Running Shoe Price Analysis

Cheaper Shoes Online–But at What Cost?

Here’s an interesting running shoe price analysis from the guys at RunRepeat.com. Not familiar with the site? It’s based in Denmark (site is in English, don’t worry) and has over 130k reviews and comparisons for 1k+ shoe models. Pretty good reviews from fellow runners that allow you to compare models prior to purchase.

Ultrarunnerpodcast has no affiliation with the site–other than permission to use this data and infograph–but this post may spark some discussion about where and how we purchase our running gear.

From the data given–here’s the full study–consumers can save money by purchasing online. We all agree lower prices are better, but at what cost to brick and mortar stores?

What value do you get from visiting a running store? What premium are you willing to pay to have personal attention? Five bucks? Twenty bucks? What’s your limit? What could (or do) local stores do to win (back) your business? How do you find return policies at online stores vs brick and mortar?

What role should running stores play in our world? Are they going the way of the video store, or do independently owned running stores have a special place that can’t be replicated online?

What percentage of your running shoes do you buy at brick and mortar stores vs online sites?

25 Responses to "Running Shoe Price Analysis"

jesse says:

March 29, 2016 at 7:15 am

Eric thanks for this, will really help get some decent shoes at reasonable prices. Is there something comparable for running clothes and gear?

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Fred Garderes says:

March 29, 2016 at 7:45 am

I have been going to the same store for years (Zombie Runner in Palo Alto). They know me so well now, that I get oriented to the right model right away depending on the program of the shoe. The sales team is trained in looking at gait, and footstrike.
I read some reviews on line, typically to learn about durability. I buy at ZR because of the above, but also because the online description does not always “fit my foot”. E.g. I read great things of the Hoka Speedgoat, and wanted to love them…they don’t work on my feet!
Finally, I support small shops in general, doing my part for my community.

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Joey says:

March 29, 2016 at 7:55 am

Buying shoes online is like using the Runner’s World shoe chart to determine your next pair of shoes…it just doesn’t work.

I know I posted a long comment on Facebook but a few more points popped in my head. Running stores offer a discount, usually 10%, to members of the local running club. So that would make it cheaper than Zappos and Road Runner Sports. Also I find it weird that a few people are unwilling to invest $130 on a pair of shoes but are willing to pay $300+ on a single race.

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1. agree n disagree says:
  
  March 29, 2016 at 12:27 pm
  
  The reason running folk are willing to spend more on a race is because they are getting a one of a kind product that is only available once a year. Shoes are mass-produced, come in a million different makes and models, and if the price isn’t suitable it’s easy to find something similar from somewhere else for less. Plus shoes are gonna be torn up and thrown away – races last forever.
  
  I do agree that trying on shoes is a good thing, but it’s also hard to identify what is actually going to work. I got fitted and recommendations from the local store, bought the pair and ended up with terrible foot pain. The shoes were great, but just didn’t work for my feet. I had to sell them online since they were used.
  
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Sarah Lavender Smith says:

March 29, 2016 at 8:08 am

RunRepeat contacted me by email a few months back trying to get me to review or try their services, and I said NO WAY. I support independent, locally owned stores — they’re the backbone of our communities! I really encourage people to pay extra money and shop local. You are supporting local jobs, a local business that most likely sponsors local running events or local XC teams, etc etc … and, it’s like going into a bookstore vs. Amazon, you get a lot by browsing and talking to real people. If you can’t find what you need at your local running store, then shop an independent store that has a good online store and will ship to you (like Zombierunner). Thanks.

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1. ken michal says:
  
  March 29, 2016 at 9:22 am
  
  “it’s like going into a bookstore vs. Amazon” Interestingly enough, Amazon is number two on the cheap online retailer chart above! 😉
  
  All Day!
  ~Ken
  
  Reply
Allen Lucas says:

March 29, 2016 at 8:59 am

If someone is truly strapped for money or have no local options, the discount online stores are OK – there’s the risk you won’t like what you get, but it sounds like most of them have good return policies. What’s NOT OK is for that person to spend an hour at the local shoe store, trying on different pairs of shoes, only to walk out and order what they decided on online. By far the best experience is to visit the local store, pick their brains, and buy from them. (At a recent trip to Zombie Runner, they mentioned that the model I was interested in was not going to be carried there, and they suggested a competitor, SFRC.) I’ve gotten so much great advice and service at those two places that I can’t imagine ordering online just to save a bit.

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Cb says:

March 29, 2016 at 9:12 am

I wish I could afford to shop at the local running stores but I can’t pass up the close out deals at Running Warehouse. Between the mortgage, grocery bills, college funds,etc., the $40-$50 I save per pair of shoes is a big deal. And that adds up to a lot of money when you run lots of miles. I don’t need the value added services offered by the local stores-I know what I like and can generally find out all the info I need with out consulting the shoe person at a store. I choose to give back to my local running community by volunteering at races and hosting a bi-monthly group trail run.

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Julia Millon says:

March 29, 2016 at 9:14 am

Conflict of interest since I make a portion of my living by fitting shoes, but I honestly think it’s really important to shop in person. The fact that people continue to buy shoes online more and more means that we aren’t able stock as diverse of a selection as I’d want. Our store isn’t able to carry many trail shoes, but I do everything I can to take my business to other local brick and mortar shops so I can try shoes and pick some brains for info I might be missing.

I’ve seen a few Western States races completely wrecked because of a shoe, sock, or insole issue that could have been easily prevented. It’s not always just bad luck! Paying a few extra bucks might keep you out of the docs office, you never know.

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ken michal says:

March 29, 2016 at 9:36 am

Have to agree with all of the “shop local” comments! I see so many running shops doing amazing things for their local communities (hosting bib pickups for races, sponsoring events, demo nights and gatherings)! SFRC is a great example of this! Sure, they do a lot of this because it helps business but they’re also in this business because they love what they do! Not sure I can say the same for Amazon…

Obviously, as a consumer, every dollar counts! The question is what value do you place on having great community resources and experts on the gear you’ll use? Using SFRC as an example, how much would you pay to have a weekly running club with some of the fastest ultra runners on the circuit? How about free every Saturday? Would something like this be worth spending an extra $46 for a pair of shoes (that would be fitted to you?)?

All Day!
~Ken

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1. ken michal says:
  
  March 29, 2016 at 10:22 am
  
  Ok, doing a little digging and I don’t really see much of a difference of price for current models at brick and mortar vs online! Running shops also discount last year’s models as well but don’t carry as much inventory…
  
  Another interesting side note about the SFRC Saturday group runs: Years ago, Larissa, Brett and Jorge all used to pay for group runs with the Endurables (I was in the group too, running just slightly behind them! 😉 )! They offer this for free for the community and sport they love!
  
  All Day!
  ~Ken
  
  Reply
  1. eric schranz says:
    
    March 29, 2016 at 1:25 pm
    
    SFRC should be a model for how running stores should be…er…run.
    
    Reply
wch says:

March 29, 2016 at 10:09 am

I like the idea of supporting the local running store and if it’s good I think it’s worth paying a few extra bucks to do so. I’ve worked in local running and cycling stores and think they can be awesome places to shop and hang out. In my case we have a very mediocre LRS in town – nice people with pretty good knowledge of fitting shoes, but ZERO passion for running and they reinvest little in actually supporting our local running community. I run enough that I generally have a very good idea of what shoes will work for me and go through 6-8 pairs of shoes a year and I buy them on Amazon or STP or Running Warehouse at less than $50 each. That saves me $300-400 each year and that’s real money for our family. I get jealous of all of you that have great running stores in your communities!

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eric schranz says:

March 29, 2016 at 10:54 am

Great discussion everyone. Two sidenotes: My folks (both runners) live in a city with essentially one running store that doesn’t host runs, doesn’t “give back”, and offers little support for local HS track/xc teams. Would you support that store? Personally, I would buy online or drive an hour away to hopefully drive it out of business and open up the market for a better business.
And finally…REI does not count as a “running store.” I’m amazed at how often I hear about people going there for fittings and shoe advice!

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1. wch says:
  
  March 30, 2016 at 7:01 am
  
  Maybe they live in the same city I do, Eric. I can drive 60-90 minutes in any direction and find great stores, but my time- and eco-conscious mind doesn’t let me do that. Some of us have looked into what it would take to open up a competitor store in town but the town isn’t really big enough to support two and shoe companies aren’t eager to open up competing accounts in the same small-ish market. A competitor store would be hard to be successful without at least a few of the big shoe brands in it – can’t survive on Pearl/Topo/Inov-8/Salomon etc.
  
  And while I agree in general that REIs are not running stores there may be individual REI stores out there that have very competent, enthusiastic, passionate and knowledgeable runners working in the footwear departments.
  
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Joel Van Sloten says:

March 29, 2016 at 11:38 am

My experiences with local stores have led me to value them very little. I would LOVE to value my local running store, but ultimately I’ve not required much from them in terms of expertise/advice and when I have wanted something from them (products or events) I’ve been highly disappointed with their offerings. Like it or not, since they haven’t done much for me personally as a customer or as community member, I’ve had little issue taking my business online and saving a LOT of money. That being said, just because they didn’t meet my needs, doesn’t mean they can’t meet the needs of others, and as such I continue to point other runners toward their local store first in hopes that they’ll have better success than I have.

From other accounts I hear/read there are local stores around the country that are firing on all cylinders and creating what sound like the ultimate resource and community for runners. I am grateful that such stores exist and I hope they help lead the way for more like-minded operations. If I was fortunate enough to live in/around one of these I would definitely be happy to give them more of my shoe business.

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1. eric schranz says:
  
  March 29, 2016 at 1:24 pm
  
  I understand Joel. I’ve been in running stores and heard or seen “experts” offering advice that is incredibly misinformed. Add in the factor of major stores getting spiffs for pushing certain brands, and yeah, I can understand feeling underwhelmed by your local store. Out of curiosity, where do you live?
  
  Reply
  1. Joel Van Sloten says:
    
    March 29, 2016 at 2:28 pm
    
    Recently relocated to Spokane, WA; previously was living in Ann Arbor, MI. I don’t want to get into naming specific stores/groups, both areas have had what appeared to be established local stores and or running groups/events and are certainly healthy running communities, but I’ve not experienced the scenario of a quality running store with the products I’m interested in AND quality running groups/events. My point in any of this is not to criticize these stores because I believe all of them are ultimately making a positive contribution, but they’re just not connecting with me.
    
    Reply
Benji says:

March 29, 2016 at 12:09 pm

If you know what you want (buying a pair multiple times) I can see searching for a deal every now and then. Especially if the shoe has been updated, which a lot of times can be a deal breaker. But if you are looking for a new shoe to love, I find shipping shoes back and forth to be a hassle. My run club gets 15% off the local store. Like others have said, they already know what I run in, and what new stuff will likely work for me. That’s a competitive price with additional knowledge. In summation, brick and mortar > online retailer.

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Luke Garten says:

March 29, 2016 at 9:25 pm

So, to save the most money, you should buy = a last years model of a competition, minimal, triathalon road shoe from Sierra Trading Post.

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Tony Post says:

March 30, 2016 at 5:15 am

Just catching up to this article and discussion as a running shoe brand owner and a consumer, it’s an interesting read. It’s helpful if I step outside of running, I’m an active skier and mountain biker so I use specialty retail a lot. As a consumer, I want to support my local shop b/c I believe they can offer knowledge, service, and trial/comparison that’s hard to replicate on line. When a new product arrives it’s fun to see it/feel it/test it in person and talk with the store associate about that. On the other hand, I hate finding a product I just bought in store that’s $50 less on line! In some cases, I find the brands themselves undercutting their own suggested retail price on their website!?

When that happens, I tend to question the brand. Did they saturate the market? Is there a problem with the product that forced them to liquidate at a low price? What is the real price of their product — will it be cheaper if I wait another week? I don’t like feeling ripped off because I purchased at my local shop and didn’t search the web endlessly for a deal.

At Topo, we try to manage our brand in support of the consumer and the local retailers. We sell a few on line dealers, but we still think the best place to test/experience the brand is in a specialty store — alongside 4 or 5 competitors. We price our products modestly from the start, so consumers get a good value and our retailers don’t have to discount in order to drive sales — we manage our own cost structure and profitability to deliver value works for the consumer, the store, and Topo.

Sure, we all make mistakes and have excess stock (brands and retailers) that we need to close out, but it seems like this is so out of control now that consumers don’t know what the real cost/value of a product might be. One reason I always admired Apple is because (mostly) the price is the price. Although I wished there stuff was a little cheaper, I never had to search for the best price, instead I could focus on finding the product that best suited my needs. Sometimes, I wish skis, bikes, and running shoes were the same.

Thanks to all for the candid comments on line — all helps to make us better.

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Mic Med says:

March 30, 2016 at 6:14 am

I shop 100% online and don’t feel at all bad about it. I know what shoes I like, I don’t need advice or a local store pushing me to a shoe I don’t want, so I shop value. RW offers me 15% off their already low prices. Local store, you want my business? Offer me the same price or better, or something else of value. I don’t care about group runs, I don’t go. I don’t care if you have a couch to 5k program, I never used one. So the last reason to shop local would be for the “feels”, right? Supporting other runners who work there, blah blah? Nope, don’t care. I support my own running.

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1. SCottieB says:
  
  March 30, 2016 at 7:42 pm
  
  You went over to the dark side for the cookies, am I right? The next time I see you, I’m giving you a hug, you prickly, curmudgeon, you. In the meantime, the rest of us will be there for each other good or bad, reward or not, because in the end no man is an island and none of us is being the best we can be if we are only in this for ourselves. Most of us are happy to belong to a running community and to participate in it to the extent we are comfortable with because a rising tide blah, blah, blah. And yeah, the ‘feels’! I loves me the ‘feels’! Even Darth Vader came around for the ‘feels’, man. There’s good in you Mic Med. Someone will find it. Let them.
  
  Reply
  1. Mic Med says:
    
    March 31, 2016 at 5:07 am
    
    There’s no turning me SCottie… I am an island. “I run to be with others”… I’ve heard that. I run to be away from all you.
    
    Reply
Michel (Mike) Bonnell says:

July 24, 2016 at 9:01 pm

So sad, so short sighted. Wanna know what’ll happen if we turn our backs on local running shops, imperfect as they may be? Just take a look at what Walmart has done to local economies all over the U.S. Talk to Walmart employees too, to see just how great it is to have no other employment opportunities because smaller shops have gone.

–> once smaller running shops have gone, then the online retailers will sell you what they want to sell you and at higher prices.
–> the shoes you get for ” 50$ less” are usually last year’s models … which your local shop probably discounts at 20% …so really, your savings are more like 25$.
–> what do you do when the online retailer doesn’t have your size….choose another shoe…maybe one that won’t work for you… Who cares?! They don’t.
–> You know what you want now “Mic Med” cause you’ve been running for a million years…but what about the folks that want to start running…but have no clue what to do? Local shops can help make sure they have a better start / experience….I know you don’t care….but shouldn’t somebody care….then again, 25-30% obesity rates in the country…its not important to help people get active.
–> online running stores will NOT create a running community in their neighbourhood.

Mic Med – if you were sincere about shunning communities … you would never have bothered to write your pov on this online community… you do not need a reason to do the wrong thing.

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