March 2017 Athletic Footwear Overview

01 May March 2017 Athletic Footwear Overview

March 2017 Athletic Footwear Overview

March started off well, as the income tax refund checks began to flow. Though the Easter shift to April hurt the end of the month, overall sales were on the plus side. Dollar sales were up 3 percent compared to March 2016, unit sales by 1 percent and average retail price increased by 2 percent.

 Expectations are that April will be strong, given the late Easter and favorable weather, but we won’t completely understand the implications of all of these shifts until the end of April.

By Wearer

For the month, men’s athletic footwear sales grew 1 percent in dollars, and the women’s and children’s markets both grew by 4 percent.

By Category

Classic footwear sales grew by 23 percent for the month and casual athletic by over 30 percent. Running footwear sales declined by 5 percent.

 A colder March gave cold/all weather boot sales a 46 percent lift.

 Spring sports got off to a poor start, with baseball and soccer sales down 20 percent or more compared to last March.

By Brand

Nike/Brand Jordan sales grew 2 percent for the month. Nike sales remain challenged in the areas of basketball, running, and cross training.

 Adidas’ dollar share grew 4 percentage points for the month versus last year and the brand continues to grow in the running and casual athletic categories. The growth rate in classics slowed as we anniversary their big push into the market last year.

 Under Armour sales declined for the month, though their expansion into national chains has helped offset significant losses in the athletic specialty/sporting goods channel.