Learning Lessons from Adidas and Amazon: Give Your Customers that Warm and Fuzzy Feeling
There’s a big difference between selling a product — and providing an experience that your customer will never forget.
I recently had a conversation with a friend, debating the pros, cons, and differences between shopping online versus traditional shopping in person. My friend (non-millennial) explained that he really enjoyed the experience of going out and shopping at stores. He said that he enjoyed spending hours walking around searching — until he finally found the perfect gift.
For my friend, this (primitive) shopping tactic brought a deep sense of ownership and fulfillment. He really puts his heart into it.
He went on to explain that when he comes home with those perfect gifts, his wife always asks him: why on earth would you buy them in the store, when they’re cheaper and more convenient to buy online?
I typically agree with his wife. I mean, time and money are precious, so why even consider walking into the madness of a brick and mortar?
But then I started to reflect on this mindset my friend has. Maybe it could benefit my millennial, instant-gratification, overly efficient mind.
I gathered my thoughts while I was staring at the waiting screen for the release of the new Adidas Yeezy Boosts.
*Adidas Yeezy Boost is the official collab sneaker by Kanye West and Adidas
There is a limit quantity for these shoes, and they select buyers through lottery system. I found that pretty fascinating, and it left me with time to contemplate my recent train of thought.
My thoughts continued to transform while I stared at the scrolling wheel, waiting for a chance to make my purchase.
Side note: I think the shoes are quite aesthetically pleasing, although I’m no shoe aficionado. I was also considering their resale value… that’s besides the point.
Regardless of my affinity towards the shoes or not, I was becoming more frustrated, and yet more excited about this buying process.
Insert ah-ha! moment…
I’ve written about the power about creating exclusivity, even here on Medium. But this was a whole new concept — making me to want to get off of my sofa in the comfort of my sweats, and go to the store. I was pumped!
I never actually got up, but still, I wanted to.
Adidas creates a thrilling experience for their consumers, producing value through exclusivity, rather than focusing on the shoes as a product.
So how can this be a learning lesson for other brands? And how does it relate to marketing trends and brand value?
Focusing on the experience
For a great deal of time, shoe companies (and many others) such as Adidas, Nike, Converse, and so on, would strictly focus on selling shoes. And by that, they would highlight the tangible features, such as design, features, and price.
But now there are hundreds — if not thousands — of competitors that make similar quality shoes. With the power of the Internet (let’s not talk about Net Neutrality here), consumers can do research and find endless variations of the products they want.
That’s why companies like Adidas started to focus on the consumer experience. Selling experiences such as exclusive releases, membership benefits, and people-oriented programs created non-tangible results — and at the end of the day, provided a much deeper sense of fulfillment.
And then came Amazon
Regardless of your thoughts about online shopping versus going in person, Amazon created an entirely new culture for the consumer buying process.
Their FREE two-day shipping for Prime account holders feeds right into culture of last minute shopping, easy access, and instant gratification… everything millennials love.
This created an expectation for other brands to raise the bar within their customer buying process (by means of quick shipping) as a bare minimum.
And then there is the ease-of-use factor, which creates a strong selling point for users to shop online. Being that a purchase can arrive to a doorstep within a couple days shifts the expectations of consumers entirely.
Wrapping things up
With all of this in mind — it’s critical that companies and brands focus on selling a unique experience. Just like Adidas does.
What am I talking about?
I’m talking about that warm and fuzzy feeling you get when you’ve gone through your trials and tribulations searching for the perfect gift, and then finally succeeding.
But… with the added convenience of shopping on Amazon.
The way organizations market must reflect the growing and changing traits of humans; expectations, needs, and trends.
While I can’t say that I’ll be doing most of my holiday shopping in person, I can say that I firmly stand behind brands that give more than just a product.
