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S eize the trend. We've been keeping an eye on consumer sentiments and their renewed desire for the in-store experience. I couldn't help but notice an article in the April 30 edition of the Wall Street Journal entitled "Amazon's Key Online-Shopping Business Stalls." Here they cited statistics from Mastercard SpendingPulse, noting online spending in the USA was down 3.3% while spending at brick-and-mortar stores, by contrast, was up 11.2%. While this may include groceries and other categories, it is confirmation of what we've been hearing over the past few months. Certainly good news for our brick-and-mortar specialty retail channels. is trend is also reflected in our exclusive Trend Insight Consumer Survey results, where we can track year over year change in consumer behavior. In our current survey, we also show a notable decrease in online shopping (with no store affiliation) for running apparel and footwear. ere was, however, an increase in shopping online with their favorite stores as well as at single branded sites, or DTC. e former is good news, as more retailers have upgraded their online services. e latter, is well, another matter. We also talked with a half dozen independent footwear retailers, and asked them to weigh in on brands, trends, persistent challenges and more. You can read that story, "e Balancing Act Continues," on page 56. In our consumer survey this month, we focused on running. We learned that over 80% will replace their running shoes each year, with 33% averaging every 6 months, a slight decrease from 2021. Should running shoes comes with a mileage rating? Of our respondents, 82% said yes. We also asked in separate questions, where consumers primarily shop for running footwear and where they shop for their running apparel. For footwear, run specialty has the largest share with sporting goods stores coming in second. at flips when asked where they shop for running apparel, signaling an opportunity for run specialty. Our Run Style section highlights trends in running apparel, footwear, insoles, socks and run essentials. With the outdoor market growing amongst novice participants, crafting a compelling performance story that resonates with a values- driven, lifestyle-oriented entry-level outdoor participant is challenging at the very least. What do we say when we talk performance in 2022? From a design point-of-view, words that were used to depict performance in the past, "high-tech," "hard core," and "rugged weather-proofness," were oen directed at elite athletes adventuring outdoors. In this issue we talk with 10 textile suppliers who offered their insights on craing a compelling performance story. To get a consumer's point-of- view, we asked "what brand messaging resonates the most when it comes to communicating functional benefits for their products?" eir comments are on page 66. We close with the 50th anniversary of Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, which paved the way for more girls and women to play sports in school. It has resulted in huge gains, not only for female athletes, but for the sporting goods industry and our society in general. It is our hope that the positive trajectory of female sports will continue. Jeff Nott CEO & Publisher 4 • May/June 2022 CARPE TRENDEM. We've been keeping an eye on consumer sentiments and their renewed desire for the in-store experience. sportstyle • sportstylemag.com ON THE HORIZON

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