Are Shoes Recession Proof?

Imelda’s and Louie’s Shoes like all retailers was anxious going into this holiday season. After all, boutique stores have been especially vulnerable. So how does a local shoe shop avoid getting scuffed up by the competition and catch the eyes of budget-strapped shoppers? Fortunately Imelda’s has been a steady advertiser, building on a consistent voice, look and feel each year. And like any good investment, it’s paid off.

In yet another recessionized holiday shopping season, Imelda’s was unwaveringly present in all the usual places. We created a fresh series of newspaper ads to appear weekly as the holidays approached. Email blasts went out to customers and social media updated followers on product and served up gift ideas. The result was a 4% increase in sales over last year’s figures. In an economy where flat is the new up, that’s not bad. So, are shoes recession proof? With stalwart marketing, it would seem so.