News Search

Push to The Latest: No
SAM Magazine-McLean Va., April 25, 2008-Snow Sports product sales are closing in on $3 billion by season's end, according to Kelly Davis, director of research for SnowSports Industries America (SIA). Sales figures are from the SIA Retail Audit, conducted by Leisure Trends Group of Boulder, Colo.

Through February, apparel and accessories showed growth compared to 2006-07, but equipment sales were flat. Although equipment sales on the Internet are quite strong, the channel is still too narrow to make a significant difference overall.

Snow sports consumers had spent more than $1.7 billion dollars in specialty shops through February. Apparel sales have led the way, with $609 million in sales, followed closely by accessories at $579 million. Apparel sales have increased 6 percent in dollars over the August to February period last season, and accessories are up more than 7 percent in dollars.

Despite a strong season, with plentiful snow in most parts of the country, equipment sales have been flat. Equipment sales in snow sports specialty shops increased less than 2 percent in dollars over last season, with slight decreases in the number of alpine skis and in the number of snowboards sold. At this time last season, 436,133 pairs of skis had been sold in specialty shops, compared to 429,621 this season. Snowboards saw an overall decrease of about one percent. Nordic propped the equipment category up with increases of 26 percent in units, 28 percent in dollars.

Overall snow sport sales in chain stores are $574 million for the August to February time period, down 7 percent in units and 1 percent in dollars from 2005-06 totals, the last year for which comparable figures are available. On the bright side, apparel sales have increased 19 percent in dollars. However, ski equipment declined by 11 percent in units, with sales of integrated ski systems tumbling 40 percent. Snowboards declined 13 percent in units, 6 percent in dollars.

The Internet channel for snow sports goods continues to grow, with vast increases in sales of equipment, apparel and accessories. Internet sales grew 42 percent in units, 47 percent in dollars. In equipment, sales climbed by 60 percent in units, 79 percent in dollars. Online sales of adult twintip skis rocketed from 7,500 pairs in 2006-07 to more than 22,000 this season.

Internet sales of all snow sports products totalled $453 million for the period. This is less than one fifth of all snow sports sales. But at the current growth rate, Internet sales could account for 25 percent of sales by the end of the 2008-09 season. \