Kuntokauppa.fi
Technology as a catalyst for Kuntokauppa’s growth
Cooperation between Identio and Kuntokauppa began in spring 2021. We have had the opportunity to participate in the development of Kuntokauppa’s online shop. We interviewed Matias Kukkonen, the founder and executive director of Kuntokauppa, who has been running the company since 2007.
OUR JOB DESCRIPTION
Full stack development
Software design
Agile software development
What is the story of Kuntokauppa and how have you reached this point?
– I did sports in a goal-oriented manner during my studies. A couple other athletes from Jyväskylä and I decided to set up a company together. A graphic designer made a logo for our company and suggested that we name the online store something related to the field of sports. Kuntokauppa.fi was available at the time. Initially, our activities were a little recreational. I myself moved from Jyväskylä to Tampere in 2008, where we set up the first shop. A lot has happened during our journey.
– In 2019, we identified a hula hoop boom. Finns had an enormous need to get their hands on hula hoops when the University of Helsinki published a study on how the use of hula hoops slims the waist more efficiently than walking. The demand was enormous. We put all our efforts into hula hoops instead of other development projects. In that financial year, we managed a fourfold increase of our turnover. We made a profit almost equal to the previous turnover and thus received financial resources.
– We continued to invest in the areas where we were already strong. In the early 2020s, the Nordic countries had a gap in the market the size of this type of sports equipment store. There were many reasons why we saw a good opportunity for an operator like us. We also carry known brands that customers want. In addition, we do manufacturing and, for example, maintenance for our customers. There’s a lot to be scaled. Coronavirus also helped us by creating demand and it gave us a springboard, which has allowed us to grow organically and move forward on our path.
If you were to summarise your business again, what is at the heart of it?
– Kuntokauppa sells exercise and powerlifting equipment and electric bicycles. That’s our strength. We are on the path to becoming a sporting goods store. Our selection has started to expand to include, e.g., summer sports, and we can now be called a more extensive specialised sporting goods store.
How does your company utilise technology and what kind of challenges are associated with the company’s growth?
– Kuntokauppa is also a technology company in some way. Our online shop is our spearhead even though we are a multi-channel company. As we have grown and become more international, we have had to keep the IT side with us. We have recently had our own system in the e-commerce sector, for which we have, of course, needed to put a lot of effort in. The system had to keep up with the growth.
– We have been able to sell well through the platform, and the resources we received through Identio have been a huge help. We have managed to scale our own team in the field of developers, and our experience with Identio has been good. Cooperation has been smooth and flexible, and the division of labour has been clear. We’ve been satisfied. Things run smoothly and Identio has sent us very skilled people.
How did you find Identio and how did the collaboration begin?
– Joonas and I connected back in the day, and in this case, I guess I noticed an activity from Joonas on LinkedIn. He seemed young and enthusiastic. I myself have started the company at a young age, so it was a sympathetic setting. I wanted to give the opportunity to a smaller actor. We have also used larger providers, and it was interesting to try out how this could go. It’s been going well. Props for Joonas and everyone at Identio.
– I dare say, based on my experience, that if you have any needs in the field of software development, you should give Identio a chance and contact them.
Are you interested in cooperation?
Please contact our sales directly.
