What were SALEWA’s channel expansion plans in 2017?

We are gradually opening physical stores, but we focus more on online channels. Given the massive scale of commerce in China, having just a few hundred stores doesn’t provide enough visibility — the online platform offers the fastest opportunity. People can gather information and quickly make purchasing decisions to get to know us. Whether or not customers buy our products, they can learn what SALEWA is all about. We use platforms like JD.com, Tmall, and also have our own official store to promote our brand.

What are SALEWA’s development plans? Do you have any marketing strategies for events or competitions?

This year, aside from sponsoring some outdoor activities, we also plan to organize our own events. We want to encourage those who’ve always thought about hiking but never taken action. We’ll invite professional teams to guide them, such as climbing mountains at altitudes of 3,000 or 5,000 meters. Of course, participants will also do a lot of planning for the trip themselves. We aim not only to engage experienced hikers, but also to provide a platform for those who are interested but haven’t acted yet — allowing them to rediscover the beauty of the mountains and share the most authentic experience. So for Chinese consumers, we aim to educate them on what clothing and gear are most suitable for different occasions. The second part is that if you’ve never known what hiking or outdoor activities are really like, we can help you understand the outdoors. We hope our customers will come to know and love our products.