For those living in Europe who want outdoor gear online without paying insane shipping and currency exchange fees to buy from U.S. vendors, Globetrotter.de is a good choice. The website uses euros as its currency, and it’s easy to view the site in languages other than German by using Google Chrome and other web browsers with translation capabilities.

About Globetrotter

The outfitter opened in 1979, and is now one of Europe’s largest outdoor clothing and equipment retailers. The company sells more than 35,000 products from more than 1,000 brands. There are 11 brick-and-mortar Globetrotter branches in Germany.

The online store and brick-and-mortar branches do not carter to extreme bargain hunters. They offer the convenience of accessing a wide variety of outdoor clothing and adventure gear in one place. Some of the brands available are the best in the world such as Arc’teryx. It is going to be hard to find a jacket or backpack comparable to Arc’teryx for less money.

The website has drop-down menus for specific product categories like most outfitter sites, but Globetrotter has another section called Outdoor Worlds. The section has pages dedicated to specific outdoor activities and topics such as geocaching.

Some of the pages include interviews with subject matter experts. The printed interviews include photos, a map to show the location of the expert’s activity location and links to the equipment and clothing the expert uses down to their favorite type of bug spray.

The main homepage of the website features new items and the deal of the day. A recent listing for a sleeping bag was 18 percent off. The individual product pages include pricing, sizes, colors available, a brief description and options to add the item to a shopping cart for wish list. Other features included on the product pages included

• Availability of the item at specific branches
• Customer reviews
• Suggested accessories
• Recommended similar items

Those wishing to grab an item from a store with scarce inventory might want to call to reserve it.

The website offers an email newsletter with sale information. Globetrotter card members get it two days early.

There is a Globetrotter forum connected to the website. Members can talk about related topics and exchange used merchandise.

The Globetrotter website has a section dedicated to sustainability. The section includes information about environmental protection, social responsibility, supplier working conditions and the Globetrotter Foundation. The foundation supports environmental projects around the world.

The company’s affiliate program is easy to join. There is an online form to link to register websites. Affiliates earn a 5 percent commission on sales. Interested parties can use the dedicated email address to send questions.

The store has an app for iOS and Android devices. Visitors can access the products the store sells and download the member magazine. Users also can use the app to scan product barcodes at the brick-and-mortar stores to quickly view more information including videos.

Globetrotter is active on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. The Pinterest photos are original and curated. There are more than 2,000 inspirational pins of the outdoors. The account is not just a bunch of product shots.

One unusual feature of the website is the news release section. It posts the latest tweets from the Globetrotter Twitter account and real news releases. There is a review tab, but the latest is from 2014.

There is search bar on the top of just about every page on the Globetrotter website. Suggestions appear in a drop-down menu as users type.

Top Features of Globetrotter

One thing that sets Globetrotter’s website apart from the competition is the buying guide section. It covers everything from clothing layering to outdoor cooking. Other outfitter websites often only offer size charts.

The outdoor cooking guide includes information and advice about bacteria and how to treat water. There is a Globetrotter web TV channel that further explains and demonstrates the essentials of outdoor cooking. The channel offers information and advice on many of the products Globetrotter sells including sleeping bags and carabiners.

The TV channel covers far more than just products. There are videos about travel, festivals, outdoor sports and expeditions.

Some of the Globetrotter branches offer classes and host outdoor events. Recently, the Stuttgart store hosted a workshop on Iceland tour preparation. Travel Practice Stuttgart is on the second floor of the branch. It offers travel advice and vaccinations.

At the Stuttgart location, there is a store within the store. Fjall Raven, the Swedish clothing and backpack maker, has 290 square meters of space in the Globetotter store.

Buying the right gear for an excursion can be serious business. Knowing which type of hiking boots or climbing harness will work best in a specific environment can be critical. Being stuck on a mountain or in some remote area of a park in Ecuador is not a good time to find out you bought the wrong kind of socks. A mobile app won’t help much at that point.

Globetrotter has staff members who are experts in specific outdoor activities, and they have years of experience. Consulting with the right staff member could be mean the difference between an amazing and fulfilling expedition and losing an appendage.

The Stuttgart location offers shopping by appointment. Customers can call ahead or fill out a request form on the website to book two hours with a personal shopper who will take them through the store to find what they need for a specific excursion.

Globetrotter Prices

All prices listed include the value-added tax. The shopping cart lists the cost of shipping in Germany and the cost to ship outside of Germany.

Customers can choose a variety of payment options including, credit cards, SEPA Direct debit, cash on delivery, giropay and PayPal. Globtrotter also offers gift cards for payment.

The Globetrotter card is a store credit card with three levels.

• Orange – 3 points per euro, offers, magazine, partner discounts, invitations
• Silver – 7 points per euro, all of the above and free shipping, Christmas surprise
• Gold – 10 points per euro, all of the above and birthday surprise, free fast delivery

Standard shipping takes three to four days. Expedited shipping takes one to three days. Express shipping ordered by noon can deliver items during the evening of the next day.

There is an option to order online and pick up the items at the Stuttgart branch. Customers have 14 days to return unwanted or damaged items without giving a reason. Customers can return items purchased online to a branch.

Customers who want an item not listed on the website, can place a special order request and pick up the item from a specific store in Germany. It may take four to five days to retrieve the item from the manufacturer. The minimum for a special order is 30 euros.

Criticism of Globetrotter

Although the product pages are impressive, some other outfitters list on the product page how many points members will receive on the item. It also would be nice if there was a question and answer tab on the product page. Globetrotter representatives could answer specific product questions customers may have such as “Is this rain jacket good for mountain biking?”

A comparison tool would be helpful. One of the Outdoor Worlds pages has a three-way comparison for trekking backpacks. Several online retailers offer this function from clothing stores to computer parts sites. This can be very helpful for customers who can’t visit a physical store to try stuff out.

Many other online retailers offer live chat customer service. It’s basically instant messaging. If anyone has ever had to deal with customer service on the telephone, he knows instant messaging can be superior. Customers can provide links to products and paste in details such as product number and size.

Globetrotter does provide the phone number email contact information to customer service in the left panel of the shopping cart page. This could be helpful for customers who are having trouble figuring out the ordering process.

Internet customers have complained about the high prices on the site but say the sales are good. There was no information on the Globetrotter website about a price-matching program. This would increase conversions and likely boost basket size.

Customer Support

Globetrotter lists its customer service phone number and email contact on each product page. The customer service hot line is not 24/7. It is available from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays. There also is a searchable frequently asked questions menu.

There is a return form on the website. Customers also can download the PDF. Refunds will be delivered within 14 days of Globetrotter receiving the completed form and the merchandise.

Conclusion

Globetrotter is kind of the German version of REI, but on steroids. REI has lots of product videos on its website, but the Globetrotter web TV channel is a work of art. The only major benefit Globetrotter does not offer is the ability to book international travel packages.