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Building unshakable customer confidence in the outdoor recreation industry
July 3, 2025

Building unshakable customer confidence in the outdoor recreation industry

Industry
Outdoor recreation
Sales channels
Primarily offline, ecommerce
Metrics impacted
Customer repeat rates, Lifetime value

The following is a case study featuring outdoor recreation retailers like Levy Electric, Blaupunkt, Go Power Bikes, Yotobike, and others who partnered with SureBright.

Business context

Over the past two decades, our client built their reputation as the premier destination for serious outdoor adventurers throughout Colorado and Wyoming. From their flagship Boulder location to five mountain town stores, they've outfitted countless expeditions with gear from Patagonia, The North Face, Osprey, and dozens of specialized manufacturers. However, as the outdoor recreation market exploded post-pandemic – with 22 million new Americans joining outdoor activities – and cheaper alternatives flooding the markets, our client faced a clear jump in customer queries around product quality. They quickly realized they didn't just need to sell high quality products, but reassure customers that they really stood by their claims.

In adventure sports product quality is paramount. When a $400 tent zipper fails during a backcountry storm or a $250 sleeping bag loses insulation on a winter expedition, the consequences extend far beyond inconvenience. These failures create genuine safety risks and can destroy years of brand loyalty in a single disappointing experience.

"Our customers aren't buying gear for their garage. They're depending on this equipment in situations where failure could literally be life-threatening. When a customer's $350 rain jacket de-laminates during a multi-day backpacking trip, they don't just lose money – they lose trust in our ability to recommend reliable gear."
-Marcus C, the founder and CEO

Transparent results

Lifetime value
78% increase
Customer repeat rates
34% increase
Customer confidence
3.8-> 4.7

The impact exceeded expectations across every metric tracked by the business. Warranty attachment rates reached 25% on technical gear over $200, with 37% attachment on expedition-grade equipment over $400. These rates significantly exceeded outdoor retail benchmarks and demonstrated genuine customer value perception.

Customer confidence scores increased from 3.8 to 4.7 within four months, with specific improvements in trust regarding gear recommendations and reliability assurance. Post-purchase surveys revealed that customers felt significantly more confident attempting challenging adventures knowing their gear carried comprehensive protection.

Most significantly, the warranty program reduced gear-related adventure cancellations by 49%. Emergency replacement services meant equipment failures no longer forced customers to abandon planned expeditions. This reliability assurance directly translated into increased adventure participation and gear utilization.

"Customers are pushing their boundaries because they trust their equipment," observes Marcus. "We're seeing weekend hikers attempt their first multi-day trips and experienced adventurers taking on more challenging objectives. The psychological impact of knowing their gear is truly protected is remarkable."

The best part- return customer rates increased by 34%, with warranty service recipients showing 78% higher lifetime value compared to customers without warranty coverage. This loyalty premium reflected the deep trust built through reliable protection rather than traditional price-based competition.

An approach that drives results

The adventure equipment market's unique challenges created complex warranty situations. Premium gear customers expected performance guarantees, not just feel good words.

Adventure enthusiasts willingly paid $200 for a technical jacket or $450 for an ultralight tent, but demanded reliability assurance that justified these premium prices.

Our integration process began with a comprehensive analysis of the product mix and customer adventure profiles.

Looking at data we figured- zipper failures account for 40% of all gear returns, with waterproofing degradation and seam integrity issues driving most other warranty claims. The seasonal concentration of outdoor activities meant our client dealt with return spikes every spring when customers tested gear after winter storage, discovering UV damage, fabric deterioration, and hardware corrosion that developed during off-season storage.

Launching warranties-

The system launched across all business locations within 72 hours, with automated recommendations based on adventure intensity, gear usage patterns, and environmental exposure levels.  

"SureBright didn't just understand outdoor gear," notes Marcus. "They understood outdoor adventures. Their warranty structure recognized that a three-season tent used for weekend car camping needs different protection than ultralight gear heading into the backcountry for week-long expeditions."

Partnering with SureBright, retailers experience how customer concerns transform into compliments with the help of reliable product warranties. To discover how warranties can scale your profits and revenue, feel free to engage us in a conversation. Looking forward!

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