Footwear Wholesaling in the US - Industry Research Report

Best foot forward: Discount stores and athletic and sporting goods stores will continue to drive demand for footwear wholesalers

The Footwear Wholesaling industry has contracted despite improving economic conditions in the United States over the five years to 2023. The outbreak of COVID-19 (coronavirus) wreaked havoc on footwear wholesalers in 2020 because retail stores were forced to temporarily close. Consumers opted to purchase footwear online in 2020 since they could not shop at brick-and-mortar retailers. The trend of purchasing shoes directly from manufacturers continued through the end of 2023 further curbing demand for wholesalers. Industry-wide revenue shrunk at a CAGR of 3.6% to $35.7 billion over the past five years, including a 0.8% contraction in 2023. Industry profit has increased in recent years because of improving inventory management.

Operators in this industry wholesale footwear, including athletic shoes, made of leather, rubber and other materials. Businesses in this industry purchase shoes from manufacturers and resell them to retailers with minimal or no further development or processing. Most wholesalers in this industry undertake sales and administrative activities, like establishing relationships with manufacturers and retailers.

This report covers the scope, size, disposition and growth of the industry including the key sensitivities and success factors. Also included are five year industry forecasts, growth rates and an analysis of the industry key players and their market shares.