IBD merchandise sales fell 11 percent in September to land at $252 million, and units were down 13 percent compared to the same period in 2012 according to Leisure Trends Group's RetailTrak IBD sales summary.
About 167,000 bicycles were sold at the IBD this September, which was 17,000 fewer than the same month last year. The only category that didn't contribute to this decline is transit/fitness, which increased 6 percent to reach 54,000 units. With an average retail selling price of $559, sales in the category saw a 6 percent increase to hit $30 million.?
Mountain bike sales fell 20 percent to $33 million compared to September 2012, and after more than 32 straight months of growth, 29er sales fell for the first time since 2009. Compared to the same time in 2012, 29ers fell 3 percent in units and 7 percent in dollars to $20 million. Road bike sales also slipped 12 percent to settle at $45 million.
Unfortunately, sales in September weren't high enough to bring 2013 year-to-date totals in line with 2012 sales. But, according to Leisure Trends, the industry is positioned to exceed 2011's dollar totals, even though it will likely fall behind in units.
Dollar Sales, September 2013 vs. September 2012:
All Bicycles: -10% Road Bikes: -12% Mountain Bikes: -20% Transit/Fitness Bikes: +6% Lifestyle/Leisure Bikes: -9% Shoes: -20% Apparel: -19% Aftermarket Parts: -9% Aftermarket Accessories: -10%
