While the Canadian market still lags behind the U.S. when it comes to e-commerce footwear, one Canadian retailer found success with an omni-channel strategy, focusing on a mix of in-store and online sales. In Canada, 80% of the retailer’s products are sold in physical stores, while 20% are sold through e-commerce, a figure expected to rise to 25% within three years. Notably, this is higher than the company’s U.S. e-commerce sales.
One of the retailer’s executives, in an interview with KPMG, highlighted increased e-commerce purchases are partly due to the retailer’s strong brand recognition within Canada. Additionally, that online sales often involve planned purchases online (versus spontaneous purchases in-store), including limited edition and exclusive products, contrasting with the more spontaneous nature of in-store purchases. Pre-pandemic, consumers were visiting stores with specific purchases in mind. That’s not the case anymore.
The retailer is also exploring social commerce, leveraging platforms like Meta for Shop storefronts and interactive purchasing features, and considering TikTok’s potential as an acquisition channel rather than a direct sales channel.
Central to the retailer’s strategy is the emphasis on seamless commerce and the necessity of an omnichannel approach, aiming for agility in a market where consumer preferences between essentials and treats fluctuate, leaving little room for products that don’t fall into either category. The company’s leadership believes that in such a dynamic market, building for agility is more practical than aiming for stability.
