Business statistics : Outdoor Product Sales Reach $11.3 Billion in 2012

The SportsOneSource Group is reporting that outdoor product sales were up 3.7 percent to $11.3 billion for the 2012 calendar year as mid-single-digit increases in outdoor apparel and outdoor hardgoods were partially offset by a slight decline in outdoor footwear sales.  The annual numbers, based on retail point-of-sale data compiled by SportScanInfo for OIA VantagePoint, indicated that specialty retailers outpaced the overall market, increasing 6.0 percent for the year to $4.74 billion. 

“The year was interesting to assess and challenging to forecast for retailers and vendors due to the outside influences that affected the market throughout the year,” explained James Hartford, CEO and Chief Market Analyst at The SportsOneSource Group.  “Lack of winter weather, the hottest year on record, hurricanes hitting the Northeast and a contentious election all had an impact on outdoor product sales last year.”

Outdoor apparel sales were up 4.8 percent to $3.69 billion for the 2012 calendar year, according to the OIA VantagePoint data.  The apparel business was up 8.5 percent to $1.94 billion in the specialty retailer segment, which includes independent outdoor specialty retailers, chain specialty retailers and specialty Internet sales.  Independent specialty retailers posted a double-digit increase for the year, while chain specialty saw a single-digit decline in outdoor apparel sales.

Outdoor footwear sales were down 0.8 percent to $2.92 billion for the 2012 calendar year, according the OIA VantagePoint data.  Excluding the challenging barefoot footwear business, outdoor footwear sales were up 1.8 percent for the year.  Specialty retailers posted a 2.0 percent increase in outdoor footwear sales to $784 million.  The big winners for the year included the technical hiking and outdoor casual footwear categories, which both posted healthy double-digit increases.  Trail shoes posted a high-single-digit increase for the year.  Barefoot footwear, winter boots and light hiking were the laggards for the year.

Outdoor hardgoods led all growth for the calendar year, increasing 5.8 percent to $4.67 billion, led by an 18.5 percent increase in sales through the national accounts Internet channel.  Specaily retailer segment outdoor hardgoods sales lagged the broader market, growing 5.2 percent to $2.02 billion in the 2012 calendar year.  Specialty Internet sales were up nearly 10 percent for the year.  The year was driven by double-digit gains in packs & bags, outdoor electronics and paddlesports.  The only significant negative impact was a low-teens decline in snow sports sales for the 12-month period.

Outdoor Industry Association
Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) 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
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, developed by SportsOneSource, is a technology platform that compiles and disseminates 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.