In Which We Herald The Arrival Of The Lower-Priced Shoe

by Justin Fenner | 4:12 pm, March 14th, 2011

Shoes are important. Because unless you live … actually, we can’t think of a place where you wouldn’t need to wear shoes. Which, hey, is what makes them important, after all. So it’s a pretty significant development that shoe salespeople all over the country are starting to sell footwear, paying special attention to the category of shoes that go for under $100.

Now, you know how we hate throwing about the word affordable here at Styleite (primarily because we don’t know what’s affordable for you, out there, reading the things we write) but we feel pretty good about shoes that cost less than $100. And Footwear News reports that the new under-$100s aren’t cheaply made shoes. More and more, customers are demanding better quality at a lower price, and more bang for their buck in general.

“[Customers] are becoming more savvy, and product is getting better across brands,” said Joe Antebi, chairman and CEO of Antebi Footwear LLC, which manufactures the Paris Hilton brand. “Wanting a deal is going to be in the consumer’s language for a really long time.”

Because of that, retailers all over the country FN that more and more of their business is coming from the under-$100 range, and that manufacturers are responding with cooler shoes for less money.

“The focus is on providing affordable and unique shoes that are easy on [customers’] pocketbooks,” said Nicole Jones, president of Chicago-based boutique To The Nines. “People probably got a big wake-up call about life and spending during the economic downturn. If you want to cater to the vast majority of women, you have to satisfy them with unique and affordable shoes.”

[Author's Note: That last goes for dudes, too.]

So when can you expect to see affordable kicks in your local shoe stores? If all indications are correct, the time is now. And with summer around the corner, that’s particularly good news to read.

The Rise of Affordable Footwear [Footwear News]

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