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Shoe prices about to go up

Original Post
ZakM · · Boulder, CO · Joined Feb 2011 · Points: 5

Tariffs on technical footwear manufactured overseas are set to increase the price of shoes by 40% beginning January 1st. I'm guessing this will include climbing shoes but maybe not.

Article

Anyone heard more about this? Maybe time to buy an extra pair of shoes?

Rob WardenSpaceLizard · · las Vegans, the cosmic void · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 130

five ten will not go up unless its just to keep up with the others and gouge the consumer

Ryan Williams · · London (sort of) · Joined May 2009 · Points: 1,245

This is what you all voted for. Unless, if course, Boulder went for Romney.

The idea is to create an incentive for companies to bring manufacturing jobs back home. Complaining is just the classic American response to any and all decisions than cause you to have to live more like the rest of the world. Sure you want corporations to pay more taxes, you want them to supply more jobs, you want the Feds to pay unemployment, all as long as it doesn't keep you from having your iPhones, espresso machines and La Sportivas.

Wake up people. The last 60 years could not have happened without what is going to take place over the next 20. We are in for a major rebalancing of everything and it will be good for future generations.

Jim Titt · · Germany · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 490
OldManRiver wrote:Not quite accurate. Contracts for some cos are locked in for 6 mos. Beyond that you have the whole issue of price elasticity of demand and competition, not to mention political negotiations and supply chain juggling. Yeah it's not a good development but the outlook isn't as stark as you suggest. Tariff wars with Italians aint cool though, to be clear.
Since when has Italy been anywhere near the Pacific?
norwegianwanderer · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 30

Well said Ryan Williams. Albeit it is just one point of view/opinion, it was well put. America has so much potential its sad to see ourselves repeatedly tripping over our own feet like a drunkard.

Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945

I would also point out that the figures are being provided by an industry group (aka lobbyist) so I have a real hard time believing the figures provided. Testarossas would cost $250 and, likely no one would buy them.

Ben Brotelho · · Albany, NY · Joined May 2011 · Points: 520

Would shoe prices have any connection to oil prices rising in general, because rubber is a petroleum product?

Richard88 · · Sheridan, WY · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 65

If prices do go up, all I see is a job opportunity for American climbers looking for a job in the climbing industry. If Sportivas go up to 200ish bucks then it would be lucrative for a company to manufacture shoes in the US creating decent paying jobs and putting an affordable product on the market by avoiding taxes on goods manufactured overseas. The benefit to the climber is they get a product for close to current prices and their buddy or climbing partner gets a sweet job making climbing shoes.

Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945
Richard88 wrote:If prices do go up, all I see is a job opportunity for American climbers looking for a job in the climbing industry. If Sportivas go up to 200ish bucks then it would be lucrative for a company to manufacture shoes in the US creating decent paying jobs and putting an affordable product on the market by avoiding taxes on goods manufactured overseas. The benefit to the climber is they get a product for close to current prices and their buddy or climbing partner gets a sweet job making climbing shoes.
unfortunately i don't think anyone in the US has ever come close to making a competitor to the Testarossas... The 'skills' and 'quality' have not yet been developed by climbers here in the USA. Though an increase would give a fair shot at trying.
Alton Richardson · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2010 · Points: 170

The prices for most of these companies are already set for 2013. Therefore prices WILL NOT be going up for now. Rock shoes will not be hit as the tariffs are being raised on Asian made products. So your shoes are fine.

And like Captain Mo said, we 'Muricans' cant even come close to making a quality shoe like the Testarossa, etc. We just dont have that Italian finesse. Maybe you should try getting your cowboy boots resoled with sticky rubber if your worried about the Country of Orgin.

EDIT: The affected shoes in the outdoor specialty footwear industry are only Asian made products and boots/shoes with GTX.

Ben Brotelho · · Albany, NY · Joined May 2011 · Points: 520

"We just dont have that Italian finesse"

Exactly...America may make the Ford GT, but I'd still rather have a Ferrari

Ben Brotelho · · Albany, NY · Joined May 2011 · Points: 520

Actually read an article somewhere about Italy's economy hurting because it is built on relatively small companies like Sportiva and Ferrari, an interesting catch-22

Jon Zucco · · Denver, CO · Joined Aug 2008 · Points: 245

good thing I only climb barefooted these days.

Peter Pitocchi · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 70

Inflation willl be rampant, worldwide and will injure "those less fortunate" the most. There will be no refuge. The best strategy is to maintain employment. Lucky I am in the US.

H BL · · Colorado · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 95
Ryan Williams wrote:This is what you all voted for. Unless, if course, Boulder went for Romney. The idea is to create an incentive for companies to bring manufacturing jobs back home. Complaining is just the classic American response to any and all decisions than cause you to have to live more like the rest of the world. Sure you want corporations to pay more taxes, you want them to supply more jobs, you want the Feds to pay unemployment, all as long as it doesn't keep you from having your iPhones, espresso machines and La Sportivas. Wake up people. The last 60 years could not have happened without what is going to take place over the next 20. We are in for a major rebalancing of everything and it will be good for future generations.
+1
Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945
Ryan Williams wrote:This is what you all voted for. Unless, if course, Boulder went for Romney. The idea is to create an incentive for companies to bring manufacturing jobs back home. Complaining is just the classic American response to any and all decisions than cause you to have to live more like the rest of the world. Sure you want corporations to pay more taxes, you want them to supply more jobs, you want the Feds to pay unemployment, all as long as it doesn't keep you from having your iPhones, espresso machines and La Sportivas. Wake up people. The last 60 years could not have happened without what is going to take place over the next 20. We are in for a major rebalancing of everything and it will be good for future generations.
Ryan - your comment strikes me as odd... on one hand you seem to be pointing the finger at others and saying "this is your fault, you voted for this," and in the next breath saying this is a good thing for our future. I'm confused.
A.Javi.Gecko · · San Diego, CA · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 55
CaptainMo wrote:I would also point out that the figures are being provided by an industry group (aka lobbyist) so I have a real hard time believing the figures provided. Testarossas would cost $250 and, likely no one would buy them.
Climbing shoes are WICKED expensive in New Zealand. $250 for Testes, even considering the exchange rate, seems pretty average. The tariffs NZ has in place contributes a huge amount to the inflated prices, so much so that some Kiwi climbers depend on friends in the USA to get their climbing shoes. Even shoes on clearance were on par with our average prices. These tariffs are designed to protect American industry and unfortunately some of our favorite mountain shoe brands aren't American companies.

I wonder how much of this is simply hyped up, since Sportiva said they'd have to mark up 16 models, less than half of the models they make. I also wonder what'll happen to 5.10 now that its owned by Adidas...

So it'll mostly change the price of Mad Rock, even though its an American company who manufactures their products in east Asia?
Alton Richardson · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2010 · Points: 170

Prices will not go up for now. Its just that the companies will not be making hardly, if any profit on their products.

Evan S · · Denver, Co · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 510
Ben Brotelho wrote:"We just dont have that Italian finesse" Exactly...America may make the Ford GT, but I'd still rather have a Ferrari
Yeah? Which one of those could you actually drive every day?
Ben Brotelho · · Albany, NY · Joined May 2011 · Points: 520

I could see myself driving a Maserati Quattroporte everyday in a lot of parts of the US! That said I'd rather have a Subaru STI, but that's besides the point. The point is Italy makes some fine products, many of which are unmatched in quality by US competitors

Petsfed 00 · · Snohomish, WA · Joined Mar 2002 · Points: 989
CaptainMo wrote: Ryan - your comment strikes me as odd... on one hand you seem to be pointing the finger at others and saying "this is your fault, you voted for this," and in the next breath saying this is a good thing for our future. I'm confused.
The point (which I agree with) is that while we voted for change, it seems to be the American attitude that change should never, ever be painful, which is why tax rates have stayed so low for so long. Higher tariffs and higher prices, coupled with lower wages for workers and executives, are what MUST occur for manufacturing to return to the US. As long as its cheaper to manufacture overseas, then import, then companies will keep doing so, because as much as Americans might talk about buying "Made in the USA", we still look for the lowest price first. Ethically, Americans are easy to buy. My experience with climbers has not convinced me that our user group is any different.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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