Sales of outdoor products look to be picking up steam this summer as sales of outdoor footwear, apparel and hardgoods increased 6.8 percent to $1.18 billion in the five-week fiscal month of June. The growth trend for the month represented an acceleration from the low-single-digit trend seen in the fiscal year-to-date period through May, according to retail point-of-sale data compiled by SportScanInfo for OIA VantagePoint Fiscal year-to-date sales through June reached $4.37 billion, up 2.7 percent compared with the comparable period last year.
ADVERTISEMENT “The surge in outdoor product sales runs counter to the broader shift some analysts saw in preliminary estimates of June retail sales released by the U.S. Census Bureau,” observed James Hartford, CEO and Chief Market Analyst at The SportsOneSource Group, which manages the OIA VantagePoint trend reporting platform.
“Historically, the outdoor industry sees less negative impact from the influences that hinder growth in the discount and general merchandise markets such as stagnant wages and higher fuel and food prices.”
Outdoor Apparel sales increased 9.3 percent to $27.7 million in the five-week fiscal month ended July 5, 2014, driven by stellar results in the Outdoor Sportswear Categories and in Outdoor Outerwear sales. The trend was nearly double the mid-single-digit increase for Outdoor Apparel seen in the fiscal year-to-date period through May. For the second time, Outdoor Apparel average selling prices (ASPs) grew the most in the Specialty Internet channel in Fiscal June, increasing by more than 33 percent. Outdoor Apparel ASPs were up nearly 10 percent in the Independent Outdoor Specialty channel.
Year-over-year sales of Outdoor Hardgoods increased 7.6 percent to $635.4 million in the five-week period, continuing the strong sales growth seen in April and May. Sales might have grown more if the Independence Day had fallen on a day that would have encourage a four-day weekend. Outdoor Hardgoods sales still increased 4.3 percent during the week of Independence Day, following a 7.9 percent increase in the comparable week last year. The strong performance bodes well for outdoor specialty retailers, given that the fiscal month leading up to the Independence Day period has historically been the second-highest month for Outdoor Hardgoods sales.
Outdoor Footwear sales also picked up steam in Fiscal June after turning positive in May. The category seems poised to continue to improve, as long as the weather cooperates given the deep declines seen last year. Sales increased 3.3 percent to $274.8 million in Fiscal June. The increase for Fiscal June was the largest monthly increase for Outdoor Footwear since March 2013, and was only the third sales increase for the category since August 2012.
The Internet garnered 15.6 percent of Outdoor Product sales in Fiscal June, up from 14.1 percent in May 2013, but down from the 19.4 percent share in the four-month year-to-date period through May. Internet represented 9.1 percent of Outdoor Footwear sales in Fiscal June versus 8.7 percent a year ago, and 24.4 percent of Outdoor Apparel sales compared with 21.4 percent in Fiscal June 2013.
Final results for the month are published monthly in the OIA VantagePoint monthly trend report, available free of charge for Outdoor Industry Association members. For more information about becoming an OIA member, visit outdoorindustry.org/join or contact the OIA membership team at 303.444.3353.
OIA VantagePoint is the first and only “full market” weekly point-of-sale data reporting platform built specifically for the outdoor industry. OIA VantagePoint weekly and monthly trend reports provide the broadest and most timely view of outdoor product sales available. Online category reports are available at no charge for 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 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, CO, 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, visit 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. The syndicated Outdoor Brand Strength Report, Pulse of the Outdoor Consumer Report and Retail Pulse reports provide the market with clear qualitative and quantitative analysis of trends as they happen. SportScanInfo, SSI Performance, and OIA VantagePointretail point-of-sale reporting is developed utilizing a proprietary SportsOneSource technology platform to compile, aggregate, and disseminate retail point-of-sale trending information quickly and accurately.
