In October 2024, we carried out an in depth survey to know runners’ preferences, behaviors, and satisfaction with numerous working shoe manufacturers. The survey gathered responses from 794 runners, offering precious insights into working shoe preferences and the way totally different manufacturers are perceived by their customers.
With this pattern dimension, at a 95% confidence stage, our survey findings have a margin of error of roughly ±3.5%. Whereas this means robust statistical significance, it’s necessary to notice that these findings symbolize the views and behaviors of our survey respondents and is probably not absolutely consultant of the general working shoe market.
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Introduction
This evaluation explores six key features of runners’ relationships with working shoe manufacturers:
- Model Consideration: Which manufacturers runners contemplate when looking for sneakers
- Buy Conduct: How consideration interprets into precise shopping for selections
- Favourite Manufacturers: Which manufacturers runners choose and why
- Essential Elements: What drives model choice amongst runners
- Satisfaction Ranges: How happy runners are with their chosen manufacturers
- Future Buy Intentions: Which manufacturers runners plan to purchase subsequent
Model Consideration: Which model have you ever thought-about shopping for up to now 12 months?
The working shoe market reveals clear stratification when it comes to model consideration amongst runners.
Conventional running-focused manufacturers dominate the highest tier, with Asics (467) and Saucony (444) being thought-about by considerably extra runners than different manufacturers.
These specialist working manufacturers are adopted by a powerful center tier consisting of New Steadiness (360), Hoka (359), and Brooks (341), every being thought-about by roughly related numbers of runners.
Curiously, world athletic put on giants Nike (292) and Adidas (285) sit in a lower-middle tier, suggesting that regardless of their huge presence generally sportswear, they aren’t the go-to decisions for devoted runners.
The consideration set is rounded out by Puma (176), Mizuno (125), and On (119), although it’s value noting that Puma’s comparatively stronger place would possibly mirror their latest push into the efficiency working market.
The outcomes recommend that runners are inclined to favor manufacturers with deep working heritage and specialised working experience over common athletic manufacturers, with conventional running-focused manufacturers commanding the vast majority of runner consideration.
Buy Behaviour: How consideration interprets into precise shopping for selections
Taking a look at precise purchases up to now 12 months, Saucony (300) and Asics (292) preserve their management place from the consideration part, creating a transparent prime tier considerably forward of their rivals.
A strong center tier emerges with Nike, New Steadiness, Hoka, and Brooks all clustered very intently collectively (181-183 purchases), adopted by Adidas (171).
The underside tier includes Puma (92), whereas Mizuno (54) and On (45) lag considerably behind – although this will mirror their smaller market presence or extra specialised positioning within the working shoe market.
The conversion fee signifies what proportion of runners who thought-about a model went on to make a purchase order from that model up to now 12 months. That is calculated by dividing the variety of purchases by the variety of concerns for every model, giving us perception into how successfully manufacturers convert curiosity into gross sales.
Saucony emerges because the clear chief, changing 67.6% of concerns into purchases, adopted intently by Nike (62.7%) and Asics (62.5%) – an attention-grabbing mixture of specialist working and common athletic manufacturers.
A definite center tier in conversion effectiveness consists of Adidas (60%), Brooks (53.1%), and Puma (52.3%), whereas New Steadiness and Hoka hover across the 50% mark regardless of their robust consideration numbers.
Most notably, this information challenges the narrative from the consideration numbers – whereas conventional working manufacturers dominated consideration, the conversion charges present world athletic manufacturers Nike and Adidas performing remarkably effectively at changing curiosity into gross sales.
On the decrease finish, Mizuno (43.2%) and significantly On (37.8%) present considerably decrease conversion charges, suggesting potential obstacles between curiosity and buy for these manufacturers – probably associated to elements resembling pricing, availability, or the necessity to attempt these manufacturers in individual earlier than buy.
This conversion evaluation paints a unique image from the pure consideration information, suggesting that whereas specialised working manufacturers would possibly seize preliminary curiosity extra successfully, each specialist and main athletic manufacturers could be equally efficient at changing that curiosity into gross sales.
This might point out that elements past pure working heritage – resembling pricing technique, distribution networks, or advertising effectiveness – play essential roles within the closing buy choice.
Favourite manufacturers: Which manufacturers runners choose and why
When runners have been requested to pick out their single favourite model, Saucony (192) emerges because the clear chief, considerably forward of second-place Asics (142). A definite center tier types with Brooks (97), Nike (95), and Hoka (91) clustered intently collectively, adopted by New Steadiness (66) and Adidas (60). The underside tier consists of Puma (26), Mizuno (18), and On (7), displaying a big drop-off from the upper tiers.
Wanting on the development from consideration to favourite model supplies fascinating insights into model loyalty and choice energy. Saucony reveals outstanding effectiveness in changing each consideration (43.2% of those that thought-about Saucony named it their favourite) and purchases (64.0% of purchasers contemplate it their favourite) into model choice. Equally, Nike and Brooks present robust capacity to transform purchasers into loyal followers, with 51.9% and 53.6% of their purchasers respectively naming them as favourite manufacturers. In distinction, manufacturers like On (15.6% of purchasers identify it favourite) and Puma (28.3%) wrestle to transform even their prospects into model advocates.
This development evaluation reveals that whereas some manufacturers could also be broadly thought-about or bought, their capacity to develop into a runner’s favourite varies dramatically. The info means that sure manufacturers, significantly Saucony, have discovered a candy spot in not simply attracting consideration however in delivering an expertise that converts runners into model advocates. In the meantime, the comparatively low conversion charges for some manufacturers would possibly point out both a job as a complementary reasonably than major working shoe, or potential gaps between expectations and expertise.
Essential Elements: What drives model choice amongst runners
When analyzing the elements that drive model choice amongst runners, two elements clearly dominate: Consolation (346) and Efficiency (333), collectively accounting for about 85% of all responses. There may be then a big drop to a second tier consisting of Sturdiness (48) and Value (28), adopted by a 3rd tier of Model/Design (17), Model Popularity (12), and Availability (10).
Taking a look at how these elements differ by model reveals attention-grabbing patterns. Brooks (56.7%), Hoka (67.0%), and New Steadiness (59.1%) are predominantly chosen for Consolation, whereas Saucony (52.6%), Puma (61.5%), and Adidas (48.3%) are primarily chosen for Efficiency. Asics reveals a extra balanced profile between Efficiency (43.0%) and Consolation (41.5%). Curiously, Nike stands out with a good portion of runners (9.5%) citing Model/Design as their major purpose for choice – the best amongst all manufacturers for this issue.
These findings recommend that whereas runners primarily make their model decisions primarily based on useful features (Consolation and Efficiency), totally different manufacturers have efficiently positioned themselves alongside these axes in distinct methods. The info additionally reveals that elements usually emphasised in advertising, resembling type and model fame, play a surprisingly minor function in runners’ model preferences, with sensible concerns clearly dominating the decision-making course of.
Satisfaction Ranges: How happy runners are with their chosen manufacturers
The satisfaction survey reveals overwhelmingly optimistic suggestions throughout all manufacturers, with a powerful general satisfaction rating of 4.45 out of 5. The distribution is closely skewed towards excessive satisfaction, with 93.8% of respondents ranking their sneakers both 4 or 5 stars. Extra particularly, 51.5% gave a 5-star ranking and 42.3% gave a 4-star ranking, whereas solely 6.2% rated their sneakers 3 stars or beneath.
Taking a look at particular person manufacturers, satisfaction scores vary from 4.17 to 4.57, displaying persistently excessive satisfaction throughout the board. Whereas On leads with a 4.57 common, its small pattern dimension (n=7) makes this discovering much less dependable. Amongst manufacturers with substantial pattern sizes, Hoka and Brooks share the highest place (each 4.53), adopted intently by Puma (4.50), Asics and Saucony (each 4.49). Notably, even the lowest-rated manufacturers – Nike (4.31) and Adidas (4.17) – preserve very optimistic scores above 4 stars, although they do present a barely increased proportion of 3-star rankings in comparison with different manufacturers.
These remarkably excessive satisfaction scores throughout all manufacturers recommend that working shoe producers are usually assembly or exceeding runner expectations. The minimal variation between manufacturers (a variety of simply 0.4 between the best and lowest scores amongst main manufacturers) signifies that whereas runners could have robust model preferences, the precise expertise with their chosen model tends to be persistently optimistic.
Future Buy Intentions: Which manufacturers runners plan to purchase subsequent
The chart compares the variety of runners who presently favor a model with those that plan to purchase it subsequent, proven as a proportion change. As an illustration, a +47% for New Steadiness signifies that 47% extra runners plan to purchase New Steadiness subsequent in comparison with those that presently contemplate it their favourite model (from 66 present followers to 97 future patrons).
Taking a look at future buy intentions reveals some vital shifts within the working shoe market. Two distinct teams emerge: manufacturers gaining momentum and types experiencing decline. On reveals essentially the most dramatic enhance, with almost 4 occasions as many runners planning to purchase it in comparison with present favorites (+285.7%, from 7 to 27 runners). New Steadiness additionally reveals robust momentum with 47% extra future patrons than present favorites (+31 runners), adopted by Puma with a 61.5% enhance (+16 runners). On the opposite finish, Saucony reveals essentially the most vital decline, with 33.9% fewer future buy intentions than present favorites (-65 runners), whereas Nike additionally sees a notable 25.3% lower (-24 runners).
The center of the market reveals attention-grabbing stability, with Brooks, Hoka, and Asics sustaining almost equal numbers between present favorites and future purchases (variations below 10%). This means these manufacturers have discovered a secure market place, neither gaining vital new converts nor dropping present supporters in massive numbers.
These patterns might point out a market in transition, with runners displaying elevated curiosity in manufacturers that could be seen as challengers to conventional market leaders. The robust displaying from On, New Steadiness, and Puma, mixed with the decline in Saucony and Nike buy intentions, would possibly mirror altering preferences within the working group or profitable innovation and advertising from the ascending manufacturers.
Some closing observations
Wanting throughout all features of this working shoe market evaluation, a number of key patterns emerge that paint an image of a dynamic and evolving market. The evaluation reveals each the energy of conventional manufacturers and the emergence of thrilling challengers, suggesting an business in transition.
Market Dynamics
- Conventional working manufacturers (Asics, Saucony) dominate preliminary model consideration
- Nonetheless, excessive consideration doesn’t robotically translate to purchases or loyalty
- Excessive general satisfaction (4.45/5.0 common) throughout all manufacturers
- Market reveals vital fluidity in future buy intentions
The info reveals an attention-grabbing pressure between specialist working manufacturers and common athletic manufacturers. Whereas working specialists excel at getting into the consideration set, world athletic giants like Nike and Adidas present outstanding effectivity in changing consideration to buy. This challenges the notion that critical runners robotically choose specialist manufacturers.
Rising Challengers & Future Implications
- On and Puma present outstanding momentum in future buy intentions
- On demonstrates essentially the most dramatic progress from present favorites to future intentions
- New Steadiness gaining vital floor in future buy plans
- Excessive satisfaction throughout manufacturers allows simpler model switching
- Extra various and aggressive market more likely to emerge
- Established leaders might want to work more durable to take care of their positions
These patterns level to an business the place established leaders can’t relaxation on their laurels.
Whereas conventional working manufacturers preserve robust positions, the excessive satisfaction scores throughout all manufacturers mixed with vital variation in future buy intentions point out that runners are more and more prepared to experiment. The working shoe market of tomorrow could look fairly totally different from right now’s.
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