In conjunction with The NPD Group – Sports and Leisure Trends™, we have released NPD DecisionKey® numbers for August 2015 to February 2016. Total market projections are based on data collected from the Point of Sale systems of more than 1,200 snow sports retailers.
Sales slowed in the snow sports market in February. Total market sales reached $4.3B, but were down 1% season-to-date. Sales in Chain stores fell 5% in dollars sold to just over $1B, online sales increased 4% to $969M, and specialty shop sales fell 1% to $2.3B.
Regionally, specialty shops in the West enjoyed a 15% increase in sales season-to-date reaching $955M while specialty shops in the other three regions suffered. In fact, both Northeastern and Midwestern specialty shops sales fell more than 13% in dollars sold Aug-Feb 2015/2016 compared to sales Aug-Feb 2014/2015. Nationally aggregated specialty shops sales would be much worse if the West region didn’t own 42% of the specialty market share in the U.S. and have healthy sales this season.
SIA measures retail sales in the snow sports market from August 1 to March 31 each season. March typically accounts for about 7% of total season sales. Based on past sales patterns and correlated snow conditions, SIA Research predicts that the snow sports market will finish this season with $4.6B in retail sales. That amount would be even or perhaps slightly below the 2014/2015 season total. The final season data for 2015/2016 will be released in mid-May.
For more information about snow sports research and market intelligence products including retail, wholesale, consumer, participation and special reports, please contact Kelly Davis, SIA’s Director of Research at [email protected] or visit Snowsports.org/research.
SIA releases the top line results for snow sports retail seven times each season from November to May covering results of retail sales made between August 1 and March 31 each season. Topline/category retail sales data for the snow sports market is available as a member benefit to all SIA members. In addition, you gain free access to topline data for the Running, Outdoor and Paddle Sports when you register. The topline data is accessible on a 24/7/365 basis on The NPD Group’s proprietary user interface, the DecisionKey® data portal.
The NPD Group’s Decision Key® 2015/2016 season release schedule:
December 15, 2015: August – October
January 15, 2016: August – November
February 25, 2016: August – December
March 15, 2016: August – January
April 15, 2016: August – February
May 15, 2016: August – March