Victory Launches Discounted Asics Running Shoes in Select Stores Across Israel
Israeli retail chain Victory has started selling Asics Gel NYC running shoes at a discounted price of 399 shekels, down from the usual 799 shekels. The offer is available in five of its 69 branches located in Ayalon, Bat Yam, Ofakim, Dimona, and Rosh HaAyin-Afek, with a stock of 1,000 pairs in sizes ranging from 36 to 48. Some of the colors offered have never been sold in Israel before, and while some online sites sell similar models at comparable but higher prices, this remains an attractive deal for Asics enthusiasts. The official importer, Originals (Alsharid), sells the Gel NYC models for between 719.9 and 799.9 shekels. Asics is a Japanese brand known for its gel cushioning technology that absorbs shocks in running shoes.
This move continues Victory's trend of selling non-traditional supermarket items such as iPhones, fuel, real estate, and refrigerators alongside everyday groceries. This strategy, also adopted by other chains like Rami Levy and Yohananof, aims to attract customers by offering parallel imports at competitive prices. Other retailers like Machsanei Hashuk and Shufersal have also introduced parallel imports of brands like New Balance and Lego.
Victory recently released its financial results for Q2 and the first half of 2026, announcing plans to increase online sales from 7% to 10%, potentially expanding parallel imports on its website. Despite these efforts, Victory's total revenues for Q2 stood at 636 million shekels, with a 0.7% overall sales decline and a 7.4% drop in same-store sales, partly due to the "With the Lion" military operation and the timing of Passover this year. Sales to the Gaza Strip, where Victory is an authorized distributor for the Ministry of Defense, helped mitigate the decline. In contrast, competitors Rami Levy and Yohananof saw sales growth during this period. Victory's gross profit margin rose to 24.7% in Q2, and the company expects further efficiency gains from integrating nearly 600 foreign workers, despite initial higher costs.
