Check out these three ways adidas delivers exceptional customer experiences in its retail stores

When customers take the time to actually visit a retail store these days, they’re not just browsing for products, they’re looking for meaningful experiences, from personalised product recommendations to style advice and even customised in-store interactions.

More than 80% of respondents in a BCG survey of 5,000 global consumers say they want and expect personalised experiences. adidas understands this shift better than most. Known worldwide for its iconic logo and sportswear attire, adidas also stands out for how it connects with customers in-store.

From tailored product recommendations to tech enhanced fitting rooms and staff trained to go beyond transactional interactions, adidas is reimagining what it means to serve customers face-to-face.

1.   Sending requests directly to the stockroom

Few things are more frustrating for shoppers than walking into a store excited to make a purchase, only to leave empty-handed because they couldn’t find what they wanted - or anyone to help them.

According to a recent global consumer survey, 58% of shoppers say they will stop purchasing from a company after a bad customer experience, including not being able to locate an item or get assistance when they need it. Long wait times, unclear product availability, and the challenge of tracking down a store associate can quickly turn a positive shopping intention into a lost sale.

adidas has addressed these pain points by equipping their employees with mobile inventory devices, which make the shopping experience much smoother. Picture this: a customer walks up to an adidas store associate in the shoe department, looking for a pair of women’s white Sambas in size 36EU.

Instead of disappearing into the backroom and leaving the customer waiting, the employee checks availability on the spot using a mobile device or tablet. Within seconds, they can see exactly what sizes and colors are available and send a request directly to the stockroom. The item is then brought to the sales floor, all without the customer being left in the dark.

2.   Serving customers on the sales floor

Long lines are one of the quickest ways to kill the in-store experience - and a big reason many shoppers choose to buy online instead. A survey of 2,000 UK consumers found that 86% have walked out of a store because of the long queue times. When customers are forced to wait just to buy a single item, frustration builds, and the convenience of physical retail starts to feel like more of a burden instead.

adidas tackles this head-on by equipping store associates with mobile PoS devices, allowing them to serve customers right on the sales floor. Whether a shopper is ready to check out a single item or complete a quick purchase after a product demo, employees can process transactions instantly.

This not only speeds up the shopping journey, but it also makes it feel more personal. For example, an associate might help the same customer from discovery to purchase, making the whole experience more connected.  

3.   Improving stock accuracy across locations

While much of adidas’ customer service shines on the sales floor, a big part of what makes those experiences possible happens behind the scenes.

One of the key technologies supporting adidas stores is RFID (radio frequency identification), which enables highly accurate inventory tracking across the supply chain and individual store locations. “Although the technology isn't immediately visible to consumers, RFID plays a role in enhancing the customer journey,” says Andreas Bierlmeier, Senior Director Tech Management at adidas.

By using RFID, adidas significantly reduces the risk of errors like mislabeled items, misplaced products, or incorrect stock counts. That means when a customer checks online to see if their size is available - or asks an associate for a specific item - they can trust the answer is correct. RFID ensures that products are where they’re supposed to be, when they’re supposed to be there across both digital and physical channels.

This level of accuracy makes shopping feel more reliable and efficient, and helps customers leave the store with exactly what they came for.

Offering a seamless shopping journey with a single retail system

Delivering exceptional customer experiences takes more than just friendly service, it requires reliable technology working behind the scenes to keep everything connected. adidas achieves this with LS Central, a single retail system that brings together sales, inventory, replenishment, customer data, and much more retail-specific functionality in one place.

With LS Central, adidas gets real-time visibility into sales and stock across all their stores, which means teams can respond faster, make better decisions on the floor, and keep shelves stocked with the products customers want.

Want to be able to manage your operations as successfully as adidas? Contact our team of experts to discover how LS Central can meet your retail needs.

About LS Retail, an Aptos company

LS Retail, an Aptos company, as been providing comprehensive PoS and business management software solutions to retail and hospitality businesses worldwide for over 30 years. Our unified, modular solutions combine Point of Sale, inventory, customer loyalty, reporting, and financials into one system with the flexibility to scale and add functionality as business needs evolve.

Today, over 100,000 retail stores, restaurants, cafés, pharmacies, resorts, cruise lines, gas stations, and more rely on LS Retail software in 157 countries.