Asphaltgold founder: Customers will forego ski trip but not new sneakers

Asphaltgold is one of the growing groups of retailers and brands that do not participate in discount battles on Black Friday. Instead, the German sneaker retailer is setting an example against racism with a charity campaign. Sporting the motto “We all walk the same earth”, Asphaltgold is selling a t-shirt in 16 different languages and donating all proceeds to the European Network Against Racism.

Without Black Friday stress to consider, Asphaltgold founder Daniel Benz took the time to talk about why the retailer didn't run a discount promotion, what sneakers are hot right now and how things have been for the company since the aquisition through the Swiss Arklyz Group and sneaker sales in the current economic situation.

Asphaltgold is not participating in any Black Friday discount campaigns and is instead launching a motto-t-shirt against racism. How did this decision come about?

As Black Friday became strongly established in Germany over the last few years, we noticed how much focus there is on retail on this day. Visits to the online shop increase massively from one day to the next. This prompted us to think about using this momentum to make a statement that is close to our hearts. In 2020, the horrific attack in our neighbouring town of Hanau finally encouraged us to forego the price wars and sales and use the attention of the sneaker community for something more important.

In the sneaker world, the topic of racism came into focus with Kanye West's comments. How do you deal with this as a retailer? Have Yeezys been removed from your range as a result?

We clearly distance ourselves from any kind of racism. Adidas has also decided the same and dissolved the cooperation with Kanye West. Accordingly, as of today, there will be no more Adidas Yeezys in collaboration with Kanye West. Neither here, nor anywhere else.

Who or what could be the new Yeezy?

In my view, there will be no one-to-one replacement here - nor should there be. The sneaker and fashion world is characterised by individuality and therefore remains interesting.

Which models are selling well with you right now?

Luckily, this question cannot be answered in one sentence, as the sneaker world is currently very diverse. In addition to retro basketball silhouettes like a Nike Air Force, Dunk or New Balance 550, running styles from the 2000s are still very popular. Asics and New Balance are currently the strongest brands here. Gorpcore too continues to play a major role, represented by Salomon and Hoka, for example. Within streetwear, we are also seeing more demand for “classic” non-sneaker models such as Clarks Wallabees, Dr. Martens 1461 or Loafers.

Apart from the big names, which labels should we keep an eye on?

Apart from the big sports companies, Veja, Autry and Salomon are currently showing great sales figures and growth.

You offer many sneakers in the online shop at reduced prices even without a special promotion. Are there too many new models being released, or what is the reason for that?

In our industry, we order the goods seven to ten months in advance. This automatically means that not every trend and desire can be forecast in a razor sharp fashion. However, it certainly is one of the talents of Team Asphaltgold.

Does a longer-term sale also make it easier to do without a Black Friday?

Probably 99.9 percent of all sneaker and fashion e-commerce formats have a year-round sales category on their sites. This is indispensable for the reasons mentioned. Promoted sale campaigns bring a completely different momentum to sales. Black Friday is the strongest and most established day of the year here.

Black Friday also means that the advent season is just around the corner. How do you prepare for the Christmas business?

Sneakers and streetwear are year-round themes. However, we are looking forward to the holiday season and have prepared a heartfelt campaign for our community as always.

Have you noticed an effect of the current economic situation on yor customers?

Not so far. Presumably, people are currently still saving on other items. A sneaker or a new hoodie could probably still be in the sweet spot. In other words - I'll forgo the skiing trip but treat myself to a few new kicks instead.

How will you finish the 2022 financial year?

Happy and satisfied.

In the middle of the year, the Arklyz Group took over Asphaltgold. What has changed since then?

Nothing has changed for us. We spent a long time exploring which strategic partner could offer us the greatest added value and allow us to continue to operate independently. Including me, every colleague has the same responsibility as before. On top of that, we have the opportunity for a valuable exchange within the group.

In conclusion: What awaits us in the coming period and what are your plans for the next year?

After Black Friday, it's time to recap, clean up the desk and plan for 2023. As we review the past year, we realise once again what a great job the team has done. We also evaluate and discuss potentials and opportunities for improvement here.In 2023, there will be more great campaigns, events for our community, collaborations around sneakers and, as always, interdisciplinary highlights.

FashionUnited conducted this interview in written format.

This article was originally published on FashionUnited.de. Edited and translated by Simone Preuss.