Why are trainers (tennis shoes) so incredible expensive in Thailand?

[watcharacters]

 

 

Last week the Missus and I headed off to the mall  looking for trainers.     (tennis shoes)

I'll clarify in advance i have special requirements in that i have bunions and  fascititis which necessitates me having an 11 EEEE based on  my current New balance shoes.

 

The Missus spotted  an actual New Balance shoe store and in we went.    What an array and mostly highly priced.       We told the clerk my needs for a  wide shoe  and naturally he showed  a bunch that didn't fit the agenda at all.    

 

I should add I also wear an insert that saved my ability to walk due to fascititis

 

Anyway, I saw a few shoes that were acceptable to me color wise for 3000 THB and of course they didn't have any in stock.          As it turned out the only  shoes that were remotely acceptable that were in stock were 5500 THB heavily orange colored New  Balance.    He had two pairs in stock and I wanted two pairs of shoes.

 

I then asked the Missus to inquire of the friendly salesman how much he thought the price of my current New  Balance shoes were.    He looked at them and determined a 5,000 THB price.    I don't know why so cheap and not 5,500.

 

I told him the regular price for the shoes is 1,750 THB  with a promo price of 875.      He responded that things are less expensive in my country but he didn't even  know  from where I hail.

 

I ended up buying the Orange pair, only one,  with the assurance from the Missus that she could locate new non orange shoe strings.

 

I asked the salesman if he could special order any shoes and he said not possible.     He made it sound as if all shoes are shipped from the factory  on on a one time shipment basis  without reordering available.

 

New Balance shoes are made in China and I could drive there.    Why are they so expensive in Thailand?    Note:    (just when I wrote that, I recall some years ago I saw the shoes in a mall (the dying mall) in Pattaya for 2,750 which is not so bad but still far more than they should be.

 

Is this all due to import taxes or tea money or what?

[Lammbock]

I accept the high prices for sneakers because I do not have much choices. My size is US13.

Mostly only new arrivals have that size available for short period.

[jay1980]

If you are not worried about them being a brand name, check out decathlon

 

http://www.decathlon.co.th/en/1019-tennis-shoes

 

http://www.decathlon.co.th/en/c/28-store-location

 

 

[starky]

Same as everything else not Thai made import duty, luxury tax, vat, +++   <deleted> sake saw a pair of Jordans "on sale" on Lazada for 12500 baht and knowing Lazada they were probably fake.

[Briggsy]

On 11/7/2016 at 1:45 PM, starky said:

Same as everything else not Thai made import duty, luxury tax, vat, +++   <deleted> sake saw a pair of Jordans "on sale" on Lazada for 12500 baht and knowing Lazada they were probably fake.

This.

 

And add in

 

i) the often sole importer/sole wholesaler/sole distributor agreement either with the manufacturer or Customs

ii) the price fixing arrangement with any competitors

 

et voila, there you have the Thai retail model commonly known as a monopoly or cartel.

 

That is why the consumer gets shafted.

 

It should be noted as well, that although Thailand has lost a lot of its shoe production to China, Vietnam and South Asia, it is still the number 7 producer in the world.

[snooky]

If you know the exact size and model, my suggestion is to check either ebay or amazon - they often have the ones you like.  However, that being said, the shipping and customs fees might bring it to a preposterous price.  Also a thought, since many companies have shifted their production to China, their quality control is not as rigorous.  Take the instance of a famous English brand of shoes (not trainers) that I purchased for years, having no problem even when purchasing by mail.  When they sent production to China, I once checked (at a store in the US) five pairs of exactly the same size - no two were alike in fit.  And, unfortunately the price was the same, or higher, than those make in England.  I doubt very much they pay the Chinese workers the same wages as in England but then again, it is all about profit - not customer care anymore.  Fortunately, NB still has at least one production plant in the US which adheres to strict quality control - if you can find sneakers made in that plant.  

Edited November 7, 2016 by snooky

[nuakmuaynina]

I actually find some to be cheaper, have bought converse and nikes for less than I would in the Uk...

[joepattaya1961]

Currently, sneakers/trainers are immense popular, especially the ones with screaming colors and famous brands.

 

Another reason is, that a few years the biggest manufacturer in sport-shoes near SriRacha  closed its doors or at least stopped producing branded sport-shoes.

So most if not all branded sport shoes have to be imported and yes, mostly from China.

[YeahSiam]

Can't say I've noticed higher prices for Nikes.

Having said that, I find the range of choice here extremely limited so I personally import them from places like Eastbay or Amazon.

The import duty takes the price up a bit but you get exactly what you want. 

Brought in a pair of these Nike Shox R4s earlier this year - total 7,000 but totally bombproof

[thailand49]

Here is my two cents on shoes,  Here is Pattaya whenever I have free time I run around looking at prices of shoes. Go to Outlet Mall often, once in a while I find a pretty good price on something I like. I usually stock up when I go home.

Although, the shoes are made somewhere in SEA or China,  the prices do not reflex that.. they still are being sold as if they are imported from the U.S., the mark up is just crazy. Even at the Outlet, as noted I visit regularly I see shoes being marked up and then advertised as being discounted 50-70% off.  This type of bait and switch is common all over Thailand.

I don't buy many shoes here any longer if I can help it especially they just do not hold up it seem the clue holding the shoe seems to fall apart after a year.

There is a big discount store in my home city DSL?  and I use Shoe.com for New Balance.

Many are being made in Vietnam.

Edited November 8, 2016 by thailand49

[HLover]

On 11/7/2016 at 0:56 PM, Lammbock said:

I accept the high prices for sneakers because I do not have much choices. My size is US13.

Mostly only new arrivals have that size available for short period.

 

[Colabamumbai]

Because they are made in factories in Cambodia.

[OMGImInPattaya]

It's daft to pay more than 1k-2k baht for shoes in Thailand, as the rain, heat, and sun UV will turn them to rubbish in short order. Just buy whatever's on sale at Power Sports or a name-brand store at Central (Camel Active and Ecco have nice stuff) or whatever looks and fits good at Bata Shoes.

 

Oh, and always some good sales going on at the Central Department Store shoe department (the Dr. Shools range is always nice).

[SpokaneAl]

In not knowing which model of shoe, or which type of shoe you are discussing, complaining about price is a bit silly. For example, I run, and go through several pairs of running shoes a year. I always pay about $100 US or so a pair, which I consider very reasonable.

 

Sports related shoes are made for specific sports, and by just mentioning the color, you provide us with meaningless information with which to make a decision.

[misterphil]

Because the trainers that are made here are for export only. 

 

The trainers you buy here are imported. 

[lungnorm]

You should have asked for Sand Shoes.n

[Minnehaha]

On 11/7/2016 at 0:56 PM, Lammbock said:

I accept the high prices for sneakers because I do not have much choices. My size is US13.

Mostly only new arrivals have that size available for short period.

 

where can you find size 13 in bangkok, please?  any shoe type, please?

[natway09]

Thais have feet that need shoes not boats, 

[dave_boo]

I feel the pain because even not having the issues th OP has I need 13EEEE...and a lot of times they're still too narrow.

 

Have resorted to simply importing Asics as they are consistently the most correct in sizing.

 

As a funny aside, it's loads of fun to be at the mall with the ole lady and she starts complaining about my (admittedly) old pair of Adidas slides. She keep's dragging me into the shops and I keep laughing at the sales people's mouths dropping when she asks for size 49...

[YeahSiam]

2 hours ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

It's daft to pay more than 1k-2k baht for shoes in Thailand, as the rain, heat, and sun UV will turn them to rubbish in short order. Just buy whatever's on sale at Power Sports or a name-brand store at Central (Camel Active and Ecco have nice stuff) or whatever looks and fits good at Bata Shoes.

 

Oh, and always some good sales going on at the Central Department Store shoe department (the Dr. Shools range is always nice).

 

Yeah, if you're 80

[Craig krup]

I can get good running shoes in Lidl in the UK for £11.99 (maximum) and often £6.99 when they mark them down. 300 baht. How many pairs do you think you could carry without getting stiffed for import duty? 

[YeahSiam]

Just now, Craig krup said:

I can get good running shoes in Lidl in the UK for £11.99 (maximum) and often £6.99 when they mark them down. 300 baht. How many pairs do you think you could carry without getting stiffed for import duty? 

 

Depends on one's definition of "good", doesn't it?

I don't think any footwear one can buy at an outlet like Lidl deserves that description.

[baansgr]

I just bought 2 pairs of Adidas trainers in the UK from sports firect, cost 1,400 each, same here almost 4,000. Lonsdale, everlast and levi t shirts UKcost 130-160 baht, here 900 baht or more. some things sre defonatly cheaper with more choice in western countries....Sports direct will deliver to Thailand for about 15 pounds

[dansbkk]

On 11/7/2016 at 0:56 PM, Lammbock said:

I accept the high prices for sneakers because I do not have much choices. My size is US13.

Mostly only new arrivals have that size available for short period.

Where can you find size 13's in BKK?  Please.

[OMGImInPattaya]

46 minutes ago, YeahSiam said:

 

Yeah, if you're 80

Works if one is 50 too  

[OMGImInPattaya]

41 minutes ago, baansgr said:

I just bought 2 pairs of Adidas trainers in the UK from sports firect, cost 1,400 each, same here almost 4,000. Lonsdale, everlast and levi t shirts UKcost 130-160 baht, here 900 baht or more. some things sre defonatly cheaper with more choice in western countries....Sports direct will deliver to Thailand for about 15 pounds

Are those prices factoring in the airfare?

Edited November 8, 2016 by OMGImInPattaya

[Craig krup]

54 minutes ago, YeahSiam said:

 

Depends on one's definition of "good", doesn't it?

I don't think any footwear one can buy at an outlet like Lidl deserves that description.

 

Well, I used to run pretty seriously. If someone didn't know what they were wearing I think the mesh and foam Lidl offering would be rated just as highly as the mesh and foam Nike offering. I'll never buy Nike again: big name, big rip-off. New Balance and Adidas (depending on the model) are better than the Lidl alternative, but they're 20% better for six times the price. 

[fruitman]

21 minutes ago, Craig krup said:

 

Well, I used to run pretty seriously. If someone didn't know what they were wearing I think the mesh and foam Lidl offering would be rated just as highly as the mesh and foam Nike offering. I'll never buy Nike again: big name, big rip-off. New Balance and Adidas (depending on the model) are better than the Lidl alternative, but they're 20% better for six times the price. 

 

My friend is a runner too, he always had no brandname runningsneakers.

One day his urine got all red, went to doctor and he adviced him to buy real runners...that helped...

[Craig krup]

10 minutes ago, YeahSiam said:

 

Maybe if you'd opened your wallet a little more than a crack, you might still be running instead of nursing a gammy hip, wouldn't ya?

 

It was the knees that gave up, and it wasn't the running that did that. Hey, the world's full of people with the VO2 max of a cup of decomposing mulch, and who think they need a bottle of water to run two miles in 16 minutes at 16C. If buying snazzy trainers and living the "all the gear and nowhere near" life keeps them happy, so be it. Anyone like that should take up cycling. There's carbon fiber frames, fancy wheels, tri-bars.......millions of things that "compensate" for having the kind of legs I'd expect to see sticking out of the bottom of an iron lung. 

 

Whatever keeps you happy 

[YeahSiam]

3 minutes ago, Craig krup said:

 

It was the knees that gave up, and it wasn't the running that did that. Hey, the world's full of people with the VO2 max of a cup of decomposing mulch, and who think they need a bottle of water to run two miles in 16 minutes at 16C. If buying snazzy trainers and living the "all the gear and nowhere near" life keeps them happy, so be it. Anyone like that should take up cycling. There's carbon fiber frames, fancy wheels, tri-bars.......millions of things that "compensate" for having the kind of legs I'd expect to see sticking out of the bottom of an iron lung. 

 

Whatever keeps you happy 

 

I doubt the cheap trainers helped, mate but I wouldn't expect you to admit that