Salesman said Nike and Adidas are not real running shoes ?

I just went to a running shop that did not sell Nike or Adidas trainers.  I was intersted in trying on the Nike Pegasus 29 and Adidas Glide 4.  The salesman said Nike and Adidas are not real running shoes, they are just a fashion brand.

Is this so?

What shop was this?

I suppose that both brands (whilst definitely both making very good ranges of running shoes) do probably cater more extensively for the fashion market than some of the other running brands. Saucony and Brooks don't seem to be very into the fashion markets. However, both Nike and Adidas do make some very good running shoes, you just have to make sure get get them rather than being fobbed off with fashion rubbish at Sports Direct etc. (yes I know you can get proper running shoes at SD too, but you do need to know what you are looking for).

He probably thought he was doing you a favour by over-generalising massively.

It's still bloody patronising (and wrong)!

Said salesperson is obviously a massive wand. I'd grass him up to his boss.

I quite enjoy loitering around running shops listening to some of the rubbish that the sales people say.  It apears that nearly every person who works in a running shop runs in every pair of shoes that they sell.  "I run in them" is usually their favorite statement.  They often pass on advice that can't have any real basis in evidence.  I think that in some shops they generally mean well but just spout any old opinions and pass them of as facts.

Up and Running is a pretty good shop usually though;at least, our local ones are! I have some cracking adidas trail shoes, the adizero xt 3's. Why he would say that? Well, he obviously wants you to buy shoes he does stock!

Whitedragon: I've used Adidas for a couple of years now and there is nowhere in the Bournemouth area to try on or buy Boston or Adios but I did once get a pair of Tempos in Running Free in Parkstone. I usually use Wiggle now.

Going by Up & Running's website, it looks like they don't stick those two brands.

Adidas and Nike apparel certainly has nothing wrong with it so there would be no reason not to stock that.

They probably fell out with the two brands over unpaid bills or discount negotiations so closed the accounts.

So now it must be company policy to slag them off.

It does seem strange that a running shop would not even stock Adidas or Nike, so I think Waylon may be right!

I loathe the concept of Nike, but I do have one pair of Nike shoes. I know, I know....

Salesman is not a real salesman

I think the Up and Running franchises have a very poor relationship with Adidas and Nike. companies like Saucony and Mizuno and even Asics are more interested in the smaller suppliers of specialist running gear. Not out of some sort of altruistic "keeping it grass roots thing" but more that those companies realise smaller shops and franchises build brand loyalty, people go back year after year for the same shoes.

The best selling shoes in that franchise are Mizuno Wave Riders they fly off the shelves apparently. Mizuno realise that their shoes are a niche market. So sell online and the specialist shops.

Nike and Adidas are very large companies with lots of fingers in lots of pies why should they sell to small reatilers when they can mass market through their stores?The bottom line is franchises get a better deal selling Saucony and others because they get a better deal from the shoe companies. More discount more choice and not dictated too by Nike et al "you will sell this and that"

(I dont work for a shoe shop btw)

You believed something said by a salesman? And you publicise your gullibility here?

(no offence to you intended) 

Wow. Yes indeed that is offensive.

If I had believed what he said I would not be here asking others what they think.  It didn't ring true, but I am only a begginer runner and want to do my research properly so I thought I would check what the general feeling about these brands was with others here.

I have run in Nike almost exclusively, except for trail shoes, for the last 10 years or something.  Yes if you can go into JD and look at any number of fashionable looking Nike shoes but their running shoes are good and the Pegasus is a very big seller.  Adidas I am sure will be similar.

Chris.52 wrote (see)

You believed something said by a salesman? And you publicise your gullibility here?

(no offence to you intended) 

Charming.