With the rapid rise of China's economy and the continuous transformation of people's lifestyles, the healthy, fashionable, and leisure-oriented outdoor sports industry has achieved unprecedented development over the past 20 years. At the same time, issues such as homogenized industry competition, inconsistent service standards, and chaotic market management have not only hindered further industry growth but also severely damaged the interests of consumers.
As the ancients said, "Those who do not plan for the future cannot plan for the present; those who do not plan for the whole cannot plan for a part." As the leading brand in China's outdoor gear industry, Toread stands at the forefront of the era and the industry. By accurately grasping the changing needs of the market and users, Toread launched its Big Outdoor Innovation Strategy on the 15th anniversary of its founding. Innovating across product, technology, and strategy levels, it uses “differentiation” to highlight brand value—a truly epoch-defining masterpiece.
Outdoor sports have become a fashion and a culture
Looking at the history of outdoor development in Europe and America, it’s clear that the growth of the outdoor industry is closely tied to three factors. First, the rich and diverse natural resources (mountains, oceans, rocks, forests, etc.) provide the foundational conditions for outdoor activities. Second, the high-pressure work environments brought by industrialization and urbanization lead people to seek outdoor relaxation and stress relief, creating demand for outdoor sports. Third, increased disposable income and the growth of the automotive industry (especially SUVs), which expand travel range, offer the financial and logistical means for outdoor pursuits. The booming development of China’s outdoor gear industry over the past 20 years is the best testament to this.
Unlike traditional competitive sports, outdoor activities are a healthy form of exercise that combines movement, fitness, travel, adventure, entertainment, and leisure. In today’s context, outdoor sports have become an essential way for many urbanites to unwind, relieve stress, and embrace nature after work.
As outdoor gear transitions from specialization to mass appeal, outdoor sports have evolved into a fashion statement and cultural symbol, influencing all aspects of life.
Insight into the Market: Enormous Potential with Lack of Differentiation
It is well known that with ongoing urbanization and advancing technology, more and more people are passionate about outdoor activities. Statistics show that China currently has 5 million skiing enthusiasts, 20 million photography hobbyists, 90 million fishing fans, and 100 million self-driving tourists. Additionally, about 150–170 million people purchase outdoor gear annually, accounting for roughly 11% of the total population. This massive outdoor demographic and their impressive purchasing power reflect the enormous potential of China’s outdoor sports industry.
At the same time, due to low industry entry barriers, insufficient market regulation, and incomplete laws and regulations, many enterprises lack comprehensive and systematic management systems. Service levels in sales and after-sales vary widely, and homogenized competition within the industry is prominent. The lack of differentiated innovation severely hinders sustainable development across the sector.
Internationally, outdoor gear follows unified and detailed standards—for example, specifying how many times a rope can be reused, the fall factor when bearing 80 kg, or the wear and tear resistance and tear strength of equipment. However, China currently lacks unified outdoor gear standards and can only roughly refer to standards from other industries or sectors. Without improvements, this will have far-reaching effects on the long-term development of the industry.
Daring to Be the First, Toread Builds Brand Value Through Differentiation
As the leading brand in China’s outdoor sports industry, Toread has embodied the bold spirit of innovation. From producing its first tent in 1999 to opening its first retail store in 2003; from becoming the exclusive supplier for China’s polar expedition teams to successfully listing on the ChiNext board in 2009; and now ranking first in domestic sales for five consecutive years while becoming the first outdoor company to surpass 1 billion RMB in revenue. Toread’s 15-year journey is a beautiful symphony adorned with innovation.
Recently, at Toread’s 15th-anniversary celebration, company founder and chairman Sheng Faqiang proposed the strategic vision of “building an outdoor ecosystem under internet thinking,” elaborating in detail on the upcoming Big Outdoor Innovation Strategy. This has garnered significant attention from both the industry and consumers.
Moving forward, Toread will focus on three aspects—product innovation, technological innovation, and strategic innovation—to create an innovative strategic framework that includes multi-brand offerings, an outdoor service platform, and a vertical outdoor e-commerce platform. It will comprehensively integrate internet operation models, enabling consumers to fully benefit from the convenience and advantages of the internet.
Differentiated Innovative Marketing Model Leads Sustainable Industry Development
According to reports, this innovation strategy will take multiple approaches—from segmenting markets and channels, creating personalized products, integrating internet resources, to building communication platforms between companies and users. With diverse and differentiated marketing methods, it aims to improve overall service quality and enhance user experience, aligning with the trends of the times. The strategy boasts several highlights worth noting.
Highlight One: Meeting Individual Needs by Enhancing Products and Technology. Outdoor activities encompass mountaineering, hiking, skiing, camping, fishing, photography, and self-driving—all with varying equipment and demands. In the future, Toread will intensify product and tech innovation based on consumers’ personalized and differentiated needs. By understanding user characteristics and actual outdoor requirements, it will design a variety of clothing, footwear, and gear to significantly elevate user experience.
Highlight Two: Segmenting Markets and Channels to Build a Multi-Brand Marketing System. Given the current diversity in outdoor market channels and activity types, Toread has expanded beyond its core brand “Toread” to include Discovery Expedition, targeting the high-end outdoor leisure market with a focus on self-driving, camping, and exploration; and Acanu, focusing on cycling. With Toread, Acanu, and DISCOVERY as flagship brands, they complement each other in brand positioning, design style, target audience, and market segmentation, covering a wider consumer base, increasing market share, and achieving multi-tiered market penetration.
Highlight Three: Building a Global One-Stop Outdoor Travel Platform Based on Greenfield. Greenfield, China’s largest outdoor travel activity website, currently has 3 million registered users, 4,156 certified outdoor leaders, 95,467 shared routes, and served 486,725 people in 2013. It has become a hub for Chinese outdoor enthusiasts. After merging with Greenfield, Toread will offer comprehensive services around four key areas: core services, safety assurance, quality control, and value-added offerings. These include accessing and sharing outdoor trip info, planning travel routes, product recommendations, itinerary support, skill training, activity reviews, community engagement, and financial services—helping more people enjoy the pleasures of outdoor adventures.
Highlight Four: Leveraging Hikers’ Hub to Tap into Vertical E-Commerce Resources. By strategically using industry resources and focusing on Hikers’ Hub as a gateway, Toread will build upon its leading position in e-commerce and outdoor platforms to integrate the vertical outdoor e-commerce market. Meanwhile, leveraging WeChat games to promote the Toread app will enable features like outdoor consultation and product ordering to enhance customer experience. Future integration with WeChat Pay will further connect online and offline channels.
As the saying goes, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” After 20 years of development, China’s outdoor sports industry now stands at a crucial juncture of strategic transformation and upgrading. Toread’s Big Outdoor Innovation Strategy aligns with the times, responds to individualized user needs, leverages cutting-edge technology, and capitalizes on the advantages of internet resources—using differentiation to highlight brand value and bravely stepping into a new era of internet-based growth. It undoubtedly points the way forward for the industry.