PORT WASHINGTON, NY, May 15, 2007 – The NPD Group, Inc. leading provider of consumer and retail information, announced the launch of its retail tracking service for the men’s active apparel business in U.S. sporting goods retailers. This point-of-sale service provides style-level detail on men’s active apparel categories, across a wide range of sports, and provides insight into the importance of sport licenses, performance fabric items, and fashion product.
NPD’s new Men’s Active Apparel POS service monitors retail sales across product categories including: tops, bottoms, fleece wear, swimwear, cold weather undergarments, outerwear, and active sets. This new service will provide NPD’s clients with the industry’s highest quality, most reliable data available, enabling them to guide their key business decisions and strategies with confidence. They will be able to identify which product categories, sports, brands and styles are driving the business. They’ll understand how their brand stacks up relative to key competitors and glean insight into pricing strategies.
“By launching this new service NPD is able to develop a highly focused view of the men’s active apparel market in sporting goods retailers and, for the first time, provide key insights into what we now know to be a $1.9 billion dollar market,” said Dennis Brown, Group President, “The point-of-sale data in combination with NPD’s consumer insights will make a valuable contribution to understanding the Men’s Active Apparel business.
Data from the new service reveals the outdoor category currently dominates the market, and apparel for specific sports far outpaces active basics or fashion.
“As the recognized leader in tracking the athletic footwear market, NPD’s clients and retail partners asked if we could provide that same expertise for the Men’s Active Apparel market. We are only too pleased to respond by providing the sports industry with the most accurate and highest quality service available today,” said Lori Monaco, vice president and general manager for NPD’s footwear and sports business. “We look forward to expanding the scope of our service offerings in this important market.”
About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 1,600 manufacturers, retailers, and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice, home, office supplies, software, sports, toys, and wireless. For more information, visit www.npd.com.