DW has a few of the runDisney shoes so that is what interested me in this thread but i will not continue to discuss beyond this message. The comparison between products has a few parallels but misses the mark for two key reasons.
- Consumer interest - while the Disney community will love the product there are only so many Disney running fans. Another way to look at it is running groups are a small group of the overall population and Disney running fans are even smaller subgroup of that. So this shoe really is a niche product for an already niche group. The t shirts and purses you mention have a much broader population that would be interested. Also not everyone can successfully wear the same running shoe. So an overpronator cannot wear a neutral shoe, etc. which limits products target groups even more.
- Production cost - while shoes have a huge markup it is not the same as the products you mentioned. The margin on easily produced good, like t shirts, will be astronomical when compared to the shoe. I assume the “Sharks” would easily pick the t shirts over the shoes. producing a running shoe involves some complex processes in producing and mating material particularly in the foam and layers of the soles. Those steps use and create harmful chemicals and fumes that have to be managed properly.
While they are not for me, DW would have loved to see the shoe continue and for them to add the one motif in her preferred style. She had to get a certain type of shoe, so she got a backup pair since they are discontinued. Maybe something will change in the future.