Nike marketing analysis

Profile of the Footwear Industry

a. Industry Size and Growth

The history of footwear goes back may thousands of years. It grew out of necessity to provide protection. Initially, footwear was made of plaited grass or rawide held to food with thongs. Soon the rich and influential began distinguishing themselves by the craftmanship aand decoration, which characterized their shoes. Today the footwear industry manufactures a wide range of footwear ranging from leather, rubber and other synthetic materials, and styles ranging from casual, formal, work, and athletic shoes.On average, every man, every woman, and child in the United States purchases more than four pairs of shoes each year, a level of consumption that establishes the U.S. as the world’s largest importer of footwear. The U.S. accounts for about 40 percent of footwear imports. In 2002, Americans spent approximately $38 billion to purchase more than 1.1 billion pairs of shoes.
In these four styles of footweaar, athleti...