The issue of Athletic VS Lifestyle that plagues Nike. Vol who's to blame??

[sneakaholic4life]

OK guys let's really examine who is really to blame for the switch in sneaker quality, style and colorway by Nike:

IMO, prior to the mid 2000s young ppl and adults who bought Nike bball sneakers actually cared for the coherence of the sneakers with sporting/athletic outfits and actually used their sneakers on the bball court more often, thus forcing Nike to produce durable quality and be much reserved with colorways (athletically-acceptable colorways only EX: jersey colors or neutral colors of grey, blue, red...). But the more kids began to attach to TV role models rather than athletes, and the more they started realizing the high retail price of sneakers, they started wearing bball sneakers only when "worth it" (hanging out, showing off, going out...), thus giving birth to the Lifestyle era; where Nike (aware that kids were no longer testing their sneakers in tough bball-court-condition and also no longer caring for athletic coherence in color) began to produce random colorways/styles (DTRT, fusions, candy packs...) as to appeal to the new majority which was non-athletic kids, and the outcome of this for Nike is poorer quality, more random colors, and higher prices 

Cliffs: 

- back then bball sneaker-lovers actually used their shoes on the court more often and were more into the athletic side of sneakers which forced Nike to be reserved in colorways and produce adequate quality 

- after the mid 2000s, kids became less prone to test their sneakers on the court due to high cost and being exposed to the media/music which portrayed sneakers as a sign of coolness rather than a sign of loyalty to a particular player/team/brand, and therefore Nike got a lucky break and began catering to the less demanding and much larger non-athletic customers

do you agree or what's you take on this??

 

[sneakaholic4life]

OK guys let's really examine who is really to blame for the switch in sneaker quality, style and colorway by Nike:

IMO, prior to the mid 2000s young ppl and adults who bought Nike bball sneakers actually cared for the coherence of the sneakers with sporting/athletic outfits and actually used their sneakers on the bball court more often, thus forcing Nike to produce durable quality and be much reserved with colorways (athletically-acceptable colorways only EX: jersey colors or neutral colors of grey, blue, red...). But the more kids began to attach to TV role models rather than athletes, and the more they started realizing the high retail price of sneakers, they started wearing bball sneakers only when "worth it" (hanging out, showing off, going out...), thus giving birth to the Lifestyle era; where Nike (aware that kids were no longer testing their sneakers in tough bball-court-condition and also no longer caring for athletic coherence in color) began to produce random colorways/styles (DTRT, fusions, candy packs...) as to appeal to the new majority which was non-athletic kids, and the outcome of this for Nike is poorer quality, more random colors, and higher prices 

Cliffs: 

- back then bball sneaker-lovers actually used their shoes on the court more often and were more into the athletic side of sneakers which forced Nike to be reserved in colorways and produce adequate quality 

- after the mid 2000s, kids became less prone to test their sneakers on the court due to high cost and being exposed to the media/music which portrayed sneakers as a sign of coolness rather than a sign of loyalty to a particular player/team/brand, and therefore Nike got a lucky break and began catering to the less demanding and much larger non-athletic customers

do you agree or what's you take on this??

 

[uptownsdotnetstacky]

Its one of the variables but its not even close to being #1

 

[uptownsdotnetstacky]

Its one of the variables but its not even close to being #1

 

[dankenstien88]

Definantly a factor. Back in the day when nearly everyone hooped in their shoes it would be a liability to sell athletic shoes unfit for athletic purposes. 

I say we all just wear our '09 Spacejams for hooping, inevitably we all break our ankles and file a class action against lawsuit against JB forcing them to bring back playable quality.

 

[dankenstien88]

Definantly a factor. Back in the day when nearly everyone hooped in their shoes it would be a liability to sell athletic shoes unfit for athletic purposes. 

I say we all just wear our '09 Spacejams for hooping, inevitably we all break our ankles and file a class action against lawsuit against JB forcing them to bring back playable quality.

 

[j4ck]

they just takin shortcuts

 

[j4ck]

they just takin shortcuts

 

[ferris352]

Nowadays, they know they will move units regardless of the ACTUAL use of the shoe(s). They make such a large amount of money on such sub-par products, it's nearly impossible to comprehend.

As consumers, we haven't did anything to force them to "up" the production quality. (JB releases typically sell out a day or two upon release)

So why are they going to change anything? They are a business. Their consumers keep consuming.

IMO the lifestyle angle is a major factor, but, not the definitive one.

 

[ferris352]

Nowadays, they know they will move units regardless of the ACTUAL use of the shoe(s). They make such a large amount of money on such sub-par products, it's nearly impossible to comprehend.

As consumers, we haven't did anything to force them to "up" the production quality. (JB releases typically sell out a day or two upon release)

So why are they going to change anything? They are a business. Their consumers keep consuming.

IMO the lifestyle angle is a major factor, but, not the definitive one.

 

[vuey]

JB has successfully crossed over from being a "sports orientated" brand to a lifestyle brand, it's given them the option to make "whack" CW's of their shoes to appeal to a completely different market.My younger brother is not the least bit interested in Michael Jordan or his shoes but he is planning on buying the "kanye west" Jordan's later this year

. (black cement 3's)

 

[vuey]

JB has successfully crossed over from being a "sports orientated" brand to a lifestyle brand, it's given them the option to make "whack" CW's of their shoes to appeal to a completely different market.My younger brother is not the least bit interested in Michael Jordan or his shoes but he is planning on buying the "kanye west" Jordan's later this year

. (black cement 3's)

 

[mikerendo]

I think this may be the case more for retros. I own a few pairs of the lebron v1, Jordan 2011 and I feel the leather and build on them is good quality. Nike knows that most consumers aren't gonna use retro jordans, retro air maxes etc. and expect great performance. Most people use retro products for casual use. If your lookin for a great basketball shoe buy something that came out this year not something that was orginally produced over 10-15 years ago, with 10-15 year old technology

 

[mikerendo]

I think this may be the case more for retros. I own a few pairs of the lebron v1, Jordan 2011 and I feel the leather and build on them is good quality. Nike knows that most consumers aren't gonna use retro jordans, retro air maxes etc. and expect great performance. Most people use retro products for casual use. If your lookin for a great basketball shoe buy something that came out this year not something that was orginally produced over 10-15 years ago, with 10-15 year old technology

 

[rippaflow]

Originally Posted by MikeRendo

I think this may be the case more for retros. I own a few pairs of the lebron v1, Jordan 2011 and I feel the leather and build on them is good quality. Nike knows that most consumers aren't gonna use retro jordans, retro air maxes etc. and expect great performance. Most people use retro products for casual use. If your lookin for a great basketball shoe buy something that came out this year not something that was orginally produced over 10-15 years ago, with 10-15 year old technology

Thats pretty much where Im at in it. I play ball in a pair of hyperflys I got at the outlet for 20 bucks, I also do the insanity workout in them. You wont catch me risking injury in a pair of 1s just to say Im wearing a pair of 1s or 3s etc on the court

 

[rippaflow]

Originally Posted by MikeRendo

I think this may be the case more for retros. I own a few pairs of the lebron v1, Jordan 2011 and I feel the leather and build on them is good quality. Nike knows that most consumers aren't gonna use retro jordans, retro air maxes etc. and expect great performance. Most people use retro products for casual use. If your lookin for a great basketball shoe buy something that came out this year not something that was orginally produced over 10-15 years ago, with 10-15 year old technology

Thats pretty much where Im at in it. I play ball in a pair of hyperflys I got at the outlet for 20 bucks, I also do the insanity workout in them. You wont catch me risking injury in a pair of 1s just to say Im wearing a pair of 1s or 3s etc on the court

 

[jayzrdead]

Originally Posted by Vuey

JB has successfully crossed over from being a "sports orientated" brand to a lifestyle brand, it's given them the option to make "whack" CW's of their shoes to appeal to a completely different market.My younger brother is not the least bit interested in Michael Jordan or his shoes but he is planning on buying the "kanye west" Jordan's later this year

. (black cement 3's)

haha very funny yeah the whole game is turned upside down

 

[jayzrdead]

Originally Posted by Vuey

JB has successfully crossed over from being a "sports orientated" brand to a lifestyle brand, it's given them the option to make "whack" CW's of their shoes to appeal to a completely different market.My younger brother is not the least bit interested in Michael Jordan or his shoes but he is planning on buying the "kanye west" Jordan's later this year

. (black cement 3's)

haha very funny yeah the whole game is turned upside down

 

[union23bj]

They are being cheap-point blank--if they have allready produced a model with durability and performance(speaking on retro quality issues), then it is a conscious decision to change specs-its a shortcut as others have pointed out. If only the lifestyle colorways were plagued with quality issues and the OG colorways remained top notch I'd roll wit yu but from my view they are cuttin corners and tryin to hit all demos wit colors and sacrificing quality all in the name of profit and as we all know-we gon buy em. $.02

 

[union23bj]

They are being cheap-point blank--if they have allready produced a model with durability and performance(speaking on retro quality issues), then it is a conscious decision to change specs-its a shortcut as others have pointed out. If only the lifestyle colorways were plagued with quality issues and the OG colorways remained top notch I'd roll wit yu but from my view they are cuttin corners and tryin to hit all demos wit colors and sacrificing quality all in the name of profit and as we all know-we gon buy em. $.02

 

[sneakaholic4life]

Nike no longer makes much effort to appeal to kids in terms of athletics; the older commercials and ads focused around making kids look-up to athletes as cool n talented, but nowadays it seems that kids refer to TV personalities and entertainers to find interest in sneakers. The new breed of sneaker buyers give Nike a really big break by looking up to people who don't test the sneakers and buy lots of sneakers as a sign of prestigious status. If more kids were to go back to really testing the sneakers they pay so much for, then Nike would be forced to step their qulaity game up, and if more kids would go back to actually caring for color-coherence btwn their shoes and their athletic outfits, then Nike would think twice before putting out more poor quality and random colorways

 

[sneakaholic4life]

Nike no longer makes much effort to appeal to kids in terms of athletics; the older commercials and ads focused around making kids look-up to athletes as cool n talented, but nowadays it seems that kids refer to TV personalities and entertainers to find interest in sneakers. The new breed of sneaker buyers give Nike a really big break by looking up to people who don't test the sneakers and buy lots of sneakers as a sign of prestigious status. If more kids were to go back to really testing the sneakers they pay so much for, then Nike would be forced to step their qulaity game up, and if more kids would go back to actually caring for color-coherence btwn their shoes and their athletic outfits, then Nike would think twice before putting out more poor quality and random colorways

 

[elcerrito91]

The reason that Nike/ JB have been putting out sub-par quality products is because they can. A lot of people who wear Jordans and Nikes in general aren't like us. They don't care about the quality. They just wear a shoe out and buy another one, wear a shoe out and buy another one etc. These people are generally in HS and honestly are the majority of the market. JB/ Nike probably tried to cut costs and see how low they would make the quality on their shoes and still have people buying. You do have a point about kids not playing in Jordans anymore etc, but it comes down to JB/ Nikes greediness and these HS kids/ people who don't care about quality who continue to buy shoe and shoe and give JB/Nike NO INCENTIVE TO IMPROVE QUALITY. Think about it, if you could make a product with less quality and still have people buy it, this making more profit, you would right? This is the modern mindset of many companies these days, BUT it doesn't and shouldn't be like that. In the early days of Nike/ JB they cared about their reputation and the quality of their products, then the greed factor kicked in and they saw the opportunity for more money and that kids would just buy practically everything they put out and not care about the quality. This is the difference between the early Nike that cared and the current Nike that is just after maximum profit and quality/reputation second. BUT when looking at it, it makes total sense why quality has dipped so much, simply because the people who are the majority of the market for Jordans (NOT COLLECTORS) buy buy buy and just encourage Nike/ JB to continue to lower the quality. SO IF YOU WANT TO BLAME SOMEONE, BLAME THOSE PEOPLE WHO DONT CARE ABOUT QUALITY AND WHO JUST BUY WHATEVER STORES PUTS ON THE SHELVES.......I also have to blame Nike for turning into a greedy company when they once were a company who cared about reputation and putting out high quality products.

 

[elcerrito91]

The reason that Nike/ JB have been putting out sub-par quality products is because they can. A lot of people who wear Jordans and Nikes in general aren't like us. They don't care about the quality. They just wear a shoe out and buy another one, wear a shoe out and buy another one etc. These people are generally in HS and honestly are the majority of the market. JB/ Nike probably tried to cut costs and see how low they would make the quality on their shoes and still have people buying. You do have a point about kids not playing in Jordans anymore etc, but it comes down to JB/ Nikes greediness and these HS kids/ people who don't care about quality who continue to buy shoe and shoe and give JB/Nike NO INCENTIVE TO IMPROVE QUALITY. Think about it, if you could make a product with less quality and still have people buy it, this making more profit, you would right? This is the modern mindset of many companies these days, BUT it doesn't and shouldn't be like that. In the early days of Nike/ JB they cared about their reputation and the quality of their products, then the greed factor kicked in and they saw the opportunity for more money and that kids would just buy practically everything they put out and not care about the quality. This is the difference between the early Nike that cared and the current Nike that is just after maximum profit and quality/reputation second. BUT when looking at it, it makes total sense why quality has dipped so much, simply because the people who are the majority of the market for Jordans (NOT COLLECTORS) buy buy buy and just encourage Nike/ JB to continue to lower the quality. SO IF YOU WANT TO BLAME SOMEONE, BLAME THOSE PEOPLE WHO DONT CARE ABOUT QUALITY AND WHO JUST BUY WHATEVER STORES PUTS ON THE SHELVES.......I also have to blame Nike for turning into a greedy company when they once were a company who cared about reputation and putting out high quality products.

 

[sneakaholic4life]

^ yea we're both basically saying the same thing; basically the blame is shared between Nike/JB's greed and the lack of interest in quality products by newer generations of customers