The sports industry is growing to be the biggest in the world as more people participate in sports and recreational activities. Sports has grown in popularity as both a passive and active form of entertainment. Consumers are increasingly spending more on sports equipment, with athleisure clothing and accessories accounting for a large portion of the expenses. The industry thrives enormously on e-commerce, which is a popular retail medium nowadays and also allows consumers to compare all available brands of sports equipment. E-commerce market places now serve as a one-stop shop for all sports accessories and equipment, increasing its salability in the global sports equipment market.
Lifesports is one of the key players in the market, with a demonstrated history of industry expertise for more than 70 years. Lifesports is a multi-category sporting goods distributor that carries everything from team sports, fitness, racket sports, and combat sports, to sports accessories. The firm distributes an array of international brands, and one of the biggest trademarks Lifesports now carriesis UFC, the leading combat sports brand in the world. Lifesports has also developed a number of in-house brands, including Elite - its biggest brand which covers a multitude of categories; Aquagear - focused on water sports; and Shield - focused on advanced sports protection. The firm began to place a strong emphasis on delving deeply into fitness, especially during the pandemic, and hassuccessfully garnered a lot of brand recognition with its flagship brand, Elite.
Lifesports lays its emphasis on customer value, and always strives to bring their clients something different and unique, with a laser-like focus on branding, design, packaging, and user-experience through product development. The Philippinemarket is price sensitive, but Lifesports prides itself on its ability to balance this with innovation and design to continually offer something new in the market. Customers perceive added value while receiving a good deal and value for their money. “Our focus is always on quality and product design while maintaining the price accessibility”, adds Sameer Gurnamal, Vice President, Lifesports.
Meeting Customers’ Requirements to a Tee
Lifesports has been operational since the 1950’s on the b2b front, and its products can be found in the countries’ major retailers. The new brands developed by the firm are omnipresent in leading retail stores and department stores. Given how broad and inclusive its lines are in terms of the various categories it covers, it aids the firm in getting its foot into different doors. Having said that, Lifesports is not just a product development company but is also centered on providing world-class customer service. Particularly in the E-commerce space, the firm seeks to find the best route when working on third-party platforms Lazada, Shopee, and more, in order to find novel ways to delight their customers. It's very different from what Lifesports was originally as a b2b company, now making a larger volume of customers happy on an individual basis, which necessitates meticulous customer service and communication with customers.
Several customers have distinctive needs, whether it's for packaging or delivery. Lifesports makes every effort to accommodate customers' needs and specifications to the best of its ability. The firm is outfitted with seasoned professionals in sales and marketing, operations, and product development, who are adept and committed to meeting the customers’ requirements to a tee. “Our accuracy and promptness are our greatest strengths. We place a high value on customer excellence, which includes being flexible, approachable, accommodating, and ultimately meeting our client's needs”, emphasizes Sameer.
Undaunted Journey of Excellence
Lifesports is a wholesale trading company that was founded in 1950. It was originally known as Gurnamal Sons until late 2009 when the name was changed to Lifesports and has since evolved, primarily as a sports trading company. Over the last five years, the firm has seen significant growth, including its acquisition of international brands such as UFC, a significant milestone.
Lifesports always strives to bring something different & unique while putting a laser-like focus on branding, design, packaging, & user experience through product development
Going forward, Lifesports intends to continue building its in-house brands and enter more categories within sports. Every month, the firm releases new additions to its product lines and explores new opportunities that fall under the umbrella of sports equipment and accessories. As for the digital front, Lifesports is taking the right steps to make this a bigger part of its business. People are going to see a bigger presence of its brands on the E-commerce marketplaces, and eventually on its own B2C website.
Sameer H. Gurnamal, Vice President, Lifesports
“Sam” is an Indian, born and raised in the Philippines. He is a third-generation entrepreneur, from a family of pioneer traders in the Philippine Market. He graduated in 2016 from Fordham University in New York, where he majored in Business Administration. While in the US, he worked in a number of different industries including Product Management and Sourcing for an E-commerce start-up, as well as a stint in Financial Planning for a wealth Management firm on Wall Street. Since joining Lifesports, Sam has leveraged his professional experience to lead the evolution of the company through the development and acquisition of new brands. His passion and understanding of health, fitness, and sports have given him a unique edge in formulating business strategies for the Philippine market.
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