Late-season snow helps boost snowsports retailers

A snowy late season in the East helped snowsports retailers in that region recover slightly from what had been a sluggish winter for sales, according to the fifth of six economic audits released by SnowSports Industries America (SIA), the industry trade group that represents manufacturers and distributors of snowsports products.
A SNOWY late season in the East helped snowsports retailers in that region recover slightly from what had been a sluggish winter for sales, according to the fifth of six economic audits released by SnowSports Industries America (SIA), the industry trade group that represents manufacturers and distributors of snowsports products.
     “The Eastern states welcomed their first heavy snowfall in February, prompting specialty retailers to capitalize by dropping retail prices. Sales in the Rockies and much of the West continued to thrive and helped offset the early season declines in the rest of the country,” said Christine Martinez, market research manager for SIA.
    The SIA audit for the August 2006 through February 2007 period reported that Internet sales of snowsports merchandise totaled $310 million. Total sales at specialty stores and via the Internet climbed to $2 billion for the period.
    Sales at specialty ski and snowboard shops were down 1 percent in dollars compared to last season. In dollars, that translates to $1.65 billion in sales compared to $1.67 billion in 2006.  Unit sales were down from last season only 0.5 percent.
    In short, spring skiing has helped apparel accessory sales; comparing February 2007 to last year, all apparel accessory sales increased 14 percent in units and 17 percent in dollars. Integrated ski systems (skis and bindings) also saw an increase in sales this winter over last, rising 6 percent in dollars overall and 13 percent over last February.
    Twintip ski sales boomed in February, surging 88 percent in units sold and 114 percent in dollars over last February. That raised the winter total to a 23 percent jump in dollars.
    Equipment sectors that ended the winter season down from last year include alpine boots (-7 percent), shell parkas (-11 percent), alpine skis (-12 percent) and alpine bindings (-22 percent).