Thanks for Visiting!

Register for free to get the full story.

Sign Up
Already have a Placer.ai account? Log In

Off-Price, Hibbett, and Dick’s Pre-Holiday Check-in

by 
Bracha Arnold
 on 
November 16, 2022
Off-Price, Hibbett, and Dick’s Pre-Holiday Check-in

We dove into the foot traffic data to the off-price apparel sector and took a closer look at two leading sports retailers, Hibbett Sports and Dick’s Sporting Goods to see what visits can tell us about the upcoming holiday season. 

Continued Visits to Budget-Friendly Retailers 

There are four chains that dominate the off-price apparel category – T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, which are owned by the same parent company, Ross Dress For Less, and Burlington. These retailers performed remarkably well during the pandemic, consistently outperforming the overall apparel sector – a trend that has persisted in recent months. 

Year-over-three-year (Yo3Y) foot traffic to Ross and T.J. Maxx was up 3.3% and 0.9%, respectively, in October 2022, while Burlington foot traffic remained on par with pre-pandemic levels with just 0.7% fewer visitors than three years prior. Marshalls’ visits fell 9.1% Yo3Y in September 2022, but by October the chain had narrowed its visit gap to 3.3% while the wider apparel category saw its foot traffic decline 8.0% Yo3Y. 

Year-over-Year Visits Returning to Normal

The Yo3Y visit numbers provide critical context for year-over-year (YoY) foot traffic declines in the off-price apparel segment. All four brands saw their visits fall relative to 2021, but the drop in traffic is likely more of a testament to off-price’s particularly strong performance last year than to any real dip in demand.

Off-price’s recent performance may also be hampered by the inventory gluts impacting the wider apparel space. With customers across the board cutting spending, many traditional apparel retailers have begun offering steep discounts to move stock out of overflowing warehouses, which could be cutting into off-price’s customer base. 

Still, these inventory surpluses may ultimately help the category, as products not sold through traditional channels are likely to end up on off-price retailers’ shelves. And once excess inventory clears conventional retail channels, apparel brands may well raise their prices to offset the previous discounts – and the famously recession-proof off-price segment will be well positioned for further growth.

Hibbett and Dick’s on a Winning Streak

The sportswear and sporting goods market has been reaping the benefits of Americans' interest in health and wellness for several years. Dick’s Sporting Goods is a leading name in the industry that operates several outdoor-focused chains in its 850-strong store fleet, including Dick’s House of Sport, Field & Stream, and Golf Galaxy. Hibbett is another major sporting goods chain with nearly 1,100 stores across the U.S. that operates several brands, including sneaker destination City Gear. 

Hibbett and Dick’s performed well during the pandemic, and this strength has persisted in the face of the current economic headwinds. Both chains exceeded their Yo3Y visits by comfortable margins, with October 2022 visits up 35.0% for Hibbett and 8.0% for Dicks compared to 2019 – a promising performance ahead of a critical holiday season.

Game On Ahead of The Holidays

But while both chains outperformed their Yo3Y foot traffic levels, Hibbett appeared to pull ahead of Dick’s on a YoY basis. Despite inflation and supply-chain challenges, Hibbett posted YoY visit growth of 0.8% in October, while Dick’s visits fell 5.9% in the same period. And while the relatively minor visit gaps in the face of 2021’s outsized performance and current economic conditions indicate that Dick’s is still extremely well positioned, Hibbett’s continued YoY growth may mean that the sporting goods space is becoming increasingly competitive.  

Hibbett’s Growing Visit Share 

Looking at historical foot traffic data indicates that Hibbett has been steadily cutting into Dick’s Sporting Goods visit share. In Q3 2019, Dick’s received 91.2% and Hibbett received 8.8% of the retailers’ combined visit share. But thanks to Hibbett’s successful expansion, the Alabama-based retailer grew to command 10.8% of the two retailers’ combined visit share by Q3 2022. 

Of course, Dick’s visits still far outnumber Hibbetts’ – and visits to Dick’s stores represent only a fraction of the foot traffic to Dick’s Sporting Goods’ wider ecosystem of stores. But the recent success of Hibbett does mean that the brick-and-mortar sporting goods space is getting slightly more competitive. And with interest in fitness at an all-time high, consumer demand for sportswear and equipment is likely strong enough to sustain even further growth in this arena.

Post-Pandemic Predictions

The upcoming holidays will be closely-watched as the first truly post-pandemic shopping retail season kicks off. Off-price retailers are poised to benefit from a customer base looking to cut costs while the sporting goods space can hope to continue reaping the benefits of increasingly health conscious consumers. 

For more data-driven insights, visit placer.ai/blog.

Get 3 brand & industry
breakdowns every week

Subscribe to the newsletter

Great! Prepare your inbox for data-driven insights...
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Get a Demo

Please enter your first name
Please enter your last name
Please provide a valid email
Please enter your email
Please enter company name

Thanks for reaching out!

One of our experts will be in touch soon

Try Placer.ai Free
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Why Are Specialty Grocers Thriving in 2023?
The CAVA Craze: A Location Intelligence Perspective on the Mediterranean Marvel
How Will Primark’s US Expansion Impact Target?
All Eyes on Eyewear
Northwestern U.S. Grocery Dive
Return of the Lunch: Salad Chains Are Thriving
Retail Media Networks – Off the Beaten Track
Bet Your Bottom Dollar: Discount and Dollar Stores Drive Foot Traffic
Ulta & Lululemon: Discretionary Spending On The Up
The Score After Q1: Sporting Goods Chains
Who Uses NYC Airports: Biting Into The Big Apple’s Main Transport Hubs
Off Price: Strength in The Face of Retail Challenges
Visits Improve for Home Improvement
Walmart, Target & Wholesalers in Q1 2023 – The Return of Mission-Driven Shopping?
Department Store Roundup: Q1 2023
Placer.ai Office Index: April 2023 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index, April 2023 – A Rebound on the Horizon?
How Will Bed Bath & Beyond’s Bankruptcy Impact the Retail Space?
Buffet Restaurants: Filling Up on Foot Traffic
Thrift Stores: Vintage Visits Drive New Age in Apparel
The Windy City: A Hub of Post-Pandemic Opportunity
Diving into Dining Traffic - Q1 2023
Bring On The Joe
A Dollar (or more) For Your Thoughts: Five Below and pOpshelf
Dining Out With The Cheesecake Factory
Retail Foot Traffic Recap – March 2023
Digging Into 2023: McDonald’s and Chipotle Update
Placer.ai Office Index: March 2023 Recap
How Did Key Retail Categories Perform in Q1 2023?
Northeastern USA Grocery Dive
Movie Theaters Storylines for 2023
Ollie's Bargain Outlet: Discounters are Evolving
Leveraging Brick-and-Mortar Retail in 2023
America’s Evolving Work Patterns: A Deep-Dive into New York and Chicago
Placer.ai Mall Index March 2023
Tuning Into Record Stores
Five Franchises To Watch in 2023
What’s Next For Domestic Tourism?
It’s Showtime! Movie Theaters in the Spotlight
5 Limited Time Offers (LTOs) Driving Restaurant Traffic
Department Store Deep-Dive: Belk
Regional Grocery Chains Staying Ahead of the Competition
Five Chains that Rightsized for Success
Unlocking the Potential of Offline Retail Media Networks
Dining Out With Darden
What’s in Store for Self-Storage?
Nike & lululemon Update: Strong Performance Amid Expansion Plans
Many Ways to Win: Midwest Grocery Deep Dive
Retail, Reinvented: The Rise of the Pop-Up Shop
Navigating a New Normal in Business Travel & Commutes
Placer.ai Office Index: February 2023 Recap
Retail Categories Staying Strong in Volatile Environment
Ulta Beauty: Poised for Success into 2023
Placer.ai Mall Index February 2023: Reasons for Continued Optimism
Catching Up With DICK’s & Hibbett
The Miami-Dade Arena: An Advertising Slam Dunk
Car Washes Revving Up Visits
Tuesday Morning and Sunrises in Home Furnishing
Dining & Valentine’s Day Recap
2023: The Year of the Discount Store
Aldi’s Success Highlights Growing Demand for Value Groceries
5 Retail & Service Categories Holding onto Pandemic Gains in 2023
Visitor Insights from Super Bowl 2023
2023 First Look: Home Improvement Update
How Are Target, Walmart, and Wholesale Clubs Faring in 2023?
Department Store Deep-Dive: Nordstrom
Off-Price: Taking Off in Uncertain Times
Checking in On Middle-Class Hubs
Who Attends the Super Bowl?
Placer.ai Office Index: January 2023 Recap
Focusing On Fitness: Q4 and January Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index: January 2023 – Returning Mall Normalcy?
Location Intelligence Insights Into Concert Attendance
Winning Dining Strategies for 2023
In-N-Out Burger: What to Expect as the Brand Moves East
Location Intelligence Breakdown: Coffee Caps-Off 2022
Digitally Native Brands Lean Into Brick & Mortar
Washington, D.C. Population Changes & Migration Trends
A Location Intelligence Perspective on Macy’s Rightsizing
Amazon-Powered Shopping: The Future of Brick-and-Mortar Grocery?
Cold Weather, Hot Visits: Diving into Winter Resorts
Wawa and 7-Eleven: Leaning Into the “Slurpee Effect”
2022 and Beyond: Catching Up With McDonald’s & Chipotle
Let’s Have Some Fun! Going Out Is In
Placer.ai’s Q4 2022 Quarterly Index
Placer.ai Adds Industry Executives to Leadership Team To Drive Company's Next Phase of Growth
5 Emerging Retail Formats: 2023’s Brick-and-Mortar Evolution
Grocery Update: Zooming in on the Lone Star State
2022 Office Recap: The Year of the TGIF Work Week
What Lies Ahead for Brick-and-Mortar Luxury in 2023
Placer.ai Mall Indexes: December 2022 Recap
Looking Back on 2022’s Holiday Shopping Season
Post-Pandemic Migration Trends in New York
Top Retailers for 2023
The Live Sports Advertising Opportunity
Domestic Migration to the Mountain States: Small Shifts with Big Implications
New Year, New Food: 5 Dining Trends For 2023
Announcing Placer.ai’s COVID RECOVERY DASHBOARD
This is Why Shop-in-Shops Are Everywhere
Super Saturday 2022 Recap