Footwear Insight

Your sock wall will thank you. 844-413-5457 OS1st.com 4 AC ™ Active Comfort Performance Socks May 2021 Half Page Vert.indd 1 4/20/21 1:45 PM margins increased 160 basis points and operating income rose 114 percent, Shoe Carnival experienced mid- teens sales growth in adult athletics and a triple-digit increase in the segment's comparable ecommerce sales. Women's non-athletic categories, down low- single digits, were driven by comfort sport styles and men's non-athletic, also off low single digits, benefitted from increases in work and hiking boots. Dress shoe sales were down double-digits. Premium Service at Dick's SG Full-line sporting goods retailer Dick's Sporting Goods intends to add premium, full-service footwear departments to more than 100 of its stores this year. When completed, more than 60 percent of the chain's doors will feature the enhanced area, which management thinks will drive continued positive sales in athletic apparel and footwear along with improved allocations of "in-demand" styles. It could perhaps propel the footwear category to over $2 billion in annual revenues for the retailer. That lofty sales objective would require 9 percent, or $165.7 million, in footwear sales growth in 2021. But Nike's recent decision to further pare back its wholesale partners, including cutting off Macy's (not Finish Line departments), Big 5 Sporting Goods and DSW, could end up bolstering Dick's footwear business this year. In FY20, according to the public company's recently filed 10K, the retailer's' year- over-year footwear revenues rose $22.9 million or 1.26 percent to $1,834.3 million. Meanwhile, Dick's is also introducing Burst, a premium, private athletic label for men that counters its CALIA brand for women. In 2020, Dick's realized more than $1.3 billion in sales from its private brands. Its DSG brand for men and women finished the year as its largest vertical label and CALIA was second only to Nike for the retailer in sales volume within women's apparel. On the digital front, Dick's says its 2020 ecommerce sales rose 100 percent, bolstered by a curbside pick-up service that was launched last March and whose sales rose nearly 250 percent in the year's final period. Management says it's intent on shortening the 'path to purchase' and delivery times for its customers this year. Mobile accounted for more than 50 percent of all online sales last year and a new app will be introduced sometime this year. But by no means is Dick's turning attention away from its traditional brick-and- mortar business. A $275-300 million capital allocation budget in 2021 will be used for improvements in existing stores, ongoing technology investments, six new Dick's stores and six new specialty concept stores, the conversion of two Field & Stream banners to Public Lands' stores and the relocation of 11 Dick's stores. Last month in Rochester, NY, Dick's opened an experiential prototype called Dick's House of Sports focused on service and community. Features include an outdoor field, a rock climbing wall and wellness space for in-store programming. n footwearinsight.com

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