Market Predictors Have Their Jobs Cut out for Them

The world of fashion has always been a fickle one, but when you mix teens with fashion, then it makes the jobs of marketers even more difficult. It does not take a rocket scientist to understand this, all you need to do is look at the latest trends of who is hot and who is not, to come to your own conclusion. One of the market segments that seem to get affected by trends in the market for shoes.

Moreover, when there are so many choices out there it is easy to see why. However, there is another side to the story of footwear, and that is that most teens will own only three or four pairs, unlike clothes where they may own a bigger collection. The shoes themselves are not exactly cheap. All of this means that shoemakers must get it right as quickly as possible, to grab youngster’s attention, before they move on.

All this has only been exacerbated by the ease of online shopping, where shoppers have hundreds of various products at their fingertips. Not surprisingly, Amazon is number one among online retailers. A surprising twist in this story is that athletic wear has slipped in popularity with teens, as much as 40%, this last Spring. A part of the reason for this is that teens are now more interested in so-called “ streetwear” and music festival clothing (which is sometimes accompanied by “gay clothing”). These factors are starting to show results, and not surprisingly, mighty brands of the past are now not so mighty and less popular brands are becoming more popular, as the following numbers show.

Nike, although still the top brand, has lost market share, by as much as 6%. Nikes loss has been Adidas’s and American Eagle Outfitters gain, as they bit into Nikes’ loss. And the numbers are in, American Eagle is ranked number two and Adidas is number three. Other benefits of this change in tastes are Vans, which is now ranked 10 for the first time in its history and Tommy Hilfiger at 20. Under Armour, on the other hand, has fallen from its once dominant position to somewhere near the bottom. This is in large part due to the fact that male customers see them as an old brand.
[sc:adsense]
Its not only online retailers, clothing and shoe brands who are busy trying to keep up with the teens. The restaurant business is also feeling the pinch. Teens actually spend more on eating out. McDonald’s used to be the favorite, now its Dunkin Donuts, in the wealthier teen category. Buffalo Wild Wings is the favorite of middle-class teens.