Decathlon Reverses Its Name To NOLHTACED To Promote 'Reverse Shopping'

Major retailer of athletic goods Decathlon has decided to reverse its name for one month to promote reverse shopping. Now, establishments in three Belgian cities will display a sign that reads “NOLHTACED”!

The reversed name now appears on the website logo, social media, and above the entrances of three of Decathlon’s Belgian branches – Namur, Ghent, and Evere.

Decathlon is read “NOLHTACED” when written backwards, and the company hopes that this marketing strategy would inspire customers to engage in “reverse shopping.”

Reverse shopping mainly entails buyers returning used or unwanted athletic items to the retailer, who will then repair the item and resell it in some capacity while still under warranty. The action is intended to reduce waste. The fact that Decathlon is taking all athletic equipment and not simply the items customers have purchased from them is another significant feature of this move.

“The goal is to reuse as much equipment as possible to reduce the impact on our environment and avoid waste. Decathlon’s second-hand product range will also allow less fortunate consumers to buy quality sports equipment at a lower price,” Decathlon Belgium wrote in the press release.

Decathlon is collecting sporting goods (excluding safety articles, hygiene products, food products, medical products, and personalised items), even the ones that were not purchased from the chain, in exchange for vouchers valid for two years. The retailer mentioned that it has already collected 26,000 items in Belgium this year during the test phase in return for a total voucher value of €593,220.

Arnaud de Coster, head of second-hand products at NOLHTACED Belgium, said, “At first glance, this name change might look like a mere marketing initiative, but our goal is primarily to make our buy-back service known to as many people as possible.”