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 $663.0 million in 2002 for August through November according to the SnowSports Industries America (SIA) Retail Audit.

Unit sales were ahead 0.38 percent. Sales at specialty ski and snowboard shops were down 1.66 percent in dollars compared to last season. In dollars, that translates to $522.0 million in sales compared to $530.8 million in 2002 and $495.9 million in 2001. Unit sales were up from last season tracking 2.2 percent ahead.

Sales for just the month of November in specialty stores were down 9.0 percent in dollars to $266.7 million compared to $293.1 in 2002. “Prior to the holidays consumers were hunting for bargains in winter sports equipment and apparel. Significant units of carry-over products went out the door at specialty stores during the month of November,” said Julie Lynch, Director of Market Research for SIA, the not-for-profit industry trade group that represents manufacturers and distributors of snow sports products. The SIA Retail Audit tracks and reports sales in all snow sports product categories.

This is the second report of six that looked at sales through March 31, 2004, the end of the winter season.

All equipment (alpine, snowboard, Nordic and telemark) in specialty stores was down 5.24 percent, tracking at $230.0 million compared to $242.8 in 2002. Alpine equipment (including skis, boots, bindings, poles and systems) decreased 14.3 percent to $140.1 million as compared to $163.4 million last year. Snowboard equipment (including boards, boots and bindings) was up 10.4 percent to $79.6
million. Sales for snowboard equipment in 2002 tracked at $72.2 million. Nordic
equipment (including skis, boots, bindings and poles) sales propelled forward,
tracking at $8.2 million, an increase of 39.1 percent and telemark equipment
(including skis, boots, and bindings), a new category in the Retail Audit,
tracked at $2.1 million. According
to Scott Jaeger of Leisure Trends Group, “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.”

Apparel saw slight gains, increasing 3.3 percent to $160.5 million compared
to $155.3 million in 2002. The accessories category saw a slight decline of
0.95 percent to $131.5 million compared to $132.7 last season.

Junior Alpine Ski Equipment is Hot
Alpine ski sales (including systems) were down 11.1 percent in dollars to $67.3
million. However, ski binding systems had strong sales so far this season, gaining
20.6 percent to $21.1 million. Aggressive pricing for the ski binding systems
could have helped propel these increases. The ski systems sold for an average
retail price of $600 in November 2002 compared to this November in which they
are selling for $518. In addition, at the end of November, ski systems were
25 percent sold through.

More and more skiers are preparing for that epic powder day; there has been
growth in fat skis, gaining 17.2 percent to $2.4 million. Another hot ski is
juniors. Junior skis have increased 8.0 percent in dollars to $6.0 million,
while gaining 25 percent in units. In addition, customers are looking for a
bargain as carry-over skis have increased in sales slightly more than 8,000
units from last season (August through November). All other categories had double
digit declines. Interestingly, women's specific skis saw an increase of 26.4
percent in specialty stores.

Alpine boots were the unit sales leader in the alpine equipment category. However,
boots declined 13.9 percent in dollars to $52.3 million compared to last season.
The categories with the most action, juniors, were up 17.2 percent to $5.5 million.
High performance (down 15.7 percent to $21.1 million), sport performance (down
14.8 percent to $13.5 million) and recreation boots (down 39.7 percent to $5.2
million) all saw declines. Even lower prices on soft boots (down $45) couldn't
firm up soft boot sales as dollars declined 15.5 percent to 3.3 million. As
the season progresses, look for low prices and close-outs this spring. Carry-over
boots did well during the pre-holiday period, increasing 42.1 percent to $3.7
million, a gain of almost 7,000 pairs in unit sales from the previous season.

Alpine binding sales were down 23.7 percent in dollars to $17.3 million. Also,
binding sales (counting ski system sales) also decreased 4.4 percent in dollars.
Junior bindings, the only category to see any growth, were up 9.6 percent in
dollars to $3.6 million. Both DIN 8-11 (down 31.5 percent to $7.6 million) and
DIN 12-14 (down 27.3 percent to $5.2 million) saw significant declines. Also
skiers aren't buying new poles to go with their new 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 country. Boards increased 11.2 percent in dollars to $39.5 million and 11.7
percent in units. The two hottest categories, those products seeing increases
in dollar sales, were freestyle and all mountain boards. Both made significant
gains. Freestyle boards were up 24.7 percent to $15.8 million and all mountain
boards gained 21.5 percent to $2.9 million. However, the biggest seller in unit
sales, freeride boards, declined slightly by 4.1 percent in dollars or $14.0
million. Retailers had plenty of boards left over from last season. Carry-over
sales surged ahead 53 percent to $3.5 million.

Snowboard boots just edged out boards as the category leader in unit sales
for snowboard equipment. Snowboard boots gained 11.3 percent in dollars to $22.6
million. Non step-in boots were up 14.9 percent to $19.7 million. Snowboard
bindings were also up 7.3 percent in dollars to $17.5 million. Non step-in bindings
increased 12.4 percent in dollars to $15.7 million. 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 were selling, an increase
in dollars of 146.4 percent and 76.8 percent, respectively.

Free the Heel; Telemark and Nordic Sales See Significant Gains
Skiers are looking for alternative ways to get down the mountain. Telemark ski
equipment, a new category to the Retail Audit, saw sales of $2.1 million
which was a gain of 72.8 percent over last season. Nordic equipment sales in
specialty stores were hot in pre-season. Every category made significant gains
with increases in skis (up 41.3 percent to $3.5 million), boots (up 31.7 percent
to $2.5 million), bindings (up 66.1 percent to $1.4 million) and poles (up 19.6
percent to $812,587) dollar sales.

Kids are Hitting the Slopes; Big Increases in Junior Apparel
Apparel tops tracked 2.9 percent ahead of last season in dollars to $97.7 million.
The clear winners were insulated parkas (up 12.1 percent to $36.8 million),
softshell parkas (up 70.6 percent to $4.5 million) and fleece (including vests)
(up 7.8 percent to $21.2 million). In addition, women's insulated parkas did
well increasing 22.6 percent to $16.2 million which was 29 percent more in dollar
sales than men's. The junior insulated parkas were a hot product so far this
season, increasing 5.4 percent to $8.1 million. Shell parkas (down 13.6 percent
to $21.3 million), vests (down 18.1 percent to $1.4 million) and sweaters (down
14.7 percent to $5.8 million) all declined.

Bottoms were up slightly, gaining 1.9 percent in dollars to $26.0 million with
units tracking 8.4 percent ahead of last season. Softshell (up 35.0 percent
to $494,855) and stretch waist pants (up 22.6 percent to $2.8 million) saw increases.
Junior bottoms which make up more than a quarter of the alpine bottoms category
in units, gained 10.7 percent in dollars to $4.6 million. Carry-over bottoms
increased 57.4 percent in units and 18.9 percent in dollars.

Snowboard apparel kept pace with equipment sales, gaining 11.8 percent in dollars
to $32.8 million. Snowboard tops gained 14.7 percent to $18.7 million while
snowboard bottoms declined 4.6 percent to $10.6 million. However, the big news
in this category is juniors. Junior tops jumped ahead 23.3 percent to $2.3 million
while bottoms gained 21.8 percent to $1.5 million. Junior snowboard apparel
is close to selling as many units as women's. Women's snowboard apparel also
did very well as tops tracked 10.6 percent ahead ($5.4 million) while bottoms
were also up 14.8 percent ($2.7 million). Retailers are blowing out the excess
snowboard apparel this season, carry over units and dollars were up 96 percent
and 82 percent, respectively.

Lower Prices Boosted Apparel Accessories Sales
So far this season, equipment accessories are tracking behind 11.2 percent to
$62.9 million. The only category that winter sports participants are buying
is sunglasses (up 4.5 percent to $10.4 million). All other categories saw declines,
this includes: snowdecks/skates (down 52.8 percent to $395,816), goggles (down
0.35 percent to $7.7 million), auto racks (down 9.5 percent to $13.3 million),
snowshoes (down 4.3 percent to $3.0 million) and helmets (down 30.3 percent
to $10.5 million).

Consumers were buying apparel accessories at slightly lower prices than last
season. Apparel accessories are up 10.8 percent in dollars to $68.6 million.
Every category saw double digit increases except turtlenecks (down 12.8 percent
to $3.6 million) and headwear (down 1.2 percent to $11.4 million). Winter boots
(up 129.2 percent in dollars to $4.4 million), gloves (up 11.9 percent to $9.9
million), mitts (up 2.4 percent to $3.6 million), socks (up 11.1 percent to
$5.9 million) and base layer (up 10.8 percent to $16.8 million) all jumped ahead.