In France, Decathlon is the leading specialized distributor of sports and leisure. Its success is the result of the introduction of an innovative policy. The concept was to offer facilities for all athletes, from beginners to professionals, in all brands available under one roof. The company now operates around the globe.
With sixty-five sports organized into ten segments such as mountain sports, cycling, etc, 350 Decathlon stores were built around self-service. The customer can shop by himself or seek the assistance from a seller. The objective of this study is to demonstrate that the group was placed at the center of its concerns customer satisfaction. Indeed, the action of the brand is intended to make the act of buying more enjoyable.
Furthermore, as the quality of the distribution network is no longer enough to differentiate the company, it has implemented a policy that ensures effective outreach services to the customer to track the product in time and solve all its problems. At first this study will present the distribution market of sporting goods and the place of the Decathlon in this competitive sector. In the second part, it will detail out the marketing mix of Decathlon that is adapted to the delivery of services. The main differentiating features are also highlighted. Finally, it will consider the changes that can be made to improve service.
Decathlon group chose to focus on two main areas that are relatively related.
First, the Decathlon brand wants to offer its customers a quality on price ratio unmatched by the competition. Decathlon brand products are on average, quality equivalent and 20% cheaper than the competition. This is the result of a demanding management to offer a range of products of the first price and high quality. A wide choice is offered among the major international brands and Passion trademarks developed by Decathlon.
However, in this race to the top, the second aspect, which is probably the most hindering to the growth of Decathlon, is that the customers have less choice. Indeed, the Decathlon stores do not sell any branded products other than Decathlon. So many athletes who were usually in Decathlon stores for the variety that they offered, no longer go shopping now, because only one brand is available. Indeed the profitability of the stores was based on the Passion brand of Decathlon.
Decathlon products are mainly in house brand products called "Passions". These products are equivalent to the MDD that could be found among food retailers. Decathlon offers a range of very important products produced from blue (best quality / price), with advanced technology as a result of significant research in Decathlon laboratories .
This policy provides a range of supply and consistency in direct competition with global brands. The trademarks "Passions" such asQuechua, for example are developed and tested in the vicinity of Chamonix that is famous for its proximity to Mont Blanc. Excellent testing ground in real conditions for all products of the brand for hiking.
One of the factors that contribute most to the success of a Decathlon store is the organization of its universe. Thus, according to store size and season, the universe is constantly moving. Indeed, it is necessaryto adapt the linear part of the assortment of seasonal rays (bath, mountain, ski ) depending on the time of year.
Tags: Decathlon stores, policy of service, marketing mix of the brand
[...] and ensure the products at the exit of the store (exchange, refund, maintenance, etc.). As such, the new motto of the group "Satisfied or satisfied" sums up the situation.The objective of this approach is to find a solution to customer problems in all cases, albeit through the policy of exchange or refund, financing solutions, gift certificates or workshops - guarantors of service. In Decathlon, there are tools to measure satisfaction: The mystery shopper These visits take place once or twice a year. [...]
[...] Decathlon is characterized by the presence of workshops (skiing, cycling, tennis, etc.) which provides service without a prior appointment. Positioning Sports/expertise: the orientation of the discerning customers for sports equipment promising performance and sophistication.Decathlon focuses on the core needs of its customer. Sport/mode: orientation towards the tastes and needs of the customers seeking to satisfy requirements of an athlete as well as those of a more general nature such as clothing.Decathlon competitors to promote the peripheral needs of their customers. [...]
[...] Store The outlets are the first means of communication, indeed, whether the sales force, products in shelves, the general organization of the store or even POS materials (promotion at the point of sale), all elements are taken into account by the consumer.The strong point of Decathlon is the organization's point of sale, the different sports domains are very identifiable and noticeable to the customer. In each department, the customer can find the catalogs listing all products and displays that allow proper usage of the products. [...]
[...] The Replenishment stage: Customer buys a product Computer places a new order with the warehouse automatically Item sold is taken from the regional warehouse The item comes to the store The item is again available on the shelf for the customer After-sales The action of Decathlon does not stop at selling products, because if the brand strives to offer the best product suited to customer needs, it should place customer satisfaction at the center of its concerns.With this in mind, the company focuses its service policy.Indeed a number of services are offered to customers to facilitate the sale (financing, product testing, etc.). [...]
[...] Market shares of major brands of sports equipment in France (2005) 2 The major trends in the market - The Decathlon group when established in France 15 years ago managed to quickly penetrate the market through a very current strategy - selling quality products at low prices. The Decathlon group sells products of equivalent quality to its competitors at prices cheaper by 15 to 30%. - According to Joel Armary, Managing Director of Intersport, France is a difficult market, as it is very susceptible to price variations and fashion trends. [...]
APA Style reference
For your bibliographyOnline reading
with our online readerContent validated
by our reading committee
