Women sports apparel market vibrant

It’s a well-known fact that target marketing stimulates women’s buying behavior. So it makes sense that as more and more women participate in sports and the outdoors, the number of manufacturers creating female-specific clothing and gear has increased significantly.

In Boulder, stores such as Title 9 Sports and Outdoor Divas, which cater to active women, are counting on the rising numbers of female consumers to provide sustainable revenues and future growth.

Opened in November 2001, Title 9 Sports is an offshoot of the 14-year-old California mail-order company and Berkeley store of the same name. The shops and mail-order catalog are aptly named after the Title IX legislation included in the Education Amendments in 1972 that requires schools receiving federal funds to provide girls and women with equal opportunity to compete in sports.

?The decision to open the store in Boulder was driven from the catalog,? Weaver said. ?We are very aware of where our business comes from, and Colorado tops the list. It’s a very active area.?

Title 9 offers women’s apparel that crosses over for different sports; however, it does sell some sports-specific clothing for running and cycling.

?Women can come into the store and get different pieces of clothing that work in to many activities, whether they are athletes or just going for a hike,? Weaver said .

Compared to male shoppers, women are probably more likely to seek out better customer service, she added, which is why Title 9 hires athletes who serve as knowledgeable resources rather than exclusively salespeople.

?There’s a feeling that’s evoked from being helped by women doing the exact same thing that you’re doing,? she said, about why a female-specific store works.

Additionally, Title 9 only employs female salespeople, due in large part to the wide range of sports bras offered and the need for personal experience with that item, Weaver said. In fact, sports bras are among the top five items that women look for when shopping at the store. As a result, the Boulder Title 9 carries seven to 10 different manufacturers of sports bras to accommodate various fits and styles. Another top-selling item for women is a basic black training pant. To offer numerous choices, Title 9 carries 12 training pants from several manufacturers.

Like other outdoor and sport-related retailers, Title 9 seeks to create meaningful experiences through clinics and events to attract and retain female customers. So far, the store has a track record of offering one to two clinics per year. However, this May, Title 9 has plans to deliver a first-time event geared to celebrate the female spirit.

?We’re starting a Mother’s Day (running) Race on May 11,? Weaver said. ?The event is about getting women to do something they would not have done otherwise. Rather than getting women out for a cause, we want to get women out for a good time.?

Title 9 is the only sponsor for the 9K race. The event also will include free massages and a Wendy Woo concert.

Although Weaver would not disclose sales numbers to date, she did say the store ?has done well.? So well, in fact, Weaver helped open another Title 9 store in Denver last October.

For Outdoor Divas co-owners Michael Callas and Kim Walker, the idea to open a women-specific store that handles gear, footwear and apparel came to them about five years ago.

For 10 years, Callas has fit skis and ski boots in Vail and has repeatedly seen a need for a broader array of equipment geared toward females. For Walker, the store is a byproduct of her own experience as a consumer and the difficulty she has had finding a good selection of things for women under one roof.

?The outdoor industry has only recently recognized the importance of women consumers,? Callas said. Due in part to the fact that while the outdoor industry overall has been relatively stagnant, the women’s segment has shown to be its largest area of growth, he added.

Together, Callas and Walker chose Boulder because it’s a community with a strong customer base of active people and because it has a year-round economy. Using credit lines and their own personal funds, they opened Outdoor Divas in November 2002.

For winter, the store carries alpine and telemark equipment as well as snowshoes. Next year, they also plan to introduce snowboarding and Nordic equipment. In the summer, Callas and Walker will sell kayaks and climbing gear. Year-round, Outdoor Divas sells items such as women’s backpacks and sleeping bags.

?The outdoor industry is starting to make products targeted to women, and women are consuming more products than their male counterparts,? Callas said. ?I have seen data that suggests 80 percent of equipment is purchased by women, either for use by themselves or by their families.?

To educate and create camaraderie among customers, Outdoor Divas hosts a speaker session every other Wednesday where athletes present pertinent information to active women. So far, Callas said, clinic attendance has been solid, averaging 25 to 30 participants. Additionally, Outdoor Divas has partnered with organizations to present other programs, such as women’s snowshoe days at Eldora Ski Resort. Future plans are also in the works for a partnership with Women’s Wilderness Institute to offer climbing classes.

?The education piece is a critical part of our business model,? said Callas. While good quality products are important to have fun, women also need to meet other people to do these activities with safely and efficiently, he added.

?We’re trying to create an environment where a newcomer can feel comfortable coming into the store and learning,? said Callas. ?From research, we’ve found that a lot of women don’t feel comfortable in a more generic store, which is why the education piece is so important.?

To date, the biggest challenges for Outdoor Divas are creating awareness of their existence and of the benefits for a women-specific store. However, Callas said that sales since opening have been strong.

?The store serves a market that is under-served and provides a good opportunity to get the right products to a group that deserves the right products,? he concluded.

on Facebook on LinkedIn