Barbells, aerobics sprint ahead in exercise category - exercise equipment at discount stores

Discount Store News, Jan 8, 1990

Barbells, Aerobics Sprint Ahead in Exercise Category

"The musclehead is back. Free weights and weight benches are hot as a pistol.

"Anything that provides an aerobic workout--steppers, treadmills, air bikes--is doing well," said Jay Hanover, exercise buyer for Sports Authority, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., a chain of eight superstores merchandised around a warehouse format. But "rowers are dead in the water" and weight-lifting machines are slipping, he said.

The experience of Sports Authority points out that exercise equipment as a whole is continuing to flex its muscles. But the fickle taste of fitness enthusiasts means that sporting goods buyers must keep alert to shifting fashions.

Overall, exercise equipment grew by a modest 8 percent in 1989 to about $1.52 billion at retail from $1.4 billion in 1988, estimated Tom Doyle, research director of the National Sporting Goods Association. But within the category, treadmills raced ahead about 40 percent from 1988 unit volume of 600,000 Doyle estimated. In 1989, dollar volume for treadmills totaled about $282 million, he said. And sales of stair steppers, "the one really new piece," totaled 200,000 units in 1989, at a dollar volume of $100 million.

"They have the most potential for being the hot product of 1990," Doyle said. For the first time, the NSGA will track steppers in its 1990 survey of 1989 sales, due in the spring. Cross-country skiers, another new category, grew about 20 percent in 1989, he estimated.

Growth in these categories is coming at the expense of rowing machines and home gyms, Doyle said.

The buzzword in exercise today is "low-impact aerobic devices," that provide an alternative to the stress and strain of jogging, said Keith Reed, vice president, merchandising for Herman's, Carteret, N.J.

Although exercise as a whole was flat for Herman's last year, sales of aerobic devices such as the Tunturi stepper were "very hefty," at $249 every day, $200 on ad, Reed said. "The rower is down the tubes, and "the home gym is on par with the rower."

Herman's is doing well with the Proform air bike, the Tradewind, at $299 every day, $249 on special, Reed said, thanks to an added feature that customers demanded, adjustable tension.

In cross-country skiers, Herman's best seller of two models is a private label unit from Voit, $199 every day, $149 on ad, Reed said.

"Steppers definitely have taken off over the past two years," said Jeff Scobie, manager of SuperSports, Union, N.J. SuperSports, a superstore division of Oshman's, Houston, does well with a Precors stepper at $350, with a $100 instant discount taken at the register, Scobie said.

Treadmills are another big item for SuperSports, he said. It handles three Proform models at $700, $1,000 and $1,300, with the $1,000 model selling the best.

Sports Giant, K mart's new sporting goods warehouse club, is doing well with a Diversified Products stepper at $150, said Gene Wedoe, manager of the Livonia, Michigan unit.

An influx of lower quality imports hurt conventional stationary bicycles, Wedoe said, but Sports Giant does well with DP's Airgometer air bike at $270.

Treadmill Sales Jump

Christmas accounted for a jump in treadmill sales, he said, such as Tunturi's T-70 model at $700. Bad weather also was a contributing factor as those who walk for exercise turned to indoor equipment.

Trampolines, both miniature, at $20, and backyard size, at $370, also proved popular at Christmas, he said.

Many exercise buffs are going back to weight lifting, Wedoe said. Sports Giant does better with selling weights by the piece, rather than individual sets, he said.

At Academy Sports, Houston, "Steppers really are coming on strong," said Larry Perez, exercise buyer. Academy does well with a C.S.A. model that sells for $99, he said.

And cast-iron free weights, sold by the pound, "are tremendous," Perez commented, registering a 25 percent gain in 1989. Set owners buy the individual pieces to add on.

In conjunction with the boom in weight lifting, Academy finds that a new item, the Ultra weight lifting belt is coming on strong. Made of nylon instead of conventional leather, the belt retails for $27.99, against $14.99 for a four-inch leather belt. The Ultra belt comes with velcro fasteners for more precise fit and all the popular colors, such as neon pink and green.

In mid-year, Academy jumped onto treadmills and recorded some good numbers, Perez said. "All our competitors--Wal-Mart, K mart, Target and catalogers--were into them," Perez said. "Something was going on."

As a whole, exercise at Academy in 1989 ran 30 percent ahead of 1988, Perez said, with rowers making such a poor showing that Academy basically is phasing them out.