248 retailers, distributors, and brand participants packed the classroom
7 domestic and international experts and lecturers with extensive and successful experience in the retail industry gave lectures in person
Multi-angle discussions on hot topics in the sports retail industry, with brainstorming sessions providing great value to participants
Store chaos, excessive inventory, and management difficulties? The first course of the ISPO Academy: the Retailers' Training Workshop was held on June 18-19 in Shanghai and achieved great success: 248 participants from the outdoor, cycling, skiing, extreme sports, and other sports industries—including retailers, distributors, and brand representatives—filled the classroom. Seven domestic and international retail experts gave lectures, covering seven major topics and sharing their expertise in retail store operations and management. All participants who completed the course were awarded an ISPO Academy graduation certificate.
This edition of the ISPO Academy Retailers' Training Workshop addressed many practical issues faced by operators in the sports retail industry. Teacher Zhou Tong, who has extensive experience in the apparel retail sector and a deep understanding of the uniqueness of the sports industry, taught the course “Ordering Techniques and Retail Data Management”; Mr. Zeng Zhihui, a well-known expert in customer management and loyalty marketing in China, shared techniques on “Building and Maintaining Consumer Loyalty”; Mr. Hans Overduin, a senior outdoor sports retailer from Europe, shared his success stories and experiences in “Creating a Multi-Brand Store”; Dr. Hanno Deyle, Chief Consultant at Roland Berger Management Consulting GmbH from Germany, discussed with participants the topic “How to Survive in a Multi-Channel Retail Environment”... These courses directly tackled the core issues currently facing the sports retail industry, sparking great interest and active participation among the participants. During the group discussion session, which included many specially invited industry guests, the topic “How can professional sports retail stores survive and thrive under the pressure of e-commerce and large retail chains?” sparked intense discussions both on and off the stage.
Dr. Hanno Deyle from Germany lectured on survival and development in a multi-channel retail environment
Mr. Hans Overduin from the Netherlands shared the secrets of success in multi-brand combination stores
Mr. Zeng Zhihui introduced customer loyalty programs and membership management
The ISPO Academy is not only a place to learn industry experience but also provides a platform for interpersonal exchange. At the sports industry gathering dinner organized by the ISPO Academy, lecturers and participants relaxed and enjoyed food and music while also having the opportunity to freely interact with each other.
This edition of the event also received strong support from numerous brands. Brands such as Arc'teryx, Salomon, Suunto, Outdoor Research, Zamberlan, Crispi, and AKU not only held their ordering fairs at the same time and location as the ISPO Academy but also recommended their retailers to attend the training.
Mr. Wang Yilei, Project Director of ISPO BEIJING, expressed great excitement about the successful hosting of this ISPO Academy: “We are very pleased that the first ISPO Academy was so popular and received unanimous praise from both lecturers and participants. ISPO is a year-round, comprehensive platform for the sports industry, and the ISPO Academy is an important service we provide to sports industry professionals beyond the exhibition.”
Group Discussion: How Can Sports Retail Stores Survive and Thrive Under Pressure from E-Commerce and Large Retail Chains?
Focused Participants
Actively Engaged Participants
The ISPO Academy will continue to launch more courses. For more information, please visit: http://beijing.ispo.com.cn/ispoacademy.aspx
Lecturer and Participant Feedback:
Dr. Hanno Deyle, Chief Consultant at Roland Berger Management Consulting GmbH (Germany)
I really like the concept of the ISPO Academy because it brings multi-perspective discussions. The participants here include not only retailers but also agents and brands. Our topic discussions here are very open, lively, and fruitful. The final group discussion was very meaningful, exploring the current issues faced by the Chinese sports retail market from various angles, as well as how to learn from the successful experiences of overseas retail stores.
Mr. Hans Overduin, Senior Partner and Independent Consultant at ISPO (Netherlands)
The ISPO Academy Retailers' Training Workshop brought together professional lecturers, experienced group discussion members, and an actively engaged audience, making it a great success. During the training, professionals from the sports industry gathered to share experiences. Retailers at the ISPO Academy can not only experience internationally advanced business concepts but also exchange ideas with their domestic peers.
Mr. Zeng Zhihui, Renowned Expert in Customer Management and Loyalty Marketing (China)
Teaching at the ISPO Academy was a pleasant surprise. The audience had a strong desire to learn about customer management, and the feedback was excellent. The ISPO Academy’s training events are professionally organized, and the participants are eager to learn.
Mr. Cai Ming, General Manager of Nanjing Turen Outdoor Sports Products Co., Ltd. (China)
The ISPO Academy provided us with an excellent platform for exchange, allowing me to meet people from different industries and learn the latest knowledge. I was particularly interested in the topics on window displays, lighting, and background music.
Ms. Deng Chunxia, General Manager of Hangzhou Zhengge Outdoor Sports Planning Co., Ltd. (China)
The ISPO Academy’s courses are practical, covering all aspects of retail operations, and taught by experienced professional lecturers. The ISPO team is always passionate and delivers outstanding service.
Ms. Diao Zhaojie, General Manager of Shaanxi Weiyu International Trade Co., Ltd. (China)
The ISPO Academy’s curriculum is thoughtfully designed and can genuinely help retailers. The lecturers are professional, offering perspectives from different levels and providing diverse insights into the sports retail industry. Lecturers from Europe provided a wealth of information, especially on the topic of multi-channel marketing, offering practical methods worth learning from.
Mr. Li Jun, General Manager of Hangzhou Fengxue Trading Co., Ltd. (China)
The format of ISPO ACADEMY is excellent and can enhance our sales and even management capabilities. The concepts introduced in the courses are enlightening, such as big data management and micro-marketing. I'm glad that ISPO Academy has been brought to China, and I hope it will continue to be held with more practical cases and interactive course content.