News

Taking technology a step farther

April 30, 2004

As consumer product customization seeps into every fabric of the marketplace, insole sales are skyrocketing. The only way to custom fit insoles is to define the exact measurement of someone's feet. And manufacturers, like Morresville, North Carolina-based Implus, are going high-tech, using kiosks to help drive product right into consumers' shoes.

The kiosk application called the Sof Sole FitSys Foot Scanner, provides a 30-second foot type analysis with a recommendation for insole, sock and shoe type. The foot scanner, manufactured by FiTracks, which specializes in hi-tech solutions for footwear and footcare industries, hooks into the bottom of the kiosk to provide the apparatus for people to stand on.

"We had seen similar technology at the World Shoe Association trade show," said Implus CEO Seth Richards, "and had been talking about customizing an interactive foot project where we could involve our consumers more." But this manufacturer of the number one brand premium insole in sporting goods and shoe stores wanted to look the part. Implus executives began searching for another way to create an interactive foot measurement system at marathons and also to use as a sales tool in retail stores. Richards wanted something that didn't take up much floor space, provided easy access, appeared futuristic and was user-friendly in one application.

Enter the kiosk. Meridian Kiosks of Southern Pines, North Carolina were chosen to provide the first eight and consequently the remaining kiosks for the program. "We were really thrilled to work with such a progressive company," said Meridian Kiosk CEO and founder Chris Gilder, who founded Meridian to produce kiosk solutions ranging from their standard line to complete custom solutions. Gilder, who was a nationally-recognized motocross athlete himself in the United Kingdom, was immediately interested in developing a kiosk for a company that produces athletic products. "I wish I'd had custom fitted insoles during my professional athletic career - they make such a difference," said Gilder. "It was a great match for both companies to be able to work together."

The kiosk application married what CEO Richards had wanted in the retail equation to help generate both insole and shoe sales. Since every foot is a one-of-a-kind machine that requires proper support with which most athletic shoes do not come equipped, the point of an insole is shock absorption. Laboratory testing revealed Sof Sole insoles reduced "G-force" impact up to 40 percent for a variety of footwear. To athletes and anyone who spends a great deal of time on their feet, insoles and their corresponding counterparts are must-haves.

The Sof Sole FitSys Scanner experience begins when a retail sales associate offers a customer an in-store custom foot scan to determine appropriate insoles. The customer steps on the scanning device in a natural position with his/her left and right feet centered on each half. Customers enter gender, shoe size, physical activity and then initiate the scan using the stainless steel tracking ball and keyboard on the kiosk.

"We liked the keyboard because it is virtually indestructible," said Marketing Associate Mark Overstreet. "Maintenance and durability was a huge factor in the design of the kiosks and Meridian was willing to customize for us."

After the scan is complete the CPU interprets the results, describes foot-type characteristics and needs and then recommends Implus products that meet those needs. Product attributes that match what the CPU suggests are on the corresponding Sof Sole package. If the customer buys new shoes, the sales associate can install the insole. Implus field representatives visit stores to train the staff on the kiosks. "We get about ten kiosks a week and they go out almost as fast as we get them in," said Overstreet, "And we expect approximately 100 more to go out within the next year."

And at marathons, the kiosk is a hot item. Total sales of Implus insole and sock products in areas where the FitSys scan kiosk has been featured have doubled. At larger marathons, two kiosks are needed to handle the lines of athletes and onlookers who want their feet scanned.

"Total revenue went up 160 to 170 percent," said Implus Director of Marketing John Andrews, "Kiosks are everywhere and our kiosk lends credibility to the product that a desktop or laptop does not." Andrews said they have taken their kiosks to 18 marathons in the past year. "There is a queue under the scanner so we know what the kiosk traffic is."

Richards said the laptop used at their first marathon did not come close to generating the same interest as the kiosk. "Kiosks have been a major piece of the puzzle," he said.

"Sof Sole FitSys insoles and socks are designed to work extremely well together and we wanted to provide a kiosk that worked as seamlessly with customers as their products do," said Gilder. "The Sof Sole Gel Pad was the Sportstrend Footwear Accessory of the Year in 1998 and Sof Sole products are recommended by foot care specialists worldwide, so we knew their kiosk product had to be exceptional."

In fact, insoles are widely endorsed by medical professionals and consumers. In a major study published in the APMA Journal, 122 New York City police officers who walk a three-mile per day beat wore shoe insoles for five weeks. 70 percent said they continued wearing the insoles after the study. According to numerous medical sources, Metatarsalgia, or pain in the ball-of-the-foot, Plantar Fasciitis or heel pain and other exercise-induced overuse injuries can be helped by biomechanical control and cushioning of many Sof Sole products.

"In our research about the Implus product, we ran across a lot of testimonials from customers and studies conducted about insoles," said Gilder. "One study found that 55 percent of Americans missed a day of work because of foot pain. The kiosk is a great way to educate people about the benefits of the Implus products."

The success of the Sof Sole FitSys kiosk program has also been measured. According to feedback from a recent survey conducted by Implus, retailers were quoted as saying "the kiosk has increased sales for all of our shoe insoles" and "customers have brought their friends in to scan their feet after they realized much they liked their insoles." With average daily scans at 13.4 and a 38 percent in-store kiosk-supported conversion rate, expect to see the Sof Sole FitSys Foot Scanner kiosk making encore performances in retail stores and at the Boston, Bloomsday, Indy Mini and other marathons this year.

Researchwww.sofsole.com www.meridiankiosks.com 

Originally published in the May/Jun 2004 issue ofKioskmagazine.