// The sale of active & outdoor footwear at Hotter Shoes jumped up by 65% in July 2021 compared to July 2019
// At the start of the first lockdown the retailer added 32 new styles to its comfort and casual lines
Hotter Shoes has reported that sales of casual shoes have nearly doubled during the pandemic with no signs of the trend slowing.
The comfort footwear brand saw a 65 per cent jump in sales of active and outdoor shoes in July 2021 compared to the same month in 2019.
In addition to this, the category now accounts for 20 per cent of Hotter’s total footwear sales, up from 11 per cent two years ago.
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.
Hotter Shoes chief executive Ian Watson 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 focused on enhancing its customer experiences online and in-store.
The retailer is offering industry-leading footprint technology in its 17 stores, providing a 3D foot scanning facility to accurately measure foot width and size as well as its augmented reality app which allows customers to try on products 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.”
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