Target market

The selection and analysis of market segments is critical in the process of customer marketing and the
identification of target customers. In order to support Decathlon's consumer segmentation, we chose
three major areas of customer behavior to evaluate.

One of the aspects stated in the research on consumer behavior is focus on their hobbies and daily
activities. To better serve our clients, we will define their daily activities and behaviors in this part so that
we can provide them with more relevant ads and viewpoints. ). It appears that many customers use
cellphones in their leisure time on a regular basis. These clients are eager to get their hands on the very
first athletic items that are both inexpensive and environmentally friendly. They often visit the website
to know about different items that have been introduced as well as to read product information and
reviews. Not only that, customers also have the habit of interacting online through the active
communities established by Decathlon. They can give opinions and get more advice from staff about
products. There are also online fitness classes by employees to encourage people to live a healthy
lifestyle and contribute to building a good image for the company. Because of frequent access to
products online, the demand for home delivery of customers has increased greatly. According to
research, about two-thirds (65%) of Decathlon buyers access their website via a mobile device (Rigby,
2020 ). Be aware of the situation Decathlon have actively developed their online sales website so that
customers may immediately view the new product introduction while in an eye-catching environment.

Furthermore, the firm targets to beginner customers and offers a reasonable fee rather than designing
for only professionals. These individuals are often between the ages of 18 and 30, and they are either
unmarried or married. The projected benefits of the firm are that it will make sports more accessible to
everyone and that it will assist individuals from all over the world in integrating into this enjoyable
lifestyle. (Singh, 2019)

The failure of Decathlon's 1999 single-brand policy showed that customers wanted diversity in
sports products and had different needs for specialized products. Following this policy, Decathlon
has reassessed the problem and strengthened its product quality to continue to dominate the global
sports market. (Lartigue, de Verdalle and Bharambe, n.d.) Over the past two decades, Decathlon has
built its own brands to diversify its product portfolio. They expand the design of equipment for
many specific sports. Examples are Tribord (warter sport), Subea (diving). Decathlon's primary
objective is to do extensive consumer research in order to provide a range that is acceptable for
both customers and athletes. (Mira, 2018)

Rigby, C., 2020. CASE STUDY How Decathlon uses digital to meet customers’ needs – during lockdown and
beyond. [online] Marketing Retailing. Available at:
<https://internetretailing.net/covid-19/covid-19/case-study-how-decathlon-uses-digital-to-meet-
customers-needs--during-lockdown-and-beyond--21848> [Accessed 11 September 2021].
Singh, S., 2019. Inside Decathlon: The Success Story Of A Brand Making Sports Accessible. [online] Vue.ai
Blog. Available at: <https://vue.ai/blog/leaders-in-retail/decathlon-innovatio/> [Accessed 12
September 2021].

Mira, N., 2018. Decathlon continues to segment and specialise own brands. [online]
FashionNetwork.com. Available at: <https://ww.fashionnetwork.com/news/decathlon-continues-to-
segment-and-specialise-own-brands,945577.html> [Accessed 12 September 2021].

Lartigue, J., de Verdalle, X. and Bharambe, S., n.d. Retailer Brand Policies: Decathlon Case Study (1/2).
[online] Bearingpoint.com. Available at: <https://www.bearingpoint.com/fr-fr/blogs/blog-cpg-retail-
luxury/retailer-brand-policies-decathlon-case-study-12/> [Accessed 12 September 2021].