Surfstitch: Billabong's online multibrand retail site arrives in Europe

By

Olivier Guyot

Published
Aug 31, 2012

And that makes two! In less than six months, two of the world’s major players in online board sports retail have gone on the offensive in Europe. Following the take-over of American brand Zumiez by Austria’s Blue Tomato, Surfstitch has now made its entry in the European online retail market. For the moment, the site is only available in English but the homepage suggests that other language versions of site could soon follow.

The website has been billed as the sector’s leading online retailer in Australia and belongs to the Billabong group - which has strong ambitions for the board sports market.

So it goes without saying that Surfstitch arrival is accompanied by a whole lot more than just a European version of its website. There’s been a team set up on the ground for several months, with the task of not only managing the website but also all the logistics that come with it. A vast warehouse has also been set aside in the south-west of France, to serve the European markets. Free delivery is offered for orders over 30 euros.

The website has over 12,000 articles on offer with more – from fabrics to equipment for board sports – being added on a daily basis from over 80 brands, including the ubiquitous Billabong, Element, DC, Volcom, Vans, Reff, Quiksilver, Jansport, Nike and Protest. But Surfstitch also offers ‘fashion’ items, from American Apparel, Obey, Orion London and Numph, outdoor wear from Patagonia and The North Face, and more exclusive brands such as Art of Soule’s espadrilles and L’Atelier des Dames’s jewellery.

Equipment hasn’t been left off the menu either, with pages dedicated to skateboarding, surfing and winter sports.