Increase sales while still making tons of colourways

If you have read this blog or talked to me for any amount of time at all, you’ll know how often this blog brings up the fact there is too much product and too many colourways on the marketplace. Even though this is a bone that is often picked with the big brands, there is a way to make a compromise. Though not sure any of those decision makers are reading this blog. Nonetheless…

Even through everything that is happening right now, there are still plenty of colourways being brought to market and it looks like it will only increase as the year goes on. Like I’ve mentioned before, this year is a great opportunity for brands to re-access theirs plans. So here’s a plan for them to use, free of charge.

The best way to accomplish this is something that some brands have already been using, particularly Mizuno. What the Runbird has been doing is limiting the number of pairs released in new colourways. In the newest Reach Beyond pack every single boot has a limited number of pairage. Of course, this is a limited release collection meant for the Olympics but this idea should be spread across every other colourway pack release. This means that the brands can still drop the same amount of colourways but it ensures that sell-through will also be higher.

There is also a different way to put this idea to work. Instead of every single colourway pack being limited, make 3-4 packs a year in normal quantities but every other pack and colourway release outside of those will be much more limited with their release numbers. Instead of limited editions, it would be colourways in limited quantities. I’d also argue that this gives the brands license to go even crazier with colourways that have limited release numbers. As for the other “unlimited” colourway packs, those should made in colourways that are “safer” or easier to sell.

Another advantage that it makes retailers happier since they know the times of the year when they can more in and other times where they can be leaner with their orders. In recent years, retailers have been having more and more issues with being over-stocked on product. This is especially noticeable now when almost every new release is discounted. While this is great for us as consumers, in the long-term its damaging to the industry has a whole since retailers are more likely to be overstocked and making less on sales. It’d be a great shame if retailers start going under because less competition is worse for consumers since it means the brands will be able to set prices with less pushback.

Probably the most important part of this means that there will be a lot less waste overall. If you think about it, its weird that so many resellers can still find OG Hypervenoms or even Pred Manias and the like. While that’s great for us wanting older boots, I’d argue that there won’t be as much nostalgia for some of the boots currently on the market, meaning at some point, they might just get thrown away. There is no current ways to repurpose older boots to make them in newer styles.

Worse, the environmental impact happens on both ends, with the creation of the boots leading to lots of waste and the boots themselves becoming waste if they don’t sell. And no, you can only donate so much. There are not an unlimited number of places to donate to and in some cases, donations can damage the marketplace in smaller economies.
So that’s the compromise plan I’d have with the boot industry, if the decision makers are reading please try and take this path or something similar. Long-term plans are needed.

What do you think the industry should do? Please share this with your friends and make sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!

じゃあね！