Five Questions
A Wolverine exec on what workboot buyers want.
1 Workboot customers tend to be loyal. How does Wolverine court first-time boot wearers?
“There’s a shortage of skilled workers today, curtailing things like infrastructure investments and new home construction, [so] we’re committed to helping create more first-time boot wearers. Through our Project Bootstrap initiative, we’re [supporting] the people pursuing new careers in the trades and the people committed to training them. Over the past 12 months, we’ve visited students at a variety of trade schools, providing money for scholarships and outfitting them with Wolverine boots to get them started off on the right foot in their career training.”
2 Where are work customers most likely to shop these days?
“They still shop across all channels, including big-box, sporting goods and specialty stores, so brick-and-mortar retailers are important. But online is a fast-growing channel for us. One advantage of online growth is [our ability] to test and prove concepts that we can take to our retail partners with an added level of confidence. And online also lets us speak further to Wolverine’s commitment to addressing the skills gap.”
3 What are consumers’ top workboot priorities?
“Increasingly, particularly with younger consumers, they’re looking beyond the rational components of their purchases and seeking to support brands that they trust and that align with their values. They also want to look good, even if they’re on the job site. Younger consumers tend to like classic styles. They [believe] older workers don’t trust them, so the last thing they want to do is stand out with bolder looks. It’s similar with women. They know they’re going to be one of a few on the job site, so they want to fit in and prove their worth through their skills.”
4 How does Wolverine balance its work and lifestyle businesses?
“Wolverine is work at its core, so we approach both categories with a shared mindset and the same design team. The work category inevitably integrates more technical safety features such as our signature DuraShocks comfort technology, our biggest [seller]. But we strive to deliver the most comfortable boots and timeless design across both the work and lifestyle categories. Even our pinnacle lifestyle boot, the Wolverine 1000 Mile, was originally introduced as a workboot more than 100 years ago.”
5 What challenges are ahead?
“Baby boomers are a huge segment of our population and make up the majority of today’s trade workers. The youngest, around age 55, are on their way out, and there aren’t enough younger people to backfill those jobs. If this continues, there won’t be enough people buying boots. Unlike some brands that you [continue to] buy when you’re 60 or 70, if you’re no longer working, you don’t need boots. And even if you do, you’re [likely] not going to wear them out as fast as you used to.”