JJB Sports has gone into administration. Not surprising, with the growth of online discount retailers snaffling all its trade.
SportPursuit takes the bargain-hunting one step further. It offers seven-day flash sales for members, offering discounts up to 70 per cent. Brand partners include well-known brands like Berghaus, UnderArmour and Wilson as well as niche specialists like VibramFivefingers, BCA Avalanche Backpacks and much more. The member base is expanding rapidly and has already reached almost 100,000 people with around 20,000 people following SportPursuit on Facebook. To help drive the next wave of growth, the firm has closed a $2.3m funding round with DFJ Esprit and top angels including Peter Draper, former marketing director for Manchester United; Alex Chesterman, CEO of Zoopla; and co-founder of Lovefilm William Reeve. What we like is the radicalism of the model, described as “at the confluence of retail, media and social”. Retailers, like media businesses, are having to adopt multi-channel strategies. That’s much easier for newcomers, such as SportPursuit, so we think it’s well worth watching. Oh, and we reckon other high-street sports retailers will be seriously perturbed.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.