Thanks for Visiting!

Register for free to get the full story.

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

Sports Away: Lululemon & Nike’s Momentum Continues

See how visits to Nike and lululemon are faring as back-to-school heats up.

By 
Bracha Arnold
August 29, 2023
Sports Away: Lululemon & Nike’s Momentum Continues
SHARE
Explore our free tools to get timely insights into key industries
Check out the latest trends for
No items found.
Key Takeaways

In 2023, athleisure and sportswear find themselves firmly in the category of everyday clothing options. Two brands leading the charge are lululemon and Nike, both of which have become fashion trendsetters in recent years. We take a look at these companies’ latest performance as back-to-school heats up. 

Year-Over-Year Growth

Between April and June 2023, both lululemon and Nike saw positive year-over-year (YoY) foot traffic growth – even as overall visits to sportswear and sporting goods retailers declined. Visits to both chains are likely getting a boost from the two brands’ investments in experiential retail, which encourages customers a reason to visit the stores rather than just shop online. 

Nike has also been working on integrating its digital and physical presence and expanding its portfolio of own-brand stores. And lululemon’s “Power Of Three” retail strategy focuses on product innovation, an improved guest experience, and market expansion. 

Lululemon: The Power of Three

YoY visits per venue to lululemon have been consistently elevated in recent months with the company maintaining its upward trend – and the brand’s recent emphasis on menswear is likely contributing to the steady growth. The athleisure leader has always offered men's clothing, but its “Power of Three” marketing strategy, in place since 2019, emphasizes the segment. And while the pandemic slowdown in in-person shopping made it difficult to assess the strategy’s impact on the brand’s brick-and-mortar retail visits, recent data suggests that the “Power of Three” is indeed attracting more men to lululemon stores.

Between Q2 2019 and Q2 2023, the share of male visitors to top lululemon locations across the country grew significantly. For example, lululemon in Leawood, KS saw the share of males in its trade area increase from 36.5% in Q2 2019 to 41.9% in Q2 2023. Similar patterns repeated in other locations, suggesting that lululemon’s increased focus on menswear is bringing a wider customer base into its stores. And with the company’s menswear winning recent endorsements from publications such as GQ and Men’s Health, the current success in the space may be just a hint of what’s to come. 

Nike: Democratizing Across Consumer Groups

Like lululemon, Nike has also been broadening its visitor base – which could also explain the company’s ongoing visit growth. Between July 2019 and July 2023 Nike’s customer base’s median household income (HHI) fell to $78.6K/year – still above the nationwide median of $69.5K but slightly lower from than the median HHI of $87.5K/year for Nike visitors in July 2019. This indicates that Nike is shifting slightly from a mostly luxury brand to a more inclusive chain with a wider visitor base. 

Similarly, looking at the AGS: Behavior & Attitudes dataset reveals that Nike’s popularity is no longer confined to gym buffs. In 2019, Nike’s potential customers over-indexed for “Joggers” and “Fitness Fans” – 118 and 117, respectively, compared to a nationwide average of 100. But by 2023, Nike visitors only over-indexed by 107 for “Joggers” and 108 for “Fitness Fans,” which means that the brand now appeals to visitors from across the fitness spectrum. It may be that the brand’s recent focus on celebrity and designer collaborations is helping bring a broader range of customers into stores, some of whom may be seeking out more than a jogging or basketball shoe. And with streetwear remaining a staple among the fashion set, Nike can hope for continued foot traffic success into 2024.

Ready, Set, Shop

Both Nike and lululemon are succeeding in the athletic apparel space, bringing innovation and expanded product lines to their shoppers and expanding their reach across new markets. 

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

Learn how downtown regions across US cities are measuring up with our free tools.
Check out the latest trends for
No items found.

Related Topics

Explore our free tools to get timely insights into key industries
Check out the latest trends for
No items found.
SHARE
Get 3 brand & industry
breakdowns every week
Subscribe to the newsletter
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.

Recent Publications

Get 3 brand & industry breakdowns every week

Subscribe to the newsletter
Text Link
Lululemon
Five Below and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet: A Pre-Holiday Snapshot
Kroger: Getting into The Seasonal Swing 
Avison Young Launches Office Busyness Index Powered by Placer.ai to Provide Unmatched Insights on Office Utilization Across Major U.S. Markets
Off-Price Ahead of the 2024 Holiday Season
A Beautiful Season Ahead: Ulta and Sally Beauty Supply
Sportswear Ahead of the 2024 Holiday Season 
Placer 100 Index: October 2024 Recap 
Placer.ai Office Index: October 2024 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index: October 2024 Recap 
Halloween’s 2024 Retail & Dining Impact – Party City Carries the Season
Checking in With Department Stores: Nordstrom and Macy’s
Superstores and Wholesale Clubs Ahead of the Holidays
Home Depot and Lowe’s Heading Into the Holidays
Starbucks and Dutch Bros: Short Visits Lead the Way
Planet Fitness: Raising the Bar(bell)
Checking in With Full-Service Restaurants: First Watch, Chili’s, and Outback Steakhouse
RBI and Yum!: QSR Resilience in 2024
Boot Barn and DSW: Stepping Up Their Game
Target’s October Circle Week: A Data-Driven Snapshot
Chipotle, Shake Shack & Wingstop: Dining Success in Q3 2024
Playa Bowls and Tropical Smoothie Cafe: Berry Big Business
Cheesecake Factory & BJ’s Restaurants: Full-Service Success
Checking in on McDonald's and Wendy's 
Sprouts Farmers Market: A Specialty Grocer With a Traditional Twist
CAVA: The Craze Continues
Placer.ai Reaches $100M Annual Recurring Revenue
Catching Up With Carter's 
A Texas Roadhouse and LongHorn Steakhouse Showdown
Placer.ai Mall Index: September 2024 Recap – Labor Day Peaks and Holiday Season Predictions
Albertsons Q3 Check-In
Looking Ahead to the 2024 Holiday Season
Trader Joe's: Continuing to Thrive in 2024
Bowlero and AMF: A Ten-Pin Knockout
Recreational Retail: Store Performance in 2024
Placer.ai White Paper Recap – September 2024
A QSR and Fast-Casual Face-Off
Sam’s Club’s In-Store Retail Media Network Opportunity
The Rising Stars: Six Metro Areas Welcoming Young Professionals
Costco in 2024: A Deep Dive
Sherwin-Williams in 2024: Brighter Than a New Lick of Paint
Life Time and Orangetheory: Premium Fitness Flourishing
C-Stores: More Than A Pit Stop
Darden: Dining Dominance Undeterred 
Placer 100 Index for Retail and Dining: August 2024 Recap
Placer.ai Office Index: August 2024 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index: August 2024 Recap – Back-To-School In Full Swing
Auto Parts Retailers: The Traffic Continues
Pumpkin Spice Works its Magic Once Again
School Season Sparks Retail Growth
Placer.ai White Paper Recap – July & August 2024
Big Lots’ Big Rightsizing Move in Four Data Points
Fun Away From The Sun: Checking in With Eatertainment
Domestic Migration and Population Growth: Strong Currents Off The Carolina Coast
The Civic Impact of Summer Events
Retail Trends in College Towns: A Back-to-School Snapshot
Five Below and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet: Consumers Still on the Hunt for Discounts
Macy’s & Bloomingdale’s: Into 2024 and Beyond
Limited Time Only: The Trend Continues
Beauty in 2024: Many Ways to Win
Dollar General & Dollar Tree: Powering Ahead in Q2 2024
The Home Depot and Lowe's Foot Traffic Remodel in Q2 2024
Superstore Update: Summer Savings Spree
Placer.ai Mall Index: July 2024 Recap – From Fourth of July to Back-to-School
Placer.ai Office Index: July 2024 Recap
Summer Movie Madness: Blockbuster Films Boost Foot Traffic
Driving Success: Toyota in 2024
Denny’s and IHOP: An All-Day Breakfast Matchup
Warby Parker: Seeing Clearly Now
Planet Fitness at the 2024 Halfway Point
Serving Summer 2024: RBI and Yum! Brands Q2 Foot Traffic
Starbucks, Dutch Bros., Dunkin’: Finding Summer Success
Fast Food and Fast Casual Favorites, Plus CosMc’s Takeoff
Chipotle and Sweetgreen: Fast-Casual in Q2 2024
First Watch, Texas Roadhouse, and Applebee’s: An FSR Roundup
Albertsons Companies: H1 2024 Recap
Teaming Up For Success: Sports Stadium Sponsorships
Limited Time Offers: Price Wars Boost Visits
Placer 100 Index for Retail & Dining: June 2024 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index: June 2024 Recap
Placer.ai Office Index: June 2024 Recap
Inside Out 2: The New Blockbuster Bringing Crowds Back to Theaters
Petco and PetSmart: A Head to Head
Frozen Delights: Exploring Ice Cream Chains Across America
Placer.ai White Paper Recap – June 2024
Barnes & Noble: Writing a New Story
Small Format Stores - Sprouting, Blooming, and Expanding
Retail and Dining on Father’s Day
Thrift Store Visit Scores
Charting Value Grocery’s Visit Growth
Placer 100 Index for Retail & Dining: Introduction and May 2024 Recap
Digging Into Darden: Q2 2024 Update
2024 Retail and Dining Trends Update
TRU and avid: Midscale Hotels on the Rise 
Diving Into Kroger: A Strong Start to 2024
Placer.ai Mall Index: May 2024 Recap – Mall Visits on the Rebound
Placer.ai Office Index: May 2024 Recap
2024 Memorial Day Recap
Las Vegas: A Tourism and Migration Deep Dive
Eatertainment Chains: Full on Food, Fun, and Foot Traffic
The Promise of Luxury Apparel