Global shoe brand Skechers has opened a second retail store in the heart of Auckland City, after sales from its first store have tracked ahead of expectation.
Located at 222 Queen Street, the new 147sq metre concept store has the capacity to showcase more than 500 models, including some exclusively stocked styles. The opening comes off the back of strong sales for the brand both in Australia and New Zealand.
General manager for Australia and New Zealand, Brian Maginness said the brand has strong retail strategy internationally which it has now adopted in this part of the world.
“With sales 30 per cent up on last year, we know there is a strong demand for the shoes in this country,” said Maginness.
“We also believe there is room for more stores across both Australia and New Zealand. Queen Street’s opening has taken us to 28 stores across both countries and we anticipate reaching up to 40 stores by the end of 2015.”
The first New Zealand Skechers concept store opening in Auckland’s Westfield St Lukes in November last year and has performed well ahead of expectations to date.
With demand for the shoes high, Skechers believes a dual own store and independent retailer strategy is right for the market here.
“Having Skechers concept stores allows us to reach factory minimums on a wider offering which in turn benefits the consumers in New Zealand and Australia. More sales means more spend on marketing, which then benefits our wholesale independent accounts,” said Maginness.
The brand is on a growth curve in all markets due largely to a focus on product innovation. Skechers GOwalk subcategory has been an outstanding success story, both locally and worldwide. Introduced in 2012 under the Skechers Performance umbrella, Skechers strategy is to be the market leader in the walking category.
