Skistar, Sweden’s largest operator of ski resorts, is launching an e-commerce division that will sell mountain sports products in a bid to monetize the traffic already hitting its site to shop and book ski packages.



With ten million annual visits at skistar.com and more than one million active customer contacts, SkiStar will have considerable scale the moment it activates its shopping cart. The ecommerce site will be 100 percent integrated with the existing online booking flow at skistar.com.

 

The company said Skistarshop.com will offer the strongest brands in the market starting this autumn. Skistar also oprerates bricks-and-mortar stores at its resorts, including a flagship store in Sälen.


The integration of sales of sports articles adapted to the mountain holiday already at the time of booking provides for added value, simplicity and relevance for the guest, the company said.

 

“This is a new venture which will further strengthen SkiStar’s brand while also adding value for the guests,” said Mats Årjes, CEO SkiStar AB. “We take one-stop shopping to the next level in that the guest, while making her or his holiday booking, can instantly add relevant products needed for the mountain holiday. The fact that the e-shop is totally integrated with our booking system means brand new opportunities for our guests.”

 

SkiStarShop.com  will sell leisurewear and equipment suited for both summer and winter mountain activities, with the main focus on alpine skiing. Those booking accommodations at its resorts will be able to easily add the products they need for their trips to their booking and have them delivered straight to their condo, hotel room or house or pick them up in one of SkiStar’s 20 or so on-resort shops, where they can find help setting bindings or other services. Home deliveries will also be available.

 

“With ten million annual visits to skistar.com and more than one million active customer contacts right in the target group, our marketing will be highly cost efficient,” said Mathias Lindström, Marketing and Sales Director SkiStar AB.

 

 

SkiStar anticipates its captive audience will keep online marketing costs low. “It runs no risk of accumulating high and in part unexpected costs for the marketing; a problem many e-commerce businesses are forced to tackle since they have to pay for traffic to their sites,” the company said in a press release.

 

As another step in the multi-channel strategy, SkiStar is opening a flagship store this autumn at Sälfjällstorget in Sälen. This one will complement the existing shops at SkiStar’s destinations in Sweden and Norway.
“We should have a presence where our guests are,” said Lindström. “In order to achieve the best presence in the market we are working simultaneously online and offline.”

 

SkiStar’s new venture has been well received in the industry, with wide interest from the leading brands in mountain garments and various partnerships have been initiated.

 

SkiStar’s venture into fells sports e-commerce is a welcome addition to the industry. The company’s traditions and expertise within the area coupled with the wide customer database should provide for a success. We look forward to being part of this exciting venture, comments Stefan Engström CEO, J. Lindeberg.
SkiStar will integrate the online store into its recently launched MySkiStar loyalty program so that all purchases made at skistar.com generate points that can be used at skistarshop.com.

 

 

“We will be offering the market’s strongest mountain sports brands,” said Lindström.

 

SkiStar AB owns and operates the ski resorts at the alpine skiing destinations Sälen, Åre and Vemdalen in Sweden together with Hemsedal and Trysil in Norway as well as Hammarbybacken in Stockholm. The market share in Sweden amounts to 49 percent, in Norway 28 percent and overall in Scandinavia 39 percent. The group’s core business is alpine skiing with the guests’ experience in focus. The list of other activities includes accommodation agency, ski schools and ski rentals.