The web helps Sports Supply turn around, the company reports

Sport Supply Group Inc., which distributes sports equipment to schools, universities, camps, youth sports leagues and other institutional buyers, is crediting its web presence with an improvement in results during the past 18 months.

Web-based orders grew more than 75% for the company’s first half, which ended at the end of September, compared to the same period a year ago, the company reported today. The dollar value of those orders grew 55% over the year-earlier period.

Total sales in the first half fell 6% to $52.8 million. Net earnings for the six months were $231,946 as compared to a net loss of $655,195 in the prior period.

“This shift in customer procurement is generating significant savings in order processing and customer service costs. The company expects continued migration as more of its customer base utilizes e-commerce to procure product,” the company said in announcing its results. Sports Supply Group does not break out web sales numbers separately from total sales.

"We anticipate this continued shift in our customers` order behavior will enable us to reduce our dependence on more traditional forms of marketing expenses as early as our next fiscal year, thereby further improving the company`s net income," said John P. Walker, president of Sports Supply Group.