Mr. Mainwaring states in his blog that Skechers copied exactly from shoes to concept off TOMS by launching in a new line called BOBS. The shoe company has the same idea as TOMS where it states that “Buy a pair of BOBS, and Sketchers will donate a pair to a child in need.” Even the shoes’ design and name tag are the same. However, there are a distinction between the two, which Mr. Mainwaring raised the fact that some “do good because of the meaning behind it, while the others do it simply for marketing purpose.”
I agree with Mr. Mainwaring‘s view that Skechers’ approach appears to be “cynical”. Because TOMS has a social mission behind where its founder Blake Mycoskie found out that children have no shoes to protect their feet in Argentina, so he and his team took a risk by betting their business on an untested business model. On the other hand, Skechers just seeing what is successful out there and copied the whole model and shoe designs. It did not place a financial bet on their business.
Although Blake Mycoskie did states that he hoped others would copy his business model, Skechers should not copied exactly the same shoe design from TOMS. As Mr. Mainwaring said Skechers’ approach shows not only “a lack of creativity originality, but they left themselves wide open to accusation of disingenuous social concern.” Because customers knew brands well, so a new line BOBS already prove to customers that Skechers lack a point of difference. Even the price set by BOBS is only about $13 dollars cheaper, but the shoe sole and inside materials are all different. I have tried on one pair of BOBS in Shoe Warehouse, it feels completely different. BOBS used cheap synthetic material, while TOMS used a better quality to provide comfort to customers.
Same concept, Same shoe design
Therefore, I also agree with Mr. Mainwaring that Skechers will do a lot better if they launch in a new line by deriving TOMS’s “One for One” concept. Because it will attracts customers to connect with the brand, at the same time gaining “warranted admiration”.
Sources: http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/toms-vs-bobs-how-skeechers-shot-themselves-in-the-foot/
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