Page 84 - Marketing Management

DEVELOPING MARKETING STRATEGIES AND PLANS | CHAPTER 2 61

Demographics Another trend is group skating. More and more groups are get-
■ There is an almost equal ratio between male and ting together on skating excursions in cities all over the world. For
female users. example, San Francisco has night group skating that attracts hun-
dreds of people. The market trends are showing continued
■ Ages 13–46, with 48% clustering around ages 23–34. The
growth in all directions of skating.
recreational users tend to cover the widest age range, includ-
ing young users through active adults. The fitness users tend 2.1.4 Market Growth
to be ages 20–40. The speed users tend to be in their late
twenties and early thirties. The hockey players are generally in With the price of skates going down due to competition by so
their teens through their early twenties. The extreme segment many skate companies, the market has had steady growth
is of similar age to the hockey players. throughout the world, although sales had slowed down in some
■ Of the users who are over 20, 65% have an undergraduate markets. The growth statistics for 2007 were estimated to be
degree or substantial undergraduate coursework. over 35 million units. More and more people are discovering—
and in many cases rediscovering—the health benefits and
■ The adult users have a median personal income of $47,000.
fun of skating.
Behavior Factors
2.2 SWOT Analysis
■ Users enjoy fitness activities not as a means for a healthy life,
but as an intrinsically enjoyable activity in itself. The following SWOT analysis captures the key strengths and
■ Users spend money on gear, typically sports equipment. weaknesses within the company and describes the opportunities
and threats facing Pegasus.
■ Users have active lifestyles that include some sort of recre-
ation at least two to three times a week.
2.2.1 Strengths
■ In-depth industry experience and insight
2.1.2 Market Needs
■ Creative, yet practical product designers
Pegasus is providing the skating community with a wide range of
■ The use of a highly efficient, flexible business model utilizing
accessories for all variations of skating. The company seeks to
direct customer sales and distribution
fulfill the following benefits that are important to its customers:
■ Quality craftsmanship. The customers work hard for 2.2.2 Weaknesses
their money and do not enjoy spending it on disposable prod-
ucts that work for only a year or two. ■ The reliance on outside capital necessary to grow
the business
■ Well-thought-out designs. The skating market has not
been addressed by well-thought-out products that serve ■ A lack of retailers who can work face-to-face with the
skaters’ needs. Pegasus’ industry experience and personal customer to generate brand and product awareness
dedication to the sport will provide it with the needed informa- ■ The difficulty of developing brand awareness as a
tion to produce insightfully designed products. start-up company
■ Customer service. Exemplary service is required to build
a sustainable business that has a loyal customer base. 2.2.3 Opportunities
■ Participation within a growing industry
2.1.3 Market Trends ■ Decreased product costs through economy of scale
Pegasus will distinguish itself by marketing products not previ- ■ The ability to leverage other industry participants’ marketing
ously available to skaters. The emphasis in the past has been to efforts to help grow the general market
sell skates and very few replacement parts. The number of
skaters is not restricted to any one single country, continent, or 2.2.4 Threats
age group, so there is a world market. Pegasus has products
for virtually every group of skaters. The fastest-growing seg- ■ Future/potential competition from an already established
ment of this sport is the fitness skater. Therefore, the marketing market participant
is being directed toward this group. BladeBoots will enable ■ A slump in the economy that could have a negative effect on
users to enter establishments without having to remove their people’s spending of discretionary income on fitness/
skates. BladeBoots will be aimed at the recreational skater, the recreational products
largest segment. SkateAids, on the other hand, are great for ■ The release of a study that calls into question the safety
everyone. of skating or the inability to prevent major skating-
The sport of skating will also grow through SkateSailing. This induced traumas
sport is primarily for the medium-to-advanced skater, and its
growth potential is tremendous. The sails that Pegasus has manu- 2.3 Competition
factured have been sold in Europe, following a pattern similar to
windsurfing. Windsailing originated in Santa Monica but did not Pegasus Sports International is forming its own market. Although
take off until it had already grown big in Europe. there are a few companies that do make sails and foils that a few