Footwear Insight

26 • Footwear Insight ~ January/February 2018 footwearinsight.com "We are always reacting to new materials and silhouettes that customers find interesting." PERSPECTIVES Getting into the The Roni Short Boot from Bernie Mev. Rachel Carn Bernie Mev How do you see the overall footwear market in terms of growth, challenges and opportunities for 2018? "The footwear market has changed more in the last five years than it has in the previous 20. Manufacturers should be more sensitive to the consumers' rapidly changing preferences and be able to respond to them quickly. We believe that challenges always present great opportunities for increased creativity and growth and they are what keeps the footwear industry dynamic and ever evolving." What are you reacting to with new products and directions? "We are always reacting to new materials and silhouettes that customers find inter- esting. Additionally, we're revamping our core collection with new colors and fin- ishes, adding a touch of 'glamleisure' for the upcoming year. However, while we are always excited to refresh our products, we don't forget that simplicity and functional- ity is the cornerstone of our brand." How do you see the retail market, what are the successful stores doing and what advice would you offer to retailers? "Retail is very challenging today, and for stores to survive they must be very creative while coming up with new ideas. Today in retail, bringing in great prod- ucts is not enough to compete with the massive online shopping empire. Brick-and-mortar stores must focus on their customers by offering excellent customer service and developing a deep understanding of their needs. While the online ocean of products can be overwhelming to consumers, retail stores can offer a meaningful connection between their products and their customers lifestyles. Stores can create a sense of community and commitment by getting their customers involved through social media and in store events that go beyond trunk shows and designer appearances, hosting interesting events that give their store a concept, a theme, a story. This draws customers back not only for the product, but also for the experience, and that is an advantage retail stores have over the often impersonal online shopping." If you could offer any advice to online sellers, what would it be? "I would encourage online sellers to keep the functionality of online shop- ping with easy browsing, quick payment options, and speedy shipping. However, they must create a more personal envi- ronment for the consumer in order to fill the gap between product and customer. In this sense, they must learn to oper- ate as a retail store while maintaining their online convenience. They can give their customers a more complete visual experience by creating pages that blend their products into a story, offering visual styling ideas and the backstory of their products. Taking customer service a step farther, online stores must con- tinue to develop and expand their live chat options available to their custom- ers in order to create a more personal shopping experience." O How will 2018 play out? We asked several brands in the comfort category for their New Year's views.

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