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UK Market Annual Roundup 2022: Increased Bills Reduce Purchasing Power, Yet Postal Strikes Boost In-Store Sales

“The first hurrah”
By Gordon Way

By the time you read this it will be a new year and 2023 appears to have dawned with plenty of optimism. Whether that optimism is well placed is another question. Putin (F Putin!) continues to make life a misery for all of us and of course, particularly for those caught up in the hostilities. So, my last wish of 2022, and my first hope for 2023, is one and the same – that we see the back of Putin and his bloody war so things can get back to something like normal.

January will bring the ‘first hurrah’ for many winter brands – deliveries that should have been made to retailers weeks ago are only just arriving meaning that January is the first opportunity for many retailers to see how those brands sales are going to hold up. Joining the party late, but at a time when things appear to be a pretty good, is not always a disaster. Late to arrive was also a cold snap in the UK (which has focussed minds) whilst dropping temperatures in the Alps means you can almost hear the UK board community packing their bags. Bookings are good. Shops are buoyant.

And at the same time the UK is on strike. Nurses today (15th December) for the first time in history. They’ve have had enough. We clapped them through the pandemic but clapping only goes so far. I have huge sympathy with them – indeed with everyone – but quite when the money runs out is not clear. Running your own business, as so many of us in the boardsports industry do, really puts ‘affordability’ into perspective. Yet in a peculiar twist the strikes are helping some retailers.

If you are an online business it’s a nightmare …  phones are hot with people asking “where’s my stuff” whereas consumer concerns about delivery delays is boosting business for some. “People are driving a long way to call in store and actually pick up their stuff,” this is Lorraine from Subvert, Manchester. “They’re so determined to make sure they get their kit in time that a visit to the store is the only solution. And of course, once they’re in store we have a great opportunity to remind them just how good a real bricks & mortar store is. This is all on top of an already great start to the season. We’re really happy with how things are going.”

Music to my ears. A happy retailer, a buoyant retailer… the music continued. “We’re really convinced that the season is going to continue to go well and looks set to be the best for years. Boarders want to get away and they want new kit – whether it be an accessory purchase or a board, boot, binding purchase. They’re on it.”

Deep into December and the cold is biting. Energy costs are hitting home and households are feeling the pinch – not all mind you – Boris Johnson has earned just over £1m since he stepped down … from just 4 speaking engagements! He may be a complete dick with some stories to tell… but probably not worth a £1m, eh? I wonder how much Liz Truss is earning from her after-dinner speaking?

I would rather hear Jeremy Sladen (TSA) giving a speech and when I spoke to him he was his usual buoyant and ‘larger than life’ self but there was something else – a heightened sense of anticipation. “It’s good. I mean it’s really good – both online and in store – although online is killing it! And strangely we appear to be benefitting from an influx of Chinese students in the UK and all seem to want to go to the snow.” Seriously? At this point I wondered if Jeremy was in the same conversation. “No seriously these students have money and if snowboarding is your thing then you’re not going to hold back.” So any University town look to your students – especially those from the Far East.

Jeremy continued: “November was an amazing month – best ever for outerwear and best on hardware since 2010. We started the season slow because we entered the summer with minimal stock and finished the summer with almost no stock so had very little to sell – but that’s all to the good. We’re now in danger of running out of kit.” Well that will get Jeremy’s phone going.

Writing this article was becoming fun again! Did Jeremy have any negatives. “I guess the hardest thing is the buying cycle but we just have to get on with it. Buying from a PDF should not be hard for anyone in this business and we have to get used to it.” Was there anything else that Jeremy felt was leading to their success? “Yeah – we’re organised. We were ready early and others were not – they’re losing out and we’re picking up that business. It’s pretty simple really”

And last words? “This looks to me like it is going to continue.  December is set to see significant growth – boarders are determined to get away and get their time on the snow – come what may. This is going to be a great season.”

So there – you’ve heard it from the biggest board retailer in the UK. Now… where do I go next to keep this positive roll going? It’s fair to say that Chris from Snowfit probably errs on the cautious side and, I hope he will not mind me saying, is not one for getting carried away. “Booming. Booming!” This is not a bad start. “Yes it’s really strong. Delivery issues have cost us turnover but the bottom line is that we have enthusiastic customers who want to spend. There’s definitely an air of “I deserve a break. I need to get away” and it seems that most people are going for more than one week… and with a fistful of new kit!

Is it really that good? “Yes – they’re keen, they may have a holiday credit from the covid times and this gives them more money to spend on kit. It’s great. And it’s good on everything – boards, boots, bindings, clothing – all good.”

Nothing going wrong then? “Yeah – supply chain issues, suppliers who shove stuff down our throats when we don’t want it and having to place orders almost blind – these are all problems but we just have to deal with them.”

And feelings about the follow-on season? “I’m a little nervous about next season and I think it will level out a bit – I will be cautious in my buy”.  Ah now… that sounds like Chris.

What a lovely way to end the year! What a lovely way to start the year – the first hurrah is upon us… keep the hurrah going please.