Community Retail
TOMS Flagship Store
TOMS Flagship Store
"With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One."
Currently, TOMS sells shoes (and now, sunglasses!) on their website, and in independent stores. A flagship store would give them a stronger presence, and would help to expand their devoted fan base. I learned about the brand and culture through website analysis and interviews with TOMS lovers and skeptics:
TOMS is all about the community that supports it.
Customers can make an account on the TOMS website and upload images of themselves wearing their TOMS or showing TOMS pride. The website also promotes social events like One Day Without Shoes and Style Your Sole parties.
It's about making a direct connection between customers and shoe drop recipients.
The idea of "One for One" is that one person who buys a pair of shoes makes a difference for a person who needs a pair of shoes. The website keeps customers up to date on upcoming shoe drops, and often features videos of
Skeptics doubt durability, for themselves and for shoe drop recipients.
Almost everyone I interviewed knew what TOMS were, but those who didn't own a pair believed that the shoes would not last. Skeptical customers looking for a socially conscious option feel that TOMS simplicity fails to protect shoeless kids' feet from the elements
The classic TOMS style doesn't fit with everyone's personalities
When people think of TOMS, they think of the classic one-color espadrille. They don't know about all of the different designs, and they often don't think it fits with their personal styles.
Currently, TOMS sells shoes (and now, sunglasses!) on their website, and in independent stores. A flagship store would give them a stronger presence, and would help to expand their devoted fan base. I learned about the brand and culture through website analysis and interviews with TOMS lovers and skeptics:
TOMS is all about the community that supports it.
Customers can make an account on the TOMS website and upload images of themselves wearing their TOMS or showing TOMS pride. The website also promotes social events like One Day Without Shoes and Style Your Sole parties.
It's about making a direct connection between customers and shoe drop recipients.
The idea of "One for One" is that one person who buys a pair of shoes makes a difference for a person who needs a pair of shoes. The website keeps customers up to date on upcoming shoe drops, and often features videos of
Skeptics doubt durability, for themselves and for shoe drop recipients.
Almost everyone I interviewed knew what TOMS were, but those who didn't own a pair believed that the shoes would not last. Skeptical customers looking for a socially conscious option feel that TOMS simplicity fails to protect shoeless kids' feet from the elements
The classic TOMS style doesn't fit with everyone's personalities
When people think of TOMS, they think of the classic one-color espadrille. They don't know about all of the different designs, and they often don't think it fits with their personal styles.
Large benches, rather than individual chairs, encourage communication and interaction between customers, extending the online community into the physical store.
Child mannequins appear to be running around the store, reminding customers of the end goal: to get shoes on the kids who need them most. In the children's section, a mannequin sits on the ground, surrounded by a pile of shoes. This invites children to interact with the product on their own level.
A virtual game allows customers in the store to play soccer with shoe drop recipients around the world. It connects with a solar-powered, portable version that volunteers can take with them. This gives children a playful way to understand the connection between themselves and recipients.
Many people doubt the durability and structure of TOMS. For this reason, the floor of the store has four different surfaces for customers to experience— carpet, concrete, wood, and Playtop surfacing.
In order to convince every customer that there is a TOMS style for them, they are greeted at the entrance by a bin full of button pins. Each pin depicts wording and imagery that expresses a different style, from princess to outdoorsman, classic to artist. The pins connect wirelessly with a screen that arcs into the store, so that as a customer passes with a button on, the screen depicts someone walking beside them with a pair of TOMS they might connect with.
