Columbia and Pathfinder, one is an international predators operating for half a century and laying a strong channel of resources around the world, one is a famous brand leader who seized the rapid rise of emerging domestic industries opportunity. In the domestic outdoor market, the two collide directly, but they are all out of their own mode. Their approach may not be suitable for the development of each business move, but proficient in a move, perhaps there will be a different value. Because, the solution to the problem may come from the train of thought that the case spawned.
First, the main technology licensing
Science and technology has always been a hot word in the footwear industry, more and more enterprises to focus on playing technology licensing, in the production process of shoes and apparel various key process problems have been overcome by enterprises. It not only reflects the consumer's desire to pursue a more high-end lifestyle, but also places more demands on the enterprises that provide the products. However, focusing on technology does not mean going away from the trend. On the contrary, those enterprises that take the lead in the industry to lead one technology often become the learning objects of subsequent brands.
Due to its own attributes, the outdoor industry has a higher measure of the technical content of the product. So, as representatives of the outstanding outdoor industry at home and abroad, Columbia and Pathfinder in science and technology in the end is how to make the concept really landing?
Columbia: Independent research + acquisition
Columbia, with a good reputation as an outdoor sports brand, runs all-weather outdoor technology throughout the entire process from fabric development to cropping.
Columbia has developed its own patent fabric Omni-Tech (windproof waterproof breathable fabric), through a professional seal to deal with consumers in the outdoor wind, water, breathable demand. Columbia's decades-long research and development of key technologies can be completely adapted to different outdoor sports needs, such as anti-UV function, three-dimensional reduction knees position, omni-directional mobile sleeve, convection ventilation system and so on. It is this unique technology brings the true outdoor experience let Columbia stand out.
In addition, Columbia grants its technology through acquired brands to secure its technology leadership. Columbia has acquired the Montrail brand, known for its high-quality running shoes, hiking shoes and hiking shoes, and has been named the best-selling shoe brand in outdoor specialty products by the SNEWS Outdoor Retailer Survey. In the search for the best technology and technology, Columbia has spared no effort to make every piece of outdoor products value for money, all containing many not-so-known technology passwords.
Pathfinder: dumbbell mode + largest R & D center
In science and technology, for more than 10 years, Pathfinder has always insisted on innovation and adopted a "dumbbell" model to invest more in the upstream and downstream of the high value-added business chain while outsourcing the midstream (production). Specifically, Pathfinder pays more attention to product design, research and development. According to statistics, Pathfinder R & D investment in 2008-2010 was 6.34 million yuan, 8.92 million yuan, 14.48 million yuan, accounting for about 3% of revenue each year, access to nearly 10 patents.
Pathfinder insist on building its own technology, with core technology strategy. It owns the outdoor products industry's largest R & D center, research and development of products have been "China Red Star Design Award" and other industry-renowned awards. The self-developed TiEF fabric combines natural active material modification technology with repeated technical improvements and innovations aimed at the functionality and comfort of professional outdoor products. And continue to TiEF in-depth research and development, to create high-quality, excellent price of independent green fabric technology.
Summary: Whether it is Columbia, or Pathfinder, for scientific and technological exploration and innovation, to give each product a high-tech content, the purpose is to ensure high quality, in order to better feedback to users.
Second, the service experience
This is the era of selling products, but also to sell services era. In meeting the quality of the hardware based on the current consumer demand for soft services businesses are also gradually increased.
Columbia: to meet the diverse needs
In the user experience, Columbia is very concerned about the direct feelings of consumers. In order to make consumers feel this, Columbia will be in outdoor road shows, so that customers wearing Columbia products stand in a glass house, to experience the feeling of simulated outdoor environment.
Columbia China office in the office there is a exquisite model room filled with objects, the model room almost all the decoration and layout are exactly the same store, in order to reproduce Columbia true retail scene and fierce competition in the market atmosphere, so that sales People learn about Columbia's corporate and brand culture and the manufacturing processes for specialty fabrics. In addition, having employees work in such an atmosphere helps strengthen their understanding of Columbia products and their sense of belonging to the brand.
At the same time, Columbia introduced Nike's design team to a "fashion breakthrough" beyond its capabilities in how to help fashion users acquire personalized features beyond technology. Many different outdoor equipment, have been available. These products are full of sense of technology and fashion, to meet the diverse consumer demand.
Pathfinder: sub-categories, extending the product
Since the beginning of 2009, Pathfinder has subdivided the product from the design style and has divided into four series according to different target groups: outdoor travel series (DAILY) for general outing and self-driving tour; professional outdoor series for outdoor enthusiasts PERFORMANCE; VIN-TAGE-TOREAD for urban consumers and LIFE-STYLE. Through accurate classification, more accurate capture consumer psychology, access to more market share.
At the same time, Pathfinder uses the platform of outdoor products as a platform to expand its products and gradually develop from a single tent product into an outdoor product supplier that includes equipment, shoes and clothes and further extends to "outdoor-based" Casual shoes, clothing products, which evolved into an outdoor lifestyle brand. It is reported that in early 2013 the Pathfinder will be located on the line outdoor leisure, the price is closer to the people of the new brand, enhance the epitaxial growth.
Summary: Consumers increasingly "critical" era, not only need strength products to speak, but also continue to try to figure out the increasingly delicate needs of consumers psychology, and only walk in front of consumers in order to continue among the top runway.
Third, channel development
Path is the key to brand building and expansion, is the most direct contact with the product and the consumer window. Based on the industry attributes of the outdoor products industry, how to choose a more suitable channel for brand selection in the access road?
Columbia: Agent is the customer
Many foreign brands enter the Chinese market, due to lack of understanding of China, can not find a good partner and lead to market failure. Columbia believes that if the market is not enough to understand, then the definition of market boundaries and rules is difficult, the Chinese outdoor market is not so large imagined, people's spending habits and awareness still remain in the outdoor equivalent to "outdoor wear" and "Luxury" concept, and in foreign countries, outdoor products are used as necessities to buy and use, in overseas sales of 10,000 star products to get to China may be serious "acclimatization", the market gap is very clear .
Therefore, Columbia insists that the terminal force, is very concerned about the integration and control channels, and vigorously develop agents to operate Columbia in the local market. In China, only 10% of Columbia's own stores, in addition to select the most suitable local partners together to expand the local market. In addition, with other outdoor brands desperately developing agents and thus charge a high fee agency fee is different, Columbia in the region will only choose an agent, because the high-end outdoor market capacity is still very limited. And continue to help agents enhance retail and service capabilities, protect their legitimate interests and achieve a win-win situation.
Pathfinder: Dislocation competition
Competition has always been a barrier to business. Columbia has hundreds of stores in China and most of them are located in the major commercial areas of the first-tier cities such as Beijing and Shanghai and the developed areas. As a result, Columbia's market position can hardly be easily shaken.
In order to avoid the direct countermeasure against Columbia, Pathfinder focuses on the second and third tier cities, but this does not meet the status quo in the outdoor industry. The first-tier markets and the domestic core business districts are still the main battlefield of Pathfinder.
Faced with such embarrassment, Pathfinder then take the wrong way to deal with the competition. In the first-line market, Pathfinder take full advantage of the Columbia store less and shop slower features, and actively integrate resources, vigorously develop all kinds of channel formats. Currently outlets, joining most of the shops in the mall and the like, stores and super system is also expanding range. Through a series of measures, Pathfinder in the first-line market and Columbia direct confrontation.
While occupying the first-line market, Pathfinder modestly draw on the model of "rural encircling cities" in the domestic sporting goods industry. The business areas are gradually expanded in second and third tier cities. Pathfinder competition is relatively small in this area. However, Distributor training and market promotion, Pathfinder has achieved some results. For the second and third tier cities, continue to enhance the coverage of the secondary market, based on the rational planning of new store growth and single-store efficiency of the store.
Summary: Only occupy the channel and market can really bring profit points, the brand can get higher market profits and market share.
Postscript: outdoor products industry is a new industry in China. The concept of domestic consumption of outdoor consumption level are all unavoidable fact in front of all brands. Whether it is the deeper Columbia, or take the lead in seizing the opportunities of Pathfinder, in this piece of land cultivation to harvest, you need to select a suitable model to tap the features that consumers favor.