SGB Update Footwear
Ponto Footwear Names Former Wolverine, TNF Executive as President
Ponto, the sustainable footwear brand based in Encinitas, CA, hired Barry McGeough as brand president. Most recently, McGeough was the global vice president for product and digital innovation at Wolverine Worldwide.
Report: Footwear Retailers Top Retail Foot Traffic Gains Since 2020
Shoe store visits quickly bounced back following the first days of the pandemic when restrictions all but sidelined retail foot traffic and Nike, WSS and Boot Barn look to be well positioned for continued growth for back-to-school based on a report from Placer.ai.
REI Honors Vendor Partner of the Year, Gives Divisional Awards to Four Brands
REI Co-op honored On with its 2023 Vendor Partner of the Year award. The retailer said, “that by marrying style, comfort and functional performance, On continues to bring compelling, functional innovation to REI and attracts customers of all ages and backgrounds to running and hiking season after season.”
FESI Responds to European Parliament Proposal on Sustainable Product Regulation
The Federation of European Sporting Goods Industry said this week that it commends the Parliament’s efforts in recognizing the trade-offs involved in establishing eco-design requirements, a crucial step toward advancing sustainability and environmental responsibility within the sporting goods industry.
British Sneaker Brand Arne Expands to U.S.
Arne, the sneaker and casual apparel brand based in the U.K., announced its expansion into the U.S. market. Plans include flagship stores in New York and Los Angeles and pop-up shops in to-be-announced locations.
Report: Online Prices Fall 2.6 Percent in June, a 36-Month Low
Adobe reported in its Digital Price Index (DPI)* that online prices in June 2023 fell 2.6 percent year-over-year (YoY), the most significant decrease since May 2020, when prices fell 1.5 percent YoY.
NRF: Back-To-School Shopping Expected to Reach Record Levels
Back-to-school spending is expected to climb 12.4 percent while back-to-college shopping will increase about 27 percent this year as both tiers reach recording spending levels, according to the annual survey released by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.
Dr. Martens Sees EMEA and APAC Offsetting Americas Declines This Year
Dr. Martens plc said sales since the start of its fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, are in line with plan, with strength in the EMEA and APAC regions offsetting declines in the Americas. The footwear brand forecasted “meaningful improvement” in its DTC revenue in the Americas region in the fiscal second half.
Diddy Launches Online Marketplace for Black Entrepreneurs
Sean “Diddy” Combs launched Empower Global (EG), an e-commerce platform for selling products created and sold by Black entrepreneurs.
Authentic Brands Group Names Chief Financial Officer
Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) named Kevin Wills as chief financial officer. Wills is based in the company’s New York headquarters and reports to Founder, Chairman and CEO Jamie Salter.
Amazon Sees ‘Biggest Ever’ Prime Day
U.S. online sales rose 6.1 percent to $12.7 billion during Amazon’s Prime Day two-day sales from July 11- 12, according to Adobe Analytics, which measures transactions at U.S. retail sites. Amazon called the first 24 hours of Prime Day the “single largest sales day in company history,” but did not disclose total sales.
Deloitte: BTS Spending Expected to Decline as Inflation Takes its Toll
Deloitte’s 2023 back-to-school survey found that spending for K-12 students is expected to decrease 10 percent to $597 per student. Deloitte also found that after 18 months of inflation, higher prices weigh on K-12 families preparing for the upcoming school year.
Zumiez, Inc. Appoints Foot Locker, Inc. Vet to Board
Zumiez, Inc. appointed Guy M. Harkless to its Board of Directors to serve as an independent Class II director for a term expiring at the company’s 2025 annual meeting of shareholders. Harkless will also serve on Zumiez Audit Committee.
ORR Launches Hub for Growing Outdoor Workforce
The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable launched an Outdoor Workforce Hub on its website, developed with support from The VF Foundation, for employers, educators, those interested in joining the outdoor recreation industry, and those looking to expand their careers.
Rip Curl, Oboz Parent Reiterates NZ$1.1 Billion Sales Outlook for Fiscal Year
KMD Brands, the parent company of Rip Curl, Oboz and Kathmandu brands, reported it is on track to deliver a record A$1.1 billion in full-year sales, despite softening consumer sentiment in the fiscal fourth quarter.
