The new trend in the footwear sector is accessibility, and the sweet spot appears to be prices under $250.
The global footwear market is moving towards accessibility, with buyers looking for both affordable pricing and more comfort-driven styles, according to insights from Joor’s 2025 Footwear Market Analysis. Moreover, shoes retailing under $250 now make up 42 percent of global market share.
“Economic uncertainty has driven worldwide demand for more accessible price points, evidenced by a steady decrease in average retail price,” said Amanda McCormick Bacal, senior vice president of marketing at Joor. “Simultaneously, comfort-driven styles are evolving, with sandals and flats gaining market share as buyers move past the peak of sneaker saturation.”
Joor is a fashion wholesale management platform with over 14,000 brands and 675,000 curate fashion buyers across 150 countries. Footwear brands on Joor include Golden Goose, Axel Arigato, Dolce Fita, Gianvito Rossi, Steve Madden and Jimmy Choo, among others.
The report found that the ultra-luxury segment, prices at $1,000 and up, remained relatively consistent over the past five years at 4 percent of the total market. But the next segment where luxury prices are between $500 and $1,000 saw a decline from 34 percent in 2021 to 25 percent of total retail purchases in 2025. Price segments under $500 have gained popularity, with the $250 to $500 price range increasing to 29 percent of retailer purchases, up from 25 percent. And the price range under $250 saw growth from 38 percent to 42 percent. Joor found that the shift toward affordability has resulted in a decrease of 11 percent in retailers’ average footwear price point to $378 in 2025, down from $425 in 2021.
The move toward lower-price shoes is most evident in North America, where footwear under $250 represent 64 percent of total units purchased. In the APAC (Asia Pacific) region, demand for footwear priced under $250 grew to 37 percent of total market share in 2025, up from 20 percent in 2021. Coincidentally, demand for footwear between $500 and $1,000 over the past five years dropped to 22 percent from 43 percent. But in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa), consumers are still purchasing luxury-focused footwear priced above $500, with 41 percent of units purchased in 2025, versus just 28 percent in APAC and 17 percent in North America. Only 20 percent of total units purchased by retailers in 2025 are below the $250 price point, but that could be due to production and cultural factors, Joor said.
And while sneakers are still the predominant style bought, commanding 52 percent of global shoe units sold in 2025, the category is down slightly from a post-pandemic peak of 57 percent in 2023. Since 2023, and growing, are other comfort-driven silhouettes gaining market share, such as sandals up from 16 percent to 24 percent, and flats, up from 6 percent to 8 percent. Boots styles have seen a decline from 17 percent in 2021 to 7 percent in 2025.
Joor said the shift in silhouette preferences are due to relaxed workwear rules post the COVID pandemic, and in part to some choosing walkable styles as people seek tor reduce their carbon footprint. As for the decline in boot purchases, one of the most expensive shoe styles to produce, Joor said it could be the higher price point slowing consumer demand or milder weather resulting in less desire to invest in new boots each winter.
