Sports retail giant switch focus to smaller outlets in city centres

As reported in Bike Europe, the world's biggest sporting goods retailer could be set to switch to a new strategy.

After opening close to 1,100 stores in 30 countries, Decathlon is now focusing its efforts on smaller scaled outlets in city centres, as opposed to their typical out-of-town retail park locations.

Decathlon's new strategy became clear with the opening of the company's 9th store in the Netherlands, located in the city centre of Eindhoven and with a limited floorspace of 1,000 square meters. Compared to other Dutch Decathlon stores this new one in Eindhoven is small. For instance Decathlon superstore in nearby Best has a total floorspace of 5,200 square meters. Here the sporting goods retailer offers all products for 65 different sports. The much smaller store in nearby Eindhoven offers a less wide product range. However, according to Decathlon, instore touchscreens offer possibilities to see and order the complete range. The online ordered products can subsequently be delivered through the store or to the consumer's home address.

According to Decathlon's expansion manager Rohan Uijlings the retailer is looking for more city centre stores that offer floor space up to 1,500 square meters in the three biggest cities of the Netherlands; Amsterdam, the Hague and Utrecht.

The strategy is also being seen elsewhere. Herman Van Beveren of Decathlon Belgium says, "After opening larger stores at a number of strategic locations, the next phase is now starting."

Here in the UK Crawley is set to become the latest of Decathlon's stores to open this month, making it the 26th in the country - but just their second town centre store.

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