Sales of Waterproof Bluetooth Streaming Speakers Grow to 30 Percent of Category Sales

Is the Bluetooth speaker market saturated? It all depends of the sales pitch apparently. Simply being portable is no longer the argument. Consumers are now looking for specific functionalities that differentiate different models… and the time of year also helps. From June through August 2016, waterproof Bluetooth streaming speaker sales in the U.S. increased 137 percent versus the same period a year ago, according to a recent NPD market survey. Next up… Bluetooth speakers with built-in lights for the Winter?
 
Sales of waterproof Bluetooth streaming speakers made a splash this summer in the U.S., increasing 137 percent from June through August versus the same period last year, according to market research company, The NPD Group. During those three months, sales of waterproof streaming speakers accounted for 30 percent of Bluetooth streaming speaker sales, while weather-resistant models accounted for another 15 percent of the category revenue.

Overall, the Bluetooth streaming speaker market has slowed, growing just three percent in the 12 months ending in August; however, sales of waterproof Bluetooth speakers have tripled over that time. Additionally, sales of waterproof Bluetooth streaming speakers saw a 51 percent increase in unit sales from the spring period (March- May) to the summer period (June- August).

Decreasing average sales prices have helped to grow waterproof and weather-resistant model sales as well. The average price for waterproof Bluetooth speakers from June through August 2016 decreased 11 percent compared to the year prior. The double-digit price drop was seen in weather-resistant models as well, with prices decreasing 19 percent over the same time period from a year prior.
 
“The growth in waterproof and weather-resistant streaming speakers is evidence that consumers are looking for tech devices that they can bring wherever life takes them,” says Ben Arnold executive director, industry analyst for The NPD Group. “Due to this lifestyle trend, devices are adding features that allow consumers to use them in a variety of settings.”

This trend is also represented in data from NPD Group’s Checkout Tracking, which provides detailed information on consumer buying behavior based on receipts for both online and in-store purchases. In the 12 months ending July 2016, aside from electronics and accessories, online buyers of streaming speakers spent the next highest percentage of their share of wallet on travel (17 percent), an indication of the importance the portable nature of these products has for them.
www.npd.com