Last week Reebok announced they were releasing 1,000 pairs of their Reebok CrossFit Nano shoes.
When the shoes were finally released for pre-sale, it took just hours before all the men’s shoes sold out. The women’s shoes experienced the same popularity as the most common sizes sold out within minutes (however as of today there are still a few random sizes available).
Now on the one hand you could look at this initial release of 1,000 pairs of shoes as a small number for a company as large as Reebok. Yet I tend to see this as an indication of just how successful a partnership with CrossFit is.
For a company to release any product and sell out within minutes is an accomplishment. However, what makes this figure so interesting is the fact that these shoes have never been sold in stores before. In fact many people that purchased a pair had never even touched, let alone tried a pair on. Unless you were a 2011 Games competitor, or knew someone that was, that happen to be the same size as you and let you try them on, there was no way to know if the shoe would even fit. Most people were simply buying them on a presumption that they were a CrossFit shoe and would consequently suit their needs. With a price point of $119, plus delivery, that is no cheap assumption.
That’s what makes this partnership and sale so interesting. On top of the fact so few people had even touched these shoes, there were even fewer people that knew they were even on sale. In fact, I had a few friends who wanted a pair but had no idea Reebok were even selling them yet. The only way people knew they were being sold was if they checked the Reebok|CrossFit Facebook page. Even then, a quick flick of that page shows my friends were not the only ones who missed out. Even if you knew they were going to be on sale, you still had to be lucky enough to secure a pair. The site was so inundated with people trying to purchase them it kept freezing. By the time the issue was finally rectified many had missed out.
So despite the fact the initial sale was aimed at such a specific market, and then only advertised to a select few within that market, it is amazing Reebok still had no problem selling out of almost a 1,000 pairs of shoes in minutes.
This is further evidence of how strong, profitable and successful a business partnership with CrossFit can be. This coupled with the success of companies such as Rogue Fitness and Again Faster, who just years ago did not exist and have in large part built their success due to the CrossFit phenomenon, makes it clear this is no coincidence. If this recent example is not an indication why more companies should be focusing their attention on the CrossFit market I don’t know what is.
This Reebok/CrossFit partnership is still in its infancy. So I can only image what the future has in stall. If these early sales are anything to go by, any company that takes the time and effort to become involved with the CrossFit community is going to find it may be a very successful and profitable relationship.
Follow Us