American Sportfishing Association’s ICAST tradeshow and Outdoor Retailer’s Summer Market provided a great opportunity to better understand the business and consumer trends. At ICAST, retail trends were a common theme. From the ongoing shift towards online and direct-to-consumer sales to the mega retail merger between Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s, manufacturers and distributors need to focus on where tomorrow’s products will be sold. Several businesses in attendance spoke to the need to improve their online presence beyond just informational items. Even then, with Millennial and Gen Z (also known as iGeneration, Post-Millennials – born mid- 1990’s to the mid-2000’s) anglers becoming more important over time, being able to rapidly answer consumers’ questions online and distinguishing your brand from others, especially retailer brands, is becoming more critical.

At Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, retail trends were also a concern as well as meeting the changing needs of today’s outdoor enthusiasts. Overall, branding efforts were emphasized on the floor and in presentations, with a focus on “passion” and innovation for growing sales.

Select outdoor manufacturers and retailers reported strong year-over-year increases in sales due to their brands’ new brand storytelling campaigns on social media platforms. In addition, more attention is being placed on supporting social issues that are important to their customers – a common expectation among many younger consumers. According to the NPD Group’s annual industry trends presentation at the show, consumers, especially Millennials, are looking to buy from brands that share their values and make a difference in their community. 62% of Millennials say that brand engagement is more likely to make them a loyal customer (USC Dornsife). Almost 60% of Millennials say they buy from brands that reflect their values and personality (Moosylvania) and are more likely to buy from those with whom they interact with via social media (Gallup). In addition, according to the NPD Group, staying competitive means more than just having a high quality and durable product. Gen Z and Millennials and even Baby Boomers are looking for unique experiences and want products that are not like the rest. This holds true for hunting and fishing as well as for many other outdoor activities. The trade show floor featured new lines that touched on the desire to use apparel and equipment for multiple activities, having new experiences with friends and versatile apparel for indoor and outdoor activities.