This fall, balmy weather finally managed to end three consecutive years of early season sales gains. According to SIA's retail audit, specialty snow sports store sales totaled $287M, a 7% decline from the previous August to October period. Without much early season snow to entice people into the stores, total equipment sales slid 12% in both units and dollars. Apparel dollars came in 4% behind last season and equipment accessory sales fell 12% in units and 7% in dollars.

“Excellent snow across the country in December will help the market make up for weaker then usual sales experienced during the fall in specialty shops and chain stores, while the Internet will continue its meteoric rise,” said Kelly Davis, Director of Research for SIA.

While sales in brick and mortar stores were a bit cold this fall, online sales were on fire. Internet snow sport sales shot up 52% and finished the early season period with $104M in sales. Equipment, apparel and accessories all turned in huge gains. With 54% of all dollars sold coming from apparel, online sales are still overwhelmingly geared to the softer side of the industry. That could be changing; however, as online equipment increases outpaced apparel and accessories and moved from 17% to 21% of all dollars sold in the period.

After a one season hiatus, the SIA Retail Audit is once again tracking the chain store channel of distribution. For the August to October period, chain store sales totaled $77M.

Not to discount global warming, but right now the dollar is falling a whole lot faster than the temps are rising. Over the past several years, the dollar has plummeted against other currencies, especially the Euro. In 2002, the Euro was worth 86 cents, now the Euro buys $1.48. According to the Economist, just since last August the dollar has fallen another 6% against major currencies. That decline is impacting our industry up and down the length of the supply chain.

If you are driving around thinking that snow sports is still a man’s world, think again. So far this season, women-specific products accounted for a full 33% of total specialty dollars sold, up from
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just 19% in the 01/02 season. In apparel, women’s styles jumped from 32% to 48% of the dollars and in all alpine skis and systems from 20% to 28% during the same period. Women’s snowboards almost doubled to 20% of all specialty board dollars sold. Online, women’s equipment moved from a 15% to 21% share of the dollars this August to October to last.

The retail floor is noticeably softer these days. In 2001/2002 equipment brought in 41% of the specialty dollars; last season that figure fell to just 32%. Compare this August to October period to last, and equipment’s percentage falls from 38% to 36% of the specialty dollars. Online, apparel accounted for 54% of all the dollars this early period. In chains, apparel jumped from 46% of the dollars sold in the August to October period in 2005 to 52% this year.