Hi Bryn, and welcome to www.entrepreneurship-interviews.com. Today we’re going to talk about SportPursuit and its unique flash sales model. To start, what exactly are flash sales?
Bryn: Flash sales are limited-time-only online sales events. We offer exclusive deals that you can’t get anywhere else. Still, unlike traditional online retailers, they’re only available for a limited period of time and to a limited group of people who are members of our club. They’re a fantastic way to give customers a limited opportunity to buy brands & products that they wouldn’t otherwise have bought.
How does SportPursuit work behind the scenes?
Bryn: It’s pretty simple, really; we aim to drive a cultural revolution towards buying quality sports kits. To do that, we need to get the best kit and put it in the best environment. So that’s what we spend our time doing, focusing on doing the basics well; a great kit, a great-looking site, and great customer service. We’re a company run by sportspeople, so we love the kit as much as our customers do.
Probably the first question that comes up when people see your offers: are those deals for real? How can you get special prices from the biggest sports brands? Are the products genuine?
Bryn: Yes, all the products are 100% genuine, and we guarantee that. We’ve spent a long time developing relationships in the sports industry, and it’s through those relationships that we’re able to run the sales that we run. The key is that it’s limited; limited time only, members only. We also have a more efficient model than traditional retailers in that we don’t have expensive stores, and we buy in bulk at the end of each sale, so we don’t end up with excess stock that sits in expensive warehouses.
How many brands do you have in store? Which brands are the most famous?
Bryn: We’ve featured over 500 brands so far. The most famous are probably Berghaus, Marmot, Haglofs, Canterbury, and Under Armour. The key is that they’re all quality. We’re frustrated by how difficult it is to get quality kits these days, so our mission is to get people back to buying great quality brands.
You know the saying: do what you love, and you will never “work” again. How did this work in your case? How was SportPursuit born?
Bryn: We were absolutely born out of that principle, as well as a personal frustration. We’re all sports enthusiasts and were frustrated that it was getting harder & harder to get hold of quality kit. There’s plenty of cheap “sportswear for fashion” in the market, but we wanted to get people wearing great kit again. It’s still hard work, but it’s a whole lot easier if you care about what you do.
Where does SportPursuit currently deliver to?
Bryn: We currently deliver to 43 countries worldwide and are adding new countries all the time.
What types of sports and products do you cover?
Bryn: We focus on outdoor, skiing, cycling, and running. They’re sports that we love ourselves and sports where the customers broadly share a common ethos around escaping into the outdoors. They’re also sports where the great kit can really be the difference between a great day & a pretty miserable one.
Is there a new trend of people becoming more active than they did 10 years ago? What is the profile of your average customer?
Bryn: Most of our customers are between 25 and 55, with slightly more men than women. I think people have certainly been inspired by London 2012, and we’ve certainly seen the benefit of that. We’ve added 400,000 members since the Olympics, which you can see in this infographic. http://www.sportpursuit.com/you-re-one-in-half-a-million
Since we’ve been in contact, I’ve registered for the newsletter and received some quite interesting deals. Still, I’m currently looking for some cycling gear. Do I wait and hope that there will be some of that in sales soon, or are there any other ways to get certain products now?
Bryn: You’ll have to keep an eye on the sales. You’ve got to be in it to win it!
What happens if I’m unsatisfied with a product? Can I return it?
Bryn: Absolutely. Returns are hassle-free. If the size isn’t quite right or you realize that you regret choosing the mustard yellow, you can send it back anytime within 2 weeks, and we’ll give you a full refund.
You have 46,000 likes on Facebook. Many companies would love to be in that position. What’s your social media secret?
Bryn: Because we’re a members-only site, we have a natural community, so everything we do is foster that community. We’ve just really done what’s come naturally. We are all sports people ourselves, so we’ve posted the stuff that we find interesting & inspirational. We have done champion our community – they are who inspire us, so we like to give them some love back.
What is the most amazing thing that happened since you launched SportPursuit?
Bryn: Seeing how inspirational our members are and how engaged with our company they are. In May, we passed half a million members and asked our community to send us a photo of their favorite sporting moment. We got hundreds of inspiration photos back, which we ended up compiling into this video.