News on Skechers

I don’t read runners magazines, but this sounds like really impressive news for SKX.
Saul

Skechers Performance™ Receives Runner’s World Top Honor

Skechers GOrun 4 is Awarded Editor’s Choice, which will Appear in the June 2016 Summer Shoe Guide

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE) Tue April 26
Skechers GOrun 4 – 2016™ was awarded the prestigious “Editor’s Choice” accolade from Runner’s World magazine, a publication of Rodale, Inc. The Editor’s Choice Award will appear in the highly anticipated summer Shoe Guide in the June 2016 issue, which will be on newsstands on May 1, 2016.

Editor’s Choice represents an outstanding shoe that successfully combines the highest-quality design and technology. Winners received high marks from the Runner’s World Shoe Lab, the “wear-testers” and the editors. In the issue, Runner’s World noted that the testers “heaped praise on the new upper, saying it had an ‘amazing fit’ and calling it ‘extremely comfortable’.”

The Skechers GOrun 4 - 2016 was evaluated amongst multiple shoe brands and 25 models for the Shoe Guide, and will appear in print and online as part of the Runner’s World shoe finder.

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A selection of Skechers shoes are 50% off today only on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=lp_13130419011_gbps_rlm_s-3_8062…

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And a shoe company that appeals to us old guys looking for comfort shoes, and also wins the award for the best Running Shoes, is showing a lot of versatility, has left its past behind, and has a lot of room to run in (excuse the play on words).
Saul

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A bit more anecdotal evidence of Skechers’ appeal:

I’ve got a friend rehabbing after a total knee replacement. Not only does she find Skechers shoes to be extremely comfortable, but they make several models that are essentially slip-on, so she doesn’t have to sit down or bend over to tie them. In the past several months, she has purchased about 4 or 5 pairs.

I’ve also got a friend who claims they are so comfortable that whenever she goes on vacation (which is several times a year), she buys several new pairs to take with her because they are so nice to walk in. She claims to know many people who buy Skechers to travel in.

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Hi Saul, I do. This is a big deal; it’s a very competitive market with lots of great shoes out there.

The challenge will be to get serious runners who are wedded to a particular brand/model to try them out (gotta get street cred, right?). These folks generally buy from running shoe/gear shores (versus ordering on-line) and I haven’t seen Skechers offered at any I’ve visited recently. Having this kind of endorsement will likely mean some stores will order up a small inventory to try out with their club runners.

While some might point out that this is a fairly select group, many of those participating in first-time half and full marathon training regimes are connected to store running clubs/social groups (like Pacers where I live in the DC area).

And when you look at the explosion in running events over the past 16 years, you get a sense of the potential market (nearly 19 million finishers in 2013):

http://www.runningusa.org/statistics

I’m looking forward to trying a pair out myself…

Cheers,

Khleb

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"serious runners"re a market, but probably not very big one.
A glance at the waistlines of people I seen the malls show few of them are into running of any kind. Because of their weight some seem to have trouble walking. But they all wear shoes.

Me, I wear pricy shoes because they make my feet feel better. My feet need tender treatment in part because of the running I did when younger.

Hey Khleb !

These folks generally buy from running shoe/gear shores (versus ordering on-line) and I haven’t seen Skechers offered at any I’ve visited recently.

I recently went past the local sporting goods store in a central Illinois smaller town and see that they do handle the Skechers line as well as the major running shoe brands.

Rich (haywool) long on comfort utility and durability

I’ve got a friend rehabbing after a total knee replacement. Not only does she find Skechers shoes to be extremely comfortable, but they make several models that are essentially slip-on, so she doesn’t have to sit down or bend over to tie them. In the past several months, she has purchased about 4 or 5 pairs.

I’ve also got a friend who claims they are so comfortable that whenever she goes on vacation (which is several times a year), she buys several new pairs to take with her because they are so nice to walk in. She claims to know many people who buy Skechers to travel in.

The shoes are certainly comfortable. And though I think some say they are not about style, I really think they are or at least trying to be. Their stores over here are well displayed and lots of colours. I see quite a few young people wearing them so I think they are trying to appeal with style.

I stopped buying their running and walking shoes as I don’t feel they last too long. I went back to either Nike or Asics depending. But I do buy the slip-on walking shoes for my morning dog walks. I am just trying to get out of the house and go and usually don’t run or jog and they are great for that.

They are very comfortable but still don’t seem to have the best life to me

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I second Khleb for this.

As a runner myself, there’s strong brand loyalty and SKX has non of that (yet) because it’s a new player in the game and this game is pretty competitive. But I really like their running shoes! SKX will start to get some good market shares due to quality and price, but it’s going to take some time.

I hope (not from investing but running perspective) they spend more in marketing/branding. They have Meb (a running legend) on their front line but they need more presence in the market. (should they decide to play this game seriously)

Hex

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