Question

Topic: Just for Fun

Crocs - Is The Molded Footwear Trend Over???

Posted by Anonymous on 9/18/2007 at 7:35 AM ET 500 Points
Crocs are experiencing a significant backlash and mainstream media is starting to jump on the bandwagon.

Due to accidents and injuries, some hospitals and schools have banned Crocs and their generic cousins in the "molded footwear" category.

Environmental groups are raising concerns as enough have been made to fill many landfill's already and they will take 100's of years to decay.

The shoe is just plain ugly (okay, my opinion not a fact). The shoe has no aspirational appeal and is not showing up in photo's of celebrities. Unlike Ugg boots, they do not have the cachet that add's to their value.

Knockoff's in grocery, drug, gas stations, etc. Walgreen's offering at 2/$10.00, Meijer's at 6.99, Krogers at 7.99.

Are these 5 of the seven signs of the CrocApocalyse? Is the trend over? I am seeing signs that point to Crocs plummeting into obscurity and Jelly's emerging as the heir apparent (I believe this will be Jelly's 4th time through the trend cycle).

Please share your thoughts on this important lifechanging topic. While I have found that this discussing elicits strong emotions and can be fun, I am looking for your legitimate insights as well.

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  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 9/18/2007 at 10:27 AM Accepted
    The top management at CROX sold a large # of shares in June (https://www.247wallst.com/2007/06/crocs_insider_s.html).

    A columnist in the Guardian (https://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/fashion/story/0,,2157430,00.html?gusrc...) describes the plans for Crocs in 2008, and it shows that they plan to diversify, which would make sense given all the copycats.

    Perhaps the shoes will slowly fade away. But the company sounds like it's going strong...
  • Posted on 9/18/2007 at 10:33 AM Member
    CROCS now has 56 styles and the 2 orginal, the Cayman and Beach now account for only 20% of the companys production volume and have yet to see unit volume peak. its well documented the knock offs dont have the space age material performance of the CROCS, croslite was invented by foam creations, and in copy-crap China demand for CROCS is surprisingly big.
  • Posted on 9/18/2007 at 10:45 AM Accepted
    First of all, I was surprised the Croc Craze lasted this long. I have seen some of their fashions looking more like regular shoes.

    I think that the molding, rubber footwear may be close to being over. I could easily see Crocs moving to another style of shoe to keep the interest of the shoe market.

    I think the cycle has just about run its course.
  • Posted on 9/18/2007 at 11:21 AM Accepted
    I live in Newport Beach, CA and they've been "dead" for well over a year. Not even the little kids wear'em anymore. Hope that helps.
  • Posted by k.pohlman on 9/18/2007 at 12:02 PM Accepted
    I personally don't 'get' them. I tried one on and thought..."what's the big deal"? I'm in Ohio and sales are steady but popularity seems to be waning. I'm amazed that people pay up to $50 for them.

    I expect them to fade but not completely(especially since winter is coming!!), they seem to be popular in the medical field and the "jewelry" allows people to personalize them.

  • Posted by phil.wesel on 9/18/2007 at 2:36 PM Accepted
    Well I would say the opera aint over until the fat lady is wearing Crocs while she sings...
    Here is a little blurb from July 07 Slate mag
    "In 2002, the company earned a gross profit of $1,000 from sales in America. By 2006, following a series of strategic licensing deals (you can now get NASCAR and Disney Crocs, for example), it was earning more than $200 million a year from sales in 40 countries. (I even spotted knockoffs called Rockies in Jerusalem's Muslim quarter.) Nor have consumers' appetite yet been whetted: During the first quarter of 2007, the company's sales had increased 217 percent from the same period the previous year."

    So any company with $200 million in sales has plenty of moolah to add marketing muscle to its sales and reinvent itself two or three times before its demise.

    You and We will know it is over for Crocs when they are selling them for $1 a pair everywhere. What they need to do is inject the market with a collecting craze much like Beanie Babies with Tush tags and Mint with Tags and all that kind of stuff. Once the word is out that the Princess Die Crocs are the ones to have they can move on to Britney Crocs (is it too late for that) to she's really hot Rihanna crocs. And of course there is pleanty of room for companion offerings such as a cross between crocs and swatch called you guessed it but I am not saying it here.

    If you need more good marketing ideas you know who to call.
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