My mother is an avid runner—read: marathoner/triathlete—who swears by her Nike Shox. (I’ve received many a hand-me-down after they’ve maxed out on mileage for her purposes.) So I wasn’t surprised to learn that Nike owns more than half of the running-shoe online market. New information from 1010data’s Facts Ecom Insights panel—made up of millions of online shoppers in the U.S.—reports that the sales are shared by only a few brands. After Nike, who has 51 percent, Asics is the runner-up with 15 percent of the market share. Coming close for third are Adidas at six percent of sales and New Balance a hair behind with 5.7 percent.
The race for top online retailer is equally competitive. Zappos takes first with just above 17 percent, while Nike and Finish Line are close contenders. Surprisingly, online retail mammoth Amazon barely makes the board. Instead, it’s niche sites (like Amazon’s own Zappos) that offer a larger assortment of running shoes and a more personalized experience. With no landslide winner, Footlocker, Eastbay and Kohls are in good positioning to get a larger piece of the pie this holiday season.
