Gmarket Sees Up to 11x Increase in Outdoor Sports Gear Sales Including Soccer, Baseball, Tennis
Preparing for Winter Sports Early, About 20,000 'Ski Early Bird Season Passes' Sold
[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] As the cool and clear autumn weather significantly increases outdoor activities, outdoor sports equipment is experiencing a boom.
Gmarket announced on the 10th that sales of outdoor sports-related products in September increased up to 11 times compared to the same period last year.
Baseball equipment was in high demand due to the popularity of sports that can be enjoyed together. Overall baseball equipment sales increased by 80%, with baseball bags up 160% and baseball bats up 46%. Catcher gear such as chest protectors and leg guards more than doubled (124%), while baseball shoes (53%) and baseball gloves (50%) also sold well. Baseball apparel and accessories, including baseball caps (102%), baseball uniforms (509%), and baseball undershirts (722%), increased more than threefold overall (235%). Sales of cheering goods for in-person baseball games also rose by 185%.
Sales of ball sports equipment for group participation also stood out. Overall soccer-related equipment sales rose by 45%. Goalkeeper gloves nearly doubled (95%), and soccer socks/stockings and soccer gloves increased by 142% and 125%, respectively, more than doubling sales. Futsal shoes increased by 281%, and soccer vests by 123%. Additionally, jokgu nets and posts (43%), jokgu shoes (106%), and jokgu balls (182%) all contributed to an overall 110% increase in jokgu equipment sales.
Tennis, which captivated the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z), and badminton, which is easy to enjoy casually, are also popular. Tennis apparel sales surged 11 times (1000%), and tennis bags nearly tripled (198%). Badminton apparel rose nearly threefold (195%), and badminton shoes almost doubled (90%). Badminton bags and rackets sold 120% and 57% more, respectively. Squash rackets and squash protective goggles sales also surged by 176% and 600%, respectively.
Skiers are also enthusiastic ahead of winter. During the same period, sales of ski and snowboard equipment increased by 75%, with snowboard decks and bindings each growing by 50%, snowboard boots increasing sixfold (500%), and ski plates rising by 200%. Ski apparel such as board pants (260%), ski jackets (68%), and ski sets (150%), as well as ski and board protectors (40%) and ski and board socks (148%), were also popular.
In the early bird special sale for the '22/23 Ski Season Pass,' nearly 20,000 season passes for Phoenix, Elysian Gangchon, and Gonjiam were sold. Major product sales increased more than threefold compared to the previous year, receiving such a strong response that waiting lists formed. Accordingly, major ski resort season passes will be offered at discounted prices again in October. Starting from the 12th, Vivaldi Park Locker Season Passes will be sold exclusively at up to 200,000 KRW off. An early bird season pass pre-sale live broadcast will also be held from 6 PM on the 18th.
A Gmarket official said, "As we enter the first autumn and winter season after the endemic, demand for various outdoor sports and outings is surging. From sports equipment for group sports like soccer and baseball to ski equipment awaiting the winter season, sales are booming across all categories."
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