Study of the competitive Environment in the spanish Footwear Sector and the Digital Strategy for an Emerging Technology Based Start-up

Abstract

The retail sector is one of the most important in the Spanish economy. In addition, the national footwear industry is very strong in Europe, behind Italy. However, globalization and digitalization worldwide have forced the traditional business to swing to the online channel, so that business models have changed. The lack of literature on the state of the Spanish footwear retail sector means that there is a lack of information to decide how to enter the market for new entrepreneurs. This thesis analyses mainly the context of the national market and examines the business models of brands of different characteristics that already operate in Spain.

The business models have been studied through a qualitative analysis with interviews, which allows us to know the most important blocks and types of the business model according to the companies themselves. In addition, these individual results have been compared with the results of the other companies, so that the information has been intercrossed to establish common points and differences between models.

Finally, once the results had been analyzed and compared, a discussion was held in which the results were commented on. Patterns have been found that allow for the establishment of a small guide to market entry, also taking into account the existing barriers to entry. The most relevant blocks have been the value proposition and the relationship with customers and their segmentation. Since this research may require further investigation in certain areas, the results of this thesis can be used as an informational aid for those who are or will be engaged in footwear retailing.