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Retail sales of footwear in the United States declined in Q2, although sales of fashion footwear outpaced other categories in growth.
U.S. footwear sales were $10.7 billion in Q2, a 4% decline from 2021, according to data from NPD Group’s retail tracking service, which excludes DTC sales. The decline comes amid the biggest increase in overall consumer prices in more than 40 years, with shoe prices rising at their fastest pace in decades. Footwear prices rose 5.8% in June from a year earlier, according to the FDRA, marking the fifteenth consecutive month of increases from seasonal trends and up 0.7% year-over-year.
By category, recreational footwear sales fell 11 percent to $4.8 billion, while performance footwear fell 7 percent to $1.8 billion. In contrast, fashion footwear sales rose 8 percent to $4.2 billion, as consumers spent more on casual footwear.
“Footwear demand in the second quarter remained soft compared to last year and a slowdown in average price increases negatively impacted sales revenue in the quarter,” said Bette Goldstein, fashion footwear and accessories analyst at NPD. “The slowdown in average price growth may be due to increased advertising activity and a shift from casual sneakers to fashion footwear as consumers update their wardrobes for social reasons.”
In Q2, fashion shoes, boots and footwear saw the highest growth of any category based on sales revenue.
According to NPD in July, between January and May 2022, high heels will gain market share over low heels, driven by a return to events and occasions. For men, hybrid shoe styles that combine loafers with casual silhouettes accounted for about a third of sales for oxfords, drivers and loafers between January and May, down from less than 20 percent in 2019, according to NPD retail tracker data.
The data is tracked by what retailers say. Executives from Macy’s, Nordstrom and Caleres in Q1 saw more people switching to dressy and casual shoes and clothing for social events and physical activity.
When it comes to the back-to-school season, sneakers typically make up 80% of kids’ shoe sales, and that’s likely to be the case again this year, according to NPD.
“We can expect that sneakers will dominate again this year, but clogs will remain popular, as will slippers – now worn at home and at school,” said Goldstein.
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