F
or Kathy Gates, the e-mail's subject line said it all: "Friends don't let friends
buy running shoes online."
Battling the increasing thrust of online shopping, Gates, owner of The
Running Well Store, went on the offensive with an email to customers high-
lighting the differences between shopping online and visiting one of her two
stores in metro Kansas City.
Gates noted the hassle of online shopping, citing research from the
University of Regensburg that found 30 percent of shoppers returned items
purchased online, before underscoring the expertise of her staff and the abil-
ity of the stores' training groups to boost athletic performance.
"At The Running Well Store, we believe in the perfect fit through a stride
analysis, having top-notch customer service, excellent product knowledge
RUNNING INSIGHT
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Source: PwC 2017 Total Retail Survey
of shoppers
research
footwear and
apparel
items online.
52 PERCENT
THE
BATTLE
WITH
ONLINE
SHOPPING
ONLINE
SHOPPING
BRICK &
MORTAR
BY DANIEL P. SMITH
