SportsOneSource Buys Outdoor POS Data Platform

In the US, trade association the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) has agreed to sell its VantagePoint retail POS data-reporting platform to research company the SportsOneSource Group (SOS).

Full service provider SOS, whose existing offer includes SportScanInfo and SSI Performance, says a revised version of VantagePoint will be made available both to OIA members and third parties interested in outdoor industry data. The former will get category-level data for no charge through March 31st 2015, and on a subscription basis thereafter, while SOS' reporting retail partners will continue to have free access to the platform.

OIA is based in Boulder, CO, with offices in Washington, D.C. VP of Market and Consumer Insights Christie Hickman says of the sale: 'OIA's goal is to provide the industry with the most comprehensive view of the outdoor market and its consumers. To that end, we are re-evaluating our market insights offerings to determine how best to serve the industry with the changing landscape of retail and consumer shopping behavior.'

SOS CEO James Hartford says the transaction, which is expected to close on December 31st, comes at an important time for the group: 'SportsOneSource is introducing new branding and technology across our various data products in 2015, and the inclusion of the VantagePoint platform aligns with that strategy.'

Web sites are at www.outdoorindustry.org and www.sportsonesource.com .