Macroeconomic uncertainty hasn’t abated, but neither has optimism or confidence in the shoe-buying public, according to a group of independent retailers we recently surveyed. Yes, it seems more consumers are being cautious when making footwear purchases today. But they are buying — everything from athletic shoes for spring walks and runs to safety footwear for work — as potentially higher prices loom due to higher tariffs.

Retailers are cautious, too. Some worry that higher price points will put downward pressure on their margins. Others are concerned about their ability to obtain the styles and products they need in the coming months. Many say it’s more important to be nimble and efficient given the uncharted waters they could face in the months ahead and into 2026.

Here, five independent retailers weigh in on their retail climate, the issues they are currently facing, and the potential challenges ahead.

What are you seeing on the sales floor when it comes to consumer spending so far this year?

“We have started to see consumer spending and confidence turn a bit more cautious so far this year. While our core safety footwear product remains a necessity for many occupations, there has been a shift in how frequently they are purchasing. I think customers overall are becoming a little more price sensitive and are trying get the best, longest-lasting product for their money. I see consumers keeping a little closer eye on their budgets.” – Andy Vanderloop, Vanderloop Shoes

“We haven’t seen a change in consumer confidence on the sales floor. A retailer needs to believe in their brand and believe in the products they sell. Trust and value are the two most important things a sales associate needs to create and explain at the fitting stool. At this point, floor traffic is up a bit, and most key metrics look good. I’m not sure if we will have the same report six months from now, but time will tell.” – Chris Stanley, Lamey-Wellehan Shoes

“Most of our core customer purchases are not yet being slowed by external factors. However, we do have a segment of customers that are gravitating towards price-point products. We will continue to offer a wider price-point selection to capture the customers who may start feeling reduced confidence in the market.” – Bryce Anderson, Walking Comfort

“Customers are asking us if we are expecting our prices to increase with the new tariffs. We tell them it probably won’t happen until Spring 2026. People who are coming into brick-and-mortar stores know they are going to get quality shoes, so they expect to pay for good shoes.” – Bill Golden, Golden Shoes

What about your retail climate, sell-throughs today?

“First quarter was down for us, it seemed consumers were holding onto their money and by March, there were a lot of ‘when are these going to be on sale?’ questions.  We did a sandal sale in April and that seemed to kick start business. It was really strange, the Monday after the sandal sale was over was one of the busiest Mondays in recent history.  Athletic continues to be strong and on May 2nd we launched ELM Active in a building beside us. This is our run, walk, and active lifestyle store that we have been working on for the past 6 months.  The increased square footage allows us to free up display space in our existing store by moving our athletic footwear into the new space. In the first five days of being open, we have seen a 29 percent growth for both stores. The hesitancy on spending that we experienced in Q1 seems to have vanished, and customers are freely spending.” – Loren Martin, ELM Shoes

“We all thought that 2025 was going to be a year of stability and predictability, but that certainly isn’t the case. The year started with ups and downs, and everyone is cautious about what the rest of the year will bring.

For the first third of 2025, we have seen continued growth in athletic shoes, specifically running. We have had growth in our casual footwear categories, partially because we have been more aggressive in merchandise control than in past years and accelerated our markdown schedules. We are looking to be in manageable inventory positions for 2025.

For brands, this year has proven to be the big getting bigger — our established top brands have all grown this year. Still, we are happy to see new brands having great turns this year — Aetrex, On, and Topo come to mind. One category that seems a little soft is our industrial business, and perhaps that is an indicator of choppy waters ahead. Who knows?

Looking in the rearview mirror, we went out of a robust finish to 2025. Our fall business last year was strong, and we saw significant increases. And we know those are numbers we need to hit this upcoming fall.” – Chris Stanley

“2025 thus far has been better than expected. Our core brands (Dansko, Birkenstock, Vionic, Hoka, Brooks, etc.) continue to perform. We have seen a jump in Clarks, Taos, and Asics as new styles from these brands have been really well received. Sandal season has arrived with a big pop here in Utah.” – Bryce Anderson

“The safety footwear category continues to perform well, with strong demand for brands like Reebok, DC, and BRUNT. On the athletic side, sales remain steady, with New Balance and Brooks continuing to show solid performance and consumer interest. SAOLA footwear, a new brand for us, has also been performing well. The women’s Cannon Knit 2.0 is standing out as a strong seller!” – Andy Vanderloop

“Birkenstock Eva has sold well early, especially with spring break in March. Gabor and Ara dress tennis shoes have been very popular — they can be worn to dress up for work or for taking on trips. Taos is a brand that continues to grow every season. We are seeing more repeat customers every season. A disappointing category is sport sandals. Nobody is even picking them up.” — Bill Golden

What about current challenges or those on the horizon?

“Right now, the biggest challenge are delays in shipping. Every day that products are not on display and not in your stock room, you are losing money. It has been a real problem this spring with some of the companies. Unfortunately, they are some of my biggest suppliers, so I really need them to be on time.” – Bill Golden

“We are all starting to get notifications from brands of planned price increases. Those changes will impact business and decisions we make on brands, products, etc. There is still so much uncertainty with tariffs and other factors that it is hard for brands and for us to have firm plans in place. Staying diversified, nimble, and positive is our plan to weather the storm and come through this in a strong position. It seems like too many retailers focus on the things they can’t control and are using too much energy on the negative.” – Bryce Anderson

“One of the main, continuing, challenges we’re facing is figuring what the impact of tariffs will be, and the ongoing price increases associated with them, particularly in relation to our safety footwear products. These price shifts are putting pressure on our margins, especially since we’re locked into contracts with companies that were based on earlier pricing. We are continuing to work with our suppliers to find any possible cost savings, as well as internally trying to improve any inventory forecasting, and push the local service we provide versus what consumers will experience shopping online or from big-box retailers.” – Andy Vanderloop

“One thing we are working on is ways to get products to our stores more quickly. We have been drop shipping some accessory items, and that has been successful, so perhaps we can expand that. We want to be more efficient and would love to streamline our business processes in general. The less time we spend on basic stuff, the more time we can spend on guest service. It sounds great on paper, but that is all easier said than done.” – Chris Stanley