runstyle

I n our consumer survey for this issue of runstyle, we surveyed women runners. More specifically, we surveyed women runners who shopped at run specialty stores in the past year. We asked, "What motivates you most to shop in-store instead of online?" Personalized service, immediate access to products and trying on products before purchasing were the main reasons. No news here. We also asked, "How oen do you purchase products from the same brand?" Of the women surveyed, 81% said oen or always. "How likely are you to try a new brand if recommended by the store staff?" 70% said somewhat or very likely. Were they members of a store's loyalty program? at was split 50/50. And run safety is on the minds of many runners when they run outdoors, so we also asked about safety related offerings that women might value in store loyalty program. And asked what specific products, services or experiences would they like to see more of at the stores? See our Trend Insight survey beginning on page 46. When it comes to designing products for women runners, the brand executives we talked with in our "Women's Style" feature story say a good starting point is to focus on comfort, fit, aesthetics and functionality, but like most things, it's the thoughtful details that set true standout products apart. See our "Confident Choices" article starting on page 24. Looking at the 2025 big picture outlook on footwear, our Outlook 2025 analysis, starting on page 12, shows that Wall Street analysts are bullish on the run category. "When people get involved in running, there's a sticky customer base and they tend to repurchase over and over," said Janine Stichter, an analyst at BTIG. A point confirmed in our consumer survey, too. "Where it becomes really important is getting that new customer in the door and getting them in your shoes." Sam Posner of Williams Trading stated, "e most comfortable sneakers are running shoes, no matter who makes it." He believes the wide majority of individuals are using running styles not for running but for walking, including increasingly wearing them to work or out socially to feed an outsized broader opportunity in run." at's another point that aligns with our survey responses, where we asked how oen women choose running apparel or footwear to match their personal style outside of fitness. Chris Nardone, Bank of America said, "If you go to a specialty run store and you sit down in the chair to get fit, the person that's helping you can only bring back out three boxes. So even if there's 10 great brands, they're only going to come out with three boxes to start. at's why it's so important for the staff at specialty run retailers to be very well educated on the differences in all these shoes." Agreed. And another reason why women (and men) who run shop at run specialty stores. Jeff Nott, Publisher WOMEN WHO RUN ... AND HOW THEY SHOP LETTER 4 runstyle Winter 2025 runstylemag.com

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