On March 1, 2013, the Outdoor Products Branch of China Textile Commerce Association (COCA) released the "2012 Annual Survey Report on China's Outdoor Products Market" at the ISPO Sports Industry Forum. The report was shared with numerous well-known outdoor product brands, distributors, and media attendees, highlighting the achievements in the development of China's outdoor products market in 2012.
The annual survey report on China's outdoor products market, published by COCA since 2007, has been released for seven consecutive years. Its purpose is to summarize the annual development of China's outdoor industry, forecast the trends for the coming year, help enterprises understand the overall market situation, and provide reliable and detailed information for their business planning. Compared to previous years, COCA has put more effort into this year’s report, visiting more cities and regions, collecting thousands of questionnaires, and conducting in-depth interviews with industry veterans. It is believed that this year’s research report will continue to be the most credible industry survey in the outdoor sector.
The report shows that in 2012, China's outdoor products market developed rapidly, with total retail sales reaching 14.52 billion yuan, representing an annual growth rate of 34.94%; total brand shipment value was 7.39 billion yuan, with an annual growth rate of 36.1%. Notably, domestic brand shipments have surpassed foreign brands for two consecutive years. The rise of domestic brands has created a new landscape in China's outdoor products market. In 2012, there were 823 outdoor brands in the domestic market, an increase of 14.78% from 717 in 2011. Among them, there were 405 domestic brands, up 18.08% from 343 in 2011, and 418 foreign brands, up 11.77% from 374 in 2011.
Both domestic and international brands saw varying degrees of growth, with domestic brands performing even better. The growth rate of domestic brands has exceeded that of foreign brands for three consecutive years; their shipment value has also topped that of foreign brands for two years in a row, beginning to lead China's outdoor products market. The product mix has become more rational. Channel development remains strong, with department stores continuing to show robust growth. Online channels have emerged as a major force, growing rapidly and even multiplying, becoming one of the new channel models for outdoor products.
Looking back and ahead, the outdoor industry is a typical sunrise industry still in its introductory phase, with vast market potential remaining. While brands experience “trend-driven” growth, many are beginning to focus on “differentiation” in their products, with increased awareness of rational competition. The diversification of channels and the sluggish retail environment mean that department stores and outdoor shops must deal with inventory and capital pressures, finding ways to grow with low profit margins—a challenge the channels must face. Over the past decade, both high-end (premium-priced) and low-end (budget-priced) outdoor products grew significantly, while mid-range products/brands performed relatively less impressively. With supplier alignment and improved quality control, mid-range products/brands are expected to perform better in the future.
This annual report was independently produced by the Secretariat of the Outdoor Products Branch of China Textile Commerce Association. This research received support from GORE-TEX, TOREAD, outdoor Research, ICEPEAK, ACOME, NEXTORCH, MG-V, and OGER Company. ISPO China also assisted in the release of the report.