Entrepreneurship and flexibility. That combination is the key to success in retail, where providing the best customer experience is essential to survival. That, at least, is what the 50-year-old family business Scapino demonstrates. While the shoe sector is getting hit hard, Scapino is steadily expanding the number of stores. Meanwhile, the retail chain is implementing a successful omnichannel strategy.
The emergence of COVID-19 in 2020 forced the retail chain to fast-track e-commerce, says Scapino e-commerce manager Nando Wigmans. “When it became clear that the stores had to close because of the pandemic, we made shipping from the stores possible at short notice. In this way we were still accessible to our physical customers and new customers were introduced to Scapino. On top of that, we were able to keep store employees working in the closed stores. Thus, in a short time we became a real digital organization, in which online and offline complement each other.”
Customer journey often starts online
The starting point of the omnichannel strategy is to respond to the changing needs of the customer, says Scapino's marketing manager Rianne Vogelzang. “That is only possible if you are where the customer is. For us, physical stores are also important. People want to see and experience our product. Trying on shoes before buying them is very pleasant. We have a wide assortment for our target group with several categories. If the right size is not available, we can order it very quickly. We then deliver it wherever the consumer wants it, at the branch, at home, at a service point or at a parcel locker. With the My DHL app, the recipient always has control over his own shipment. The customer journey often starts online. There the customer orients himself on the assortment and then checks the stock of a nearby store.”
Flexible and scalable network
For shipping traffic between distribution center, stores, home addresses, DHL lockers and ServicePoints, Scapino has had DHL eCommerce as its logistics partner since early 2024. “We offer a nice network that Scapino could connect to,” says Bart van Duivenbode, business development manager at DHL eCommerce. “We deal with demanding consumers who in turn have different wishes in terms of time and location of delivery. As a logistics partner, we can connect well with the ever-changing consumer behavior. Our network offers scalability and flexibility for both B2C and B2B. Together with Scapino, we continuously optimize the processes. For example, we are starting a trial with repeat deliveries to the stores on Thursday and Friday evenings so that they are optimally stocked during the busy weekends.”
Desires of consumers
In that continuous improvement, data and data analysis play an important role. DHL eCommerce measures consumer wishes in a periodic Shopper survey that indicates what customers find important when ordering online. It strikes Tom Kikkert, retail expert who is well acquainted with Scapino and DHL eCommerce, that Scapino wants to be good at all aspects that are important to consumers according to the Shopper survey. “Scapino is at the intersection of the best of the physical and online worlds. On the one hand, people look for product information on the Web and don't want to spend too much. On the other hand, they do want to try on products like shoes and sporting goods and want appropriate advice. Scapino can grow rapidly in the coming years because it is successful in both worlds. This is consistent with the research on what people consider important in e-commerce, such as convenience, speed, availability and price. If companies in a retail sector fail in either world they won't make it.”
Continue to access city centers well
While data analysis is leading the way for Scapino, say Wigmans and Vogelzang, there must also be room for experimentation. “It's about the mix. For example, digitally measuring children's feet in the branches has become an experience for children and unintentionally a commercial success. That comes from the branches and we want to give them that space. The data from those measurements we can analyze and use. In addition, sustainability is increasingly important to us and our customers. For example, the My DHL Portal offers insight into CO2 emissions and offsetting them. The fact that DHL deploys the most electric vehicles percentage-wise and can therefore continue to reach city centers well played into the choice for them.”
Online and offline reinforce each other
Kikkert sees from his retail expertise that Scapino is an entrepreneurial organization that offers room for experimentation. “In addition, family businesses are closer to society and maintain family values and community spirit. By being open about the company and its products, Scapino adds a sense of quality for the customer. In this way, it shows that affordable products can also be socially okay. For a long time, retail has felt it had to choose between physical and online. That discussion is now gradually disappearing. The orientation phase on the Internet is very important and forms communicating vessels with physical. The fact that for Scapino the physical stores are indispensable gives consumers a sense of reliability. They feel good about Scapino because there is still a soul in there. Many retailers have lost their soul.”
Photo caption: Bart van Duivenbode (business development manager DHL eCommerce), Tom Kikkert (retail expert), Rianne Vogelzang (marketing manager Scapino) and Nando Wigmans (e-commerce manager Scapino) in the Scapino store in Leek