Outdoor sports brand Columbia: most concerned about the direct feelings of consumers

In 1938, starting in Oregon, USA, Columbia, which started with the production of raincoats and rain caps, has long been detached from time and space to become the world’s number one outdoor sports brand. Today, Columbia's product line has expanded from the original rain gear, raincoats to outdoor jackets, multi-functional pants, T-shirts, shirts, backpacks and outdoor sports shoes and other all-weather outdoor clothing, won the admiration of outdoor enthusiasts, but also People from all over the world are welcome to become the world's top outdoor clothing brand. In 1982, Columbia developed a practical and novel design that can be disassembled. The design concept of traditional clothing is almost reversed. The Bugaboo Parka jacket is almost the first choice for adventurers.

In the view of Mr. Shi Wenqin, General Manager of Northern District of Columbia China, it is not accidental to achieve a great brand.

“Columbia was almost bought, and the buyer was sitting across from the table and said, please sign it. Our global CEO, Gert Boyle, is strong, no. In Gert Boyle’s dictionary, forever There is no such thing as 'abandoning', which is why in the predicament, many companies failed to persevere and bankrupted, but Columbia survived and got a successful development. The firm's perseverance demonstrated by Gert Boyle. The concept of "Courage to challenge" coincides with Colombia's brand personality. Whether or not a person is young does not depend on his youth, but on his attitude towards life and difficulties, which Colombia wants to convey." Shi Wenqin Mr. explained.

Technology and Leading Design Ideas Are the Core Weapons of Columbia's Competition

Shi Wenqin thinks that in the outdoor sports brand, Colombia has such a good reputation that it is not indecent. For example, the proprietary fabric developed by Columbia - Omni-Tech? (air-proof waterproof breathable fabric), the surface of the fabric plus a special coating to deal with the waterproof layer, the bottom of fabric pressed on the breathable film. We can do on the one hand the water can not penetrate the fabric, and on the other hand the sweat can be discharged by the breathable membrane, after a professional sealing treatment can help consumers achieve real outdoor windproof, waterproof, breathable function.

“We specialize in providing our customers with all-weather outdoor technology. This sense of technology runs through our products from R&D fabrics and tailoring itself. The highest waterproof performance of Omni-Tech® can reach 20,000mm water pressure, which is almost 700% of the daily water resistance of umbrellas. Times, and the breathability of this technology fabric is very good, can volatilize 13,000cc water per day, almost 10 times more than human sweat. "In addition to the fabric itself, the scientific and technological sense, decades of painstaking research and development of important technologies can be completely suitable Different outdoor sports needs, such as anti-ultraviolet function, three-dimensional reduction of knee position, full-motion sleeves, convective ventilation system and so on. Shi Wenqin believes that the unique outdoor experience brought by this unique technology has made Columbia stand out from many outdoor brands.

In order to ensure its absolute leading position in technology, Columbia has acquired the Montrail brand known for its high-quality running shoes, hiking shoes, and hiking shoes. It has also been acquired as an outdoor professional product field by the SNEWS Outdoor Retailer Survey Report. The best male and female shoe brands. Shi Wenqin firmly believes that "Columbia has always spared no effort in seeking the best technology and technology."

“The average selling price of Columbia outdoor products is between 800 and 1,000 yuan. I believe that our products are value for money. Our opponents can copy our styles and designs. The connotation of high technology cannot be copied and copied. A Columbia contains many scientific and technical passwords that are not known to the general public.” According to Shi Wenqin, high technology and low prices are contradictions that cannot be resolved. If there are technologically-priced products, it is not possible to lower prices because if If you want to achieve a certain function, you must use some kind of special technology. If you want to have a certain function, it must be sold at this price. There is no room for opportunism in the middle. “Shi Wenqin's jokes that the Columbia product itself is not profiteering, profits are not as large as most people think, and high quality and low price can only be expected to run through time and resolve,” because the price drop of technology products can only wait for technology that can achieve lower costs. Appeared, before this technology did not appear, high prices have no choice."

Shi Wenqin believes that with the passage of time and the increase in consumer spending power, it will be an "exciting moment" when the "luxury" feeling of Columbia products will become lower and lower. In Shi Wenqin's view, the outdoor product market is now far from mature, and the current work is only a preliminary warm-up, because "the market share has not yet reached the level expected by Columbia."

"There are some basic market factors, and China's spending power and understanding of outdoor sports have not yet reached the level of foreign countries, which restricts the development of Columbia to a certain extent." Shi Wenqin looks forward to purchasing Columbia customers to ensure quality and quantity. Under the premise of service, there will be a substantial increase.

Columbia cares most about the direct feelings of consumers

"I care most about the direct feelings of consumers." Mr. Shi Wenqin said. “In order to make consumers realize this in real life, we will let our customers wear our clothes and stand in the glass house to experience the feeling of simulating the outdoor environment when they are outdoors. Columbia is very serious about consumers. Every Colombian consumer buys not a piece of clothing, but longs for a natural, personal and personal life. We look forward to our products making him feel this."

There is an exquisite model room full of objects in the Columbia China office. Almost all the decoration and layout of this model are exactly the same as the layout of the store. Ms. Zhang Ying, an assistant advertising and promotion manager at Columbia, explained that this is to reproduce Columbia's real retail scene and fiercely competitive market atmosphere. “Being trained here is part of Columbia's customer satisfaction upgrade. We must let sales staff understand Colombia's corporate and brand culture and the manufacturing process of special fabrics. In addition, letting employees work in such an atmosphere helps strengthen their own products for Columbia. Understanding and a sense of belonging to the brand.” In Shi Wenqin's view, any part involving the brand and product image, for brand accumulation, the need is to accumulate and thin hair, detail management is also an integral part of it. "Creating the best products for consumers' outdoor needs is Columbia's corporate philosophy. I will always wear Columbia's clothes and shoes and think from the consumer's point of view."

"How to better help fashion users pass on personalized needs beyond the technological capabilities has been a challenge for Columbia. In this sense, Columbia's own competitors may not be other outdoor brands, but Nike and Adidas." Shi Wenqin explained Saying that because these brands and Columbia users have a great deal of overlap, it is more important that Nike and Adidas are more successful in the functional aspects of fashion. In order to make up for this shortcoming, Columbia began to introduce Nike's design team to help Columbia "breakthrough in fashion" beyond the function. "You will see a lot of different Columbia outdoor equipments in the next year, including shoes. For a long time, in order to obey the basic needs of outdoor functions, outdoor shoes are basically the same, and there is not much emotion. In the inside, we are aware of this problem and want to change it. These new devices are both stylish and full of sense of technology, and we look forward to letting consumers feel that it is much cooler to wear Columbia to attend parties."

Columbia has always been one of the generous promoters of outdoor extreme sports. For example, in the world's most challenging field adventure, the Eco ChallengeTM, contestants must complete a variety of intense outdoor games such as snow-capped mountains, cross-country races, rowing boats, and mountain bikes in the shortest possible time. Since the birth of this event, Columbia has been a regular sponsor. In China, Columbia once sponsored the 4th China Vasa Ski Festival and established good promotion and cooperation relationships with some ski resorts. “These events convey the concept of Columbia's “Quality exceeds the test.” Cool and challenging the limits are encouraged and advocated by Columbia. This is also the criteria for selecting PR, sports marketing and other means of transmission.” Shi Wenqin looks forward to using this kind of charity sponsorship. Ways to better and closer contact with consumers.

To be the best brand you have to endure loneliness and temporary flirtation

“The lessons of market failures caused by many foreign brands not understanding the Chinese market and choosing the right partners are rather tragic. Columbia believes that if you do not know enough about the market, then it is difficult to define market boundaries and rules. The familiarity of domestic users with outdoor products still requires the gradual development of patience, so as to leave enough room for future market imagination.” Shi Wenqin found out in the process of contacting the market that the Chinese outdoor product market is not as imaginary. Huge, people’s consumption habits and consciousness also equate outdoor products with the concepts of “outdoor wear” and “luxury goods”. In foreign countries, outdoor products are purchased and used as necessities of life, and sold 10,000 abroad. China's star products may have serious “acclimatization” in China, and the market gap is very obvious. “Therefore, the terminal must make efforts to rely on your partners to make the market bigger.”

Shi Wenqin is very much concerned with the integration and control of the channels, and he is working hard to develop agents to operate Columbia's local market. “We only have 10% of our own storefronts. We don't want to do it. We don’t feel it is necessary. Because you want to be a local market, you have to choose the most suitable local partner. There is no better understanding of the regional market than the locals.” Unlike other outdoor brands desperately developing agents and charging high agency fees, Columbia will only select one agent in a region because “the capacity of high-end outdoor products market is still very limited. One person can eat enough and two people can hardly say it. "The quality of the agents is the greatest concern of Shi Wenqin, and he is gratified that through the operation of the past decade, the number and quality of Columbia channels have reached an ideal state.

“Agents are your customers. You want them to make money, help them to increase their retail and service capabilities, and protect their legitimate interests. A win-win situation is a prerequisite.” Shi Wenqin expresses his indifference to the behavior of some brands. For the outdoor product industry that is not yet mature, the simple number of stores does not bring about qualitative improvement. On the contrary, due to competition, agents will experience price cuts and irrational market measures. The final result is that the brand is scarred and the business loses. . “Columbia maintains the continuous stability of prices, and we do not actively choose to lower prices because our products represent top quality and everything is real. We don’t discount the labor we pay for ourselves. A 30% or more depreciation of the goods within a day is a great deal of damage to the consumer's confidence." Shi Wenqin believes that price confusion is a sign of brand quality and immaturity. Columbia's off-season products will only be digested and dealt with through premium discount stores such as Australia Outlets and special channel discounts for VIPs. This will not hurt the brand but also relieve pressure on the inventory by way of discount rather than low price processing. "Our inventory is better controlled, and we are well-funded. There is no pressure in this area." Shi Wenqin said with a smile.

Columbia has tried to extend its product line and price downwards to attract more customers. However, during the pre-market testing, Shi Wenqin found that the low-end product launch did not make the consumer overjoyed. On the contrary, with higher technological content and products with higher added value and higher prices, customer satisfaction was better. “Since then, Columbia has decided to endure loneliness and temptation, to deepen its own market, and pay more attention to the improvement of customer satisfaction and brand experience. We realize that only limited time and energy are the most valuable. One thing is right. For other brands, this behavior may be a little silly, but we think it is right and we will insist."

Shi Wenqin in his life is a serious fan of outdoor sports and a hardcore supporter of Columbia. “This is not a professional reason, but a heartfelt affection. Wearing Columbia will feel that it is part of your body. The highest quality equipment is the guarantee that you feel and enjoy freedom in work, life and nature. As a sensitive traveler, I know that all people are eager for a rich and high-quality outdoor life experience. In the mountains, creeks, grasslands, Gobi, and the jungle, I feel and think about life and life, and continue to step on my shoulders. Higher direction sprint, this is the wonderful that Columbia can bring us.” Shi Wenqin said.