Footwear retailer launches direct-to-consumer channel with new e-commerce platform investment

Footwear retailer launches direct-to-consumer channel with new e-commerce platform investment

Fast-growing health and wellbeing footwear company, Fitflop, has selected on-demand e-commerce provider, Venda to support the launch of its first website.

Fitflop footwear makes sandals, shoes and boots for men and women that give the wearer a workout as they walk. It chose the Venda e-commerce platform based on the provider’s experience in delivering secure and scalable websites for many global brands, and the ability to access the expertise of Venda’s Community of Interest, which it said is the largest e-commerce community in the world.

Scott Thomson, Fitflop managing director, commented: “As the market leader in health and wellbeing footwear, Fitflop recognised the importance of offering its full collection online and direct to the consumer. Venda has delivered a well-managed and flexible solution that we have been able to customise heavily to suit our brand. At the same time, we’ve benefited from the transactional scalability that a best-of-breed platform can deliver.

“I’m impressed with the support and service that Venda delivered throughout the site build, and am looking forward to working with the Venda team to drive incremental revenue through the value-add initiatives that it delivers as part of the service. We hope our customers will be as excited as we are about this step forward.”

Early signs online are positive

The new site uses Venda Flash Merchandising to deliver interactive and engaging merchandising, as well as other feature-sets available to all Venda customers, including ‘recently viewed items’, quick view on product list pages and automated bestsellers to deliver a rich customer experience. The new website also links to social networks such as Facebook, allowing shoppers to discuss products and purchases for further engagement with the brand.

Venda’s enterprise-wide Payment Card Industry (PCI) Tier 1 Compliance – the top security standard recognised by the payment industry – gave Fitflop the confidence to outsource its e-commerce technology to the third party. In its first few days, Fitflop has already seen fast return on investment with the sales generated through the website.

Fitflop also plans to make use of Venda’s international scale to help expand into the German, Italian, Dutch and Belgian markets early next year.