The National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) and nationally known market research firm Irwin Broh & Associates have published a unique report that connects participation in 13 fitness activities with purchases of seven separate pieces of equipment.
The 152-page report, “Fitness Participation & Equipment Purchases – A Relational Study” is the Association’s first attempt to link participation and purchases, allowing use of this data to make more educated assumptions about Americans who attempt to be physically fit.
“The survey will provide insights into relationships between types of activities people engage in and the products they purchase,” said David Waitz, president of Irwin Broh & Associates, the same firm that produces NSGA’s Sporting Goods Market reports for NSGA each year.
“The report can be a valuable marketing tool for both retailers and manufacturers,” said NSGA Vice President of Information & Research Thomas B. Doyle. “Analysis of the data can reveal the types of fitness images that are most appropriate for advertising and marketing products to the consumers most likely to purchase a given product. Demographics not in our Sporting Goods Market report provide additional insights into the timing of consumer purchases.”
The study examines fitness participation in 2002 based on equipment purchased during that same period. The questionnaire, which was sent to 20,000 households, asked in which type of exercise the male or female heads of household participated, frequency of participation, type of exercise equipment purchased, and demographics.
The activities surveyed are aerobic exercise, bicycle riding, exercise on treadmill, exercise with other equipment, exercise walking, hiking, running/jogging, inline skating, Pilates, yoga, tai chi, martial arts, boxing and work with personal trainer.
For each of the 13 activities surveyed, the following information is provided: whether or not he/she participated in the activity in 2002; the level of participation (frequent, occasional or infrequent); average number of days of participation; comparison of 2002 participation with 2001 (loyals versus joiners); comparison of 2001 participation with 2002 (loyals versus dropouts); and percentage change between 2002 and 2001.
The equipment surveyed are multi-purpose home gyms, treadmills, stationary exercise bicycles, cross-country ski exercisers, elliptical/cross-trainers, free weights/weight sets, and heart rate monitors.
To relate participation in the 13 activities to purchases, data is provided for the total sample, those who purchased any of the seven exercise products surveyed, those who purchased none of the seven products surveyed, and each of the seven products.
In addition, extensive demographic information is provided for each activity surveyed. The demographics for male and female head of household include: type of residence (house, apartment, mobile home, condo, twinplex, other); lifestyle, age, household size, and household structure (family, non-family).
“Fitness Participation & Equipment Purchases – A Relational Study” is available to NSGA members for $295. Cost for non-members is $395. To purchase the report or for more information, contact the NSGA Research
Department: (847) 296-6742; e-mail: info@nsga.org; fax: (847) 391-9827.
