From OIA:
Outdoor Product sales rose 10.2 percent to $769.4 million in fiscal February, according to the latest monthly sales report from OIA VantagePoint™. Winter weather across much of the country and comparisons to the spring-like year ago helped fuel the double-digit increase. The strongest growth was in the National Accounts Internet, Discount/Mass, Family Footwear and Independent Outdoor Specialty trade channels.
Outdoor Apparel and Outdoor Hardgoods had double-digit gains for the four-week period ended March 2, 2013, as the late and consistent arrival of snow across much of the United States helped push sales higher.
Outdoor Hardgoods continued its strong performance as all major categories posted double-digit growth. Sales increased 14.4 percent to $278.9 million for the month. Snowy weather drove Snow Sports Hardgoods up nearly 20 percent in February, the category’s second strong month in a row.
Outdoor Apparel also had a strong month, thanks almost entirely to increased average selling prices. Though February is traditionally a clearance period for Outdoor Apparel, sales grew 19.4 percent to $304.3 million. Overall Outdoor Apparel average selling prices were up more than 12 percent at retail, both on growth in individual categories and a shift in category penetration. Excluding the accessory categories, Outdoor Apparel unit sales were down 4.2 percent for the month.
The Outdoor Footwear business had another tough month as sales fell 7.1 percent to $182.9 million in the four-week fiscal month. Trail Running was up in double-digits, while Sandals turned in a mid-single-digit performance. The big winner was the Functional Outdoor Footwear category, up nearly 20 percent for the month. Even Light Hiking staged a comeback, posting the category’s first positive month in a year.
Outdoor Industry Association® (OIA) members have free access to OIA VantagePoint monthly sales. For more information, or to join OIA, go to outdoorindustry.org/vantagepoint or call 303.444.3353.
OIA VantagePoint
OIA VantagePoint is the first and only full market point-of-sale data platform built specifically for the outdoor industry. OIA VantagePoint monthly trend reports provide the broadest and most timely view of outdoor product sales available. Category reports are available at no charge to Outdoor Industry Association members and provide comprehensive visibility into the outdoor marketplace by tracking weekly point-of-sale data from more than 10,000 retail doors and websites that carry outdoor products, including nearly 450 outdoor specialty locations. It is the broadest view of both brick-and-mortar and Internet sales of outdoor products available in the market. In-depth sales information is available online within four days of the prior-week close — a competitive advantage for businesses who can shift critical resources and react quickly to ever-changing consumer preferences.
Outdoor Industry Association
Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association is the leading trade association for the outdoor industry and the title sponsor of Outdoor Retailer. OIA supports the growth and success of more than 4,000 manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, sales representatives and retailers of outdoor recreation apparel, footwear, equipment and services. For more information, go to outdoorindustry.org or call 303.444.3353.
The SportsOneSource Group
The SportsOneSource Group is a full service market research company delivering solutions through consumer insight research, retail insight research and retail point-of-sale trending and analysis. The company provides the most reliable, timely and comprehensive sports and outdoor industry information available in the market today. SportScanInfo is a SportsOneSource technology platform developed to compile, aggregate and disseminate aggregated retail point-of-sale information. SportsOneSource also publishes the Sports Executive Weekly and The B.O.S.S. Report executive newsletters, along with the SGB and SGB Performance print publications and their related online, email and digital products. For more information about The SportsOneSource Group call 303.987.3450 or go to SportsOneSource.com.
