The new interactive retail solution for Nike running

Abstract

CONTEXT The period of the ‘running-shoe-wearing-American tourist’ is no more. The old fashioned running shoes have entered a new era of high-tech fashionable performance items. The lighter materials, better fitting shapes and other new technologies allow reaching higher performances and a more comfortable fit. Today this is reflected by the higher amount of people wearing Nike performance shoes for multiple purposes. Therefore, Nike needs to keep up with the high demand from the rapidly changing user interests and needs. Nike does this by innovating in materials and technology for each new model they develop. SITUATION Although customers have a good idea about Nike’s innovative approach, customers are often not aware of specific technological implementations in the shoes and their contribution to users’ performance in sport. Willing to help this issue, Nike is communicating shoe characteristics in many ways at the shoe departments in stores. The information is provided by displays with text, images and footage on screens, posters or billboards. Unfortunately that information often does not reach customers despite the efforts Nike is putting into it. Text and images Nike use are good at drawing attention, however they do not fully transfer the intended information to potential customers. One reason could be that the proposed information is too linear. The information is not offered on the right moment in the purchasing consumer journey, which leads to clients’ indifference. PROJECT AIM This project aims to enrich consumers’ shopping experience in Nike stores when it comes to purchasing new running shoes. Making consumers conscious of the implemented technology in running shoes and benefits they procure will motivate them to use the shoes to their right purpose. Therefor, an interactive communication system has to be designed fitting the consumer journey in Nike stores. The system does not analyse users’ pronation. This is a subject that exceeds the purpose of providing information about shoes. The contexts of this system are Nike only stores (in Europe), which means that the designed experience should fit to Nike’s high-end and dynamic brand identity. RESULT / DESIGN Nike Solescape is the solution to this communication design assignment. The system is an interactive floor, which enriches the test-walk experience of the consumer. This interactive system provides information about the tested running shoe to the consumer by reacting to the consumer’s standing position. The concept reads the position the user is standing in and shows information about the characteristics of that part of the shoe. The user can explore and control the system intuitively by taking different static positions e.g. standing flat, on forefeet or heels. Also making dynamic movements e.g. jumping, walking and running. These different actions all activate different information and feedback. The system also gives instructions in case users inactivity. Nike Solescape is designed to keep the user trying and exploring autonomously new running shoes. The system is implemented in the floor, which keeps the threshold to use it low. EVALUATION This design is tested and evaluated by consumers. These consumers were amazed by the surprising and unusual way of interacting with a floor while testing running shoes. This astonishment was so important that users forgot to focus on the given information. However, the information offered by the system did enrich consumer knowledge of running shoes and their benefits. Also users were excited to go more often to Nike running stores in order to purchase running shoes if this system would be implemented. For the critical feedback users especially had remarks on the visualization of use cues and shoe ability scales. These visual use cues were minor points to improve. The very critical shortage to users’ needs is the absence of the analysing function of the product. The system provides information and does not take users’ way of walking in to consideration. This feature is according to consumers important to develop in the future.