Perhaps it’s not a surprise but sneakers have been forecast to become the hottest-selling footwear item this holiday season.
According to a newly released nationwide study conducted by the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America, casual sneakers dominated as the top shoe style for 35 percent of the men surveyed and 34 percent of the women polled. Performance sneakers came in a close second, with 30 percent of the male respondents saying they were likely to purchase them this season. Fashion boots also remain popular.
“Casual sneakers are the most sought-after item again — especially in the western part of the country where nearly every other shoe purchase will be a sneaker — while 26 percent of all females plan to purchase fashion boots,” Matt Priest, FDRA‘s president and CEO, said in a statement.
According to the study, in certain parts of the country, casual sneakers were even more popular. They were the top choice for 42 percent of the consumers in the West surveyed, 38 percent of those in the South, 29 percent of Northeast respondents and 25 percent of the Midwesterners polled.
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Differences between male and female shoppers also surfaced when they were posed questions about shopping online versus in-store browsing. More than half of all the men surveyed said they were more likely to buy shoes on Amazon — but only 42 percent of the female respondents voiced such a preference. In contrast, women were were more likely than men to report plans to purchase shoes on retailers’ websites.
Despite the boom in online shopping, a majority of those surveyed said they like to try out shoes before buying them. Sixty-one percent of all the consumers polled said they prefer to buy shoes in a physical store, while 39 percent of the respondents said they would rather purchase footwear online.
