SGMA highlights impact of September 11 on athletic footwear sales
In its annual State of the Industry report, released earlier this week, the US Sporting Goods Manufacturers’ Association (SGMA) has identified consumer caution, excess capacity and a weakening economy as being the biggest factors affecting the industry.
Athletic footwear sales in 2001 were $9.5 billion – a 1.1% increase over 2000. Sales are expected to increase about 2% in 2002, with the top two categories of athletic footwear being running and basketball. Through August of 2001, sales of athletic footwear were up by 7% versus 2000. The terrorist attacks of September 11 had a significant impact on athletic footwear spending patterns, as they did on all spending patterns in the economy.
According to the NPD Group, 5.2% of athletic footwear sales were conducted online in 2001 vs. 4.7% in 2000. According to NPD, when in-store purchases fell in September and October, online purchases jumped 64% and catalogue buying rose 33%.
