National Shoe Retailers Association Information

The National Shoe Retailers Association (NSRA) is a not-for-profit organization representing independent shoe store owners. The typical NSRA member owns 2.5 stores, employs 6.6 full-time-equivalent employees per store, and carries an inventory that tops $250,000 at cost, with an average per-pair price of $88.60. Most members sell shoes in more than one gender and in several categories. Our average member has also been an NSRA member for 12.6 years, relying on the business services NSRA provides at discounted rates to keep the costs of doing business as low as possible. Nearly four-fifths of NSRA members have a website, which they use for both for e-commerce and as a convenient information resource for regular customers. As retailers, their chief competitive advantage is high-quality customer service: Store employees know their products and their customers, and take pride in measuring and fitting their customers properly. The typical NSRA member’s goal is to make sure the customer is pleased, not only with the purchased product, but also with the overall purchasing experience. Together, independent retailers make up approximately 20% of the footwear distribution channel, conducting more than $9 billion worth of business in a $48 billion per year industry. Founded in 1912, NSRA has nearly a century of experience in serving as the independent retailer’s resource and advocate, representing the independent shoe retailing community among manufacturers, suppliers and the broader footwear industry.