Is K-Swiss getting completely out of making running shoes or out of business altogether? There use to be about 4 pages full of shoes. Now they have only 9 running shoe models total. Did I miss something?
I haven’t heard anything but I think the reason they had 4 pages of shoes is because they showed all the different colors.
Maybe model year changeover time?
It has to be more than that. It’s a seriously run deficient running shoe page. lol
I haven’t heard anything but I think the reason they had 4 pages of shoes is because they showed all the different colors.
Do a search, there are a few other threads about this but no one really knows the answer.
I will say this, I haven’t seem shit in regards to running but they are still paying someone to run their social media pages… And only cover tennis.
I think it’s because K-Swiss has jumped the shark in the Tri world
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K Swiss is part of a very large company. But they are probably the best case scenario of spending money and getting little ROI. They spent a ton of money to market to triathletes, which happen to be a very non brand loyal population as a whole. They got very little traction out of it, far less then they needed in order to continue to spend that much money.
If you search the archives there are several threads talking about K swiss and their marketing strategy.
Yes, it’s strange they only cover tennis it seems now, but they still have a lot of pro triathletes running in their shoes. Trek/K Swiss team, carfrae, raelert brothers, Bokel…
I hope they don’t quit making running shoes. I like their shoes.
They have dropped at least 50% of the pro’s they used to sponsor and some that they still do sponsor are very unhappy with how things are flowing, or not when they should be, into their bank account.
That’s really sad. I hate to hear that. They make quality run shoes.
Did I miss something?
What you missed was an outside company coming into triathlon, with great fanfare, lots’ of marketing, spending huge amounts of money on ads, athlete sponsorships and other promotions, and in the end, not really moving the ball down the court that much. Did they sell some shoes because of all that? Yes, but clearly not enough to make financial sense to move forward.
I applaud these companies like K-Swiss for trying, but it’s funny game, where sometimes 2 + 2 does not add up to make 4. However, we’ve seen this before, and it’s a pattern that repeats itself.
I would always test the traction of how brands like K-Swiss were doing, when I was working in the wholesale-retail business myself, in my travels around to retailers all across North America. I would ask point-blank: How are the K-Swiss shoes selling? or Anyone coming in and asking for them? The answers were almost invariably - “Not very well” and “No”. That’s the end metric that is key -* is the product checking out at retail*?
Brands that do what K-Swiss did are challenged by the following:
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The tri market, is “small” to begin with
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As noted, the tri consumer is a fickle-one with not a great deal of loyalty.
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Ounce you “make it” in triathlon, you run the risk of being branded a triathlon-only brand - it’s a rare brand that can break out of that box.
Do you think they will quit making running shoes altogether?
I would always test the traction of how brands like K-Swiss were doing, when I was working in the wholesale-retail business myself, in my travels around to retailers all across North America. I would ask point-blank: How are the K-Swiss shoes selling? or Anyone coming in and asking for them? The answers were almost invariably - “Not very well” and “No”. That’s the end metric that is key -* is the product checking out at retail*?
in contrast, my experience in Toronto is that K-Swiss has always been relatively hard to source (i.e., unlike some brands they have never been available in all retailers in all main models) and are always overpriced when compared to other markets (like a lot of triathlon products in Ontario). I therefore resorted to buying my shoes “in bulk”, either at different Ironman expos around the world where K-Swiss was the official brand or by researching and contacting an expo exhibitor before the event and pre-purchasing the shoes. I never once asked a Toronto retailer whether they sold K-Swiss because the answer seemed quite obvious from what is on their website and shelves. What is now turning me away from K-Swiss is their decision to redesign the model I was loyal to and my inability, given the above, to see if the new model works for me and if so what size.
in contrast, my experience in Toronto is that K-Swiss has always been relatively hard to source (i.e., unlike some brands they have never been available in all retailers in all main models) and are always overpriced when compared to other markets (like a lot of triathlon products in Ontario). I therefore resorted to buying my shoes “in bulk”, either at different Ironman expos around the world where K-Swiss was the official brand or by researching and contacting an expo exhibitor before the event and pre-purchasing the shoes. I never once asked a Toronto retailer whether they sold K-Swiss because the answer seemed quite obvious from what is on their website and shelves. What is now turning me away from K-Swiss is their decision to redesign the model I was loyal to and my inability, given the above, to see if the new model works for me and if so what size.
You have reinforced my point. If they are not found at retail, or checking out at retail, then, they for the most part are not doing very well. Unless, they are working well through another channel( say- direct, which some brands and products have done well with. Most notably in this market Xterra with wetsuits).
Thos expo sales are a drop in the bucket and amount to not a very large volume - although, onsite, they give the illusion of being a big seller.
Did I miss something?
What you missed was an outside company coming into triathlon, with great fanfare, lots’ of marketing, spending huge amounts of money on ads, athlete sponsorships and other promotions, and in the end, not really moving the ball down the court that much. Did they sell some shoes because of all that? Yes, but clearly not enough to make financial sense to move forward.
I applaud these companies like K-Swiss for trying, but it’s funny game, where sometimes 2 + 2 does not add up to make 4. However, we’ve seen this before, and it’s a pattern that repeats itself.
I would always test the traction of how brands like K-Swiss were doing, when I was working in the wholesale-retail business myself, in my travels around to retailers all across North America. I would ask point-blank: How are the K-Swiss shoes selling? or Anyone coming in and asking for them? The answers were almost invariably - “Not very well” and “No”. That’s the end metric that is key -* is the product checking out at retail*?
Brands that do what K-Swiss did are challenged by the following:
-
The tri market, is “small” to begin with
-
As noted, the tri consumer is a fickle-one with not a great deal of loyalty.
-
Ounce you “make it” in triathlon, you run the risk of being branded a triathlon-only brand - it’s a rare brand that can break out of that box.
I would think the the concept would be to use the tri market’s “first adopter/innovator” characteristic to create a beach head in triathlon to expand into the general volume running market. Unlike road cyclists who disdain triathletes, your average runner actually partially looks up to triathetes…first they run a 5K, then 10K then half marathon, then marathon…then they want to try a “bigger challenge” and take up triathlon. So as a brand if you have a presence in triathlon which is an easy market to cherry pick, then you can aspire to back into the general running market, when all those runners see triathletes in their group in K-Swiss or Newton or or or.
Hello,
Apparently they were not too successful in Europe:
http://tri-mag.de/material/aus-der-branche/keine-k-swiss-laufschuhe-mehr-deutschland-35999
According to the article K-Swiss will stop selling RUNNING shoes in the German, Great Britain and Netherlands market.
Just entered the article in Google Translate, and this is the result 
Poor sales figures No K-Swiss running shoes more in Germany
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From the industry | 8 May 2013
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K-Swiss Europe withdraws from the running segment in Germany, Holland and England back. The distribution for these markets is set from the autumn and winter collection 2013. The California shoe manufacturer again focuses on product ranges and tennis sneakers.
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A little over four years, K-Swiss was suddenly presence in the running area. Previously best known as a tennis and sport style brand, blew the marketing power of the Americans to the attack: Dozens more or less successful triathlon professionals were equipped by the novice, accompanied by advertising and ad campaigns. Well, at least in this country circuit. The interim balance sheet in the office markets of Germany, Holland and Great Britain fall sober from the ambitious goals in these three countries could not be reached, the Group can know. Therefore, K-Swiss Europe has decided to discontinue sale of Running products in these countries.
**
But that does not mean a general withdrawal from the running and triathlon market. The home market, the U.S. continues to write strong numbers. The existing since 2010 sponsorship of the Raelert brothers Andrew and Michael, as well as supplier contracts with many other triathletes will continue. In the 2013 summer season will also be represented here yet commercially K-Swiss running shoes.
Yes, it’s strange they only cover tennis it seems now, but they still have a lot of pro triathletes running in their shoes. Trek/K Swiss team, carfrae, raelert brothers, Bokel…
I hope they don’t quit making running shoes. I like their shoes.
Me too. Plus I love their Black Friday BOGO sales.
I hope they keep it up here in the US. The selection is slim and grim. Maybe I should stick up?
Started running in their K-ONA shoes a few years back and have used them exclusively. About a month ago I noticed on their website the diminished shoe supply.
So I bought 15 pairs on Amazon!! Saucony (triumph 7) did this to me before KSWISS!! I think they still make the trimuph but the change between version 7 to 8 may as well been a different shoe!
My wife is not happy that my basement looks like a shoe store!
What model do you use now? I prefer the Blade Light Run to train in and the Kwicky Blade to race in.