On Cloudsurfer Max Sales Insights

Image from Culture Athletics

Introduction

As a sales associate at a run specialty store, I get to be in the unique position of hearing direct and honest customer feedback on products at the time of purchase. Since the Cloudsurfer Max released a month ago, I have been taking notes on what customers think about the product to figure out where it fits into the wide range of offerings in the daily trainer category. In this report, I’ve clearly outlined how the product is presented to customers, exactly what shoes it is competing with on the sales floor, and common feedback on the product.

Shoe Positioning

Category

On categorizes its footwear by sensations: Confidence, Effortless, Energy, and Fast. The Cloudsurfer Max falls under effortless, which On describes as “Works with the natural rolling motion of your foot for a smooth ride”. To put this into the broader context of performance footwear, other shoes competing in this category tick two boxes:

1. High cushioning

2. Moderate responsiveness that creates a unique, interesting ride

The Cloudsurfer Max packs a lot of cushioning and from my own experience in trying it on, has a spring-like bounce to it that makes for a fun ride.

In my opinion, this is an important category to get right as it's a common jumping off point for new runners who are looking for a comfortable shoe that will get them excited to get out the door. I’ve worked with plenty of customers who are hesitant to switch from the brand of their first shoes because they are convinced that the brand works for them better than anything else would. Being able to capture this customer segment can lead to longer-term brand loyalty if the shoe does well at building positive brand associations for the customer.

Competitors

There are plenty of daily trainers out in the market that in theory compete with the Cloudsurfer Max, but the two that I bring up most often alongside it are the HOKA Clifton and the ASICS Novablast. Each of the three shoes are lightweight, have plenty of cushioning, and each offers its own unique ride that appeals to different runners.

HOKA Clifton

The Clifton is popular to the point where I get tired of selling it because it's so easy. The Clifton is not objectively any more comfortable than any other max cushion cushion shoe on the market, but HOKA has done well at associating its brand with comfort and new runners perceive it as so. This shoe offers a rolling feeling thanks to its signature rocker.

ASICS Novablast

The Novablast is a cult favourite and an easy sell in its own right. The cushioning is incredibly lightweight, soft, and the trampoline-like bounce makes for a very unique feeling.

Where The Cloudsurfer Max Wins

The Cloudsurfer Max is in a competitive playing field, here is where I have found it stands out.

Appearance

On shoes in general attract a certain type of customer and the Cloudsurfer Max is no exception. The shoes look cool. There is nothing else out there that looks quite like them. There have been several cases where I’ve had customers prefer the feeling of another shoe (like a Novablast or a Clifton), but opt for the Cloudsurfer Max because they were willing to sacrifice a bit of comfort for the look of the shoe.

Perceived Durability

As midsole foams get lighter and more responsive, their durability continues to decline. How much wear they’ll get out of it is a common concern customers have when deciding between shoes. I have noticed that when durability is a primary concern, customers often opt for the Cloudsurfer Max because the firmer cushioning is perceived to be more durable than a softer competitor like the Novablast.

Familiarity

While I often tell customers that On shoes don’t feel like anything else on our shoe wall, that doesn’t seem to be the case for a select group of customers. I’ve had a few cases where customers who were just starting to get into running found that the Cloudsurfer Max felt, and I quote, “more stable” than its softer competitors. These customers are used to wearing streetwear shoes like Converse or even retro runners and find that the firmer midsole in the Cloudsurfer Max feels like a more natural transition into performance running shoes.

Common Objections To The Cloudsurfer Max

Looks

One of its strengths is also one of its weaknesses. Since On shoes don’t quite look like anything else on the market, I’ve found that customers who aren’t familiar with the brand can be a bit thrown off by it. For those who aren’t completely turned away from it, I have found that they warm up to it after I get them to watch the midsole compress and rebound in the mirror. Though they are doing the same thing, the pod-like cushioning design makes this process more obvious than a more traditional midsole would. I have found that this also increases the perceived comfort of the shoe because it's more obvious that the shoe is working.

Midsole Firmness

Again, another double edged sword. Customers sometimes assume that a softer shoe will immediately be more comfortable than a firm shoe, which isn’t necessarily the case. I have found that explaining that comparing the Cloudsurfer Max to its competitors is like comparing a spring mattress to a foam mattress gets customers to be a bit more open-minded when trying on the shoe.

Less Padding Around The Ankle

I haven’t found a sly way to tackle this objection because, well, there isn’t one. As the design of the shoe was clearly intended to reduce weight and give the shoe its sleek silhouette, some customers I’ve worked with have been put off by the heel counter and tongue having less padding than competing shoes in this category. This could potentially be a consideration for improving the comfort of the shoe as they did with the Cloudmonster 2 vs the OG.

Conclusion

The Cloudsurfer Max has been a fun shoe for me to be selling on the floor. Its distinct look, unique ride, and perceived durability give it a unique edge on the sales floor to customers who value style and long-lasting performance.