When it comes to who buys shoes, most people immediately think of women. Though the notion that all women have dozens of pairs of shoes is a stereotype that isn’t necessarily true, it is true that women buy most shoes. For example, men’s dress shoes account for only about 6% of the total shoe market. However the shoe market for men is growing, with the men’s designer footwear category experiencing 39% growth from 2009-2014.
There are a number of different kinds of shoes that appeal to different types of men. Though the percentage of sales is small, mens’ dress shoes is still a good category. Most men own at least one pair of dress shoes, and many go for Italian loafers or exotic boots. In fact, exotic shoes for men can be a high-value category. Alligator skin shoes, crocodile skin shoes and other types of exotic shoes for men tend to have high margins for the stores that sell them.
Another popular shoe category for men is athletic shoes. Many men need athletic shoes for working out or for specialized sports such as golf soccer, but many men also wear athletic shoes for casual purposes. Athletic shoes can serve a good dual purpose as both workout shoes and casual shoes, or they can serve a single purpose as either.
Sneakers or casual athletic shoes are those that are not really meant as true athletic shoes but still are made by athletic shoe companies. This is a shoe category that is growing rapidly, as top shoe brands cash in on men’s desire to have more than one pair of shoes for casual wear.
One final category of shoes for men is boots. Work boots can be a necessity for men in blue-collar jobs, but there also are other kinds. There are both casual and formal boots that many men buy to wear to work or when they are out socially. There also are boots made for specialized purposes, such as hiking or being in the snow.
It is clear that the market for shoe sales to men is growing, and though there aren’t as many categories of shoes for men as there are for women, there still are plenty of niches to fill mens’ needs and wants when it comes to shoes. Continue reading here.
