Slowing down in ski shops

Temperature, cost of living or effect of the pandemic? So far, fall has been very quiet in the ski shops of Greater Montreal. Too much, even, according to some retailers, who already fear sales as low as those of last winter.

If the month of August and the month of September experienced their usual traffic, Brigitte Trottier, of the Ski Town store, in Brossard, cannot say the same for the month of October, as much for alpine skiing, cross-country skiing or ski touring.

“This month has been catastrophic,” confided the manager, who is also the daughter of Bernard Trottier, ski businessman and legend of sports philanthropy in Quebec. Even the Association of Quebec Ski Resorts noted that sales were slow in retail stores, we confirmed by email.

All retailers with whom The Press spoke, shared the same hope: that this winter will be better than the last. The Ski Shop boutique in Laval experienced a drop in sales of around 30% during the winter of 2023-2024. “Last year, in fact, was our worst season since our opening in 1995,” even declared the store’s director of operations, Marie-Ève ​​Lepage.

In November 2020, The Press reported that the cross-country ski displays were visibly empty¹. Some retailers had even sold out of stock before the first snow fell. But four years later, everyone is equipped. Added to this is inflation, which has hurt the wallets of Quebecers in recent years, and the abnormally high temperatures in the fall, which are pushing back the practice of winter sports ever further.

After the explosion in popularity of skiing during the pandemic, ski stores were all left with excess stock last winter, explained M^me Trottier.

Some suppliers were even surprised that the new orders were much lower, said Éric Levert, supervisor at La Poubelle du Ski in Montreal.

It’s the same thing at Dafran Sport, located on Décarie Boulevard in Montreal. “I have reduced my orders for certain skis this year by around 50% for this winter,” explained Nicolas Raymond, owner.

Less cold, less money

According to data from the Quebec Ministry of the Environment, the winter of 2023-2024 was the warmest on record in the south of the province. And the total snow recorded was “well below normal”, specifies the Ministry, reaching 68% of usual precipitation.

Only two snowstorms were significant last season, recalls Nicolas Raymond.

There too, traffic was still awaited at the end of October. As recently as Thursday, the Copernicus Institute established that October 2024 was the second hottest month in the entire world… after October 2023.

Mr. Raymond’s colleagues, from the Sports aux Puces stores, have also noticed a downward trend since last year, in the ski category. This retailer can, however, console itself by offering sporting goods throughout the year, while the Dafran Sport store is only open during the winter season, noted Mr. Raymond.

“It’s going to get cold and snowy soon. It’s like winter tires, they turn white on the ground,” said Brigitte Trottier, who also noted that inflation is another important factor to consider to explain the drop in sales.

“Right now, people are buying the stock at a discount,” explained M^me Trottier, which, like several other retailers, had to post sales of up to 40% off unsold models from last year.

Towards rental

Rental is popular, at La Poubelle du Ski. And that’s what makes the model work, since the company offers the sale or rental of more than 20,000 skis each year.

The rental rate is based on the value of the equipment rented, their website argues. For example, a skier could rent a pair of new boots, but also used poles. It is therefore possible to rent equipment whose market value varies between $20 and $1000, we explain.

At the Ski Shop in Laval, ski rentals increased from around 35% of inventory to almost 50% last season. “It is the rentals that ensure that we are able to survive,” concluded Marie-Ève ​​Lepage.

1. Read the article “Rush for cross-country skis”