Nike shoe quality going down

Question

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/article/best-kids-shoes/

Answer 1

It's hard to evaluate by how much Nike's shoe quality is going down, if at all. Certainly, it seems that the company has been struggling financially in recent years, according to this article from sneakerfreaker. When looking at the Yahoo stock page for Nike, it becomes clear to see that over the last five years, the company has taken a marked decline from the peak of their valuations. The sneakerfreaker article alleges that Nike has started using more plastics in their shoes as opposed to leathers, as well as decreasing the size of their iconic air bubbles.

That said, its hard to find legitimate data on this sort of thing besides consumer polls arguing that quality has decreased. Given their financial struggle, it doesn't seem out of the question that Nike would choose to use cheaper materials in their products.

Answer 2

While there is some evidence that Nike’s shoe quality may have declined, the claim that quality is broadly “going down” cannot be proven. For one, numerous customer reviews and discussion forums say that there are increased problems, such as sole separation and fewer premium materials like traditional leather (Nike Inc. BBB). However, Nike’s own disclosures show that they are shifting to more recycled materials (for example, their “Flyleather” and “Flyknit” lines) for sustainability reasons (Business of Fashion). Moreover, there are also reports that certain signature elements (e.g., the visible “Air” bubbles in the Air Max 95) were smaller compared to their original 1990s versions, showing premium feel has declined there (Sneaker Freaker). So, since the shift in materials is documented, and the increased consumer complaints are real but anecdotal, it’s fair to say that quality concerns exist and may be worsening in some models. However, to state that the overall quality is declining, you would need durability data across models and years.

Comments

I really like how you debunk this ongoing idea of how Nike shoe quality is in decline by gathering reliable sources and using their CER to help bolster your statement that Nike shoe quality may not be in decline.

Answer 3

After researching this topic, this claim is true. However, this claim could have been supported by a better-suited article. The article linked mainly speaks of kids' shoes and which ones are worth your money. This does not support the argument that Nike has decreased their quality, even stating "Nikes feel softer and flexible than some".

According to Zack Schlemmer from SneakerFreaker, he claims, "Nike’s quality and comfort seemed to decrease on their retro-style sneakers with cheaper plastic-y leather and smaller Air bubbles, consumers began to turn to other brands." This is true because, as the demand for certain sneakers goes up, production is rushed and made cheaper. He included an example of the cheaper material that they replaced it with, which makes his argument stronger. 

To support the argument that they decreased the quality as the demand increased, the production. The Campanile states, "compensate for an influx in consumers in the sneaker community, specifically in the Jordan line, resulting in less exclusive releases and also poorer quality in the construction". The rise of popularity caused Nike to turn to cheaper alternatives, which caused the post of this claim as consumers noticed the difference. 

Another article, which you can check out for this topic, is The Lance, as they have an in-depth explanation of the quality decline. One quote claims, "materials on different models are severely lacking in quality and quality control."

In conclusion, this claim is true but lacks evidence. 

Sources:

https://www.sneakerfreaker.com/features/why-nike-stock-down-revenue-loss-explainer/ 

https://lance.mcquaid.org/12833/opinion/does-nike-value-quantity-over-quality/#:~:text=In%202020%2D2021%20Nike's%20Quality,Nike%20value%20quantity%20over%20quality?

https://thecampanile.org/4049/lifestyle/the-decline-of-nike-in-sneaker-culture/#:~:text=In%20the%20past%20decade%2C%20Nike,not%20suited%20towards%20casual%20wear.

Answer 4

This claim is exaggerated / misleading

The primary source used in the claim is an article by Forbes. While after investigating them I feel Forbes is a credible source since they are well regarded for their product rankings and providing information for shoppers the Forbes article does not support the claim. The actual article does not state anything about Nike shoes quality declining but instead only mentions Nike shoes positively and ranking them as a good kids shoe to purchase. However even though the primary source used does not back up the claim that “Nike shoe quality is declining” other articles do. For example of a secondary source the Gear Patrol article “Why Nike’s Quality Control is Currently Under Scrutiny” does support the idea that consumers have noticed a decline in Nikes shoes. It also mentions that Nikes has experienced an increase in returns and public commentary. So overall I would label this claim as Exaggerate/Misleading since the primary source does not back up the claim but other secondary sources do.

Answer 5

This may actually be true, as recent consumer feedback and reports tell us that Nike's shoe quality has been in decline in recent years, with many people being concerned about the cheaper material being used and inconsistent build standards. Gear Patrol emphasizes that Nike's quality control has started to become a "major concern," stating that Nike "can't guarantee a one-for-one swap" for defective shoes. This highlights the rising concerns about the quality of Nike shoes.  A popular sneaker magazine, Sneaker Freaker, has reported that some of the newer Jordan retro models have "noticeably smaller Air units and stiffer materials," increasing ongoing concerns of reduced durability and comfort. Not all models are affected by this ongoing trend of lower-quality shoes.