The substantial $65 billion sporting goods market operates a highly competitive retail landscape. Other types of stores not specializing in sporting goods have stronger appeal than specialty stores. This suggests that shoppers turn to different retailers for different purposes. Notably, consumers are divided in their shopping approach: 50% look for discounts/deals before deciding where to shop and the other half decide where they want to shop, then look for deals. Price-first category shoppers may be attracted to non-speciality players like Walmart or Amazon that promote low price strategies, whereas retailer-first shoppers may skew toward sporting goods retailers that promote high-quality gear and expert help. Retailer choice could also be dependent on type of sporting goods needed. For example, sports enthusiasts may shop mass merchandisers for athletic clothing where quality differentials are low, but stick to sporting goods specialists for high-quality gear. For brands and retailers this means it’s critical to know your target audience and play to retail strengths (eg, in-store experiences, expert help). Sporting goods retailing strategies should focus on catering to, and building loyalty among, those who embrace the respective retail strategy while maintaining an approachable omnichannel presence for broad appeal.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Market factors impacting sporting goods retailing
- Opportunities for retailers to improve the shopping experience and build loyalty
- Types of sporting goods items purchased in the last year, for self as well as others
- Recent participation in fitness/sporting activities as well as frequency of participation
- Retailers shopped in the last year, with a look at online vs in-store purchases
- Factors that would make a sporting goods shopper choose a certain brand/retailer over another
- Perks/benefits that could encourage category shoppers to sign up for a retailer’s loyalty program
- Shopping habits of the sporting goods consumer
- Attitudes toward sporting goods including rationales regarding quality, pricing, loyalty programs, interest in trade-in/repair and resale, and shopping expectations
Sporting goods retailing must evolve as consumer demand shifts. Enhanced shopping experiences, both in-store and online, will be at the heart of this evolution.
Vince DiGirolamo, Director, North America Reports
Market Definitions
For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:
Sporting Goods Stores: This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in retailing new sporting goods, such as bicycles and bicycle parts; camping equipments; exercise and fitness equipment; athletic uniforms; specialty sports footwear; and other sporting goods, equipment, and accessories. Mintel’s Market Size and Forecast is focused on sporting goods stores. While the Report’s focus is on specialty retailers, other retailers that sell sporting goods but not exclusively, such as Amazon and mass merchandisers, are included in the discussion to provide better coverage of the market.
A “sporting goods shopper” is any respondent who has purchased at least one of athletic footwear, athletic clothing, sports team branded clothing, sporting accessories, sporting equipment, fitness equipment or sports team branded merchandise in the past 12 months.
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Executive Summary
- What you need to know
- Consumer trends: key takeaways
- Market size & forecast
- Market predictions
- Sporting goods retailers must optimize and differentiate marketing strategies to compete
- Opportunity to leverage online platforms to meet consumers where they are
- Opportunity to elevate the in-store shopping experience
- Opportunity to develop loyalty programs in innovative ways
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Market Dynamics
- Market context
- Market drivers
- Annual inflation sits at 2.5% as of August, the lowest it has been since March 2021
- Graph 1: headline CPI and core CPI, 2021-24
- Unemployment slightly ticked down in August
- Graph 2: unemployment rate, 2019-24
- Consumer sentiment rebounds after a number of months on the slide
- Graph 3: consumer sentiment index, 2022-24
- Over 40% of consumers have seen their financial situations change for the better in the past year
- Graph 4: change in financial situation over the past 12 months, 2024
- Households’ growth in finances has primarily been driven by salary gains
- Graph 5: income growth over the past 12 months, by change in financial situation, 2024
- Households’ outlooks on their personal finances remains bullish
- Graph 6: opinions on financial future, 2024
- Graph 7: income growth in the past 12 months, by financial outlook, 2024
- Financial situations impact sport participation
- Graph 8: fitness/sporting activity participated in on regular basis, by financial status, 2024
- Weekly participation in sporting/fitness activities declines with financial insecurity
- Graph 9: fitness/sporting activity participated in on regular basis, by financial status, 2024
- Restricted financial status impacts category shopping habits
- Graph 10: shopping habits, by financial status, 2024
- Graph 11: shopping habits, by financial status, 2024
- Younger generations fuel sporting goods category
- Decline in fertility rate could challenge market
- Graph 12: fertility rate, by age of mother, 2016-21
- Hispanic consumers present opportunity to drive growth
- Market size and forecast
- Sporting goods stores should expect to see slow growth ahead
- Sales through sporting goods stores are expected to continue seeing slow growth
- Sales through sporting goods stores are expected to continue seeing slow, steady growth (cont.)
- Retailer overview
- Leading retailers of sporting goods
- Graph 13: sporting goods retailers shopped, 2024
- Mass merchandiser spotlight: Walmart
- eCommerce Spotlight: Amazon
- Branded sporting goods retailer spotlight: NIKE
- Sporting goods specialty retailer spotlight: Dick’s Sporting Goods
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Consumer Insights
- Consumer fast facts
- Consumer fast facts (cont.)
- Sporting goods purchases
- Sporting goods are widely purchased
- Graph 14: sporting goods purchases, NET – any purchase, 2024
- Boomers lag in market engagement
- Graph 15: sporting goods purchases, NET – any purchase, by generation, 2024
- Parents over index in sporting goods purchases
- Graph 16: sporting goods purchases, NET – any purchase, by parental status, 2024
- Sporting goods category attracts Hispanic shoppers
- Graph 17: sporting goods purchases – any purchase NET, by Hispanic origin, 2024
- Athletic footwear and clothing offer consistent revenue stream for market
- Graph 18: sporting goods purchases by item, 2024
- Sporting activities
- The low-barrier to entry makes walking/running a favorite fitness activity
- Graph 19: fitness/sporting activity participated in on regular basis, 2024
- Boomers still walk/jog, but are less likely to participate in all other fitness/sporting activities
- Graph 20: fitness/sporting activity participated in on regular basis, by generation, 2024
- Parents are more active across fitness/sporting activities than those without kids
- Graph 21: fitness/sporting activity participated in on regular basis, by parental status, 2024
- Sporting activity frequency
- Weekly activity occurs among most adults
- Adults are likely to participate in activities several days a week
- Graph 22: frequency of sporting activity participation, 2024
- Just as younger consumers make more sporting goods purchases, they also exercise more
- Graph 23: frequency of sporting activity participation, by generation, 2024
- Parents engage more frequently in fitness/sporting activities
- Graph 24: frequency of sporting activity participation, by parental status, 2024
- Parents say their kids participate weekly in sporting activities too
- Frequency of activity increases among school-aged children
- Graph 25: frequency of sporting activity participation among kids, by age of child, 2024
- Retailers and procurement methods
- Consumer choice in sporting goods retail options is expansive
- Graph 26: sporting goods purchases by retailer, 2024
- Mass merchandisers and Amazon are top sporting goods purchase destinations
- Depth in retailer choice beyond top goods purchase destinations
- Graph 27: sporting goods purchases by retailer and procurement method, 2024
- Purchases at other retailers outpace sporting goods retailers, both in-store and online
- Graph 28: sporting goods purchases at other retailers, by procurement method, 2024
- Graph 29: sporting goods purchases at sporting goods retailers, by procurement method, 2024
- Majority of purchases made exclusively in-store
- Graph 30: sporting goods purchases by retailer and procurement method, 2024
- Younger generations prefer in-store experiences
- Graph 31: procurement method for purchases at sporting goods retailers, by generation, 2024
- In-store shopping has greater penetration among Hispanic consumers
- Graph 32: procurement method for purchases at sporting goods retailers, by Hispanic origin, 2024
- Parents shop in-store and online with greater propensity than non-parents
- Graph 33: procurement method for purchases at sporting goods retailers, by parental status, 2024
- Retail choice influencers
- Offering high-quality items is a key factor when choosing retailer
- Graph 34: retailer choice influencers – any rank NET, 2024
- Boomers value convenience and choice, whereas Millennials seek personalized recommendations and in-store experiences
- Graph 35: retailer choice influencers – any rank NET, by generation, 2024
- Parents seek an elevated shopping experience
- Graph 36: retailer choice influencer – any rank NET, by parental status, 2024
- Loyalty program participation
- Consumers want loyalty discounts that can be earned quickly and redeemed easily
- Graph 37: loyalty program participation, 2024
- Younger generations want access to in-store events; Older generations want discounts
- Graph 38: loyalty program participation, by generation, 2024
- Parents want special access perks
- Graph 39: loyalty program participation, by parental status, 2024
- Shopping habits
- Shoppers start research online and rely on consumer/expert reviews
- Graph 40: shopping habits, 2024
- Graph 41: shopping habits, 2024
- Sporting goods purchasers typically buy new gear as a replacement
- Graph 42: shopping habits, 2024
- Prioritization of discounts or retailer is a mixed bag
- Graph 43: shopping habits, 2024
- Generational divide in shopping habits
- Graph 44: shopping habits, by generation, 2024
- Parents are more likely to buy new gear each season and have a greater tendency to research in-store then purchase online
- Graph 45: shopping habits, by parental status, 2024
- Hispanic shoppers more likely to buy new gear for each season
- Graph 46: shopping habits, by Hispanic origin, 2024
- Attitudes toward sporting goods retailing
- Consumers are willing to pay for high-quality sporting goods, but price can be a deterrent from participation
- Graph 47: attitudes towards price, value and loyalty programs, 2024
- Millennials and parents willing to pay for high-quality items, but price can deter participation in sport
- Opportunity to use loyalty programs to bolster benefits of costly equipment purchases
- Graph 48: attitudes toward price, value and loyalty programs – any agree NET, by parental status, 2024
- Graph 49: attitudes toward price, value and loyalty programs – any agree NET, by generation, 2024
- Strong interest in sporting goods retailing options
- Graph 50: interests in sporting goods retailing options – any agree NET, 2024
- Millennials and parents show greater interest in retail program options
- Graph 51: interests in sporting goods retailing options – any agree NET, by parental status, 2024
- Graph 52: interests in sporting goods retailing options – any agree NET, by generation, 2024
- Hispanic shoppers interested in shared loyalty programs and resale
- Graph 53: interests in sporting goods retailing options – any agree NET, by Hispanic origin, 2024
- Majority of category shoppers are interested in stores that offer experiences
- Graph 54: attitudes towards sporting goods retailing – any agree NET, 2024
- Millennials and parents want in-store experiences
- Leverage social media to engage Millennials and parents
- Graph 55: attitudes towards sporting goods retailing – any agree NET, by generation, 2024
- Graph 56: attitudes towards sporting goods retailing – any agree NET, by parental status, 2024
- Hispanic shoppers desire in-store experiences
- Graph 57: US; attitudes toward sporting goods retailing – any agree NET, by Hispanic origin, 2024
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Competitive strategies
- Strategic partnerships drive quality associations
- Amazon collaborates with Project Rock
- Nike collaborates with LEGO to invite kids into play and sport
- Bass Pro Shops’ commitment to military community continues
- Promote convenience by giving consumers flexibility in where they shop
- Dick’s Sporting Goods launches ecommerce campaign to promote online experience
- Click On Dicks.com
- Academy Sports + Outdoors partners with DoorDash for a convenient and quick way to shop
- Focus on in-store experiences that engage shoppers
- Scheels retail experience encompasses activities, trials, and repairs, underscored by expert employees
- SCHEELS offers a variety of store events
- Custom golf fitting with SCHEELS expert
- Target promotes limited-time Prince pickleball collection with in-store event
- Up the value of loyalty programs
- Walmart partners with Break the Love to promote pickleball
- Academy offers early insider access to exclusive Stanley design
- Big 5 promotes incentive program for teams
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Appendix
- Market definition
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast fan chart methodology
- Retail sales and forecast of sales through sporting goods stores, inflation-adjusted
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