Warm winters lead to scant skiing equipment offering in Estonian stores
The arrival of cold and snow two weeks ago kicked off ski season and, finally, the sales season for winter gear retailers. But options are limited and some stores have stopped selling winter gear altogether.
Sales of winter gear typically last a couple of months in cold, snowy years, but recently the season has been much shorter, especially last year.
"Not just last year — if you look at winters in the 2020s as a whole, they've all been weak. Retailers are probably preparing more conservatively for the winter season now," said Kristjan Anderson, head of business accounting at Selver.
Several sports chains have stopped selling winter sports gear altogether, while others have significantly reduced their product ranges. Stores are also full of discounts, as if the just-started season were already winding down.
"Most likely these are leftover items from previous seasons that they're trying to get rid of. That's what the discounts are for," Anderson explained.
"The average number of winter items we offer to customers has gone down. If we compare total winter sales from the past three or four years to the 2010s, volumes have dropped and retailers have already adjusted their inventory — store shelves no longer carry as wide a selection as they did 10 to 15 years ago," he added.
At Selver, the most popular winter item is budget sleds — emotional purchases on snowy days. This year, sales of those are already up more than 35 percent compared to last year.
At Hawaii Express, store manager Alvar Kanepi said only a few pairs of skis are sold before snowfall and most winter sports gear is moved through discounts.
"Sales of ski gear have been on a downward trend in recent years. But every year is different — hopefully this one will be better. We've had snowless stretches before, but then come years where winter sports are in full swing," Kanepi said.
Ski gear isn't exactly cheap either: a full set for children runs around €200, while basic adult equipment starts at €300–400. For serious athletes, the cost can reach €1,000 or more.
But maybe Estonians aren't buying expensive gear for such a short season anymore, instead renting it on the spot at ski trails?
"Most people still use their own gear, but on a good day we'll see several hundred rentals," said Reio Taim, manager of Pirita Sports Center.
"The first to rent are usually families with kids. Parents may already have skis, but not the children — they want to teach them, so they rent gear for the kids. Sometimes entire families come who have never skied before. Just today, for example, a group of Brits came to try for the first time — they really liked it," he added.
Ski rentals, however, are not a business venture. "If we can buy our gear with the rental fees we collect, then we're in good shape. The ski trails are free — we're simply offering people the chance to go skiing," Taim said.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski, Marko Tooming
