Want to know what’s moving off your local specialty retail shelves? The Leisure Trends Group issues regular releases regarding the fiscal health of several action sports markets, from paddlesports to ski and snowboard sales. Here are a few highlights from three of the markets Gear Institute follows.
Outdoor
According to Leisure Trends, warm weather has been heating up outdoor sales. The latest numbers available show that May sales surged 14 percent to $653 million across the three (specialty stores, chain stores and online sales) outdoor channels. This marks the largest May dollar volume on record. Units increased 7 percent and average retail-selling price grew a comparable 6 percent.
Running
Still waiting for mid-summer running shoe deals? Prices might not fall too far as all running specialty sales increased 7 percent to total $83 million at retail in May. Sales were slow in the first quarter but May is now the second month in a row to show increases. Those two months of gains brought year-to-date sales to $373M, 1 percent greater than the same period last year.
Paddlesports
Paddle sports sales are also staying hot n the warm weather. Compared to May 2012, paddle sport sales gained 4 percent in units and 5 percent in dollars to total $71 million. But those sales are shifting currents as specialty stores notched another down month losing 7 percent in dollars to settle at $38 million. Chain stores rose 11 percent to $21M and online sales surged 51 percent to reach $12 million.
