2018 Buyer's Guide – Barbecue Data
Note: The estimate of barbecue specialty retailers in the U.S. is derived from Hearth & Home’s circulation database. All other data are from recent surveys.
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| ▲ | Barbecue Specialty Retailers - U.S. |
2,387 |
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| ▲ | Specialty Retailer Gross Revenues - Barbecue products and accessories |
U.S. |
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| ▲ | Average profit margin - Gas grills |
31% |
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| ▲ | Total barbecue revenues represented by barbecue accessories |
12% |
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| ▲ | Average number of barbecue brands carried |
4 |
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| ▲ | Barbecue Specialty Retailers with indoor and outdoor barbecue selling areas |
57% |
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| ▲ | Indoor barbecue selling area (median sq. ft.) |
800 |
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| ▲ | Outdoor barbecue selling area (median sq. ft.) |
300 |
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| ▲ | Began retailing barbecue products (median yr.) |
2000 |
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| ▲ | Barbecue Specialty Retailers displaying and selling barbecues year round |
90% |
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| ▲ | Barbecue sales to previous customers |
36% |
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| ▲ | Barbecue Specialty Retailers open seven days a week |
10% |
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| ▲ | Barbecue Specialty Retailers who give cooking demos at least once a week |
37% |
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| U.S. Sales of Barbecue Products Year-to-Year Sales Change |
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Since 2014, the peak year of barbecue sales in the last decade, a downward trend persists. |
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| Barbecue Retailers’ Product Mix | |||
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| Product Category | % Retailers Selling | ||
| Barbecue | 10% | ||
| Barbecue | Hearth | 53% | |
| Barbecue | Hearth | Patio | 32% |
| Barbecue | Patio | 5% | |
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In the field of barbecue retail sales, the most common business model is to combine hearth products with barbecue products. |
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| Retailer’s Market Area | |
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Sixty-nine percent of barbecue retailers are in a population area under 250,000. |
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| Retail Sales for All Products 2017 |
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Thirty-seven percent of barbecue retailers have sales above $2 million for all products carried. |
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| Retail Sales of Barbecue Products and Accessories 2017 |
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Nineteen percent of barbecue retailers have sales of barbecue products and accessories of over $200,000. |
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| Gross Revenues by Category | |
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Hearth products represent 52% of gross revenues for barbecue retailers. |
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| Stores Operated % of Barbecue Specialty Retailers |
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Thirty-five percent of barbecue retailers have more than one store. |
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| Staying in the Grill Business | |
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Twenty-two percent of barbecue retailers are Undecided when it comes to continuing carrying the line. |
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| Barbecue Purchases and Sales 2017 |
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Sixty-percent of barbecue purchases by retailers occur in the first half of the year, but continue to the end of the year. |
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| Barbecue Products Categories 2017 Compared to 2016 |
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Percent of Barbecue Retailers Reporting INCREASE in 2017 
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Pellet grills are leading the way. Forty-two percent of barbecue retailers report an increase in sales of pellet grills, followed by gas grills at 33%. |
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Percent of Barbecue Retailers Reporting DECREASE in 2017 
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Twenty-six percent of respondents experienced a decline in sales of Kamados; 25% reported a decline in sales of charcoal grills. |
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| Gas Grills – Average Gross Margin 2017 |
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Proper margins continue to be a problem for barbecue retailers. Eighty-six percent of those retailers tell us their average gross margin is under 35%. |
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| Additional Services Provided | |
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Only 33% of barbecue retailers provide design services to their clientele. |
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| Type of Gass Grill Sales Natural vs. Propane |
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With 60% market share, propane continues as the fuel of choice for barbecuers. |
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| Barbecue Accessories as Percent of Barbecue Revenues |
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Thirty-two percent of barbecue retailers say that barbecue accessories represent over 10% of their barbecue revenues. |
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| Consider Margins Made on Barbecue Products too Low? Percent of Retailers |
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Seventy-one percent of barbecue retailers say that margins are too low. |
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| Retailers Carrying Sauces & Seasonings |
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Thirty-two percent of barbecue retailers don’t carry sauces and seasonings. Hard to believe. |
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| Retailers Selling Complementary Products | |
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The importance of warmth and ambiance is clear; fire pits and outdoor fireplaces are sold by 88% and 85%, respectively, of barbecue retailers. |
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| Cooking Demos To Promote Sales Percent of Retailers |
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Thirty-four percent of barbecue retailers don’t put on cooking demonstrations of their products. Harder to believe. |
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| Frequency of Cooking Demonstrations | |
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Out of sight, out of mind. Only 36% of barbecue retailers provide cooking demonstrations on a weekly basis. |
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| Which Days of the Week Are You Closed? | |
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Only 10% of Barbecue Retailers remain open seven days a week. |
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| Sell Barbecues Over the Internet | |
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The percent of barbecue retailers who sell barbecues over the Internet has increased over the past year, from 18% to 23%. |
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| Limit Barbecue Internet Sales to Your Marketing Area? | |
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The percent of barbecue retailers who limit their sales to their own market area has increased over the past year from 15% to 18%. |
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| Internet Sales Impact by Other Retailers |
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Eighty-nine percent of barbecue retailers tell us that they are feeling an impact from other retailers selling into their market area. |
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