Notably, more than 65% told us their preferred shopping destination for running shoes is a run specialty store. Interestingly, 73% said they have a footwear brand in mind before they head to the store, but only 40% have a specific apparel brand in mind before shopping in-store. While sporting goods stores (71%) are the top choice to buy apparel, gear and accessories, run specialty stores are close behind (58%). On eco issues, 83% said sustainability is either “somewhat” or “very important” in their purchasing decisions, and 64% said they are willing to pay more for products with a strong sustainability story. And when it comes to the all-important topics of showrooming and price matching, consumers shared a wide range of comments on that issue. (See page 66 for their open-ended replies).

This survey conducted by MESH01 included 401 respondents, men and women, who are runners. Trend Insight is a feature within runstyle that delivers research conducted on the MESH01 Platform.MESH01 collects data from a select panel of active and outdoor enthusiasts.