Trampoline scooters, pickleball, and walking pads – Verkkokauppa.com predicts this summer's sports hits
Press release, May 4, 2022
Trampoline scooters, American pickleball, and home office walking pads are set to be this summer's biggest sports hits, predicts Verkkokauppa.com. As spring arrives, sports equipment sales are picking up; at Finland's largest online retailer, searches for bicycles have tripled and tents quadrupled. However, the availability challenges of recent years continue to affect the bike market this spring.
Demand for sports equipment, especially bicycles and e-bikes, has been exceptional lately. According to Verkkokauppa.com Purchasing Manager Tatu Kaleva, bike availability will remain difficult at times this spring and next.
“Recent availability challenges have led manufacturers to focus on classic models and high-demand products. Bicycles, in particular, face model-specific shortages, and not all frame sizes will be available throughout the season. It’s best to buy your bike by early May, as—much like last year—options may be limited by the end of the month. In contrast, equipment availability for sports like disc golf and padel is much better this spring.”
Pickleball: The next trending racket sport
Verkkokauppa.com analyzed sales and search data to predict this summer's favorites. Following the surge in trampoline popularity, a Finnish invention is emerging as a summer hit: the wheel-less Indo trampoline scooter, which allows for scooter-style tricks on a trampoline or indoors.
“A new arrival is pickleball, a racket sport from the US. With over five million players in the States, this accessible sport is following a similar path to padel. Several pickleball courts have already opened in Finland, and schools are already ordering equipment,” says Kaleva.
Kaleva notes that demand for home workout gear has been high for two years. The latest favorite is the walking pad for remote offices, with sales tripling early this year. During last January's gym closures, sales of strength training products like dumbbells and weight plates jumped by 800 percent.
“Camping and hiking remain highly popular. Outdoor gear sales grew by 30 percent early this year, and demand for camping stoves quadrupled. This popularity also reflects a desire for preparedness; for example, portable water purifiers briefly sold out in March.”
Additional information
press@verkkokauppa.com (Ulkoinen palvelu)
Verkkokauppa.com
Verkkokauppa.com is Finland's leading online retailer, offering a wide range of products from home technology to leisure and business needs. Operating since 1992, the company is one of the world's oldest online retailers, combining e-commerce and physical stores into a seamless omnichannel customer experience. Verkkokauppa.com's four megastores are located in Oulu, Pirkkala, Raisio, and Helsinki's Jätkäsaari district. To deliver an exceptional customer experience, the company delivers products to your door in as little as one hour, around the clock, using automation and robotics. Verkkokauppa.com employs approximately 600 people, and the company's shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
