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US winter sports sales down
Overall sales for the entire winter sports market (including
specialty and chain stores), decreased slightly by 1.65 percent
in dollars to $652.0 million compared to last year, according to
the SnowSports Industries America (SIA) Retail Audit. Even speciality
stores have suffered, as prior to the holidays
consumers were hunting for bargains in winter sports equipment and
apparel.
All ski equipment sales
were on the decline in general, decreasing 14.3% in the Alpine section.
However, snowboard equipment was up 10.4%. With the economy in the
doldrums, specialty store equipment buyers thought well ahead and
went bargain hunting. The bottom line was also augmented by retailers
aggressively selling products carried over from last season.
Telemark and
performance boots
It's time to free the heel - skiers are looking for alternative
ways to get down the mountain. Telemark ski equipment, a new category
to the Retail Audit, saw sales gain 72.8% over last season,
The average price spent
on a ski and binding system was $518 compared to $600 last year.
Everyone is yearning for powder, reflected in fat ski sales rising
17.2%. Junior skis have also risen hugely in sales - 25% in a year,
and womens speciality skis were not far behind.
The best seller was
alpine boots, although even these sales declined 13.9%, high performance
boots holding out better than recreation models. Into the season,
however, sales are picking up of sales with bargains on offer from
previous season models. Skiers are not, however, buying new poles
to go with their skis - Alpine poles declined 26.7 percent in dollars
to $3.2 million.
Snowboard Equipment is Hot and Back on Top
Snowboard equipment is flying off the shelves at specialty retailers
across the USA. Boards increased 11.2% in dollars to $39.5m. The
two hottest categories, those products seeing increases in dollar
sales, were freestyle and all mountain boards who both made significant
gains. Freestyle boards were up 24.7% and all mountain boards gained
21.5%. However, the biggest seller in unit sales, freeride boards,
declined slightly by 4.1% - retailers had plenty of boards left
over from last season and carry-over sales
surged ahead 53% up on last year.
Snowboard boots just edged out boards as the category leader in
unit sales for snowboard equipment. Snowboard boots gained 11.3%
while non step-in boots were up 14.9%to $19.7m. Snowboard bindings
were also up 7.3% and non step-in bindings increased 12.4% in dollars
to $15.7m. Step-in boots and bindings have become almost non-existent
in the snowboard world. Inventories are at half of what they were
last year with sales making up less than 5 percent of each category.
In addition, both carry-over boots and bindings from previous seasons
were selling well.
Au revoir la turtleneck
The only category that winter sports participants are buying is
sunglasses while all other categories saw declines, including snowdecks/skates,
goggles, auto racks, snowshoes and helmets (down a worrying 30.3%).
Consumers are also buying cheaper clothing although sadly all areas
saw an increase in dollar sales but the might turtleneck, down a
worrying 12.8%. Boots, gloves, mitts and base layers are all doing
well.
[Source: Skipress.com]
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