Decathlon, one of the world’s largest sporting goods retailers, is taking another step to realizing its tagline—”Making Sports Accessible to the Many”—when it will officially open its first Philippine store in Manila on June 30.
Founded in France in 1976, the retail giant currently has more than 1,200 stores and operates in over 30 countries. Decathlon’s Alabang branch in Muntinlupa City Metro Manila marks the company’s 16th store in Southeast Asia, and the first of many more stores the company plans to roll out in the Philippines.
Over the next 10 years, Decathlon plans to expand to other key cities, such as Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, and Legazpi.
“We have been interested in the Philippines for quite some time now,” says Hans Iff, CEO of Decathlon Philippines. “As the country’s economy has gotten more robust and consumers are becoming more wellness-conscious, it is the right time to invest.”
According to a McKinsey report, the sports industry in the Philippines is projected to multiply four times over the next twenty years, reaching €1 billion by 2026. With a growing younger population, an emerging middle class, and increased infrastructure spending, the World Bank Group expects the country’s real GDP to grow at a rate of 6.9 percent in 2017 and 2018.
A core part of Decathlon’s operations is an investment in in-house, consumer-focused products, called Passion Brands. Each of the company’s 40 Passion Brands represents a different sport or group of sports, with a dedicated team that is responsible for the research, design, development, and testing of their product.
“We want Decathlon to become one of the most loved brands in the Philippines. Thanks to the innovation and unbeatable value of our passion brands, we will continue to deliver the best quality and safety to guarantee customer satisfaction,” says Iff.
The company places particular emphasis on recruiting people that share our company values: passionate about sports, service-minded, and autonomous. Managers at Decathlon work closely with their staff, encouraging them to make decisions and take on more responsibilities. “We believe satisfied customers start with satisfied employees,” says Iff. “Our employees are given the room to make mistakes and grow in their roles.”
Decathlon Philippines is also investing in the local ecommerce market, allowing customers to purchase goods from their website. “Our physical stores are part of our omni-channel strategy to help us interact and serve our customers better. As consumer shopping behaviours and expectations are changing, we want to offer a seamless user experience, both in-store and online.”
Through all of its platforms and brands, Decathlon is committed to creating value for its end users, employees, partners, and citizens wherever the company is present.
The company is also looking to manufacture some of its products in the Philippines. “We aim to setup factories in the near future for the production of goods sold locally,” says Iff. “The Philippines already has the infrastructure in place for certain processes, such as heavy stitching and injection moulding for shoes. And we have already made plans to locally produce a Bluetooth communication kit for Easybreath —our innovative snorkelling mask that lets you breath through your nose.”
Decathlon Philippines actively supports the local community by investing in community development programs and partnering with NGOs and non-profit organizations. The company also recruits local underprivileged youth who have the opportunity to become Decathlon employees after undergoing a series of training. As part of their long-term vision, the company is seeking to collaborate with such youth for the design and development of certain new goods tailored for the Philippine market.
“In a country where natural resources are limited, we want our stores to be as eco-friendly as possible,” says Iff. “The objective in the middle term is to build our stand-alone concept store with a minimal impact on the environment, through the reduction of energy consumption, the optimization of waste treatments and other strategies.”
Aside from the brand’s corporate responsibility initiatives, their stores are famous for the sheer variety. The 3,000-square-meter store occupies the ground floor of Festival Mall in Alabang and stocks goods for 70 different types of sports. Aside from popular sports like basketball, running, diving, hiking, and cycling, Decathlon will also provide products that support the Philippines’ national and traditional sports like Arnis and Sipa.
Customers can even try out products before buying. All Decathlon stores in the Philippines will contain a large playground spanning more than 400 square meters, which will be free and accessible to all customers. Sports activities will also be organised onsite to promote healthy living and fitness for store visitors.
“Ultimately, the store was designed to enhance customers’ brand experience, inviting them in to touch, feel and see the quality of our products, the latest innovations, while discovering new sports.”
