Toby’s Sports adapts to growing demand for health and fitness post-pandemic

It has implemented several innovations in its business model.

The Covid-19 pandemic has sparked a significant shift in consumer behaviour, with more people focusing on health and fitness, according to Toby Claudio, president of Toby's Sports.

"Ever since the pandemic, there's been a huge increase in awareness and participation in sports and fitness activities," he said at the sidelines of Retail Asia Forum 2024 in Manila.

"Obviously, as a result of the pandemic, people really started to value their health more and are looking for ways to stay fit and, you know, avoid getting sick,” he added.

To cater to the growing demand for convenience and speed, Toby's Sports has implemented several innovations in its business model.

"We've really made a lot of changes in our business, because the consumers are so much more demanding now, because they really expect to be able to have a 24/7 shopping experience, whether it's online, from their homes, and totally a much faster experience, both for shopping and delivery,” Claudio said.

The company has revamped its e-commerce platform to offer a curated selection of products, emphasising quick customer service through chat messenger and live chat options.

"We really pride ourselves in having quick customer service that's accessible via chat messenger and even live on live chat so that we can really respond to consumers, because they really expect quick answers, quick delivery, and to be able to get things anytime, anywhere," the president added.

Despite these advancements, aligning digital and physical retail strategies presents ongoing challenges. The CEO acknowledged the pressure of managing inventory across various platforms, stating, "I think there's a lot of pressure to have the right technology, especially for inventory management and to synchronize the inventory of the stores and the online site."

Toby’s has also leveraged several technological solutions, including CRM systems, direct mail, and AI, to help streamline customer communications and improve the overall shopping experience. 

However, Claudio noted that "it's an ongoing challenge to be able to adopt the right technology to make our customer experience better."