Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1529031
Profits are afoot for dealers that embrace the team sock business. By Judy Leand TEAM SOCKS O ver the past few years – basically since the start of the COVID pandemic – team dealers have had to contend with supply chain issues, changing tastes in sock styles and a general shi from socks being an integral part of a uniform to becoming an add-on sale. For some coaches and athletic directors who oversee the ordering of uniforms, socks became an aerthought, but dealers still recognize the importance of the category. More to the point, with the steady sales growth of performance athletic socks in general, it makes sense to sell socks with technical attributes, such as moisture wicking and enhanced fit, as part of a uniform. In other words, these are no longer your father's – or even your own – team socks. "Athletes are just as specific with socks as with the rest of their uniforms and different socks fulfill different needs — they're techni- cal and complex," explains Christian Stagg, national sales manager at Pearsox. Based in Pennsylvania, the USA manufacturing company has been in business since 1992 and specializes in custom athletic socks that feature moisture management yarns, ergonomic design and reinforced heels and toes. "Custom socks are the most expensive option, but this part of the business has grown expo- nentially over the past couple of years," notes Stagg. "People like what they're getting. It's a renewable sale for us and dealers love selling socks because of the great margins." Stagg points out that there has been an ad- aptation in the way dealers buy sock inventory and it all comes down to technology. "Lots of business is done on Internet team stores, which are bringing more nuance in technology," he explains. "While there's been a huge shi to online team stores, many dealers are waiting until those stores close and then ordering the exact amounts of socks that they need. But there's a risk with not holding your own inventory ahead of time — most dealers would rather react than have to tie up money and hold inventory." Further discussing online team stores, Stagg points out that while the types of on-field socks that teams purchase depend on the sport, socks are also increasingly being sold as teamwear/ spiritwear and are popular with players, siblings, parents and boosters. "ere's a lot of volume and the socks fit in with other apparel purchases," he says. "Now there's a demand for arm sleeves, headbands and related accessories that coincide with socks, and this presents new sales opportunities." Socks Fit in Well for Dealers At Stateline Sports in Lebanon, NH, buyer Dan Proulx is bullish on the sock category. "Socks are strong for us. We sell a lot of running socks and hockey socks. We also do a few socks with baseball, soball and football teams, but mostly at retail. Socks are more of an add-on — it depends on whether the schools provide the socks, and most schools don't," he says. Proulx adds that hockey socks are mainly sold through online team stores, which are set up primarily by youth organizations. Overall, he says, "buying habits have stayed pretty steady and balanced and even during the pandemic there wasn't much change." 28 • Team Insight ~ November/December 2024 teaminsightmag.com Photos: Pearsox FOOTING THE BILL