Thought storyStory 04
The customer bought, but nobody asked what happened next.
The customer bought running shoes. What happens next?
We looked at the opportunities for an Estonian sports retail chain alongside larger competitors. If a competitor has more stores, a wider selection, a stronger loyalty programme and more money for marketing, how could a smaller local company win?
One interesting idea emerged. Perhaps the answer is not to try to build a better system than the competitor, but to get to know its customers properly.
What did we notice?
People come into sports shops every day for very different reasons.
One wants to start running again after five years. Another has a child going to football practice for the first time. A third is preparing for a long hike, and a fourth needs new shoes because the old ones hurt their knees.
But how much do we actually learn about those reasons?
The checkout system shows that someone bought running shoes for €139. But it does not tell us why they bought them, what they want to achieve or whether the shoes even suit them.
And this may be where a smaller sports retail chain has an opportunity.
What if the sale did not end at the checkout?
Imagine going to buy running shoes. Instead of starting with “Can I help?”, the salesperson asks what you want to do with those shoes.
You explain that you would like to start running again after a long break, but your knee has caused problems before.
The salesperson helps you find a suitable pair. Before you leave, they ask whether they may get in touch in a couple of weeks to see how the shoes are working out.
Two weeks later, a message arrives. Not another discount offer, but a simple question: “How are your runs going? Are the shoes working for you?”
If everything is going well, the next contact might be an invitation to a group run.
Of course, this is one possible example, not a description of how the company works today.
But the idea is simple. A competitor may know what you bought. You could know why someone bought it and what they want to do next.
What would we try?
I would not start with a large loyalty programme or a new IT solution.
I would take one store, one product category and a couple of salespeople. Running shoes, for example.
Over 12 weeks, we would try to learn three things: why someone came into the shop, what is holding them back right now and whether they would like the shop to stay in touch with them about it.
We would talk to real customers, try the new approach and see how many return or make another purchase.
Perhaps we would find that people do not want this kind of contact. Or perhaps it would turn out to be exactly why they would choose the same shop next time.
A fairly small experiment in real sales can test that.
What stayed with me from this story?
Sports shops spend a lot of energy and money getting people through the door. But once someone is there, that encounter could lead to more than a single purchase.
People do not always buy just running shoes. They may be buying themselves the chance to start exercising again, prepare for their first marathon or spend more time with their children.
Perhaps a smaller sports retail chain does not need to know everything about its customers' purchases. It may be enough to know the people behind those purchases better.
Then there would be a reason to talk to them next time too.
This story describes a growth hypothesis based on the competitive situation of an Estonian sports retail chain. The company name has been omitted. The customer contact experiment described is a proposal, not research already carried out or a result already achieved.