Skate sales increase in the Netherlands (and Germany)

A strong contrast between the Netherlands and France

Discrepancies related to differences in coping with the health crisis

A few days ago we told you about the exploding skate sales in the United States. Today a similar phenomenon is taking place in the Netherlands! While France is forced to impose restrictions and skaters are fined, roller skate sales in the neighbouring country of the Netherlands seem to be experiencing a real boom. The newspaper destentor.nl has just published an article explaining that roller skating has come back to the fore as a result of the COVID 19 epidemic.

Henk Schra, owner of a specialist shop in Wezep:

“Skating is the ultimate Corona sport. Never before have so many inline skates been sold in such a short time. “

For weeks he has been selling more inline skates than ever before.

“I don’t know what’s going on right now, but things have been going really well since the coronavirus crisis started. I think we’ve been selling 15 to 20 pairs of rollerblades a day for weeks”.

The return of the skaters

While the skaters seemed to have disappeared from the streets some time ago, here they are back on the dikes and cycle paths. Schra has been running the business for over 25 years. The business has been in existence since 1928, but since then, he has never experienced such a rush.

“Our suppliers can no longer deliver. Fortunately we have a large stock. “

 

He expects even more crowds, as many other activities are prohibited:

“People always want to move. Gyms are closed, playing golf and tennis is not possible. The only thing left to do is to get the old skates out of the closet”.

Better equipment

The latest technical developments seem to be contributing to the return of roller skates: big wheels have made training more comfortable. Skating conveys a feeling of freedom, which is in contrast to the needs of captivity.

A recovering market

According to reports, around 100,000 pairs of skates have been sold in the Netherlands in the last three weeks. The manager explains that sales of skates have been in constant decline since the late 1990s.

“Sometimes some sports have suddenly gone out of fashion. Nowadays they are no longer available in ordinary shops. As a result, customers turn to the specialist shops that are still open in the Netherlands. The customers in Stouwdam even come from Brabant.
For a good bicycle you can easily calculate 1000 euros. You can buy skates for 100 or 150 euros. Put on a helmet and protectors to get started. “

In the Netherlands, the roller skating season usually starts again in the summer, after the harsh winters, when the Dutch prefer ice skating.

Booming economy also in Germany

The trend was confirmed by the German brand Powerslide. The brand’s bosses, Matthias Knoll and Jürgen Pfitzner, confirmed that they spend 90% of their time helping their logistics department with order processing. In countries where shops are closed, Internet sales are booming throughout Europe.

“The Dutch market is booming, Germany is booming and especially the online shops are ordering a lot. Fitness skates are in great demand, but also children’s models, urban skates, protectors, accessories such as wheels, ball bearings, etc. The speed models have remained constant and the slightly cheaper fitness models are doing really well. “

The health benefits of skating are numerous: it has the same effects as running, but puts less strain on the joints. It is easier for overweight people to get started and they can lose weight more easily by skating.

A skating video from 2016 in the middle of tulip fields

Links

A visit at Powerslide’s hearquarters

Photos : shop Stouwdam
Rollerblade
Stefan Beyer (Powerslide)