In October 2024, we performed an intensive survey to grasp runners’ preferences, behaviors, and satisfaction with numerous operating shoe manufacturers. The survey gathered responses from 794 runners, offering worthwhile insights into operating shoe preferences and the way completely 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 characterize the views and behaviors of our survey respondents and will not be absolutely consultant of the general operating shoe market.
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Introduction
This evaluation explores six key elements of runners’ relationships with operating shoe manufacturers:
- Model Consideration: Which manufacturers runners contemplate when looking for footwear
- Buy Habits: How consideration interprets into precise shopping for selections
- Favourite Manufacturers: Which manufacturers runners want and why
- Vital Elements: What drives model desire 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 of shopping for up to now 12 months?
The operating shoe market reveals clear stratification by way of model consideration amongst runners.
Conventional running-focused manufacturers dominate the highest tier, with Asics (467) and Saucony (444) being thought of by considerably extra runners than different manufacturers.
These specialist operating manufacturers are adopted by a powerful center tier consisting of New Steadiness (360), Hoka (359), and Brooks (341), every being thought of 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 large presence usually sportswear, they aren’t the go-to selections for devoted runners.
The consideration set is rounded out by Puma (176), Mizuno (125), and On (119), although it’s price noting that Puma’s comparatively stronger place may replicate their latest push into the efficiency operating market.
The outcomes recommend that runners are inclined to favor manufacturers with deep operating heritage and specialised operating experience over common athletic manufacturers, with conventional running-focused manufacturers commanding nearly all of runner consideration.
Buy Behaviour: How consideration interprets into precise shopping for selections
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 carefully collectively (181-183 purchases), adopted by Adidas (171).
The underside tier contains Puma (92), whereas Mizuno (54) and On (45) lag considerably behind – although this will likely replicate their smaller market presence or extra specialised positioning within the operating shoe market.
The conversion charge signifies what proportion of runners who thought of 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 carefully by Nike (62.7%) and Asics (62.5%) – an attention-grabbing mixture of specialist operating 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 operating manufacturers dominated consideration, the conversion charges present world athletic manufacturers Nike and Adidas performing remarkably properly at changing curiosity into gross sales.
On the decrease finish, Mizuno (43.2%) and notably On (37.8%) present considerably decrease conversion charges, suggesting potential boundaries between curiosity and buy for these manufacturers – presumably associated to elements similar to pricing, availability, or the necessity to strive these manufacturers in individual earlier than buy.
This conversion evaluation paints a special image from the pure consideration information, suggesting that whereas specialised operating manufacturers may seize preliminary curiosity extra successfully, each specialist and main athletic manufacturers may be equally efficient at changing that curiosity into gross sales.
This might point out that elements past pure operating heritage – similar to pricing technique, distribution networks, or advertising effectiveness – play essential roles within the ultimate buy determination.
Favourite manufacturers: Which manufacturers runners want and why
When runners had been requested to pick 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 carefully 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.
Trying on the development from consideration to favourite model offers fascinating insights into model loyalty and desire energy. Saucony reveals exceptional effectiveness in changing each consideration (43.2% of those that thought of Saucony named it their favourite) and purchases (64.0% of purchasers contemplate it their favourite) into model desire. 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%) battle to transform even their prospects into model advocates.
This development evaluation reveals that whereas some manufacturers could also be broadly thought of or bought, their capacity to change into a runner’s favourite varies dramatically. The information means that sure manufacturers, notably 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 may point out both a task as a complementary slightly than major operating shoe, or potential gaps between expectations and expertise.
Vital Elements: What drives model desire amongst runners
When inspecting the elements that drive model desire amongst runners, two elements clearly dominate: Consolation (346) and Efficiency (333), collectively accounting for about 85% of all responses. There’s 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 Fame (12), and Availability (10).
how these elements range 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 cause for desire – the best amongst all manufacturers for this issue.
These findings recommend that whereas runners primarily make their model selections based mostly on practical elements (Consolation and Efficiency), completely different manufacturers have efficiently positioned themselves alongside these axes in distinct methods. The information additionally reveals that elements usually emphasised in advertising, similar to model and model status, play a surprisingly minor position 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 footwear 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 footwear 3 stars or under.
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 carefully 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 larger proportion of 3-star scores in comparison with different manufacturers.
These remarkably excessive satisfaction scores throughout all manufacturers recommend that operating shoe producers are typically assembly or exceeding runner expectations. The minimal variation between manufacturers (a spread of simply 0.4 between the best and lowest scores amongst main manufacturers) signifies that whereas runners might 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 at the moment favor a model with those that plan to purchase it subsequent, proven as a proportion change. For example, a +47% for New Steadiness implies that 47% extra runners plan to purchase New Steadiness subsequent in comparison with those that at the moment contemplate it their favourite model (from 66 present followers to 97 future consumers).
future buy intentions reveals some important shifts within the operating shoe market. Two distinct teams emerge: manufacturers gaining momentum and types experiencing decline. On reveals essentially the most dramatic improve, with practically 4 instances 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 consumers than present favorites (+31 runners), adopted by Puma with a 61.5% improve (+16 runners). On the opposite finish, Saucony reveals essentially the most important 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 practically equal numbers between present favorites and future purchases (variations underneath 10%). This implies these manufacturers have discovered a secure market place, neither gaining important new converts nor dropping present supporters in giant numbers.
These patterns might point out a market in transition, with runners displaying elevated curiosity in manufacturers that is perhaps 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, may replicate altering preferences within the operating group or profitable innovation and advertising from the ascending manufacturers.
Some ultimate observations
Trying throughout all elements of this operating 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 operating manufacturers (Asics, Saucony) dominate preliminary model consideration
- Nevertheless, excessive consideration doesn’t routinely translate to purchases or loyalty
- Excessive general satisfaction (4.45/5.0 common) throughout all manufacturers
- Market reveals important fluidity in future buy intentions
The information reveals an attention-grabbing pressure between specialist operating manufacturers and common athletic manufacturers. Whereas operating specialists excel at getting into the consideration set, world athletic giants like Nike and Adidas present exceptional effectivity in changing consideration to buy. This challenges the notion that severe runners routinely want specialist manufacturers.
Rising Challengers & Future Implications
- On and Puma present exceptional momentum in future buy intentions
- On demonstrates essentially the most dramatic progress from present favorites to future intentions
- New Steadiness gaining important floor in future buy plans
- Excessive satisfaction throughout manufacturers allows simpler model switching
- Extra numerous 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 operating manufacturers preserve robust positions, the excessive satisfaction scores throughout all manufacturers mixed with important variation in future buy intentions point out that runners are more and more prepared to experiment. The operating shoe market of tomorrow might look fairly completely different from as we speak’s.
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