The 5 Winter Retail Trends You Need to Know About

Even though fall is not quite over, much of America is already planning their holiday shopping and gift planning. According to the National Retail Federation, consumers will spend $463 on gifts for family and friends this year—as well as an additional $342 when you factor in items for themselves.

The point? People are spending, and you should be ready to take advantage by having your shelves mirror the season’s most in-demand fitness gear.

1. STEP UP YOUR TRACKER GAME
Consumers spent $754 million on fitness trackers between January and August of this year alone. If you’re not planning to stock a few types of trackers, you should reconsider. If you’re not ready to commit to carrying products at that price point, consider selling Fitbit covers. Tory Burch makes one for $165, but you can offer ones at lower price points like the Ribbon Wristbands by Griffin Technology. Made of stretch nylon and spandex, the wristbands come in a two-pack for $14.99 and fit almost every tracker brand out there (think: Fitbit, Jawbone, Garmin and others).

2. INTELLIGENT WEAR
We’ve had smart phones and watches and well, now it seems our clothes are getting smarter, too. As Fortune reported this fall, wearable tech—such as Ralph Lauren’s $295 Polo Tech shirt—is officially de mode. The clothing is comprised of sensors that transmit data like heart rate and stress and energy levels to an app that the user can track over time. While it may seem a niche sector of the apparel industry, consumers spent $35 billion on smart clothes last year—totaling 17 percent of total apparel sales. Which means that even if you don’t carry these pricey items in your retail store they are a genre to have on your radar.

3. FROM BARRE TO THE BAR
"Athleisure”—also known as athletic clothing that looks just as good in the studio as on the runway—is the latest apparel trend taking foot. But you don’t need to carry the end brands like TopShop or Mara Hoffman to get in on the action. Aim to stock lower-priced items like body suits, men's jogger pants, matching printed sports bras and leggings, and draped tops that fall in line with the trend.

4. PANTS (AND SHIRTS) ON FIRE
Nike made a splash this past fall with the unveiling of the AeroReact pullover (three years in the making), which is comprised of fabric that reacts to the wearer’s body temperature by removing heat and thus eliminating the need for layers. Available since October 1 for $100 for women and $130 for men, the shirt is just one example of thermo pieces that consumers are demanding as the temperatures drop. For a bit less in price, consider New Balance’s warmth-capturing NB Heat Tights ($79.99) and Hoodie ($84.99).

5. FLASHING LIGHTS
This time of year runners, bikers and anyone breaking a sweat outdoors after sunset needs to don reflective or neon-hued gear. Just last week Nike launched it’s Flash Pack collection of apparel and sneakers all embedded with reflective prints that keep athletes seen in low-light conditions. With patterns inspired by Northern Lights, the line is beautiful—but pricey, considering mens’ and womens’ jackets retail at $500.

A bit more affordable is New Balance’s NB Beacon collection, which combines reflective accents with glow-in-the-dark fabrics. We love the Beacon Pullover, which retails for $119. Even less in cost, but just as cute and cutting edge, is Asics LiteShow Favorite ½ Zip for $29.

Finally, we asked Beyond Yoga CEO and founder Michelle Wahler what's on her radar this winter. "The hot trends are mesh, shimmer and layering pieces," she said. "Make working out sexy by trying out mesh leggings. " When it comes to sports bras, Wahler recommends the shimmer key hole back bra. "This bra is supportive and fun! You can show it off or wear it under layers as fun secret confidence booster." And for some snuggle? Wahler says s cozy fleece is a must. "This season everyone is loving oversized layering pieces."