WTB Puma shoes

I think they should go to smaller, locally owned specialty running stores where the employees can recommend them. Rather than Dick's where you just pick them off the wall and they get your size.

I disagree. The LRS is dying concept and most of these outlets are part of larger companies such as Fleet Feet which really negates the independent aspect of an LRS.

Brooks and HOKA have a chokehold on the LRS sales channel. With their clout they can afford a large sales rep for that can go into these corporate, independent, and franchised owned LRS locations to engage with the employees that are on the floor. I've read thst Brooks and HOKA sales rep promote and run regional contests that reward the employees of the LRS that has the highest number of sales of their brand's shoes for a particular month with free shoes and other prizes. This would obviously incentivize the LRS staff to push either Brooks or HOKA shoes over everything else. This could explain why Brooks is number 1 in market share and HOKA is now number 2.

I think Puma should get their shoes into Dicks for those that like to put their hands on a shoe before buying. They should also get them on Running Warehouse and similar websites.

You guys are really missing out on the Puma shoes. The Diviate Nitro 2 was the best daily trainer of 2022.

Brooks and Hoka are selling because they make great product. We allow our customers to decide what we carry. Many wanted ON and we brought them in and they are selling. No one asks for Reebok, Puma or Adidas.
Nike has picked up over the last 2 years and we continue to carry them.

Just out of curiosity I picked up a pair of the deviate nitro on a black Friday sale ($70). I've been really impressed with them. I've also been in a couple PUMA outlet stores and they didn't have any running shoes which seems strange.

I forgot about the outlet angle but based on your experience it probably doesn't matter.

At this point one has to wonder if Puma simply lacks the capacity to mass produce their running shoes. Their running shoes require more specialized fabrication and manufacturing equipment and more exotic materials such as nylon rods compared to their causal shoes.

Whatever the gating factor is for Puma running shoe distribution I hope the situation improves.

I think Brooks and HOKA sell well because your typical footwear consumer is easily influenced by social media marketing and word of mouth. It has little to do with "quality".

Timur Kuran and Cass Sunstein came up with the theoretical concept of "Cascade Effects" to explain how information shared in public becomes self reinforcing the more it is shared and amplified. That is the goal of company marketing strategies that blast out free product far and wide to social media influencers. new YouTube running shoe "reviewers" pop up every week. These people get free merch in exchange for "unbiased" reviews on shoes from companies such as HOKA to name one example. Those videos in turn influence the opinions of viewers.

Puma apparently does not have much of marketing program. They may not have the resources or wherewithal for a robust social media strategy or just haven't yet committed to one.

HOKA has had the benefit of parent company Deckers Outdoors corporate budget that has been largely supported by revenue and profits from their UGGS brand. Brooks is part of Warren Buffett's behemoth Berkshire holding company. Deep pockets there to invest in a robust marketing program.

You might want to do your customers a favor. Educate them and steer them towards better options.

I just picked a pair of Puma trail shoes and love them

Agree on this. I bought a pair of Deviate Nitro 2s on the Puma website (with the discount that OP said you can't get) and paid about $75, if I remember right. They are currently my favorite training shoe.

Not sure how you got the current Deviate Nitro model for just $75. Puma sells it for $160 and on the page in red don't it says "excluded from discounts". Even if the 30% discount was applied the final price tag would far exceed $75. Maybe you got the prior version of the DN when it was on clearance this past fall and you're confusing it with the v2.

The v3 update for the Deviate Nitro is expected in October. Guess I'll wait until then to get the DN2 because paying full MSRP for shoes is a no-go for me.

An Update:

Turns out Puma running shoes are available through Dicks (online). They have the Deviate NITRO 2 in several colorways at the same MSRP of $160. So that's a positive on the availability front. From time to time Dicks runs sales on current year shoes. I was able to snag a Brooks Caldera 6 (MSRP $150) last month for $74.