ABS Snow Safety 2024/25 Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Snow Safety FW24/25 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: ABS
Interviewee: Lukas Zierke, Marketing manager

What are the key trends in the snow safety market?
In the snow safety market, two prominent trends are emerging. Firstly, there’s a continuous effort in avalanche backpacks to become increasingly lightweight. Secondly, electric triggering systems are gaining a larger market share.

What were your biggest sellers in 2022/23 and why?
We achieved our highest sales last season with our most versatile avalanche backpack A.LIGHT TOUR and our freeride avalanche backpack A.LIGHT GO both featuring the revolutionary Easy.Tech System.

How are you segmenting your snow safety products? In which segment do you expect your biggest growth?

We segment our snow safety products into three main categories: avalanche backpacks, backpacks without airbags, and safety equipment such as shovels, probes, and first aid kits. While each segment holds its importance, we anticipate our biggest growth in the avalanche backpack segment. The increasing emphasis on safety features and the demand for innovative, lightweight, and technologically advanced avalanche backpacks with enhanced safety systems like airbags contribute to our expectations for significant growth in this particular segment.

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What are the technical highlights of your 2024/25 avalanche backpacks?
Our focus for the 2024/25 season revolves around two complete new products: the ABS VOLTAGE and the ABS VARIO. These models embody a fusion of intelligent features and an entirely revamped design language. The ABS VOLTAGE, as the name suggests, is equipped with the proven electric Alpride E2 System, promising independence from cartridges. Meanwhile, the ABS VARIO represents a renaissance to our old VARIO which was revolutionary in terms of flexibility. Endowed with the Easy.Tech Cartridge System it focuses on the same features as the ABS Voltage but on a other price level. Both backpacks feature the innovative ZipOn System, offering unparalleled flexibility. Users can effortlessly adjust the backpack’s volume to 10, 18, 30, or 40 liters, adapting to diverse needs and scenarios.

What are the technical highlights of your other avalanche equipment (shovel, probe, transceiver) for 2023/24?
We still focus on a compact design with minor improvements regarding usability.

Do you offer any other snow safety products besides the traditional avalanche ones?
No.

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What are your marketing stories for 2023/24?
Our marketing strategy for 2023/24 focuses on two main pillars. Firstly, we’re focusing on “knowledge transfer,” collaborating with various associations and institutes to build credibility. Through these partnerships, we aim to establish trust and authority within the industry. Simultaneously, we’re leveraging the experiences of our athletes to create authentic narratives around their ski and snowboard adventures. While showcasing their daily lives, we emphasize the importance of safety without compromising the excitement and authenticity of their adventures. This approach allows us to connect with our audience on a deeper level, blending the thrill of snow sports with the crucial aspect of safety awareness.

How are you helping retailers to sell this category?
We primarily support retailers with comprehensive product training since our items require detailed explanations. On the marketing front, we strive to provide engaging content encompassing all necessary facts and features to assist in selling our products effectively. This combination of thorough product education and compelling marketing materials aids retailers in effectively showcasing and selling our items in this category.

What’s your situation regarding stock and deliveries?
Like many in the winter industry, we’re facing the consequences of the challenging winter of 22/23. However, we’re optimistic that this season will see a return to normalcy.

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Our key products for the 2024/25 collection are the ABS Voltage and ABS Vario. Representing innovative design and uncompromising avalanche safety, these backpacks redefine functionality. The ABS Voltage integrates the proven electric Alpride E2 System, while the ABS Vario leverages the Easy.Tech Cartridge System, both embodying cutting-edge safety features in a meticulously crafted design.