Sporting Goods Retailer Takes Safety And Product Testing To A New Level

This U.S.-based retailer is an omni-channel sporting goods powerhouse offering a broad assortment of top-brand sporting goods equipment, apparel and footwear. They operate 645 locations with a blend of dedicated associates, in-store services and unique specialty shop-in-shops.

The Challenge

As a producer of reliable, high-quality products that their loyal customers have come to expect, product safety and compliance are major focuses for this sporting goods retailer. They work hard to find trustworthy parties with the right capabilities to ensure compliance with global and U.S. consumer product safety laws such as the Consumer Product Safety Information Act (CPSIA). Along with a myriad of provisions, the CPSIA also requires importers to issue a General Certificate of Conformity (GCC) based on a gamut of product tests.

This retailer tests almost everything in their stores, including private label items and licensed products that are produced on behalf of the national brands. Softline products go through a series of tests including material, bulk and finished goods tests before the products are passed. Hardline products only require annual testing.

Working with multiple third-party auditing and testing vendors alongside their own internal testing services, the retailer verifies that each product meets industry standards and regulations. This adds complexity to the critical decision-making and effective management of the multi-stage productlifecycle.