The Power of Customer Recommendation

 

Last year, I decided, after a long while that it was time to invest in a good pair of sports shoes. They had to be light, supportive, springy and sturdy. To support my resolve to go to the gym every day and for my dance classes. For about a decade now, except for a house and a car, I have been buying everything online. This is to the credit of online shopping portals that have taken every step possible to make it a smooth and reliable option. To list a few of them:

1)     Pictures of the product from every angle featuring HD zoom
2)     Videos of users wearing, using the product
3)     Review videos from Youtube
4)     Verified customer reviews
5)     Facility to ask question to previous buyers and the seller
6)     Easy return and exchange, often ‘no questions asked’
7)     Irresistible discounts

So, despite my finicky needs, I preferred to shop online for these shoes. Also, in a new city, the internet provides a sense of continuity and familiarity. I started out by asking a few fitness enthusiast friends for brand recommendations and nearly everyone recommended Nike and/or Asics. I have owned only Nike and also Sketchers shoes in the past. So, I was pretty sold to finding something suitable to me, within these brands only. And so, the hunt began. Endless options. Even within these 3 brands alone. Speaking of my specific needs, I wanted something that was not too expensive, appealed to my very picky sense of aesthetic which does not always go with what’s trending, but very importantly, they needed to be super comfortable. It didn’t take a lot of browsing to know that I would have to be ready to shell out at least 4K (hefty discounts) for something decent.

I zeroed in on and placed my order for a pair of white Nike shoes with a coloured swoosh and sole. They arrived. Only to make me realise I was still far from zeroing in. The fit was uncomfortable. They were stiff. Online review videos spoke of a concept called ‘break-in’. As though this discomfort was normal. I just didn’t feel convinced. I remember, not having to do that with new sports shoes before. These shoes looked good so it was a slightly tough decision to return them. But, return I did.  I suspect that Nike makes good shoes only in the above 10K range. The accessible range offers little beyond the swoosh on it. Next, I liked a pair of grey Sketchers that looked promising and were on a bumper discount.  When they arrived, I found them super comfortable but 2 sizes too big. The different shoe brands don’t use a standard size scale. Which makes online shopping for shoes a tad strenuous. Now, this pair made my feet feel like I had very comfortable skis on. I had to return these as well. Asics was just beyond my budget. Especially the ones with the features, I needed. Also, Asics was busy selling fancy NFT shoes, which were of no help to me in my current requirement. My hunt continued.

Throughout this time, on Amazon, sponsored brands would keep interrupting my scroll, that I habitually ignored. Because my mind was blocked to obscure unknown brands in this high involvement decision. However, there was this one pair of shoes by a brand called Asian, which caught my eye. They seemed to check all the boxes, except brand name. Fancy brands of shoes from across the globe, had me convinced that sports shoes are a high tech, complex engineered product. I was not inclined to gamble with a local brand for their expertise on this. Now, after having had to return two pairs of shoes from the favourite brands, something in me made me decide to give this local brand a go. “In any case, if I don’t like it”, I rationalised with myself, “I can return it”. Emboldened with this thought, I took a leap of faith with Asian Shoes. They arrived.

Opened the box to reveal these absolutely beautiful, lightweight, bendy yet sturdy and yet so comfortable pair of gorgeous dusty pink shoes. It was perfectly comfortable from the first wear. I wore it and hopped up and down, did some on the spot jogging, did a few salsa moves and a few shuffle moves and even spun pivoting on the tip of the shoes. I couldn’t believe it, these were such comfortable, liberating shoes! After trying those cheap, yet expensive Nike shoes, I had mentally reconciled to the possibility that no pair will be able to really be comfortable at first. But lo! I was feeling like what Cinderella legendarily would have felt in her glass shoe.

I did not return this pair. A little over a year of use – of daily wear and tear - it’s still going strong. I wear it to the gym every day, for my dance classes 4 times a week, and for long walks in the city and on treks and when travelling. It has withstood rain (dries quickly under the fan), dusty roads and cobbled streets.

Price? Rs. 469 after discount. Let that sink in.

I am yet to touch upon the theme of this post. The power of a recommendation system. These shoes are so gorgeous that people always ask me about them. Given my delight at the purchase, I would launch into the entire story I shared above. Last year at least 10 pairs of Asian shoes were purchased just based on my telling my friends. My friend’s dad heard my story and bought 6 pairs of shoes for his family as Christmas presents.

My story made them google the brand. It is endorsed by Dhoni by the way, which is enough to make them seal their faith and give the brand a shot. So celebrity endorsement definitely helped the brand’s cause in addition to er.. my endorsement.

I had simply shared my story. I did not urge anyone to buy. And yet, 10 pairs of Asian Shoes got sold based on my story. As a brand building consultant and marketing professional, this made me think. Long and hard. About myself as a customer:

a)      About how I gave an unknown (to me) brand a chance
b)     This started out when I tried out Micromax TV with a lot of scepticism 10 years ago to be pleasantly surprised. Also,  Xiaomi phones.
c)      How I no longer care about the Nike swoosh like I did a few years ago.
d)     How I unknowingly ended up advocating Asian shoes – leading to sales and being thanked later for the recommendation

Everyone knows the power of positive reviews. So, what’s new? Well, the reason why my word sold 15 pairs is because anyone could tell that my reviews were not incentivised. They were a real and heartfelt account of my actual experience. Needless to say, I left my story on amazon reviews too.

Which brings me to my key point:

We can no longer ignore ‘customer voice’ in our marketing plans. Because they have a voice, more than ever before. Branding and marketing are powerful tools, no doubt, but it is not going to continue to make-up for compromised quality offering, whatever the price point.

 

Do leave a comment, if you would like to work out how to harness and systemise authentic, genuine stories of customer delight to serve your brand and business goals. I will get in touch.