Outdoor Product sales rose 10.2 percent to $769.4 million in fiscal February, according to the latest monthly sales report from OIA VantagePoint. Winter weather across much of the country and comparisons to the spring-like year ago helped fuel the double-digit increase. The strongest growth was in the National Accounts Internet, Discount/Mass, Mid-Tier Retailer and Independent Outdoor Specialty trade channels.
Outdoor Apparel and Outdoor Hardgoods had double-digit gains for the four-week period ended March 2, 2013, as the late and consistent arrival of snow across much of the United States helped push sales higher.
Outdoor Hardgoods continued its strong performance as most major categories posted double-digit growth. Sales increased 14.4 percent to $278.9 million for the month. Snowy weather drove Snow Sports Hardgoods up nearly 20 percent in February, the categorys second strong month in a row.
Outdoor Apparel also had a strong month, thanks almost entirely to increased average selling prices. Though February is traditionally a clearance period for Outdoor Apparel, sales grew 19.6 percent to $307.7 million. Overall Outdoor Apparel average selling prices were up more than 12 percent at retail, both on growth in individual categories and a shift in category penetration. Excluding the accessory categories, Outdoor Apparel unit sales were down 4.2 percent for the month.
The Outdoor Footwear business had another tough month as sales fell 7.1 percent to $182.9 million in the four-week fiscal month. Trail Running was up in double-digits, while Sandals turned in a mid-single-digit performance. The big winner was the Functional Outdoor Footwear category, up nearly 20 percent for the month. Even Light Hiking staged a comeback, posting the categorys first positive month in a year.
Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association is the leading trade association for the outdoor industry and the title sponsor of Outdoor Retailer. OIA supports the growth and success of more than 4,000 manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, sales representatives and retailers of outdoor recreation apparel, footwear, equipment and services. For more information, go to outdoorindustry.org or call 303.444.3353.
The SportsOneSource Group is a full service market research company delivering solutions through consumer insight research, retail insight research and retail point-of-sale trending and analysis. The company provides the most reliable, timely and comprehensive sports and outdoor industry information available in the market today. SportScanInfo is a SportsOneSource technology platform developed to compile, aggregate and disseminate aggregated retail point-of-sale information. SportsOneSource also publishes the Sports Executive Weekly and The B.O.S.S. Report executive newsletters, along with the SGB and SGB Performance print publications and their related online, email and digital products. For more information about The SportsOneSource Group call 303.987.3450 or go to SportsOneSource.com.