What does this mean????

RT, September 2013 issue, presents an interesting statistic:

"According to the National Sporting Goods Association, 44.6 million pairs of running shoes were sold in the U.S. in 2012, up 17.3 percent from 2011."

What in the world is this saying?

1- more people are running
2- shoes are more appealing, and non-runners wear them for the look
3 - shoes are more technical/focused (I myself own a road, trail, minimalist, and racing pairs)
4 - shoe quality has tanked, and shoes need to be replaced more frequently
5 - runners are running more, increasing the wear and tear on a per individual basis

I believe it is a combination of all of them, with a possible exception to #4.  I haven't seen too much evidence too poor shoe quality.  My own experience of early wear and tear is due to poor body mechanics . My late rotation, or suppination, has resulted in several shoes shearing on the outer fore foot.

Marathons are selling out.  This used to be a big issue for 10k races when I was young.  While there are plenty of couch to 5k programs, it appears people want to get that 26.2 magnet than ever before.  Note - the past two Marine Corp Marathons sold out in a couple of hours. 

Regarding shoe appeal...I see way to many obese people who wear vibram 5 fingers or other minimalist shoes. With all the new colors, we have moved away from the dull grey new balance from the 70s and 80s.  Though, I don't believe shoe color changed much from 2011 to 2012.

Shoe specialization is a no brainer.  I won't spend time on it.  With the increased popularity of trail running and minimalist running, many would need to carry multiple shoes to train on various terrain.  It has gotten to the point that some trail shoes are best suited for specific terrain.  Don't tell my wife, but it won't be long before I need more trail shoes to better train on rocky, or flat/fast, or even muddy terrain.

Thoughts?