New Balance announced that its U.S. licensed stores have seen increased year over year sales for the past 9 straight months, with strong comparative sales growth in the past four months: Feb: 9.3 percent, March: 9.0 percent, April: 6 percent, May: 1 percent.
Contributing to this strong performance is the launch of New Balance’s “Let’s Make Excellent Happen” brand campaign, designed to motivate and inspire active consumers to reach a new level of personal performance – a new level of “Excellent,” as well as the debut of the 890 running shoe featuring REVlite, and the NB Minimus collection. In October, new Balance reorganized the company’s Specialty Sales Organization in an effort to accelerate business results in the New Balance stores, family shoe and running specialty channels.
“The men’s and women’s 890 lightweight running shoe, as well as the NB Minimus collection have had a direct impact on increased store traffic. Not only are we seeing new customers in our stores as a result of these exciting product launches, but we are adding incremental sales,” says Stephanie Smith, vice president of retail for New Balance. “We are also pleased with the increased level of service that we are able to offer our stores with the recent changes in our sales organization, thanks to the strong leadership of Peter Zappala, vice president of specialty sales.”
Additionally, New Balance has seen increases in after-market insole sales from the new in-store NB Fit System, which can be found in the majority of NB licensed stores across North America. The NB Fit System technology allows consumers to have their foot scanned to verify size as well as to identify pressure points.
New Balance has opened seven new stores in 2011 and plans to open five more before the end of the year. All 153 licensed New Balance stores in North America are independently owned and operated.
New Balance employs more than 4000 associates around the globe, and in 2010 reported worldwide sales of $1.78 billion.
