Typical American story: Crocs maker headed toward bankruptcy

I tried to find a comfortable pair of Crocs and never could. I'm not sure what was so good about them.

This is a sad story for so many reasons.

Though I wear birkies, I have friends who swear Crocs are the only comfortable shoes they've ever worn. They have evolved from the original design to include some that appear more conventional. The massage while walking is compelling.

The litigious society that claimed these shoes were more likely than others to catch in escalators (have they never worn shoes with laces?) really damaged Crocs reputation. How many things in this country are damaged or destroyed because we sue rather than recognizing personal resonsibility?

Even if Crocs were to cease production, so many knockoffs now exist that this line will not be soon forgotten.

I love my Crocs. They're the most comfortable shoes I own.

I never bought any. I think they are ugly. I do know of several people that still buy them though.

Could the real reason be that a lot of Croc-lookalikes are made in other countries? Cheaper by far, and they do look the same.

And that they weren't very good for your feet?

Here is Biden's solution to their problem.
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977742194

I hope you don't mind but I really wanted to see if the link worked, and the article so fits your article.

Another passing fad. I learned to dislike mine and felt that they were dangerous--terrible on wet surfaces, etc.

Very sad. Maybe they can turn it around.

As usual, the guy who 'invented' this monstrosity, and the folks who touted it into a short-term wonder-of-the-world, made a company out of it, and gave employment to thousands of people, will walk away rich. The thousands of people who thought they were living the American Dream? Not so much.

This was a classic case of walkin' stupid. Ugly shoes, extruded from plastic for dam-all cost, and assembled in minutes by the millions. Uncomfortable to wear, and useless for walking, these shoes were BOUND to die. No disposable income? No market. Bye!

I was out hiking with my girlfriend yesterday, and saw a remarkable sight. We were up at almost 10,800 feet, on a narrow, rocky path, and saw a weird looking guy bringing (walking) his child (about 5 or 6) UP the path, barefoot! Behind him was his wife, carrying the child's Crocs!

I never saw the virtue of plastic shoes with holes in them. They do look like they'd make good gardening shoes. I'm sure they'll be for sale cheaper soon.

that's a lot of plastic going into landfills. What's the next flavor of the month, glass shoes? wooden shoes? Those were popular at one time, back in Europe, but that's mostly because wood was cheaper than anything else.

Why do we crave fads so much?

Crocs may be ugly... but they are the most comfortable I've ever worn on my feet! They will last for the rest of my life if my dog doesn't chew this pair, like she did the last pair.

Crocs are recyclable

They are not in bankruptcy because the shoes are ugly. It is very often unwarranted expansion that places a company in bankruptcy. Fad's ... the search for the almighty dollar.

John Duerden Responds

Posted by: crocsinc on: July 16, 2009
http://blog.crocs.com/

Today the Washington Post ran an article about Crocs, “Once-Trendy Crocs Could Be On Last Legs,” which some of you may have seen, as it has quickly spread around the web. Here is what Crocs President and CEO, John Duerden, has to say about the story:

In response to the Washington Post’s article about the health of Crocs, Inc., I’d like to clear up a few points. We sell comfortable, durable shoes in a wide variety of appealing styles for men, women and children, and offer great value. This is a good business to be in at a time when families are watching their budgets, and we’re confident in the future of our company.

Critics who suggest we are a one-shoe company couldn’t be more wrong. As we explained to the reporter, we currently have more than 120 styles of casual, comfortable footwear, including sandals, boots, heels, wedges, flats and functional footwear for people who work on their feet or who have foot or back problems, along with our signature clogs. Don’t take my word for it – you can see for yourself an example of the variety of styles we offer such as wedges, flats, sandals, and more.

As the article correctly points out, we face challenges resulting from rapid growth. We’ve taken action to address those challenges, including aligning our production capacity to meet demand, reducing our overhead expenses and the size of our workforce, and paying down debt.

There are more than 100 million consumers in 125 countries that love our product. The Crocs brand is only five years old, and already it’s almost as well-known as Nike and Adidas. It’s an icon and whether people love it or hate it, they talk about it – as the article and the online response to it demonstrate.

Crocs shoes are perhaps the perfect product for a world in which value and simplicity are replacing avarice and over-consumption. We appreciate the support of our many loyal customers, retailers, investors and employees around the world.


John Duerden
President and CEO
Crocs, Inc.

I don't know what the facts are, except they are the second dumbest looking footwear I have seen. I have to go back to the '70's with those stupid platforms that had 6 and 8 inch soles.

When I was having so much trouble with my knees the first thing my therapist said as she was pointing to my crocs was quit wearing those shoes. They have on lateral support and are nor good for people with arthritis as well as many other foot ailments.

I agree with you. I never liked those things either.

crocs can be recycled? i wonder how many were recycled, one in a thousand?

Not only are they ugly; there are probably hundreds of companies turning out cheaper copies. That would destroy just about any product.