Play It Again Sports: A Winning Business Model for Promoting Healthy Behaviour

Play It Again Sports is the fourth of the Socio-Economic Determinants of Health Briefing Series. The series profiles corporate and community initiatives that have addressed one (or more) of the socio-economic determinants of health in profitable or sustainable ways. The initiatives serve as models that corporations and communities can adopt/adapt to enhance both population health and their own organizational performance.

Play It Again Sports is a North American chain that buys, sells, trades, and consigns new and gently used sports equipment. Its activities contribute to improvements on several of the socio-economic determinants of health. By offering low-priced sporting goods, as well as an equipment trade-in option, the company facilitates customers’ engagement in physical activity, an important “healthy behaviour.” The company also has the potential to enhance the financial security of customers by purchasing their used sporting goods at reasonable rates.