Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1486062
TRENDINSIGHT Price and selection. Item was not available in store. Female 39 e option for more color choices compared to the store. Male 29 Price was lower online. Female 44 I do like to know if I can purchase a much cheaper product online. But if the service is outstanding I will buy it in store. Female 50 Discounted pricing/easier returns online. Male 30 I shopped at an independent footwear store, and the owner suggested I order from a specific brand's website for an option that they didn't have in-store and that would take a long time for them to order. e owner was very transparent and friendly about the suggestion, which I appreciated (and which fosters trust with that store). Female 49 Yes. I am motivated by price. If I see the same shoe cheaper elsewhere and in my size I will buy them. Female 33 e price is better online...but I always feel bad doing this. I will only do it if there is a HUGE difference in price. Female 33 Are your shopping habits different now than they were before the pandemic when it comes to shopping and purchasing footwear in-store vs. choosing to shop and purchase online? Have you ever gone into a store to try on your footwear and then left to purchase the same item online at a site not affiliated with that store? If yes, why? 9% 14% 26% 51% I shop in stores more now I shop in stores less now I shop online more now No change in my shopping habits More seating areas and DEFINITELY more mirrors to be able to see yourself in the shoes!! Female 44 More time to walk around in store with the shoes so I don't bring them home and then need to return them. Female 48 Being able to try on shoes without feeling like I must hurry to decide. Female 39 at the shoes are always in stock. Usually we have to wait for them to be shipped. Female 49 e only change I would suggest would be to have more options as far as the brands they carry. Female 38 I suppose having more knowledgeable staff on hand who understand the type of ways I intend to use the footwear. Male 33 If your selling running or sports shoes, the associates should be aware of the different support or design the shoe is for. Having better educated associates helps reduce the amount of injured customers. Female 27 I'd include more discounts and also being able to go in store and price compare. I'd like to go into a store and negotiate my price especially if I find it cheaper online, I think they should honor it. Female 33 I wish the shoes where cheaper and last longer. Female 44 More customer service and acknowledgement by staff. Female 42 Assuming that there are employees ready and willing to help, being offered a drink would be a nice touch. Male 31 Price matching. Female 43 Honestly, more informed associates employees. Female 39 To have a Frequent Buyers Club option. Female 44 If I could change things, the shoe I want would always be in stock. Male 38 Maybe have a sort of hybrid experience: the in store experience with the selection and diversity of the online retailers. Male 37 Offer price matching so if I find it online cheaper then I can just go ahead and get it for that price in the store. Male 45 I wish more sales associates would come up to me and ask if I need help with anything rather than them standing around talking and on their phones on Facebook or TikTok. Female 45 ere is not anything that I would change because the experience has been inviting, relaxing and well worth it. Female 40 I think a pair of socks and/or shoelaces should come with every purchase. Female 29 Due to the pandemic, stores have less staff and it can sometimes take a long time to find a sales associate to get you sizes to try on. I miss having more people to help with that. Male 38 I would like the associate to discuss with me other shoes that might be equally as comfortable. Female 43 Sales people's attitudes. I'm finding myself shopping more online to not deal with the rudeness of staff. Lately sales people don't care that their commission is effected or they don't get commission so they don't care how they treat you even at the high-end stores. Female 49 I like stores that encourage taking the shoes outside for a test run or running on a treadmill in the store. Female 33 More discounts on multiple purchases. Female 46 If I could change one thing about the in-store footwear shopping, it would be to have a loyalty program where you receive special credits or discounts or free socks aer purchasing a certain number of shoes from the same retailer. Female 22 I like a comfortable atmosphere. Some running stores I go into, it almost feels like I need to prove myself as a runner to the associates. Male 35 e constant upselling. I get it, I used to be in sales, but it makes me not want to buy shoes in stores, especially specialty stores. Female 42 at the associate would have different styles already available in my size so I can choose from a wide selection. Male 27 "We appreciate your business so much we're going to offer you a 40% off deal on these shoes today." (For no reason at all.) Otherwise, I'm pretty satisfied with shopping for footwear in-store. Male 59 If you could change one thing about your in-store footwear shopping experience, what would that be? 49% YES 51% NO Does the concept of "shopping local" and supporting local business impact where you choose to shop for your footwear? 48% YES 52% NO When shopping in brick-and-mortar stores, please rank in terms of importance when choosing where to shop for footwear. 1. Selection 2. Prices 3. Location 4. Service 5. Atmosphere 6. Speed 48 • Footwear Insight ~ November/December 2022 footwearinsight.com

