Yahoo Finance
If you thinkinflationmeans stores are dropping prices to win consumers back, think again.
One of America's historic footwear giant is actually betting on higher-priced products, and closing stores at your local malls.
The way we buy shoes has radically transformed.
Stiff dress shoes have been replaced by versatile comfort, according to theUS Men’s and Women’s Footwear Market Report.
But keeping up with changing fashion trends is no longer the hardest part of the game.
Today, legacy retailers face intense pressure from tariffs, inflation, and shifting consumer preferences.
As McKinsey and Company’sThe State of Fashion 2026 reportnotes, new US tariffs have completely "redrawn trade maps," forcing brands to rapidly reconstruct supply chains on the fly.
Americans spent $121 billion on footwear last year, importing six pairs of shoes per person, according to theFDRA.
Yet one of the country's biggest shoe retailers,Caleres, the powerhouse behindFamous Footwear,Sam Edelman, andStuart Weitzman, says its affordable business is slowing while demand for premium brands surges.
Inflation-pressured consumers are dropping mall impulse buys to prioritize personal well-being, health, and longevity, according to McKinsey.
This shift is prompting many footwear retailers to rethink both store fleets and product strategies.
I recently reported aboutGenesco(the powerhouse behind Journeys) quietlyshuttering 202 storesbetween 2023 and mid-2026.
| Product | Price | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Brent Crude | $102.14/bbl | +0.34% |
| WTI Crude | $96.90/bbl | +0.21% |
| EN590 Diesel | $846/MT | +0.18% |
| Jet Fuel A-1 | $1090/MT | +0.55% |
| Mazut M100 | $450/MT | -0.15% |
| Bitumen 60/70 | $470/MT | +0.08% |
| Sulphur Gran 99.5% | $470/MT | -0.44% |
| Urea 46% Gran | $650/MT | +1.12% |
| NPK 16-16-16 | $460/MT | -0.28% |
| Nat Gas TTF | $15.42/MMBtu | +0.92% |
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