Study: Huge savings when buying running shoes online

A new study based on 5 samples of 245 prices (1225 prices in total) from 10 running stores in Denmark, Germany and England concludes that by buying your running shoes online you save on average 30%. In Denmark the average saving is 22% while in Germany and England it is 38%.

We have updated the survey – you can find the latest price check on running shoes here (2018).

Survey: Which countries, brands and stores are the cheapest?

Buy your running shoes in these countries

There are no customs duties, additional VAT, import duties or similar taxes when shopping in EU countries. The EU has free trade borders. This gives you the opportunity to save 473 kroner (38%) if you buy your running shoes online in England or Germany rather than in physical running stores in Denmark. The average saving by buying from a foreign online running store rather than a Danish online running store is 21% (just under 200 kroner per running shoe). The prices in the table include delivery costs, which are only 35 kroner more expensive in Germany and England than in Denmark.

It amazes me that so many people buy running shoes in the most expensive running stores when you can find the same product 38% cheaper online on average. I encourage you to buy running shoes online. If you know which shoe suits you, there are very few arguments for spending time in a Danish running store.

These brands are cheapest online

Based on 1225 prices distributed across 9 brands and 5 samples, here is an overview of which running shoe brands you will find cheapest. Adidas accounts for the largest savings (40% on average) while Brooks are harder to find big savings on (25% on average). The two largest producers – Nike running shoes (read more about them here) and Asics running shoes (find all Asics shoes here) – is reasonably stable in the price market

I’ve been in the running business for 6 years, and it comes as no surprise that Adidas running shoes are the most discounted. Adidas is sold in almost every running store, which means increased competition. Increased competition (often) leads to lower prices. Brooks running shoes are rarer.–Jens Jakob Andersen, owner of iloebesko.dk

You can download data from the survey. You may not share or edit data without iloebesko.dk’s consent.

Download excel sheet of study with raw data, graphs and tables

Towering prices in physical stores

Physical furniture stores sell running shoes at full retail price.

The physical stores skim the cream with overpriced products. Whether you are a physical store or an online store, you have the same purchasing conditions with the suppliers. In other words, the physical running stores reap a 30% higher profit due to the higher prices.