What Are The Advantages Of A Functionality Delivery Over Ownership Model For Professional Footwear? Maximize Durability

The functionality delivery model fundamentally alters the economics of professional footwear. Instead of a traditional transfer of ownership, this model—often called a Product Service System (PSS)—relies on leasing or pay-per-use structures where the manufacturer retains title to the product. This shift creates a direct financial incentive for manufacturers to prioritize durability, maintenance, and end-of-life management over simple sales volume.

By retaining ownership, manufacturers are no longer motivated to sell more units through planned obsolescence; instead, they are incentivized to build longer-lasting products to maximize resource efficiency and minimize replacement costs.

The Economic Shift: From Volume to Value

Changing the Profit Incentive

In a traditional sales model, revenue relies on selling as many pairs of shoes as possible. The functionality delivery model inverts this logic.

Because the manufacturer earns revenue through service (leasing) rather than one-off sales, their profitability depends on the product performing well for as long as possible.

Manufacturer Retention of Ownership

The defining feature of this model is that the user never owns the footwear.

The manufacturer retains full responsibility for the asset. This creates a closed loop where the creator of the product is also its permanent steward.

Impact on Product Design and Quality

Incentivizing Superior Durability

When the manufacturer is responsible for replacements, a fragile product becomes a liability.

To avoid the costs associated with frequent replacements, manufacturers are driven to use robust construction methods. Durability becomes a cost-saving measure for the business, not just a feature for the user.

Adoption of Higher Quality Materials

This model encourages the use of premium, long-lasting materials during production.

While these materials may be more expensive upfront, they reduce the total cost of ownership for the manufacturer by extending the shoe's usable life.

Lifecycle and Resource Efficiency

Integrated Maintenance Responsibility

Under this model, the manufacturer takes responsibility for maintenance throughout the shoe's life.

This ensures professional repairs are performed to extend the product's utility, rather than discarding the footwear at the first sign of wear.

Maximizing Resource Utilization

The ultimate advantage of this approach is a drastic increase in resource utilization efficiency.

By controlling the entire lifecycle—from production to recycling—the manufacturer ensures that materials are used to their fullest potential and properly reclaimed at the end of the service life.

Understanding the Trade-offs

Operational Complexity for Manufacturers

While this model improves product quality, it shifts a heavy operational burden onto the manufacturer.

They must establish infrastructure for reverse logistics to handle returns, maintenance, and recycling. This requires a business capability beyond simple manufacturing and distribution.

Making the Right Choice for Your Goals

To determine if a functionality delivery model aligns with your organizational needs, consider your primary objectives:

If your primary focus is Environmental Sustainability: This model is superior as it maximizes resource efficiency and ensures proper recycling through manufacturer responsibility.
If your primary focus is Product Durability: This model offers the highest value, as the manufacturer is financially incentivized to use high-quality materials that resist wear.

This model transforms footwear from a disposable commodity into a durable, managed asset.

Summary Table:

Feature	Traditional Ownership Model	Functionality Delivery Model (PSS)
Core Objective	Maximize sales volume	Maximize product life and service
Ownership	Transferred to the user	Retained by the manufacturer
Incentive	Planned obsolescence/replacement	High durability and repairability
Maintenance	User's responsibility	Integrated manufacturer service
Sustainability	Linear (Take-Make-Waste)	Circular (Resource Efficiency)
Quality Focus	Cost-driven production	Performance and longevity-driven

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References

Angelo Bonfanti, Alfonso Vargas Sánchez. The contribution of manufacturing companies to the achievement of sustainable development goals: An empirical analysis of the operationalization of sustainable business models. DOI: 10.1002/bse.3260

This article is also based on technical information from 3515 Knowledge Base .