Footwear Merchant Wholesalers — Business Survival Rate
An estimated 59% of footwear merchant wholesalers businesses survive their first 5 years, based on U.S. Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics. The annual business closure rate is 10.1%.
Is Footwear Merchant Wholesalers a Good Business to Start?
With a 59% five-year survival rate, footwear merchant wholesalers is near the national average (~50%). This means roughly half of new entrants will still be operating after 5 years — typical business risk that rewards solid planning and execution.
The annual exit rate of 10.1% indicates moderate turnover. Success depends on differentiation, location, and operational efficiency rather than inherent industry advantages.
Entry vs. Exit Rates
Annual rate of new businesses opening versus existing businesses closing.
Net negative: more businesses closing than opening (-1.9 pp spread).
Job Creation & Destruction
The industry is losing jobs faster than creating them — which may indicate automation, consolidation, or declining demand. Total employment: 170,425 workers across 11,274 firms.
Want to know how much footwear merchant wholesalers businesses actually make?
See full revenue benchmarks for Footwear Merchant Wholesalers →Frequently Asked Questions
- What percentage of footwear merchant wholesalers businesses fail?
- Approximately 41% of footwear merchant wholesalers businesses fail within their first 5 years. The annual closure rate is 10.1%, with 1,068 firms closing permanently in 2023.
- Is the footwear merchant wholesalers industry growing or shrinking?
- The footwear merchant wholesalers industry is currently stable with a net job creation rate of -0.2% per year. New businesses are entering at 8.1% while 10.1% close annually.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics (2023). Survival rate estimated from annual exit rates.