Media release
The AX Fall/Winter 2019-2020 trade show: The biggest gathering of the sports manufacturing industry and sports retailers in Québec!
Montréal, January 24, 2019 — Québec’s most popular sporting industry event, the AX Fall-Winter 2019-20 trade show, took place in Sherbrooke from January 14 to 16. This event has established itself as one of the largest trade show for sports retailers ever presented in Québec. It was an overwhelming success, as the Québec Sport Industry and Sales Rep Association (ARISQ)’s AX tradeshow welcomed more than 1500 buyers to come meet representatives from 600 different brands in attendance.
By bringing together all major brands under one roof, AX trade shows make it easier for retailers to prepare for their next season and to make all their purchases under one roof. With its practical three-day formula, this trade show has become both an important retail lever and a precursor of the seasonal trends, according to Marc Grisé, ARISQ’s Chairman of board of administration: "Hundreds of millions of dollars in purchases were made by retailers at the AX Fall/Winter 2019-20 trade show, demonstrating that the retail sports market is doing very well and that consumers still need to travel to the store.”
The event featured sporting shoes and boots, athletic, ski and outdoor wear, and snowboarding, skiing and snowshoeing gear. This must-see event in the sports industry has created a real Who's Who in sportswear and accessories, bringing together an exclusive club of the industry’s biggest names, including Rossignol, Head, Élan, Merrell, Audvik, Valanga, Sketchers, Pajar, kodiak, Puma, Thule, Kamik, Champion, Marmot, Auclair, Smith Optic, Liquid, Crocs, Columbia, Kanuk, Kombi, Asics, Swix, Salomon, and many more!
A unique buying experience in itself
Seasonal and speciality AX tradeshows (AX is an abbreviation of the words ARISQ and Xperience) have proven their ability to adapt to the ever-evolving needs of the industry. "The ARISQ has been hosting its biannual AX trade shows at the Centre de foires de Sherbrooke for five years now," explained Linda Fortier, the association’s Executive Director. "The Sherbrooke show targets all seasonal sports disciplines; however, AX shows can be customized and specialized to focus on just one sport, such as the new Salon AX Vélo 2018 in Bromont last August, which was also a resounding success and slated to return in 2019."
A growing billion-dollar industry
The Canadian sporting goods industry is a huge market, with over $15 billion in annuals sales in 2018 alone, according to the NDP Group. While online sales continue to grow, the digital challenge is less of a concern in the sports industry, in which brick-and-mortar retail is still going strong. "In contrast to other industries, retailers appeal to amateur and professional athletes, who rely on the merchants’ expertise in order to make the right choice to suit their lifestyles. They want to try the product and ask questions before buying it. The relationship of trust, the customer experience and convenient service play a big role, so retail and online sales will coexist for everyone’s benefit," said Linda Fortier.
Preliminary data indicates that hundreds of millions of dollars are generated during recent AX tradeshows.
About ARISQ
The Québec Sport Industry and Sales Rep Association (ARISQ) was founded in 1991 by representatives seeking to pool their efforts to facilitate the representation of sporting goods merchants in Québec. Since then, the ARISQ has established itself as an important leader, dedicated to promoting the sporting industry in Québec, fostering its full growth and creating a dynamic and innovative environment. Its main driving force is organizing major independent events at which brands and retailers can create sustainable business relationships within a professional environment.
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Source:
Linda Fortier, Executive Director
Phone: 514 242-7716
Email: linda@fortierco.ca
Website: www.arisq.com