Overview of the Outdoor Industry

What Is The Growth Potential Of The Outdoor Gear Market?

At a projected CAGR of 6.1% from 2021 to 2030, the global outdoor gear market is expected to grow from USD 50770 million in 2020 to USD 77470 million by 2030.

In fact, the outdoor gear industry, as one of the leading businesses, will have the most influence, the most market share in 2023, the best reputation, or the highest revenue in their field.

This means that this could be a big opportunity to help you achieve a strong position in the market with a proper strategy to unlock your outdoor gear brand's potential.

Main Trends That Are Positively Impacting The Growth Of The Outdoor Gear Market

Direct Interactive Contact

In spite of the development of digital technologies, there have always been people who still enjoy going to several brand stores before they finally switch to ordering online.

In fact, most successful brands connect with consumers directly. 

This experience leads businesses to increase consumer brand loyalty. As a result, investing in it is a great option once you have the means to do so.

Equipment Rental Business Model

For some outdoor consumers, buying different kinds of gear such as sleeping bags, tents, skis,  backpacks, foldable boats, and even clothing could be very expensive, especially if they are only used a few times a year, or worse, just once. 

As a result, more outdoor enthusiasts are turning to gear rentals, which are more convenient and cost-effective.

Additionally, most rental businesses can take great care to clean and maintain their equipment to avoid accidents caused by malfunctioning gears. This is in contrast to owned equipment, which may end up malfunctioning after a long period of disuse.

This trend has not been adopted by all brands; certain brands have opted to give consumers the chance to test their products before committing to a purchase.

Urban and Suburban Environment

According to the Outdoor Industry Association, a significant portion of outdoor enthusiasts, 48% to be precise, reside in suburban areas, while 36% live in urban settings. It's expected that this trend will continue to grow in the coming years.

In fact, as most people know, outdoor physical activities can promote public health, and they are largely influenced by the built environment, especially in various urban settings.

Consumers living in these areas engage in outdoor activities for various reasons, such as fitness, socialization, and building connections.

Therefore, if you want to increase the growth of your brand in outdoor gear products, considering the purposes and diverse needs of different consumers in an urban setting could be one strategy you can implement.

Marketing Diversity

In this day and age, social media and emails are the most convenient ways to reach consumers.

The majority of people browse their social media accounts daily and check their emails as soon as they wake up in the morning. So, a diverse marketing strategy is essential for your outdoor gear brand to stay ahead of the competition.

To create the appropriate segmentation and strategy, it's important to understand the interests and experiences of your customers.

One of the best ways to achieve this is by looking into the demographic profile of outdoor gear participants.

Demographic Breakdown of Outdoor Gear Products Consumers

Your typical product consumers would be those who enjoy outdoor activities, but just understanding their interests is not enough. 

So here's a breakdown of the demographic profile of those you need to target to achieve exceedingly good results in marketing your brand. The data gathered is from the 2022 Outdoor Participation Trends Report by the Outdoor Foundation.

Age

As of 2021, the average age of outdoor participants was 37.4.

The Outdoor Foundation's research indicates that outdoor activities are not restricted to any particular age group; people of all ages participate, resulting in a diverse age demographic. 

However, in the past two years, the number of seniors aged 65 and above has increased significantly by 2.5 million, or 16.8% - the largest growth in both percentage and count among all age groups.

Gender

Approximately 54% of outdoor product consumers are male, while the remaining 46% are female.

In terms of outdoor recreation participation, females aged six and above represent 46.5% of all outdoor participants. Over the past two decades, the gap between male and female participation has gradually reduced, bringing it closer to parity.

Ethnicity

When it comes to outdoor recreation participation, looking at the percentage of individuals within each ethnic group who take part provides a distinct perspective.

African American/Black individuals have the lowest participation rate among ethnic groups, with only 38.6% taking part. On the other hand, Asian individuals and Pacific Islanders have the highest participation rate, with 58% taking part. 

For white individuals, the participation rate stands at 56.6%, while for Hispanic individuals, it is 51.1%.

Location

The South Atlantic states, including DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV, and DC, have the highest number of outdoor recreation enthusiasts, accounting for 20.1% of all participants across regions. 

Following closely is the Pacific region, comprising CA, WA, and OR, with 16.3% of participants. 

The East North Central states of IL, MI, IN, and OH take third place with 15.4%, while the Middle Atlantic states of NY, NJ, and PA rank fourth with 12.9%.

How to Market Your Outdoor Gear Store?

Now that you have an overview of the demographic profile of your audience, it’ll be easier for you to have a better understanding of how to promote your products.

Outdoor gear products are generally marketed on most digital platforms.

Segmenting your audience using their age, location, and interests could help you create better campaigns, whether it's a social media advertisement on Instagram and Twitter or an email marketing campaign. 

The truth is, there is no perfect formula for how to do marketing, but you have to keep in mind that you need to improve your game on social media and email marketing to reach people and let them know more about your outdoor gear store.

Additionally, start to practice following your own funnel marketing and choose to reward your customers to foster brand loyalty.

If you are wondering how you can identify if your marketing investment is worth it, you must keep track of your conversion rates.

Increase Conversion Rate For Outdoor Gear Stores

Introduction

Whether you are trying to improve your outdoor gear business or you are in the planning phase, you have probably noticed a sudden increase in growth in the outdoor industry. 

Unlike other sectors, outdoor activities would never go out of trend, especially now that many people are becoming more conscious of their health and enjoy having fun outdoors. 

So, to get ahead of the market, you must understand the importance of your conversion rates as a business to not end up losing money in marketing and getting nothing in return.

A low conversion rate is a threat to your outdoor gear business, which is why a good conversion rate is important to know how well your marketing efforts pay off.

In this article, we will guide you through understanding everything you need to know about conversion rates and how to strategize to increase your conversion rate as you increase the growth of your business.

But first, let’s try to look at an overview of the outdoor industry to help you identify how to properly market your outdoor gear products to your audience.

Understand Conversion Rates for Outdoor Gear Stores

A “conversion rate,” as defined, is a metric that expresses the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action, such as making a purchase, filling out a form, or subscribing to a newsletter.

Although optimizing conversion rates isn’t easy and doesn’t necessarily guarantee revenue, especially if your marketing spend is higher than what you earn.

In this case, you need to make sure that your conversion rate is optimized properly so you won’t be wasting money on marketing because even website traffic might not be a good help if the results of your marketing efforts don’t get enough sales.

The Importance of Conversion Rates for Outdoor Gear Stores

The outdoor gear industry has a very big potential to keep growing over the next few years, so if you are just starting or you’ve already started a business in the same industry, you have to stay positive as long as you follow the right ways to improve your conversions.

The conversion rate will show you the effectiveness of your campaigns as well as how much customer acquisition costs to help you determine if you’re gaining more or less.

Want to be up to date with Marketing?

Subscribe to Marketing Automation dedicated newsletter!

Stay connected with what’s really important to optimize your digital revenues.

By clicking the button, you accept our Terms & Conditions. Also you will need to confirm your email address.

Conversion Rate Benchmark for Outdoor Gear Stores

The average conversion rate benchmark you should aim for your outdoor gear eCommerce brand is about 2%.

According to Storeya, it is 1.96. This is how you can ensure that your investments are paying off. 

In May 2021, online shopping for goods in this industry increased by 216%. Not to mention that the competition increased, but surprisingly, there was steady demand.

Conversion Rate Optimization for Outdoor Gear Stores

CRO, known as conversion rate optimization, is basically defined as simply increasing your conversion rates.

To do that, you have to follow strategies that are proven effective, strategically correct and tactics that will work for your own niche in the industry.

Strategies to Increase Conversion Rates 

Customization And Segmentation

Tailoring the website experience to individual users’ specific interests and needs can significantly increase conversion rates. 

Data-driven insights can be used to segment users based on demographics, behavior, or interests, allowing for more personalized messaging, offers, and calls to action.

Product Recommendations

Users’ likelihood of conversion can be increased by providing relevant product recommendations based on their browsing and purchase history. 

This can be accomplished with the help of machine learning algorithms or personalized product lists created by human experts.

Retargeting Abandoned Carts/Exit Popups

Retargeting customers who abandoned their carts or will shortly leave the site can help you recover lost sales. 

This can be accomplished through targeted email campaigns, exit popups, or retargeting advertisements.

Branding Efforts

Establishing a strong brand identity and reputation can lead to increased user trust and credibility, resulting in higher conversion rates. 

Investing in high-quality design, user experience, and content marketing efforts can help to create a consistent and engaging brand presence.

Examples Of Outdoor Gear Stores That Successfully Increased Their Conversion Rates 

REI

REI is an outdoor gear and apparel retailer that has used personalized suggestions for goods, user-generated content, and social proof to increase conversion rates. 

As depicted in the product recommendation image, Rei displays additional available items below when a customer browses for a single product. These items are highly likely to be viewed and purchased together with the chosen product, enhancing the overall customer experience.

Backcountry

Backcountry is an online retailer of outdoor gear along with clothing that has prioritized improving its website’s user experience in order to increase conversions. 

To assist customers in making informed purchasing decisions, they have implemented features such as live chat support, product videos, and user reviews.

In this image, you can observe that on the left side, there is a live chat feature where you only need to provide your name and select your concern from the list of options. Moreover, Backcountry has included customer reviews below their products.

Patagonia

Patagonia is an outdoor clothing and gear company that has used a variety of conversion-boosting strategies, such as retargeting campaigns, email marketing, and social media advertising. 

They also have a “Worn Wear” program that allows customers to trade back their used Patagonia gear, which aids in the development of brand loyalty.

Moosejaw

Moosejaw is an outdoor gear and apparel retailer that has used a variety of conversion-boosting strategies, including personalized recommendations, gamification, and social proof. 

They also have a rewards program that encourages customers to return and refer their friends.

This image presents an excellent display of social proof below the product items of Moosejaw. Ratings are categorized by quality, comfort, style, and fit.

Need help Acquiring New Customers?
We can help you acquire valid traffic and convert this traffic into customers. Let’s discuss and see what we can do for you.

Conclusion

The outdoor gear industry may seem like such a huge industry for a small starting business, but due to the consistent demand of consumers, the increasing industry has the same demand.

So don’t get overwhelmed.

Start with the easiest and most effective way of converting people, such as email marketing or even social media marketing.

Grow your business and keep track of your conversion rate!

If you think you need a bigger step, Vibetrace is here to guide you.

You don’t have to waste your time looking for personalized templates and trackers because Vibetrace can offer you more than you think.

What are you waiting for?

Book a call with us today.

Want more helpful & informative content?

Sign up to our newsletter to get the latest articles sent right to your inbox!

Be sure to follow us online for even more great content.