posted on August 3, 2004 07:57:53 AM new
By EMILY CHASAN
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
July 27, 2004
When Pam Miller walks into a shoe store, she bypasses the displays with the latest styles, heads for the nearest sales person and pleads, "Bring me whatever you have in a size 13 medium."
After years of sorting through too-wide orthopedic shoes, surfing online sites and competing with transvestites for the trendiest styles, the 34-year-old Houston legal secretary is far beyond being picky. At times, she's forked over close to $200 -- more than she'd like to pay -- for ugly shoes that at least fit.
There are plenty of lost soles like her. In the past 20 years, the foot of the average American woman has grown a full shoe size to an 8 or 9, up from a 7 or 8, according to Marshal Cohen, senior analyst for the NPD Group. He estimates that more than one-third of women now wear a size 9 or larger, up from 11% in 1987. Male feet are growing too, but only by a half-size in the past two decades.
Yet shoe stores aren't keeping pace. Many retailers haven't changed their size selections in years, Mr. Cohen says. Some stock just one pair of size 12s a year, because they stocked and sold one pair the year before. Retailers "don't know how many they can sell, so manufacturers don't sell them to retailers and don't make them," Mr. Cohen says. By simply stocking more large sizes, shoe outlets could boost their annual revenue by more than 8%, he figures.
Individual foot size is mostly a matter of genetics. But doctors say there are a number of other factors to consider. People are generally taller than they used to be. "The trend is that the population is bigger," says James McGuire, a department chairman at Temple University's School of Podiatric Medicine, Philadelphia. The youngest baby-boomer women turn 40 this year; bearing children and aging has left many of them with feet a good size bigger than they were. "As you get older, ligaments loosen up and bones might change," adds Dr. Stephanie Belovich, a biological anthropologist at Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine, Cleveland.
The biggest single contributor to the big-foot phenomenon may be the rise in participation in girls' sports in the 32 years since Title IX funding rules took effect. "Bones grow in response to demand," Temple's Dr. McGuire says. "Walking and exercise stimulate the foot to be stronger, more muscular and bigger."
Retailers, looking for the biggest return on inventory, typically focus on average sizes, 7 to 9. "A few years ago a lot of stores only went up to size 10," says Bill Boettge, president of the National Shoe Retailers Association. While more stores these days sell size 11s, Mr. Boettge estimates only 2% of sales are basic styles sold to women wearing size 12 or above -- a group that may make up 4% or more of the population. But that is just a guess: Few people track shoe sizes.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Payless ShoeSource Inc. carry big sizes, but Ms. Miller and other women complain inexpensive shoes tend to wear out fast. Nordstrom Inc., famous for its vast selection, has a toehold in the big-shoe business, but even it concedes that the most fashionable shoes sell out in larger sizes first. Federated Department Stores Inc.'s Macy's and Bloomingdale's and most other department stores carry few larger sizes. "We strive to serve the customer where there is the greatest demand -- which in women's shoes is up to size 10," a Federated spokeswoman says.
That's a bummer for Dresden Shumaker, a 28-year-old writer from Tuscaloosa, Ala. As a 12-year-old with size 12 feet, she became so desperate that she bought men's loafers and painted flowers on them. In college, she tried a store catering to drag queens. She wasn't riveted by the go-go boo
posted on August 3, 2004 09:01:47 AM new
lol jack, if I had the means to find a wholesaler that did bigger size shoes, sure sounds like a good market to tap into.
-- $200.00 for ANY shoes, long as its a size 11-15 womens???
posted on August 3, 2004 09:19:20 AM new
I don't buy shoes through QVC because I've learned from experience that I need to try shoes on first. But I've noticed, watching a show now and then, that the 8 - 10 sizes sell out first, as well as the teeniest size 4 or 5. Occasionally they feature a size 11.
Interesting article! What DO transvestites do for shoes, esp. since they tend to do big hair, lots of makeup, usually cheap-looking dresses--I assume they need spike heels to complete the look, LOL.
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posted on August 3, 2004 09:20:07 AM new
Before the wholesaler (you really mean "distributor" or "broker", I think), there need to be factories that make ultra-large size shoes for women.
Find the factories, find who distributes their shoes, make a deal to buy (for example) last season's leftovers, and you are in business.
Seasonality doesn't matter when something is hard to find, so that could be a real opportunity.
posted on August 3, 2004 09:22:22 AM new
Or you could start by hanging out at Nordstrom Rack. Bizarre larger sizes (like 12AA) tend to end up at the Rack.
Apologies to anyone who has very large but extremely narrow feet. (Hey! Built-in ice skates!)
posted on August 3, 2004 09:49:44 AM new
You are right, Iarea. Tell ya what though, when I see the larger sizes I might buy them if they are reasonably priced in good shape. I think I've seen maybe 11's, but not much larger..though I cant say I was ever really looking for them. I dont have the $$'s to do a distributor deal right yet. But somebody must be making these larger shoes all along, though? If they are that hard to find, they make a good ebay product.
Roadsmith...lol...I Know! Who ever thought competing with transvestites would come into the equation for those with larger feet? Bad enough to fight with other women of the last pair on the sale rack of size whatever.....must really su* for them, if ya ask me! But selling and even buying shoes on ebay is a big risk, imo. I have to walk around in them before I know if I am comfortable with them. Its only if you know your shoes, like easy spirits or something, because you've owned and worn the same thing before - then its a safe bet, imo.
