The National Football League cites improved merchandising, a new web site design and more aggressive marketing for a 52% jump in web sales at NFLShop.com.
One of the National Football League’s key marketing strategies last year was to seek a better understanding of “avid” NFL fans. Fans were asked what they wanted and described their feelings about the game through an online survey and through focus groups. Participants were selected from 21 million names in the NFL’s fan database.
Among the results: fans want an “inside” track to get closer to players and the game itself, says Bob O’Keefe, senior director of NFL Direct. “One of the ways to do that is to access the same products that players and coaches are wearing,” he says. The NFL is No. 130 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide.
In line with TV commercials showing Bears and Vikings fans trying to one-up each other with team paraphernalia, NFLShop.com boosted SKUs available online or through its catalog from 21,000 to 45,000. Fans want unique gear tied to their favorite team, so NFLShop also added leather couches, products for children and women and tailgating supplies.
GSI Commerce Inc., the NFL’s third party web services provider, created the web site redesign, which features easier navigation, more functionality and a “cleaner” checkout, O’Keefe says.
Another factor in NFLShop.com’s sales growth was more aggressive online marketing, with search representing 20% of site traffic in 2006, up from the low single digits in the past.
For 2007, NFLShop.com is adding product customization to its apparel offerings. The site is using visualization technology from Scene7 Inc. to show shoppers exactly how a name will appear on a jersey, for example, one of the site’s biggest sellers, O’Keefe says.
NFLShop.com also is using technology from RichFX Inc. for a virtual catalog and web analytics software from Omniture for key reporting details.
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