Where Is The Future Of Rocking Shoes? Swiss Brand MBT Collapse

In May 2012,

MBT, a well-known health and sporting goods company, has declared bankruptcy. MBT is the originator of the "rocking shoes" in China.

In August of that year, Singapore Masai announced the acquisition of the company.

The company from Asia is convinced that as long as the rectification is carried out, this "two flat, round, round" hull shaped healthy shoes will surely develop into a global leading brand.

All this is not sudden.

When a pair of original MBT sold 300 Swiss francs in a professional store, similar "rocking shoes" of supermarkets and shoe stores sold to around 30 Swiss francs.

On Taobao, China, about 200 yuan.

Meet the eye everywhere.

Similar products such as mushrooms springing up, rampant pirated products on the Internet, their high price and relatively monotonous shoe type are all MBT's straw.

How did Swiss brand, a Swiss famous and world-renowned brand, come to an end?

China's pirated goods

In MBT's media announcement, the company blamed the collapse on the competitive pressure, especially the counterfeit from China, which led to a sharp decline in MBT's profits.

The first MBT in the world was set up in Basel, Switzerland.

Franz Amann answers the question in the shoe professional magazine comfort shoes special issue. "China's pirated goods are sold through the Internet. They have a Swiss address and a Swiss domain name, which is very similar to the official MBT shop."

"Similar signs, similar fonts, and even shoes, even small details, are all counterfeit.

The fake shoes are then put into a box with MBT fake labels.

Finally, it is difficult for the terminal consumers to notice the difference, and even the MBT experts must observe carefully to see the clues.

So Amann had served with fake MBT sandals to find customers on his head. "She said she could not walk with such pain in her shoes."

More customers may be unidentified, which seriously undermines the reputation of MBT.

And the price of rocking shoes sold on the Internet is low. Many customers will have such a question: why is it so expensive in professional shops and so cheap on the Internet?

Faced with such a violation, why did MBT not take up legal weapons? Amann explained that faced with the Internet, sanctions were very difficult.

First, finding the real user behind the domain name is not easy; it is even harder to close the domain name.

"Turn off one, and there will be new ones," he said.

Functional variation

Since 2009, more and more rocking shoes have entered the market. "Many of them are just like appearances, but they don't have the function of MBT," Amann said.

The shoes, which are thick and thick at the bottom, look strange or even ugly, but they quickly landed in supermarkets, even the famous German cheap supermarket Aldi.

MBT was invented by Swiss engineer Karl M ller.

Because the "rocking" shoe type causes a state of uneven walking, users are forced to adjust the balance mechanism when walking, mobilize the whole body muscles, thereby improving posture and gait, relieving joint pressure, and especially reducing pain in the waist and knees.

Regular wear can also increase balance.

In Switzerland, MBT is only sold in professional stores for a long time. Before buying, through detailed consultation, professional trained salesmen will help customers select the most suitable shoes and help him adapt to the "medical effect" shoes.

In April of this year, MBT won the gold medal of the Geneva invention Expo second times, and its 4 solo technology with progressive orthopedic effect provides various choices for people with various feet and habits.

However, it is such a kind of shoe that has been proved to have medical effects and even recognized by Health Insurance Company after many scientific researches. After being pushed to the market, it became a "slimming plastic shoes".

Out of shape Market

In the United States, these shoes are worn by Justinn Timberlake, Debbie Moore wears, and Paris Hilton wears; in China, the interpretation of spicy mama Hilary Tsui makes this thick ugly shoe become popular in addition to "unconventional" and "showing individuality".

In Asia's largest online shopping platform Taobao online, this shoe is clearly labeled as "thin leg, weight loss, weight loss, fitness" shoes.

This is far from the original shoes of MBT.

Although the "celebrity effect" has promoted the sales of these shoes and even changed the aesthetic standards to a certain extent, many people began to question the function of MBT- rocking shoes.

The Zhengzhou Evening News published an article entitled "shake off shoes" to lose weight and thin legs is a gimmick in August 15th. "Qingdao Evening News" has also published articles on women who wear "rocking shoes" and you can't afford to hurt your feet.

Little did I know that MBT has never claimed that her "rocking shoes" are the elixir of beauty.

In today's trendy words, MBT also lies in the middle of a gun.

MBT shoes that could have taken a "back pain" and "healthy road" have become fashionable women's pursuit in Asia because of the "successful" market operation.

Experts say:

The Qingdao evening news wrote: "these shoes must hurt their feet," said Li Weilin, director of Department of orthopedics at the municipal hospital.

"Put on rocking shoes, the state of force will inevitably change, do not meet the needs of physiological structure"; "Zhengzhou Evening News" wrote: "in terms of appearance," rocking shoes "is very similar to the shape of a ship, the center of gravity is high and unstable, it is easy for people to sprain their ankle and even fall when they wear them. If they wear them for a long time, they will easily change their arch structures and are not conducive to health.

Zhengzhou people's Hospital Department of orthopedics chief physician Fu Konglong said.

"A lot of conservative doctors are just looking at the sole of the MBT arc, and they are suspicious. This increases the adverse factors in the market for MBT," Amann said. "If a doctor has never experienced MBT shoes and knows little about such shoes, it will be easy to say" it's no use. "

So it is very important to train doctors and let them try and communicate in person, Amann thinks.

In Switzerland, MBT attaches great importance to convincing doctors through examples. In 2003, even two insurance companies recognized the medical effect of MBT, and took the cost of 50% shoes purchased by the insured.

MBT's "functional" word of mouth has always been good in all kinds of professional footwear magazines.

With the popularity of computers, there are more and more problems in the back and legs of modern people. Many people are looking for "daily necessities" with health care functions. This brings business opportunities to MBT.

17 scientific studies on MBT's website have proved its technological innovation and the effect of reducing pain in orthopaedic patients.

However, Switzerland's overly conservative marketing strategy, which only works with professional shops, has weakened its market competitiveness.

In the last two years, the strategy of "fashion" shoes is introduced as much as possible, and it has also weakened its functional influence.

Perhaps this kind of "two heads" will plunge them into financial difficulties.

Future

Singapore's Andy Chau's international acquisition of MBT is exulting, because the Asian company is not only an investor like the MBT who has joined the MBT, but also is an extension and distributor of several famous brands in the international footwear industry.

Since 2010, Marcel has brought MBT into Asia and has achieved great success in Southeast Asia.

The problem of MBT headquarters may be temporary capital inflow, but this does not detract from its high technology brand value.

Today, the technology, known as the "Masai Barefoot Technology", has launched another round of publicity in the market. Many people are very interested in this kind of shoes that relieve back pain.

However, consumers will choose 100 yuan MBT or 300 Swiss Franc MBT, which is everyone's choice.

I hope the new MBT will make the right guidance.