Football must-haves, winter gear topped Shopify orders in October

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Football season drove a surge in fan gear and sports equipment on Shopify in October, according to data shared first with Retail Brew.

People shelled out money to buy football shoes (up 106%), chin straps (up 97%), training equipment (up 91%), and gloves (up 90%), Shopify data showed. Demand for football face masks (up 63%) and helmets (up 44%) also accelerated.

The surge wasn’t limited to traditional sports retailers, as football gear is spilling over into the lifestyle and fashion segments, too. Lululemon’s late October launch of NFL-licensed gear shows that athleisure brands are cashing in on football fever, blurring the lines between fan gear and everyday fashion.

Winter is coming: Beyond the gridiron, the changing weather in October also showed up in shopping habits. As temperatures dipped, Shopify shoppers went into full prep mode for the cold months ahead. Orders for snow shovels (up 228%), snow tubes (up 217%), and de-icers (up 184%), all rose sharply.

Rocking the room: As people spent more time inside, they also seemed to invest more in making their homes comfortable and beautiful. Shoppers gravitated toward pieces that add warmth and function: orders for jewelry armoires soared (up 266%), daybed orders jumped 137%, and closet shelf sales rose by 117%. Bigger furniture staples even saw gains, with double wardrobes up 92%, sectional sofas up 68%, and coffee tables up 45%.

Playtime: Meanwhile, parents leaned into toys that sparked creativity and imagination. Musical boxes struck a chord, soaring 158%, while toy cookware heated up by 136%. Orders for classic play dough sets jumped 93%, and toy abacuses notched up 67%.