1)Nike, Adidas & Puma sell aspiration that makes you feel like an athlete before you become one. Decathlon cracked India with trust & access. No celebs, just quality at honest prices. It's where middle class families discover sport. That's how habits & loyalty are built.
2) Most Indian brands sell athleisure, not performance. They look good but fail under stress, no real R&D, no athlete testing. They sell products, not belonging. No community building, no running clubs, no athlete support. That’s where global brands pull ahead.
3) Indian brands chase influencers and Instagram aesthetics, but lack consistency, offline presence, distribution and category focus. Sports is tactile & people want to try products before buying. Global brands win with retail, experience, and trust. Indian brands stay stuck online.
How does Indian consumer think?
1) Indian consumers are price-conscious, but not at the cost of aspiration. They’ll skip a local ₹2,000 shoe and instead save up for a Nike or Puma at ₹6000+ because global brands offer trust and status. Price alone doesn’t win, perceived value and brand story matter more.
2) Most Indian brands still design with a male first lens but urban women shop more for running, yoga and fitness. If you ignore them you miss the fastest-growing segment. The average Indian buyer choose safe & established over new and edgy.
Indian brands sell sportswear but global brands build sport culture. I think if you can make performance cool, communities visible, and quality obvious. There’s a real shot at the pie. But it won’t be quick. You’ll have to play the long game.
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