NPD: Sales are soaring for five socially-distanced activities
According to retail tracking data from research group NPD, social distancing requirements have resulted in the increased popularity of five outdoor activities: cycling, paddle sports, golf, camping and bird watching.
“Typically, June is a critical selling month for the outdoor industry,” NPD said. To assess the impact of covid-19 on this summer's sales, they compared US figures for this June with the same period last year.
Sales of bicycles were 63% higher this summer than last, reaching $697 million in June 2020. Paddle sports rose 56% this June to reach $172 million. Golf sales were up 51% from last June, reaching $661 million in June 2020. Camping equipment increased 31% from the same time last year, reaching $605 million this June. For birdwatching, sales of binoculars were up 22%, hitting $16 million this June.
Knowing numbers like these is important in inventory management, NPD said.
Consider paddle sports, which include kayaks, paddleboards, rafts and canoes. “As bulky, expensive products, traditional paddle sport products have historically presented a challenge to retailers from an inventory management standpoint. More recently, however, existing inventory quickly converted into sales, as consumers sought activities that would keep them active and socially distant,” according to NPD.
“With higher turnover in the short term, many retailers will need to reset their inventories, monitoring industry trends to ensure they stock products that will be both popular and profitable in the future.”
