The tone seems to be changing for Nike. Source: Nike Gets Lackluster Reviews From Experts Ahead of Q1 When I began writing Insider Ties, a lot of the reasons for doing so was because I couldn’t find anyone discussing the actual business aspects of the industry. The stock analysts where looking at it purely from…
The last three months website traffic for Footlocker.com decreased 4.73%. Finishline.com decreased 6.10%. Hibbett.com dropped 6.37%. These are all stores heavily reliant on the Nike Wall. Meanwhile Nike’s site remained flat with only a 0.85% decrease in traffic with an incredible 153.7 million visitors. Nike’s visitors obliterate the website traffic of its wholesale partners. This…
I’m writing a long analysis of Foot Locker’s “Lace Up” Strategy. In the process of creating the discussion I’ve added a breakdown of “Dead Malls” in Memphis and I’ve explained that Foot Locker’s decision to close many of their underperforming mall-based stores is a logical and smart part of their plan. In this long-form article…
Source: adidas – adidas and Foot Locker, Inc. Announce New Long-Term Strategic Partnership (adidas-group.com) adidas is one of my favorite brands. When they are in their bag, the result is considerable growth and an attachment to sneaker culture and regular consumers that rivals any brand. When the company isn’t in their bag and they…
Last month in September I continued with my reopening of my Amazon Seller Central Marketplace account. By the end of October, I was shutting it down again. Although the numbers above show that I made $20,255.49 on 193 pairs shipped, this doesn’t tell the entire tale of Amazon as a marketplace. I continued using eBay…
I’ve been very critical of Foot Locker. During retail dives, even with shipping constraints and supply chain issues, it seemed both JD Sports and Hibbett Sports were outperforming Foot Locker simply based on the amount of sneakers being allotted to the chains. Nike’s continued Consumer Direct Acceleration, accelerated the demise of Footaction, and in my…
Source: Jimmy Jazz | Shoes, Streetwear, Sportswear & Designer Clothes Jimmy Jazz has long been one of my favorite retail chains that was built around the Nike wall. In past posts, I explained that the Nike wall wasn’t a good thing for retailers. Jimmy Jazz, however, for years has been able to capitalize on smart…
Instead of rewriting the wheel, I’m going to begin this month with how I started last month. I will add this at the start, the hype and interest in resale, the money flowing into startups and people touting that they have the next big thing, all of it is false. Resale is flat and I…
The company “believes this strategic decision will enable it to better serve its consumers in a post-COVID marketplace.” Source: Foot Locker Plans to Close Majority of Its Footaction Stores In my recent report, I wrote these paragraphs: If this Champs Wall is an Indication of Foot Locker’s Upcoming Q1 2021 Earnings … In a recent…
It’s rare when the CEO of the acquired company takes over as the CEO of the company that did the acquisition. In a traditional acquisition a company is either performing poorly and is on the verge of collapsing or the company is in an upward trajection and capable of disrupting competitors. City Gear was performing…
What is Fresh Selects? Fresh Selects is a new rewards program established by Jimmy Jazz. The rewards program was created for Jimmy Jazz store and online customers. With Fresh Selects, members have the Source: Fresh Selects Rewards Program | Jimmy Jazz Almost a year ago I visited Jimmy Jazz’s Harlem Store and I walked away…
City Gear, a retailer of premium athletic footwear, apparel and accessories. Source: City Gear to lay off 51 in Shelby County – The Daily Memphian In a report by Elle Perry of the Daily Memphian news outlet: City Gear LLC plans a permanent layoff of 51 workers in Shelby County, effective Feb. 2. The Memphis-based…
Hibbett Sports is a leading athletic-inspired fashion retailer with more than 1,000 stores. Shop the best in sneakers, shoes, fan gear & more! – Hibbett | City Gear When this merger was taking place I thought it was going to speed up the demise of Hibbett Sports. I even wrote that issues within City Gear…
Shop our wide selection of Calvin Klein at Footaction. In 2017 I began using the term “Nike Wall” to discuss the DTC play by Nike in relation to the closing of smaller stores that had ‘urban’ accounts with the brand. I began this discussion in 2015 and I continued to look at it closely up…
Source: SS19 UA Sportstyle Apparel I browse at least 20 different websites every morning and I visit at least 1 store a day. Retail dives and constantly researching what’s happening in the footwear and athletic space (while also selling 20-40 pair of kicks per day) has given me a unique perspective that has been borrowed…
The Investor Relations website contains information about Hibbett Sports, Inc.’s business for stockholders, potential investors, and financial analysts. Source: Hibbett Sports to Acquire City Gear | Hibbett Sports, Inc. Conference Call: https://edge.media-server.com/m6/p/go8oedte The pending acquisition of Memphis based City Gear by Hibbett Sports was based on a mapping system Hibbett Sports is utilizing called Sports…
My hand was shaking too hard during this video but it’s worth a watch. The Vault is the only sneaker boutique in Memphis with a Nike account. Summit, which I visited to do the Clearweather video is another but it’s more apparel than sneakers. Superior, another sneaker boutique in Memphis owned by Village Mart,…
Compressed Lifecycle is the biggest issue in the sneaker industry (really, it’s sustainability but that’s a different discussion that’s coming). Brands who haven’t decided to chase a weekly drop schedule are seeing the benefits of patience bolstered by disciplined supply chain policies. When a brand chases a number to give investors what they want, versus…
Made to be Discounted is honestly a natural part of the product lifecycle and not a dig at Nike. MTBD becomes a problem when the lifecycle is compacted. Let me explain, no one ever really addresses what sneaker resale was or what it encroached upon. The initial wave (90s) began with sellers finding Air Force…
Introducing the 776 Invitational. Coming September 2024. Source: 776 Invitational According to reports, Olympian Michael Johnson has raised over 20 million dollars for the Grand Slam Track League. I can’t find a website… He’s landed New Balance sponsored Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone as the first commitment, but outside of articles on websites and unlike another upcoming event…
The wording of the tech in the Air Max DN sounds extremely familiar. When Reebok launched the DMX in the 90s, the concept was built around air pods capable of shifting air between chambers. The DMX was one of the most successful models from RBK and has gone on to release in retro colors in…
Source: THE FUTR X ELITE SETS ITS SIGHTS ON THE FUTURE OF BASKETBALL (underarmour.com) Every aspect of my basketball life is triggered when looking at the All-Star Weekend drop arriving from Under Armour. Every aspect of the analyst and once sneaker designer and brand owner is conflicted when I look at the FUTR X…
