Distributors may hold a seemingly “ordinary” role within the industry, yet they are vital partners for businesses. It is through their silent dedication that enterprises and brands can achieve some level of accomplishment and market recognition.
The “Footlink Distributor Series” aims to engage in dialogues with exceptional distributors of Footlink elderly shoes, reflecting on their entrepreneurial stories, sharing sales techniques, and exploring promising business opportunities.
Within these narratives, you may encounter some success secrets, touching anecdotes, or discussions about past challenges. It is our hope that these stories will offer you further inspiration and contemplation.
Character Profile
Wei Yu, the distributor of Footlink elderly shoes at the Dongguan store in Baota District, Yan’an City, has been managing the store for four and a half years. With a track record of strong performance, she has garnered a favorable reputation locally. Currently, she has prepared well for the opening of her second store.
The market manager in Shaanxi Province describes her as, “Wei Yu is bold and proactive, showing extreme approval of the company’s policies, and operates Footlink with unwavering dedication.”
Having been associated with Footlink for nearly a decade, Wei Yu has transitioned from a store employee to a store owner. She has weathered various seasons and storms, embodying perseverance, spirit, and courage as she looks towards the future.
From a store employee to a store owner: Take it slowly, the infinite possibilities from side A to side B.
When I first spoke with Sister Wei, she seemed a bit shy, carrying a hint of nervousness. As our conversation unfolded with light-hearted chats, Sister Wei gradually relaxed her demeanor and opened up.
Sister Wei is in her forties, with a simple and genuine personality. If we were to divide her life into two sides, side A and side B, her past was dedicated to being a homemaker, fully immersed in caring for her two children. As her children grew older – the eldest joining the military and the younger one smoothly transitioning to high school – Sister Wei found herself with more time on her hands. She chose the Footlink brand and embarked on her entrepreneurial journey.
If we define the starting point for a boss’s career as a crucial position in their professional journey, Sister Wei might seem a bit “slow” in her progression. She initially started as an employee at the Yan’an Sports Stadium store of Footlink, and through her hard work, she rose to the position of store manager. When the company’s policies underwent changes, she decisively took over the management of the Dongguan store in the Baota District.
Yan’an is divided into the new district and the old district, with Sister Wei’s store located in the old district not far from the city center on a main street, covering an area of around 60 square meters. The geographical location of the Dongguan store is excellent, situated as a street-front shop adjacent to a bus stop, providing convenient transportation. Currently, there are two other store employees, both in their thirties and quite youthful. Sister Wei mentioned that they work diligently, have been with her for many years, and are highly reliable.
After over 4 years in business, Sister Wei has welcomed and served numerous customers, building up a loyal customer base.
The reason she chose Footlink is because Sister Wei strongly identifies with Footlink’s philosophy of “caring for the elderly.” From being an employee to becoming a distributor, no one knows exactly how the path should be traversed, but Sister Wei firmly believes, “I’ll do as the company’s policies dictate, and follow their guidance in my actions.”
“Striving for excellence,” exploring the path of management.
Engaging in action and persisting in the “free shoe cleaning” service.
Throughout its history, Footlink has consistently provided quality assurance services that surpass industry standards. This year, they introduced a “free shoe cleaning” service to ensure consumers can shop worry-free and wear their shoes with confidence.
In terms of the shoe cleaning service, Sister Wei has taken it to the extreme. “I always take the initiative to help customers clean their shoes. One day, I saw an uncle waiting in line at the bus stop in front of the store. I recognized that he was wearing Footlink shoes, and they were the old model from 18 years ago. I quickly approached him and said, ‘Uncle, you’ve been wearing these shoes for so many years, why still wear them? Come to the store, and I’ll clean them for you.'”
Through this approach, the uncle naturally followed Sister Wei into the store. Sister Wei had the store staff offer him a “free cup of water,” and she also recommended the refreshing minty cool shoes to him. She suggested that the uncle try this style while she took care of cleaning his old shoes, which he could collect in a week. By chance, the uncle found it very suitable and happily went home wearing his new shoes.
Although Sister Wei speaks lightly, she never compromises in her actions. Due to the store not having water pipes, when encountering customers in need of shoe cleaning, Sister Wei brings the shoes back to her own home. She spends her evenings washing the shoes, then brings them back to the store for drying, ensuring that after a week, customers can wear their rejuvenated shoes.
The market manager praises Sister Wei’s shoe cleaning service, saying she is “very determined” and “pursues policies diligently.” It is with this kind of determination that bosses like Sister Wei, with their proactive attitude, truly understand the intention behind this service, diligently practice it, and persist wholeheartedly, earning unanimous praise from customers.
Furthermore, through sincere communication and attentive observation, Sister Wei wins over the hearts of customers. Her experience as a store employee has not only left a mark on her age but also provided her with significant training. “I really enjoy chatting with people casually. It doesn’t matter if customers buy anything or not; I don’t force sales, I just chat with everyone.”
In addition to this, Sister Wei is very observant. Besides greeting familiar faces, she constantly observes the feet of passersby, noting if anyone is wearing Footlink branded shoes, discerning potential customer needs. Once an opportunity is spotted, she is always willing to make the first move.
Sister Wei’s proactive approach has accumulated many loyal customers. Some customers, while shopping in the nearby mall at Dongguan, naturally think of the store that offers a “free cup of water.” Some elderly people, with their children working away from home, enjoy coming to the store to pass the time.
If fate allows, they might leave with a pair of desired shoes.
Of course, besides “old” customers, there are also “new” customers. Catering to different customer groups, Sister Wei adopts various sales approaches. For instance, when encountering middle-aged customers, she recommends higher-priced styles and also suggests some styles more suitable for the elderly, as a “respect for elders” gift to take home to their families.
One female customer left a deep impression on Sister Wei. “She seemed to be in her 40s and came to buy shoes for herself. I mentioned how comfortable Footlink shoes are and suggested she get a pair for her parents too.” Subsequently, she offered other styles, and the customer instinctively tried them on. Impressed by the comfort of the “mom shoes,” Sister Wei smoothly recommended a pair of “dad shoes.” The customer felt the sincerity of Sister Wei and the good quality of the shoes, touched by her suggestion, happily purchased three pairs of shoes.
Every sales opportunity is valuable, and every customer deserves to be treated well. Sister Wei emphasizes, “It’s important to observe more, interact with customers, communicate sincerely. Not only should customers buy for themselves, but you can also guide them to recommend to their partner, parents, thus increasing the likelihood of success.”
Using “WeChat” as a window to build close customer relationships
For a store to be recognized, remembered, and familiar to customers in the local area requires persistent effort, and Sister Wei deeply understands the importance of establishing long-term relationships with customers.
After every customer purchases shoes, she warmly invites them to add her on WeChat. While not all customers may agree, Sister Wei patiently explains, “Footlink promises to exchange old shoes for new ones for free within a year in case of sole detachment or damage. If the shoes break and you haven’t added me on WeChat, how will you get them fixed? This way, within a year, if any problem arises, customers can contact me directly through WeChat without needing to visit the store.”
Sister Wei’s method is very effective, accumulating many customer resources. Old customers can easily find her when they encounter issues, ensuring quick problem resolution.
Furthermore, Sister Wei has clever tactics. WeChat not only serves as the primary channel for post-sales communication with customers but also as a way to maintain customer relationships. Currently, Sister Wei has amassed over 2500 WeChat friends, including loyal old customers and potential consumers, enabling everyone to stay informed about promotions and company updates for elderly shoes in real-time.
During winter, the offline store launched a promotion for Footlink thermal underwear. Sister Wei posted detailed information in her WeChat moments and groups, attracting many customers to the store who ended up purchasing thermal underwear and, incidentally, choosing a pair of elderly shoes. Sister Wei chuckled, saying that similar activities usually draw a dozen or more customers to the store, resulting in significant sales.
Dealing with difficulties skillfully is a required course
Sister Wei is a versatile individual, managing all aspects such as ordering, sales, and after-sales service. While she usually organizes things meticulously, sometimes she encounters headaches.
“Having sold shoes for so many years, I’ve encountered all kinds of people. Sometimes there’s nothing I can do. One customer had been wearing Footlink shoes for several years and came to claim they were falling apart, insisting on a refund or exchange. Another customer, after buying for about two years, brought back shoes claiming they were “uneven.” I measured them with a ruler on the spot, proving it was impossible for such a problem to occur. Besides, the shoes she purchased were on sale for only 69 yuan.”
Talking about these two memorable customers, Sister Wei showed a hint of helplessness. Despite knowing they were intentionally causing trouble, as a business owner, she couldn’t respond with aggression but chose a softer approach. “I’ve always been easy-going and don’t focus too much on personal gains and losses.” She mentioned the company’s promise of a one-year return policy, but in situations exceeding that timeframe, her hands were tied. However, she still does her best to assist customers, like cleaning their existing shoes and giving away brand socks or elderly foot cream as a gesture of goodwill.
Staying true to the initial intention and being patient: Actively facing challenges in line with the company’s steps
In conversations with Sister Wei, one can always sense her simplicity and ultimate dedication to business. Yet, one can also feel the weight she carries. The consumer spending level in northwest cities is generally lower than in eastern coastal cities, creating a challenging environment. Sister Wei’s store is affected by local policies, with relatively high rent paid annually upfront, in addition to the wages of two employees, indicating visible pressure.
However, it’s evident that Sister Wei maintains patience.
As a business owner, she spends her days in the store, working side by side with her employees, navigating through busy and idle times together.
Over the years at Footlink, Sister Wei has seen all kinds of elderly people and experienced many facets of customers’ lives. She shared, “Some customers don’t have a retirement pension and rely on their children for support. They have been wearing the same shoes for many years but still hesitate to replace them.” When encountering these elderly individuals, Sister Wei opens her doors and her heart, welcoming them regardless of their purchasing intentions.
Last year, Sister Wei initiated an activity involving the elderly in promotion. For every new customer they brought in, whether they made a purchase or not, Sister Wei would gift them a pair of Footlink socks. It proved to be a good method as the elderly were willing to participate. Reflecting on this, Sister Wei chuckled, saying, “It feels like they don’t need to buy anymore; they almost have enough socks for a year.”
In her laughter, one can sense her empathy and insight into many things.
This year, Footlink elderly shoes collaborated with Douyin (TikTok), utilizing the local lifestyle recommendation mechanism to expand online channels for more offline stores in Yan’an. The city is currently promoting influencers to explore stores and showcase online products. Sister Wei has recently been actively participating, starting with the “199 yuan styles,” hoping to boost sales through both online and offline channels.
Looking towards the future, Sister Wei has more expectations as she prepares for the opening of her second store. With past experience in mind, she knows that as summer approaches, more customers will come. She must stock up on inventory and hopes that more new styles will provide elderly customers entering the store with a wider selection.
Last words
In the stories of outstanding dealers of Footlink shared in the past, there are no lack of remarkable regional distributors and vibrant post-95s young men. Contrasting their experiences, Sister Wei seems somewhat “different.” She may not have a structured and concise way of expressing herself, but one can see the two words “positive” always surrounding her.
Facing challenges positively, resolving issues with optimism, and embracing the future proactively.
With the rapid growth of the elderly population, the rise of the silver economy has become an irreversible trend. In this context, the elderly shoe industry is full of opportunities. Join Footlink and let us work together to provide a more comfortable wearing experience for the elderly, and collectively create a blueprint for a better future!
