$ASO Google Review Tracker
Tracking consumer sentiment and experience at Academy Sports + Outdoors
The Problem
I view investing in public equities as taking an ownership stake in a business. It has taken me some time to craft my investment strategy (about 15 years), but here we are, nonetheless. I like to concentrate my bets on a small handful of businesses (less than 10) and try to stay on top of every piece of news or information regarding that company.
The most frustrating thing to me as a part-owner of a business via public markets is that I really only get four in-depth looks into the company each year.
A Possible Solution
Academy Sports + Outdoors is my largest position for reasons I have outlined in previous posts. Over the past four to six weeks I have been tracking google reviews of different ASO locations around the country. I want to know what people are experiencing when they are in one of my stores.
I grew up down the street from an Academy but no longer live near a store. I can’t drop by and visit from time-to-time to check in on things. Keeping track of Google reviews, while not perfect (their really are some stupid reviews on there sometimes) it does give you a glimpse into the business; what are people liking and what are they not liking. What are people experiencing, good and bad.
I’ve decided to systematize this endeavor. I’m not sure if this will be a fruitful work, but again, the more information I can obtain on one of my companies, the better.
Methodology
I picked 12 locations that I think represent the business as a whole pretty well. A few thoughts here:
I chose a mixed bag of mature stores to brand new stores (the Sugar Land, TX location is where I shopped growing up and Port St. Lucie, FL opened last week)
I included multiple stores that are in new geographies for ASO to try and gauge how the brand is being received by customers for the very first time (VA and IL)
I included locations far south (Pinellas Park, FL) and far west (El Paso, TX) and far east (Fredericksburg, VA) and far north (Peoria, IL) - as well as some in between
5 of 12 (~40%) of the stores I chose are located in TX and FL because that is approximately the same distribution across ASO’s 280+ locations
I think that about covers it. I’d appreciate any feedback or thoughts to make it better. It’s just getting started so data is limited. Now, here it is!
this is the type of effort due a largest position!