Athletic footwear sales were down 65 percent in the week ending March 21, according to The NPD Group. Sport lifestyle and skate, the categories that were trending the best before the pandemic, also each declined by more than 60 percent.
The hardest-hit categories were those tied to youth spring sports as organized sports have been canceled or postponed. American football, soccer and baseball shoes all experienced sales declines of more than 90 percent.
Running shoe sales were down by nearly 70 percent while performance basketball shoes saw declines of more than 70 percent.
As long as the majority of physical stores remain shuttered, I cannot expect these athletic footwear trends to abate,” said Matt Powell, VP, senior industry advisor, sports, NPD in a blog entry. “While some sales have likely shifted online and given a boost to retailers’ and brands’ e-commerce businesses, this is still not sizable enough to compensate and reverse these trends. I will continue to keep a pulse on the athletic footwear and broader sporting goods markets for you in the weeks ahead.”
Photo courtesy Adidas
