The increasing development in digital transformation in the last decade has affected retail companies in the outdoor industry. The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic is further accelerating the outdoor industry ́s mindset towards digital solutions. New innovations such as online training, video content and digital educational platforms provide retail outdoor companies with opportunities to move from physical product & brand education routines to digitally based solutions. The purpose of this study is therefore to explore how the last years developments in digital transformation have impacted retail outdoor companies' way of working with product & brand education for their store staff, and if the Covid-19 pandemic has had any effects upon this. In addition, the research aims to find out what attitude retail outdoor companies have towards digital educational platforms, as a new innovation tool. In order to adequately explore the aim of this study a mixed research method was undertaken, combining both qualitative and quantitative analysis. The data was collected using an online questionnaire with respondents working for retail outdoor companies across Europe.  The outcomes of this study can be used for organizations that want to explore the opportunities of digitalizing their way of working with product & brand education. The findings suggest that digital product & brand education solutions have the potential to act more as a great complement to traditional physical education, than to actually replace it. Furthermore, the effects that the Covid-19 pandemic have had upon this has been contradictory and far from united. In addition, the findings indicate that retail outdoor companies have a positive attitude towards digital educational platforms, which suggest that there might be an increasing interest for digital educational platforms in the upcoming future.

Syfte: Studiens syfte är att undersöka hur ett friluftsföretag genom sin kommunikation kan skapa ett långvarigt och hållbart produktvärde för sina kunder, med avsikt att förlänga produktens livslängd. Studiens resultat kan förhoppningsvis bidra med information och kunskap till företag och branschorganisationer om hur man skapar eller kommunicerar långvarigt produktvärde. Studien har utgått från ett marknadskommunikation och- konsumtionsbeteende perspektiv. Metod: En kombinerad metod bestående av kvalitativa intervjuer och en kvantitativ kundundersökning har utförts för insamling av empiri. Intervjuguide och kundundersökning har utgått från fyra centrala begrepp, vilka var konsumtionsbeteende, kunskap kring hållbarhet, marknadskommunikation och produktvärde. Resultat: Studiens resultat visar vikten av att företaget känner sin kundgrupp och dess kunskapsnivå kring hållbarhetsfrågor. Därefter bör kommunikation anpassas och göras enkel att ta del av. För att motivera kunden till att vårda sina plagg bör kommunikation gällande klimatpåverkan, reparationsmöjligheter och enkla tips för tvätt och impregnering kommuniceras kontinuerligt. God service från företaget innefattande lång garanti är även en faktor som kan förlänga produktens livslängd. Relevans: Studien bidrar med relevanta utgångspunkter för hur kommunikation kan förlänga tiden ett plagg används av den primära kunden vilket i sin tur kan leda till minskad konsumtion. Enbart ett friluftsföretags kundgrupp har studerats, vilket öppnar upp för vidare forskning där jämförelser mellan två företag kan genomföras. I detta fall vore det önskvärt att jämföra företag som tydligt kommunicerar hållbarhetsfrågor med företag som ej gör det. I en sådan jämförelse kan eventuella likheter och skillnader i kundgruppernas konsumtionsbeteende identifieras. / Purpose: The purpose of the study is to examine how an outdoor company, through it's communication, can create a long lasting, durable and sustainable product value for its customers, with the intention of increasing the product life span. The result of the study can hopefully contribute with information and knowledge for companies and industry organizations on how to create or communicate a long lasting product value. The study has been based on a marketing communication and consumption behavior perspective.  Method: A mixed method of qualitative interviews and a quantitative survey was carried out for collection of data. The interviews and survey were contracted out of four key words, which were consumer behavior, sustainable knowledge, marketing communication and product value.  Findings and conclusion: The findings of the study shows the importance of the company knowing it's target audience and what level of sustainability knowledge they possess. Regarding this, the communication should be adjusted and easily available. To motivate the customer to care and repair their garments communication regarding climate impact, possibilities for repair and easy tips on washing and impregnation should be communicated continuously. Service in the form of a long guarantee is also of value when trying to increase the product life span.  Relevance: The study contributes relevant points on how communication can lengthen the user time of a garment by the primary customer, which can lead to a decrease in consumption. Only one outdoor company was studied, which opens up opportunities for further research where more companies could be studied. In this case it would be worthwhile to compare companies with a clear sustainable communication profile, to companies without one. This kind of comparison could show eventual similarities and differences in consumer behavior.