DECATHLON (SPORTS FOR ALL / ALL FOR SPORTS)

Decathlon is one of the world's largest sporting goods retailers.

Decathlon started with a store in Lille, France in 1976, founded by Michel Leclercq. It started to
expand abroad a decade later, to Germany in 1986, Spain in 1992, Italy in 1998, Portugal,
the United Kingdom in 1999, China in 2003, India in 2009, Malaysia in 2016 and Southeast Asia in
2012. Today, there are more than 1100 stores[2] in 38 countries. The company employs more than
78,000 staff[3]from 80 different nationalities.
The retailer stocks a wide range of sporting goods, from tennis rackets to advanced scuba
diving equipment, usually in large superstores which are sized at an average of 4,000m.[4] Decathlon
Group also owns over 20 brands,[1] with research and development facilities all over France to
develop the latest innovative designs, registering up to 40 patents per year.[5] Each brand represents
a different sport or group of sports, with a dedicated product development and design team.

Locations[edit]
1000+ stores are located globally, in the following countries:[6]

Belgium: 26 stores
Brazil: 21 stores
Bulgaria: 4 stores
Czech Republic: 11 stores
China: 169 stores
Croatia: 5 stores
France: 303 stores
Germany: 33 stores
Hungary: 18 stores
 India: 47 stores
Italy: 108 stores
Kuwait: 1 store
Malaysia: 1 store
Netherlands: 10 stores
Philippines: 1 store
Poland: 45 stores
Portugal: 28 stores
Romania: 17 stores
Russia: 41 stores
Slovenia: 1 store
South Africa: 1 store
Slovakia: 4 stores
Spain: 144 stores
Singapore: 3 stores
Sweden: 2 stores
Turkey: 19 stores
Taiwan: 9 stores
United Kingdom: 25 stores
United States: (closed 2006)
Lebanon: 1 store
United Arab Emirates: 2 stores
Morocco: 4 stores
Thailand: 9 stores
Mexico: 2 stores
Colombia: 1 store
Serbia: 1 store
Tunisia: 1 store
Australia: Opening soon.
Ghana: Opening soon.
Israel: Opening soon.
Ukraine: Opening soon.
Online delivery has been introduced in Belgium, France, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany,
Turkey, India, Japan, Italy,[7] Singapore, Spain, Brazil, Portugal, Romania, Ireland, Mexico, Australia,
and recently, Vietnam.
In India, Decathlon products can be bought directly through their stores subsequent to change in
India's FDI policy and approval for Decathlon in February 2013.[8] In addition to this, Decathlon
products are also available online through their online resellers.
In late 2016, an online only delivery service has been introduced in Tunisia as preparations to open
the first store in Tunis have already started.[9] The first store is set to open sometime in 2017.[10]
In february 2017, to open the first store in Bogota, Colombia in the mall Parque La Colina.[11]

Product ranges[edit]
The retailer develops and sells its own brands. Each sport or group of sports has a separate brand
name:

Aptonia - Nutrition and Healthcare

Artengo - Racket Sports
B'Twin - Cycling
Caperlan - Fishing
Domyos - Fitness, Gym, Yoga, Dance, [12]
Fouganza - Horse Riding
FLX - Cricket
Geologic - Target Sports such as Archery, Darts and Ptanque
Geonaute - Sports Electronics
Inesis - Golf
Kalenji - Running
Kipsta - Team Sports
Nabaiji - Swimming
Newfeel - Walking and Urban Wear
Orao - Eyewear and Optical Accessories
Outshock - Combat Sports
Oxelo - Rollersports, Skating and Scooters
Quechua - Hiking, Camping and Outdoor Gear
Simond - Mountaineering
Solognac - Hunting
Tribord - Watersports
Wed'Ze - Skiing and Snowboarding

Economic review

Its success has greatly contributed to the decline of independent retailers in France, while the
spread of its own brands has caused great difficulties for traditional manufacturers. 2008 was a
record year for the company as the brand Decathlon had beaten all its competitors on three key
points: margin, market share, and highest turnover per square meter of retail space. It is arguably
the third at a global level. A 2008 survey of 774 catchment areas at the request of the Ministry of
Economy and Finance shows that "for sporting goods, Decathlon is dominant in 92.8% of
zones".[13] This dominant position has the effect of marginalizing its commercial competitors,
including independent retailers.[14]

Competition

In 2009, Decathlon's sector rivals, Go Sport (fr) and Sport 2000, joined forces to set up a common
purchasing centre in Switzerland, intended to "pressurize most of the major international suppliers",
according to Franois Neukirsh, Managing Director of Go Sport, in the newspaper Les chos.
Otherwise, the company does not have significant competition due to their specific target audience
in mass-market retail. Intersport is also a major competitor mainly in European market.
 DECATHLON MAKES SPORT ACCESSIBLE
FOR THE MANY
70 SPORTS UNDER ONE ROOF
Decathlons motto of making sport accessible for the many, is not just a mission statement, of our French
sports company Decathlon, its a way of life. The company was founded in 1976 and offers 70 sports
under one roof. No matter what age, spending power or sports ability, everyone can find the right product
for them from a mountain bike to a surfboard. With its 20 own brands alone the company has more than
35 000 different products sold by more than 1000 retail stores in 30 countries. All that with a low price and
high quality. This is possible as Decathlons supply chain includes product creation, research and
development, logistics and of course retail.
Each passion brand has their own research development team pushing innovative products that ensure
customer needs are met both technically and aesthetically.
The companys head quarter is based in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, Lille (North of France) and is home to 530
products engineers and 150 product designers who create around 2800 new products and 40 patents on
a yearly basis. The surfboards for example are developed and tested in Hendaye, a town along the
atlantic coast (South of France) and sold exclusively through DECATHLON retail - as all the passion
brand products.
In the UK the company has 28 stores. Each one of them is designed to enable the customer to try the
products in store. For example indoor test areas for scooters can make the shopping experience a family
event/day out. Children are cycling through the aisles or playing football with their friends on the outdoor
ground offered by some of the larger stores. Simultaneously parents have time to explore the large offer
of the store.
Large products like tents, table tennis tables and fitness machines are on display so can be tried and then
taken away in a box. Additionally, many stores offer cycling trainings, pony 2008 riding or inline skate
courses on a regular basis. Trying a new sport has never been so easy!
Shopping in Decathlon is quick and easy. The products have signs that make it easy to differentiate the
use and ability level of each product. In addition there is a team of sports advisors who are happy to
spend time with each customer to advise as well as carry out repair and/ or maintenance on the sports
products.
Everyone who doesnt have a store near them at the moment in the UK can shop online. Decathlon
offers, the click and collect service, so that the products can be ordered to home or for free to the store.
Alternatively, customers can browse the full online catalogue through the range plus screens (touch
screens) in store. There they can nd other delivery methods, more colours, or products that better suit
their sporting ability - easily orderable by themselves. The aim of all digital services is to make the
shopping experience as comfortable and easy, as possible.

Decathlon Purpose

Together, create desirability and make the pleasure and benefits of sports accessible
to everyone

Involving all sports under one roof, DECATHLON promotes accessibility to the sport:

Accessibility by price while maintaining a high exigency on the development of the quality of our
products. Simple stores, optimal logistics, efficient organizations and an ongoing commitment to control costs
and allow us to decrease regularly the prices for our products.
 Accessibility by a wide range of sports products.
Our own brands called Passion Brands such as Quechua, b'Twin, Kipsta, Nabaijithat generate loyalty
thanks to their value for money ratio: safety, use, style, instruction for use, availability
The famous International sport brands create and design affordable and qualitative products to practice
sports.

Beyond these products, DECATHLON also offers many services to repair the sport equipment. And also
a customer card, the gift card... (cf the details about our services)

A fast and pleasant store thanks to self informed choice and assistance from helpful and friendly sports
sales assistants
 Decathlon propose sports events in the stores or in the free playgrounds. These free events allow our
customers to discover sports and have fun, and speak with other sports enthusiast

Finally, Decathlon China, it is above all 4,000 people passionate about sports that contribute daily to the
satisfaction of our customers and are the primary asset of the Company.
 Decathlon History

1976
Michel Leclerq creates DECATHLON
The first store open in Englos, north of France, with a clear concept: to bring together all sports
under one
roof, at the best possible price in-self service format.

1985
Creation of the International Training school
Launch of shareholder scheme for all employees

1986
Creation of DECATHLON production
Opening of first store outside France, in Dortmund (Germany)

1992
Opening in Barcelona (Spain)

1993
Opening in Milan (Italy)
5000 employees and 100 stores
1996
Creation of the first two Passion brands: Quechua and Tribord
10000 employees

2000
Opening in London (England), Amsterdam (Holland) and Lisbon (Portugal)

2001
Opening in Sao Paulo (Bresil)
25000 employees, 300 stores

2003
Opening 1st Chinese store in Shanghai.

2006
Opening in Moscow (Russia).

2010
Opening in Turkey and Czech Republic
50000 employees and 535 stores

2012
46 stores in China and over 4000 employees

2014.11
100 stores opened in China
 TIME MACHINE
OUR RISE THROUGH THE YEARS
1976

Decathlon founder Michel Leclerq opens 1st store in Englos, Lille.

1986

Launch of Decathlon Production, designing and manufactoring our products.

1996

Decathlon creates in house brands Tribord (water sports), and Quechua (Mountain Sports).

1999

Decathlon opens its 1st store in the UK in Surrey Quays, London.

2003

Decathlon heads East and opens 1st store in China, in Shanghai.

2005

The Decathlon Foundation is created to assist with making sport accessible.

2011

Decathlon.co.uk website is launched!

2013
Decathlon UK opens its first warehouse in Northampton.

2015

Decathlon Creation is produced to provide an innovation platform for customers.

2016

Decathlon has expanded to over 1,095 stores worldwide

2017

Decathlon UK will open its 30th store and employ over 1,100 people

DECATHLON TURNOVER

Decathlon revenues exceed 10

billion euros in 2016
By Corentin Chauvel - 14 February 2017

Marking 40 years of operation, Decathlon is in good shape. The French

sporting goods retailer revealed on Monday a 12% lift in revenues
during 2016 (+4.4% on a like-for-like basis), reaching 10 billion euros,
excluding taxes.
 Decathlon
In France, the chain store, which opened eight additional domestic
outlets over the 12 months, recorded a sales growth of 2.2%, or 3.3
billion euros. Online sales for the year represented 4.1% of total
revenues, compared to 3.1% in 2015, it said.

Decathlon revealed international sales represented 67% of total

revenues. The chain opened an extra 164 outlets, and entered five new
markets (Mexico, Ivory Coast, Malaysia, Singapore and Slovenia) in
2016, taking its reach to 28 countries and 1,176 stores (including
franchises).

France remains Decathlon's biggest retail market by far with 301 stores,
followed by China and Taiwan (214) and Spain (149).

Decathlon is said to be eyeing Israel in 2017, as well as Canada and The

Philippines.
Translated by Benjamin Fitzgerald


About Our Company