We had a team outing today at the bowling alley. As I waited in line to get my shoes, I watched the lady behind the desk spray/disinfect the inside of each shoe on the counter (probably around 50). This observation got me thinking...what is the typical life of a bowling shoe? (See, although I work in HR now I am still a Supply Chain nerd) As far as shoes go, bowling shoes really have it pretty easy. Yes, they get wear and tear, but they are in a controlled environment and not exposed to the elements. On the other hand, their life is fairly boring, as they engage in repetitive actions daily with no real excitement (except when it is $3 pitcher night I'm guessing). They are also used every/every other day, unlike the shoes in my closet that have to compete with 50 of their closest friends. Taking these things into consideration, I would estimate that an average bowling shoe lasts between 2 and 2.5 years. I now must create a way to measure my hypothesis....any suggestions?
