Everest.com Goes all in on AI to Bring Outdoor Recreation Sales Online

Outdoor recreation is one of the most popular leisure activities in the United States and around the world, especially after the COVID19 pandemic introduced 20% of the population to it. A 2021 study by the Outdoor Foundation has found that 53% of Americans over six years old participate in outdoor recreation activities. Taking these numbers into consideration, it is not surprising that the outdoor recreation economy accounts for 1.8% ($374.3 billion) of the national GDP.

With interest in outdoor activities on the rise, investors and entrepreneurs have found themselves paying special attention to opportunities in the industry. This has resulted in a growth of 7.12% CAGR being predicted for the industry over the next four years alone. Surprisingly, less than 20% of all outdoor recreation sales are transacted online, which seems to go against the trend in other industries. This is the reality, or problem, Bill Voss is changing.

As an avid outdoor enthusiast, Bill was painfully aware of the outdoor community’s challenges when finding quality gear for their next adventure. Bill found that not only was there a lack of options and convenience, but the market was also extremely underserved at the time in several ways. So with the mission born, Bill launched Everest.com in 2020.

Headquartered in Texas, Everest.com is a marketplace offering products from over 1,000 US-based merchants and retailers. By bringing local retailers, manufacturers, distributors, and passionate consumers together, the platform makes it easy for the outdoors community to thrive through its connection-centric vision.

This Everest vision is further expanded by its Caliber membership program, which grants Caliber members access to early bird deals, special discounts all year round, and access to exclusive media content. This makes Everest.com more than a marketplace, elevating it to a community of people passionate about the same thing: the outdoors. Bill says in this regard:

“We are providing an environment that’s seller friendly and consumer friendly, something that has not been done before in the marketplace space.  That level of collaboration allows for the most robust marketplace possible, which, at the end of the day, provides the absolute best experience for the consumer.”

This approach is proving to be successful with sellers and consumers alike, with the platform experiencing explosive growth and expecting to reach 10,000+ sellers by 2023. With overall customer experience becoming the driving factor behind consumer decision-making, Bill’s decision to launch a marketplace for the outdoor recreation community, driven by relevant user generated content and technology like AI,ensures his mission is likely to pay off.