthusiast bikes took off (e.g., gravel, mountain, urban/fitness).

One theory is that as people discover or return to biking, they “are really falling in love with it.” As their interest grows and skills progress, a need for different or better equipment, gear, training, and other services increases in tandem. This partly contributes to why many believe these crazy bike trends will not only remain long-lasting, but permanently industry-changing.

Growth trajectories like this are possible for any outdoor sport and/or recreation category.

Retail helps facilitate growth by humanizing the buying process and exaggerating service at every touch point along the way. Better foundations breed better customer relationships for the long-haul.

Let’s look at how the principles of “getting social” and “starting small” could be applied to a fictional retail scenario for kayaks.

Retail Objectives:

Help established kayak brand launch a new product line (ReEmerge) into a pop-up flagship environment located within a major outdoor retailer.
Using elements from the flagship concept, scale the display and merchandising solutions into a modular kit of parts adaptable to the needs of the brand’s diverse retail and dealer network.

Business Context:

The product line “ReEmerge” features a family of budget-friendly kayaks and accessories perfect for beginners and slightly experienced kayakers.
Compared to other kayaks near this price point, the quality, personalization options, customer service, educational resources, and local community integration of this line place it in an elevated, valued market position

Project specifics:

Retaining new kayak enthusiasts is made possible by nurturing consumer curiosity into excitement. The concepts below demonstrate various avenues the brand can consider to bring their ReEmerge line to life at retail. Each solution was designed to help customers (1) start small, (2) understand there are options to connect with other like-minded people ‘right here, right now,” and (3) transform a take-it-or-leave-it attitude about kayaking into a conscious lifestyle/recreational choice.

Retail Solutions:

01. Pop-up Flagship Environment

*Kayak Exploration Area including: interactive kiosk, cash wrap, educational fixtures, interactive digital signage (back wall)*

02. Modular Kit of Parts, a-la-carte

From the Kayak Exploration Area, a multi-faceted, scalable family of parts was created for use in the brand’s tiered retail/dealer network according to store needs.

KAYAK ISLAND UNIT - KIOSK

KAYAK ISLAND UNIT

INTERACTIVE PYLON

EDUCATIONAL PYLON

WALL UNIT

WALL UNIT - KIOSK

Both solution families focus on providing display environments that deliver “Guidance, simplified.”

In terms of product support, the displays and fixtures offer:

multiple display configurations - freestanding, wall, vertical, horizontal, end cap, gondola, and more
easy ways to compare and contrast products and brand; options to demo with the senses
better product selection and personalization through an interactive “Find Your Yak” kiosk complete with intuitive software to help customers learn, decide, and order their perfect kayak
customizable, interchangeable educational and promotional signage - both static and digital
options for product bundling and add-on merchandising areas

In terms of Supporting Community and connection in retail, the displays and fixtures offer:

Brochure holders to present regional trail maps, guides, how-to’s, local meetup information, trainings, events, community volunteer days, events, and more
Graphic cards featuring popular “Adventure Spots” in the community
Immersive digital screens showcasing the sights and sounds of kayaking (adventure reels)
3D signage and QR code prompts to join the brand’s “Yak App” and get acquainted with the local paddlesport enthusiast community
Lifestyle imagery and branding (locally-sourced whenever possible)

Explore: How can retail help develop programs and services with the goal of diversifying the participant base?

The 2020 outdoor boom attracted participants from broad and diverse backgrounds. Compared to 2019, younger, more ethnically diverse, city dwelling individuals, who had slightly lower income brackets, and were more likely to be female participated in outdoor activities more (OIA).

*2023 Update: In 2022 the overall outdoor recreation participation base grew again to a record 168.1 million participants. Of those, noticeable increases among Black, Hispanic, LGBTQIA+ people, and those over the age of 55 were recorded (OIA).

Typically, we’ve been conditioned to think of rolling hills, crystalline lakes, clean oceans, lush forests, and breathtaking mountainscapes when we hear the word “outdoors,” but for many, that is not an accessible reality.

According to the Mann Group, “the outdoors isn’t what we might traditionally associate with the world. Minorities comprise 54% of American’s urban population... how can [brands and retailers] adapt business models to appeal to these different representations of the outdoors and the populations who use them?”

In an article for Outside titled “Outdoor Industry: This Is What Inclusion Looks Like,'' team leader and outdoor steward, Karlee Jewell states,

“Outdoor brands need to meet people where they are. This includes addressing and working to mitigate: lack of access to outdoor spaces and knowledge, lack of proper gear, concerns over safety, economic disadvantages, and lack of diverse representation in outdoor spaces…”

Journalist Glenn Nelson shares the same sentiment saying,

“The big conceit is that people of color are not outdoors. The hell with that! We’re all people of the earth; of course we’re outdoors—just not always in the way the mainstream likes to define and count.

In the same Outside article, activist Graciela Cabello shares, “I’d like to see brands respond to the diversity of the outdoor movement by more accurately reflecting the diversity of consumers who purchase their products.”

Let’s take a look at how brands and retailers can expand their definition of what constitutes as “outdoors,” and create retail experiences that cater to thE needs of all outdoor participants:

IDEA: A WALK IN THE PARK - A fictional representation of Urban Park Retail Solutions

The “The New Outdoor Participant” report found that “Parks and open areas near where people live are a crucial part of growing [new] outdoor participation.”
Most brands, retailers, and industry suppliers will not be able to radically reshape inner city parks, green spaces, city planning budgets, and the like; but, we can create better representation in our stores that more accurately reflect the many different ways people use products to enjoy the outdoors.