U.S. footwear sales fell in the first quarter! Detailed data on the sub-category market was released

It is learned that according to data from the NPD Group, unit sales and revenue of footwear products in the United States fell in the first quarter of 2022 compared with the previous year. The data showed that US footwear sales revenue fell 3%, unit sales fell 12%, and the average price rose 11%.

Moreover, revenues for the quarter were up 3% and unit sales were down 10% compared to the first quarter of 2019. In addition to reduced stimulus, inflation could exacerbate weak footwear spending in 2022, NPD said.

NPD also noted that sales of some top footwear brands have slowed compared to last year and are underperforming compared to the rest of the market. "There is a lot of change happening in the footwear market, especially in the athletic sector, with emerging brands and the entry of new styles and technologies," NPD wrote in its analysis. "We may be seeing the beginning of a sea change in the industry."

Data shows that in the first quarter, the sales revenue of women's shoes in the United States increased by 4%, men's shoes decreased by 6%, and children's shoes decreased by 12%. One of the reasons for the increase in women's shoes revenue is that the average selling price increased more than other categories, which promoted the growth of revenue.

The women's shoe market also benefited from improved sales of fashion shoes, while the men's and children's shoe markets relied on sports and leisure shoes, a category with weak sales.

Sales of sports shoes are falling

Sports and leisure footwear revenues were down in the high teens in the first quarter, with unit sales down in the high teens and average prices up in the single digits.

In the athleisure footwear category, retro-style footwear revenue declined due to weakness at Nike, Jordan and adidas, while athletic skateboarding shoes fell 20% and skateboarding shoe revenue declined low-single digits.

Nike's sports and leisure footwear sales fell about 25%, while Jordan and Adidas saw declines in the mid-teens. New Balance was up about 25%, while Puma, Skechers, Converse and Vans all saw declines in the category.

Fashion footwear sees growth

Sales revenue for fashion footwear, which includes dress, casual and slippers, increased 11%, while unit sales fell 11%. The only fashion footwear category to achieve unit sales growth was slippers. Dress shoes accounted for more than two-thirds of the growth in the fashion category, but the segment was still weak compared to 2019.

Among fashion footwear brands, Crocs sales increased 9%, while Steve Madden grew 57% due to higher sales of sandals. Skechers sales in fashion footwear fell 14%. Clarks, Birkenstock and UGG each saw declines in the single digits.

High-performance footwear stands out

Performance footwear outperformed the overall footwear market in the first quarter. While revenue grew slightly, unit sales grew in the low single digits. But average prices also fell slightly, a significant slowdown from the pace of 2021.

Running shoes, which make up the largest portion of performance footwear sales, saw revenues decline slightly compared to the first quarter of 2021. Walking shoes, soccer/football shoes, and training shoes showed solid growth during the quarter, while basketball shoes continued to decline.

Other Footwear News

Outdoor footwear revenue and unit sales declined while average selling prices increased by a mid-single digit; hiking, trekking and mountaineering footwear revenue declined by a single digit; and boots, including hunting and fishing boots, declined by a mid-single digit.

Work, occupational and safety shoes saw revenue increase by 10%, with athletic shoe styles accounting for nearly 90% of the growth, followed by fashion shoes. Boots were down in the low single digits, but still up compared to 2019.

NPD said the second quarter will see more pre-pandemic social activities that will help drive continued improvement in fashion footwear sales, while interest in fitness and outdoor activities will help drive athletic footwear sales. However, macro pressures on consumers, combined with difficult comparisons to 2021, will likely curb growth.

Editor✎ Ashley/

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