Continued on page 12
If you were asked if you spoke the same language as your customer how would you answer? I suppose most would naturally answer “of course English” if we were speaking literally. Metaphorically however the answers vary. There is a generational shift in today’s customers. I suppose this isn’t much different than any other point in retail history. Let’s just say I’m more cognizant of this shift today than I was earlier in life. Perhaps because I have been studying retail trends for over 50 years I am finally able to step back from the forest and see the trees.
Customers today in their twenties and thirties (Gen Zers and Millennials) care about different things than we did at their age. Not surprisingly we viewed things differently than our parents did too.
This new generation of shoppers
align themselves with “causes” that are important to them. As such it is important that today’s retailers have at minimum a basic understanding of these issues if they intend to cater to and develop this base of customers. These customers will spend more if they feel that the retailers or the vendors they carry meet the criteria of the causes they support.
The word sustainable seems to be the mantra or at least the buzzword for this new generation of shoppers. According to Kait Costanti owner of Salchicha an upscale women’s boutique in Bozeman Montana “Our customers are well versed in sustainability and eco-conscious brands. They love to understand the ethos behind each line. As online shopping continues to grow our customers are interested in a dynamic and fresher take on shopping. They cling to the backstories behind each product – from where the companies source the fabric to who owns the brand and what social initiatives they are aligned with.”
She goes on to say that “the language our customer speaks is typically smaller women-owned vendors. They seek out
Well-Crafted Goods with a Story
Well-crafted goods that have a story behind them versus mass-produced inexpensive products made overseas. Many vendors understand this cultural shift and have adopted programs that support causes they feel are important to their customers.
Vendor Initiatives
Dress vendor Farm Rio gives back to the environment by planting trees. Sako a jewelry line from Africa is entirely women-owned. According to an online article published in an August 2023 issue of Retail Brew Walmart is investigating ways to turn its carbon emissions into textiles. Luxury brands from Ganni to Dolce & Gabbana have been working on faux fur alternatives and mushroom leather for a while.
Sustainability at the Core
Sustainability has been at the core of Patagonia’s business model since its inception in 1973. The iconic outdoor brand makes every effort to reuse their textiles to make more products and avoid landfills. They also use recycled textiles and factory floor cuttings in their products to minimize waste. Since 1985 Patagonia has pledged 1% of its sales to the preservation and restoration of the environment. It is therefore easy to understand how a customer whose main concern revolves around environmental issues would be more willing to support a company with core values like Patagonia’s.
Footwear Vendors and Carbon Neutrality
Many footwear vendors are attempting to become carbon neutral whether due to factory practices or simply by purchasing their way there. The Danish line Woden uses fish leather which is a by-product of the Icelandic fishing industry in all their sneakers. This fish leather comes from salmon skins and is said to be nine times stronger than calf leather. New Zealand company YY Nation claims carbon neutrality by making shoes out of bamboo cactus algae pineapple husks and sugar cane. YY Nation is committed to circularity meaning that they recycle worn shoes upcycle good shoes and collect shoes back (aka: returns) by using shoe boxes that can be repurposed.
Shipping Boxes
Blueview is replacing petroleum plastics with plant-based plastics in their eco-conscious footwear allowing them to start biodegrading in compost when exposed to air moisture and microorganisms.
Vintage/Recycle/Upcycle
Understanding the main differences between these programs might be helpful. Vintage according to commonly accepted industry standards pertains to items that are at least 20 years old yet they don’t have to be previously owned to qualify. Recycle is taking old materials breaking them down into new materials that can then be reused. The process of taking something no longer needed and transferring it to something new is known as upcycling.
What Language Does Your Customer Speak?
Ritchie Sayner
Published in the January/February 2024 issue of Shoe Retailing Today Copyright © 2024 National Shoe Retailers Association Tucson AZ www.nsra.org. All rights reserved.
- A fair severance package provide references and assist in their transition if possible.
Lastly learn from this experience. As your business grows the team will need to evolve with it. Regularly review your team’s alignment with your business’s vision and goals and Promise. Invest in their growth and development and communicate openly about changes and expectations. It’s your job as the leader to communicate your vision of the future. You can’t expect them to know what you’re thinking.
Navigating change isn’t easy but as a business owner it’s part of your journey. Remember it’s not just about making tough decisions but about how you make them. With empathy respect and clear communication you can navigate these challenges with grace turning potential stumbling blocks into stepping stones for growth.
Pete Mohr owns two Shoetopia locations in Canada and spends most of his time coaching business owners to move from operators to owners in their businesses. His
Podcast: Business Owner Breakthrough
The podcast Business Owner Breakthrough focuses on quick episodes with actionable steps to move your business forward. Pete can be reached at www.mohr.coach.
Expand Your Reach with Collaboration
When possible expand your reach and audience by partnering with another person or organization to do a collaboration post also known as a “Collab.” This is a post that will show up in two different accounts’ feeds featuring both accounts as authors. A Collab post will reach and share performance statistics from both of your audiences. This is an excellent way to get in front of a new audience and build trust and credibility.
To create a collaboration post first discuss with the account you’ll partner with (such as a local influencer or another business on your main street) and ensure both parties have approved the content. Then begin creating a new post or reel and after adding your caption click “Tag People” and then select the “Invite Collaborators” button. Choose the account you’d like to collaborate with which will then receive a notification they’ll need to accept through their profile.
Resale or Recycle Apparel and Footwear
Resale or recycle apparel and footwear is yet another example of a shopping trend gaining in popularity. A recent annual report by Thredup claimed that “the resale market will grow to $70 billion in 2027. The global market for used clothing is expected to more than double to $350 billion in that time. By the end of 2024 10% of the global apparel market is expected to be made up of secondhand clothing.”
A quick search of the internet will provide those interested with retailers and vendors that will recycle your clothes and footwear for money and rewards. The North Face Universal Standard Carter’s J.Jill Levi’s Eileen Fisher DSW Footwear and the aforementioned Patagonia are just a few of the many vendors and retailers that have developed recycle reuse and sustainability programs for their products.
Commissioned by Thrift Retailer Savers
Americans on average throw out 81 pounds of clothing each year. Since apparel can take hundreds of years to decompose in a landfill it’s easy to understand how younger generations support retailers and vendors that they feel are being proactive toward minimizing pollution. These younger customers have grown up their entire lives hearing about how pollution of all types is destroying the planet. Whether all sources on the pollution topic are credible is open for debate. What we can all agree on however is that a cleaner more sustainable environment makes life better for everyone on many levels.
Contributors
Sarah Barr M1 Director of Operations and Client Services provided inspiration for and contributed to this article.
Ritchie Sayner is with Advanced Retail Strategies LLC an affiliate of Management One. Sayner’s book Retail Revelations: Strategies for Improving Sales Margins and Turnover (2nd Ed.) is available on Amazon. He can be reached at www.advancedretailstrategies.com.
Floor Maintenance
Informing cleaning crews of the manufacturers’ recommended cleaning methods is critical to keeping floors looking good throughout their warrantied life. And if you need to replace some soiled/damaged pieces in the future do you have enough back-stock on hand? Dye lots change between runs so ordering more may not provide you with an exact match.
Conclusion
Take flooring seriously. It’s one of the most noticed finishes in a shoe store and really sets the tone for the space.
Take the following into consideration when making your decision:
In the end you’ll be happy you took the time to do so!
Lyn Falk is a consumer behavior specialist experience curator commercial interior designer and president of Retailworks Inc. a national retail design and consulting firm based in Milwaukee Wisconsin.
For more information visit www.retailworksinc.com.
You can reach Lyn directly at lfalk@retailworksinc.com.
Coach’s Corner
continued from page 4
continued from page 7
Language
continued from page 8
Flooring
continued from page 11
TODAY JAN-FEB 24
Summary
The article discusses the evolving consumer preferences among younger generations particularly Gen Z and Millennials who prioritize sustainability and social causes in their shopping habits. Retailers are adapting by aligning with eco-conscious practices and supporting causes important to these consumers as seen in initiatives by brands like Patagonia and Farm Rio. This shift highlights the importance for businesses to understand and communicate in the ‘language’ of their customers to remain relevant and appealing.
“Our customers are well versed in sustainability and eco-conscious brands. They love to understand the ethos behind each line.”
Real-World Examples of Sustainable Retail Practices
As consumers increasingly align themselves with causes they care about retailers are adapting by integrating sustainability into their business models. Here are some examples of how companies are responding to this trend:
- Patagonia has made sustainability a core part of its business model since 1973 using recycled textiles and pledging 1% of sales to environmental causes.
- Farm Rio a dress vendor contributes to environmental preservation by planting trees aligning with the eco-conscious values of their customers.
- YY Nation a New Zealand company achieves carbon neutrality by producing shoes from sustainable materials like bamboo and pineapple husks and promotes circularity by recycling and upcycling worn shoes.
