I shared this link with a few people in class yesterday, but I thought the rest of the class (especially the women) would find this to be very innovative. Will the company make billions of dollars? Probably not. They do, however, get an A+ for creativity.
Article from NyDailyNews.com:
http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/fashion/2009/08/25/2009-08-25_rollasoles__flat_shoes_sold_in_vending_machines__offer_relief_to_stilettoclad_cl.html
Company website:
http://www.rollasole.com/
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When Ben showed this to me, my immediate reaction was "Brilliant!" and "Why did I not think of this?" I emailed it to my friends in New York, who had the same reaction. I thought of the money I have spent on New York taxis in the past five years, not because I had far to go, but because my feet hurt. Or how many times I did not wear an expensive pair of heels (that I probably shouldn't have bought in the first place) because I knew I'd regret it come closing time.
ReplyDeleteBut then I thought about the scarcity of space in my beloved Manhattan, and in most walking cities I've been too. There is usually not enough space for my winter coat in the bathroom, much less anywhere to place a vending machine. The bar would make more money squeezing a table for 4 that really seats six, along with 6 $10 cocktails, in the space where the vending machine would live.
Rollasole may do better to test the waters in the States using wandering salespeople with baskets of rolled up flats. While short on space, most walking cities are long on unemployed artists, writers and actors who might be willing to peddle the wares. The shoes could also be sold by coat-check attendants, hostesses, or bathroom attendants in bars and clubs.
Still, they probably won't make a million dollars. But the phenomenon could catch on enough to be worth it in the short term. And definitely an A+ for creativity.
I've seen places in Chicago that have baskets of flip-flops that you can buy at the end of the night. I think its a great idea, but like Ann Candler said, vending machines might not be the best way to go about selling the flip-flops/other comfortable shoes.
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