The improved results posted by many retailers for the month of September are not as good as they might seem. The International Council of Shopping Centers suggested that the shift in the Labor Day holiday to the second week of September may have as much as a 75 basis point impact on comparable store sales for September, but the impact may be far more for retailers that count on sport footwear sales for the back-to-school period. With the consumer more focused than ever on a buy now-wear now attitude toward shopping, the move had a demonstrable impact on September sales on sport footwear.
According to retail point-of-sales data compiled by SportScanINFO, retail sales of sport footwear increased in the mid-single digit range for the five-week fiscal month of September ended October 3.
Running sales were flat for the month, while Basketball grew in the high-single digits, Lifestyle product was up in the low-single digits and the Skate business jumped strong double-digits.
The reported results for the month do not accurately reflect the retail marketplace as the increase for the month received a considerable boost from the aforementioned Labor Day move. With Labor Day falling a week later this year, the week before Labor Day (August week four last year) shifted into September this year.
Regardless of the timing shift average selling prices continued to expand. Overall sport footwear ASPs were up in the low-single digits again in September as the continued moderating of price-points in the full-line sporting goods segment offset growing ASPs elsewhere. ASPs were up the most in women's sport footwear product, up in low- to mid-single digits, followed by kids' sport footwear, while men's just barely eked out an increase.
For additional details on fiscal September retail sales of sport footwear, look for this week's issue of Sports Executive Weekly.
