Combined Canadian and US snow sports sales surpassed $2.75 billion in February with $768 million in equipment sales, $1.1 billion in apparel sales, and $895 million in accessories sales. While apparel and accessories sales have increased in both units and dollars through all channels this season, equipment sales have remained relatively flat overall.
“Apparel and accessories have sold very well this year in all channels, in fact, apparel and accessories are primarily responsible for the 11% gain in dollars sold across the snow sports market so far this season,” said Kelly Davis, Director of Research for SnowSports Industries America (SIA), the not-for-profit industry trade group that represents manufacturers and distributors of snow sports products.
Equipment sales in snow sports specialty shops increased less than 2% in dollars over last season with slight decreases in the number of alpine skis and in the number of snowboards sold. Chain stores sold less equipment than they did in 2005.06, but dollars spent on equipment were up slightly. Although equipment sales on the Internet are quite strong, the channel is still too narrow to make a significant difference overall.
Snow sports consumers have spent more than $1.7 billion dollars in specialty shops so far this season. Apparel sales lead the way with $609 million followed closely by accessories with $579 million in sales. Apparel sales have increased 6% in dollars over the August to February period last season and accessories are up more than 7% in dollars. Curt Geiger, Vice President at Descente reported, “Leisure Trends and Descente/DNA dealers report to us that we performed very well this past season at specialty retail.”
Only equipment sales have remained flat this season. This time last season, 436,133 pairs of skis had been sold in specialty shops compared to 429,621 this season. Snowboard sales weren’t much brighter in specialty with an overall decrease of about 1% in units so far this season. Nordic propped the equipment category up with increases of 26% in units and more than 28% in dollars.
The Internet channel continues to become both wider and deeper with vast increases in sales of equipment, apparel and accessories. Overall, the Internet channel for snow sports goods has increased 42% in units and by 47% in dollars. Clicking consumers have spent $453 million this season online for snow sports goods. At the current growth rate, Internet sales will reach more than $650 million and account for 25% of all snow sports sales by the end of the 2008.09 snow sports season.
Snow sports equipment sales over the Internet increased by 60% in units and by 79% in dollars. Compare that to the flat or decreasing sales of equipment in specialty shops and in chain stores. Equipment is the fastest growing category in the Internet channel this season. For example, online sales of adult twintip skis have increased from 7,500 pairs last season to more than 22,000 this season.
