Hotter Shoes reports double hike in casual shoe sales
Hotter Shoes has seen sales of casual shoes nearly double throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
Furthermore, the comfort footwear brand experienced a 65% jump in sales of active and outdoor shoes in July 2021 compared to the same month in 2019. In addition, the category now accounts for 20% of Hotter’s total footwear sales, up from 11% two years ago.
Ian Watson, chief executive of Hotter Shoes, said: “There’s been an ongoing shift in footwear trends and corresponding sales during recent years which have been amplified by the pandemic as outdoor leisure and staycations surged and office working, which typically fuels the formal wear market, declined. We anticipate this demand for active footwear will only continue.
“Our strategy was focussed on these categories, however our teams responded and accelerated our product range expertly at the start of the first lockdown, adding 32 new styles to the brand’s comfort and casual lines further driving purchases and giving us the capability to sell the types of footwear our customers needed throughout.”
During the last 18 months, Hotter has invested heavily in technology and in enhancing its customer experiences online and in-store. In addition to offering footprint technology that provides a 3D foot scanning facility in its shops, it has also launched augmented reality in its app to enable customers to try on products virtually from anywhere in the world.
Victoria Betts, chief commercial officer at Hotter, said: “While the last 18 months have been challenging for so many reasons in the retail sector, we’ve been sure to focus on what will secure future growth and longevity for the Hotter brand. We’ve harnessed leading technology alongside developing fantastic, relevant products and brilliant in-store and online experiences to provide excellent customer service.
“The future of the retail sector depends on a hybrid of all of these elements. We believe we’re leading the way in our category; ensuring that our customers can purchase the products they need to suit their lives in a bespoke and convenient way.”
Hotter’s two best selling products this year so far are Leanne ll and Walk l, both active shoes launched in the spring/summer of 2021.
