Running Central Based On Athletic Footwear Industry

Athletics Supreme’s sportswear prices are affordable when compared to higher priced competitors like Walmart Stores and Dick’s Sporting Goods with a pricing strategy designed and employed to offer competition to its rival companies. The company does not compromise on its quality craftsmanhip while still offering low prices because it is confident of its loyal consumers. The company’s pricing methodology is flexible and depends generally on the economic trends that might influence buyer behavior in targeted segments focusing on total customer satisfaction as a way of encouraging brand loyalty in a highly competitive

The background of this paper we need to mention is that West Coast Fashions, Inc. (WCF), a large designer and marketer of branded apparel announced a strategic reorganization calling for a divestiture of certain assets, and one of the divisions it intended to shed was Mercury Athletic, its wholly owned footwear subsidiary. John Liedtke, the head of business development for Active Gear, Inc. (AGI), a privately held athletic and casual footwear company, contemplated an acquisition opportunity of Mercury that would significantly improve his business. So, he wanted to evaluate this opportunity.

Based on The Running Room’s current situation, Cisco considers a number of alternatives to her present marketing strategy. On one hand, she could continue to maintain a broad target market to appeal to both casual athletes--with more fashion-conscious products that aren’t necessarily running shoes--and serious runners, while attempting to tap into the growing market for women’s athletic shoes with expanded product lines for female athletes. This strategy would help her maintain her aging loyal customers, as she could offer athletic shoes that reflect the new exercise programs that they are becoming involved in instead of running. Conversely, she could narrow her target market to just serious runners, by investing in the high-end molded running shoes and the additional training and promotion that would be required to sell them. An analysis of The Running Room’s strengths and weaknesses can help her determine that the second strategy is the most worthwhile to pursue moving forward. As a former nationally-ranked runner herself, and with both a proven track record for catering to serious runners (who make up a majority of her sales) as well as the flexibility to switch product lines fairly easily, Cisco’s business strengths would support a shift to a more serious runner target market with relative

The concept of market structures and competitive strategies are important when attempting to compete in any market. Understanding what market structure your product falls under can help companies develop better competitive strategies and identify potential for loss and gains. The athletic footwear industry in the United States is highly profitable and continuously growing. In this paper I will identify market structure of the athletic footwear industry, the major retailers, and competitive strategies that can be used to maximize profits.

Sportsman Shoes has been a leader in the shoe industry for more than thirty years. Sportsman manufactures and sells athletic shoes for all types of sports. The company has pursued a low-cost strategy in order to sustain their success. They sell a limited number of shoe designs and have held costs low through manufacturing efficiency and standardized operations. However, the past five years have been a struggle at Sportsman. The shoe market has seen a rise in the availability of low-cost imported shoes that has threatened Sportsman’s competitive position. As a result, company executives have decided it is time for a strategy shift.

Obviously, there is a big number of driving forces in the athletic footwear industry. Each of these driving forces has different impacts—some of them can have a more considerable effect than others on figuring out how much cross-company differences influence market shares and a number of units sold. The first line of most influential factors includes comparative prices, S/Q ratings, and a number of models offered among the footwear competitors. These three most important competitive forces affect customer decisions of which athletic footwear brand to choose. Furthermore, the decisions of customers whether to purchase one brand or another are also influenced by such forces as advertising, celebrity endorsements, the number of independent retail

The All-Star Footwear executive team worked well together to create a high-performing corporation, which excelled in competing in the athletic shoe global market. Due to the strong execution of each member, we secured first place in the BSG simulation and learned about competitive analysis in the process.

Place is an extremely important element of the marketing mix to any retail store. Being located in shopping malls gives Finish Line an advantage in this area. When customers walk into a Finish Line, they are greeted by friendly, knowledgeable sales associates who direct them to a wall of shoes marked specifically for the size or style of shoe the customer needs. The associates are able to give educated advice on the type of shoe the customer needs. Once a customer agrees to try on a shoe, the associate goes into the back storeroom and retrieves the product, usually returning with at least three pairs for the customer to try.

Sales on the technical running market have been on the decline according to (exhibit 1) in the New Balance Case Study, and this is New Balances’ stronghold.

The retail industry is highly competitive, with few barriers to entry. Each Company competes with many other local, regional and national retailers for customers, associates, locations, merchandise, services and other important aspects of the Company’s business. Those competitors include other department stores, discounters, home furnishing stores, specialty retailers, wholesale clubs, direct-to-consumer businesses and other forms of retail commerce. Some competitors are larger than JCPenney, have greater financial resources available to them, and, as a result, may be able to devote greater resources to sourcing, promoting and selling their products.” There are many factors that characterize competition, including advertising, service,

Another part of Finish Line’s arsenal is the Running Specialty concept, which was acquired on August 31, 2011. This retailer of precision-fitted running shoes, apparel, and accessories has 49 Running Specialty stores in eleven states and the District of Columbia. The chain’s recent performance was quite strong, advancing to $17.3 million in the June quarter from $10 million in the prior

Another competitive advantage is the excellent customer service as well as the willingness to provide customers with any products they request. Besides, the engagement to support the communities which are served by the store, helped to gain a loyal customer base.

Competition is very fierce due to the number of companies competing for sales. Lots of money goes to marketing and promotions using various channels to reach the young demographic group of consumers who spend the most money on Nike’s products. Growth is slowing down in the athletic footwear industry. But new markets are emerging with high growth rates. These markets include extreme sports market and the corporate merchandise market.

However, it was the Ultra-Lite mid-sole, Ryka’s most significant and successful product advancement, that put Ryka on a par with or perhaps ahead of competitors in terms of product attributes. Ryka was considering a special new series for people with foot problems or back problems because an increasing number of podiatrists and chiropractors were recommending Ryka walking shoes to their patients. Ryka determined that the most effective way to reach the female aerobic niche was by promoting Ryka shoes to aerobics instructors.  Threats: In the already crowded athletic-footwear industry, the various giant competitors such as Nike, Reebok were continually jockeying for a better market position and a competitive edge. It makes the competition even more vigorous and keen for new entrants and others second-tier athletic shoes. For financial problem, potential investors questioned her ability to compete with industry leaders such as Nike and Reebok, given that she had no money and no retail experience. They turned down her requests for loans. (Financial Problem and Market Competition) The $11-billion athletic-footwear industry was highly competitive. Recommendations: I would suggest Ryka designing professional athletic apparel that can fit for any fitness activity. The concepts of apparel merge versatility,

Nike, Inc. has been the world’s leading innovator and provider in athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for 50 years. Their mission has been to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world; if you have a body, you are an athlete. Arguably one of the most innovative companies in the world, Nike has built its brand into an iconic world-class powerhouse that continues to dominate the market with no signs of slowing up. Nike’s marketing and advertising have been breakthrough, aspirational, and legendary over the years, featuring high-profile athletes and heroes.