Picking out the right running shoes can be difficult, but new research suggests you shouldn’t just assume an expensive pair is the best. An analysis of reviews by the website RunRepeat.com uncovered that runners are actually more satisfied with their pair of running shoes if the sticker price was lower.
For their study, researchers analyzed nearly 135,000 reviews of over 391 shoes from 24 different brands. Somewhat surprisingly, researchers found that ratings didn’t get higher as the price went up. In fact, there was a slight inverse correlation.
“There is no statistical correlation between the list price of a shoe and how well rated it is,” researchers wrote. “Actually, if you do a regression analysis, the data suggest that cheaper running shoes are higher rated than expensive ones.”
Running Shoe Study
After looking at the reviews, researchers discovered:
- The 10 most expensive shoes, which had an average price of $181, had an 8 percent lower rating than the 10 least expensive shoes, which had an average list price of $61.
- Similar findings appeared when researchers compared the 30 highest-ranked and 30-lowest ranked shoes.
RunRepeat Founder Jens Jakob Anderson said the study only examined customer satisfaction, not performance, so people may be more likely to be a harsher critic if something is expensive.
“I am aware that higher prices set higher expectations,” said Anderson, “but in any case the price should reflect the quality of the product and thereby the ratings.”
Dr. Silverman comments
This is an interesting study, but like Anderson said, it certainly doesn’t give an objective look at shoe performance. There are a lot of potential reasons why a more expensive running shoe could get a lower satisfaction rating. If someone buys a cheap running shoe, and it’s fine, they’ll probably give it a 4- or 5-star rating considering it suits their needs, they got a good deal and there are no major complaints. If you shell out twice or three times as much for a pair of running shoes, small discomforts may be more noticeable, because you assumed you wouldn’t have those issues with an expensive shoe, and you might be a harsher critic because you feel more guilty about spending that much money on a pair of shoes.
Additionally, I’d venture to guess that if someone buys a cheap pair of running shoes and they wear out after a few months, they would be less likely to go to a website and review the shoe because they think, “Hey, I got them on sale for $40, what did I really expect?” On the flip side, if an expensive pair wears out faster than someone anticipates, they might decide to share their displeasure online to prevent others from making the same perceived mistake.
As I mentioned before, price is not the biggest factor you should consider when buying running shoes. Comfort is the biggest factor. Find something that is comfortable, and you’ll have a better chance of running without injury.
Related source: QZ.com
