With 2,5 pairs of shoes purchased on average each year, the French make their shoe purchases a thoughtful act, primarily driven by price. The economic context and changes in consumption obviously play an important role in the purchasing processes and ultimately in the choice of places where they are carried out.. Physical commerce remains the norm, and the purchasing experience is increasingly decisive. This is what we learn from the results of the latest consumer study conducted by the Leather Industry Economic Observatory..
With 2,5 pairs of shoes purchased on average each year, the French make their shoe purchases a thoughtful act, primarily driven by price. The economic context and changes in consumption obviously play an important role in the purchasing processes and ultimately in the choice of places where they are carried out.. Physical commerce remains the norm, and the purchasing experience is increasingly decisive. This is what we learn from the results of the latest consumer study conducted by the Leather Industry Economic Observatory..The price weighs heavily in the choice of place of purchase. For shoes and other everyday products, the French are rational. When asked about the reasons that lead them to buy shoes on the Internet or those that make them choose one store over another, the answer is unequivocal : the price. 37% of French people who buy shoes on the Internet say they are motivated by the competitiveness of the prices displayed., and more than a quarter favor the possibility of comparing prices. Among in-store buyers, 54% say they choose their place of purchase based on the prices charged there. From this statement, we wanted to know if sales and promotions had an impact when purchasing shoes. And this is indeed the case since 24% of French people always wait for discounts to buy shoes - only 7% never wait to benefit from discounts to make their purchases.
The store retains an important place
More than nine out of ten French people still buy their shoes in store, including 52% exclusively in store and 42% both in store and on the Internet. The French population is therefore still attached to physical commerce : this is explained in particular by a desire to see, to touch and try products before purchasing — for 83% of respondents. Window shopping, and the pleasure of shopping also has a lot to do with it. Indeed, six out of ten French people say they enter a store after a window shopping session and 62% of them are subsequently encouraged to purchase (38% of the entire population). The pleasure of shopping is the third reason given by the French to motivate the purchase of a pair of shoes (by 31% of French people, 36% of women and 47% of 18-24 year olds). This epicurean shopping mainly appeals to a young and female audience (seven out of ten women and 80% of 18-24 year olds enter a store after window shopping).
Human contact appreciated
This attachment to the store is mainly motivated by human contact : 64% of French people say that relationships with sales staff are important, and almost one in two French people would like to receive more advice and support during their shoe purchases. otherwise, they consider the in-store staff to be sufficiently numerous (82 %), trained and able to help them during their purchases (75 %).
The France Leather Alliance
Study “Shoe trade : where do the French shop ? » July 2024, Economic Observatory of the France Leather Alliance. The France Leather Alliance carries the voice of 21 professional federations. Its economic observatory is the only structure to produce and disseminate studies and statistics linked to the activities of the entire French leather industry.. The complete restitution of this study is published on www.alliancefrancecuir.org.
The city center, fragile but central link in shoe purchases
Although more than four out of ten French people choose to shop in commercial areas, on the outskirts of cities, city center boutiques still appeal to more than a quarter of the population.
Without surprise, the price spent is correlated to the place of purchase : 65% of people shopping in shopping areas spend less than 75 euros per pair while 38% of people who go to city center stores have a budget of more than 100 euros. The prices charged therefore have less impact on in-center purchases.-
ville, buyers preferring the quality of the offer (53% for the quality of the products sold versus 40% for the prices charged). But the difference doesn't stop there, we see in fact that interactions with sales staff are all the more important when purchasing in city center stores (75% in city centers versus 58% in commercial areas) — 53% of buyers want more advice at the point of sale (compared to 40% in commercial areas). The practice of window shopping follows the same trends since 67% of respondents choosing to do their shopping in the city center enter a store after walking around, compared to 55% for fans of commercial areas. And they are even more encouraged to make post-window shopping purchases in the city center (68 %) only on the outskirts (56 %). Downtown shops, although less frequented, remain a strategic location for the shoe trade, the purchasing experience being the key to accessing the cupboards of the French.
The French leather industry in 2023
• 12,800 companies.
• 25 billion euros in turnover, including 19 billion euros in exports.
• 133,000 jobs in the sector.
• Fourth largest exporter in the world.
• Third world exporter of raw hides and skins.
• Third largest exporter of leather goods in the world.
