It’s no secret that Americans don’t want to buy clothes.
That fact keeps proving itself to be true: for the month of May, consulting firm Conlumino notes that once again, apparel sales dropped off by 2.4%.
However, Neil Saunders, CEO of Conlumino, noted three categories that have captured consumers’ wallets: home improvement, beauty, and sports.
Here’s why those three categories are appealing.
Home Improvement
It appears that people are willing to spend money to make their homes look nice.
“Home improvement is benefiting from the recent elevated levels of activity in the housing market which have boosted spend on decorating and other products as consumers fix up their new homes. Home improvement is also seen as an investment in the value of the home, which often helps consumers to justify their purchases,” Saunders wrote in an email to Business Insider.
Makeup
Make no mistake: young people love spending money on makeup.
When Goldman Sachs and Teen Vogue polled fashion-forward women ages 13 to 29 to find out their favorite brands, MAC Cosmetics came out on top. Other cosmetic companies in the top 10 included Sephora, Urban Decay, and Make Up For Ever, proving that young women feel strongly about cosmetics. It’s not just high-end stores that are thriving; for the first quarter of fiscal 2016, CVS saw same store sales increase by 4.2%
Sports
This is a tricky category, as “sports is patchy overall,” as Saunders put it – considering that the apparel industry is largely suffering and Sports Authority is in the process of liquidating. But on a broader scheme, it’s strong, whether it’s athleisure (Lululemon, Under Armour, and Nike all have reported strong sales), sneakers (even Skechers is dominating), or fitness equipment. As people become more and more invested in their health, they’re willing to throw down more money on fitness.
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