How a custom-fit soccer cleat company leverages Verifyt to achieve a 5% return rate.
During his 7 years developing high-end soccer cleats for large sporting goods brands, Benjamin Dorsch consistently heard from athletes that standard sized cleats caused foot pain and lacked proper gripping, which hindered their performance. With this feedback in mind, Dorsch set out to revolutionize the way his employers approached footwear fit, but faced internal resistance. Despite his valiant efforts to overcome it, Dorsch soon realized that pursuing innovation at a large company was a steep uphill battle. He quit his job and started his own brand.
Meet IMOTANA, a footwear brand whose core beliefs are built into their product DNA. IMOTANA believes soccer players perform their best when their equipment is tailor-made to their body shape, which is why they exclusively produce and sell custom-fit soccer cleats. How, might you ask? By 3D scanning athletes’ feet and using proprietary techniques to manufacture every pair to order.
In the company’s early days, IMOTANA captured players’ 3D foot scans by driving a van from clubhouse to clubhouse with a hefty 3D scanning device in the trunk. This scrappy approach got the job done at the time, but soon order volume picked up from customers near and far, and Dorsch realized this method was neither sustainable nor scalable. Add the fact that each 3D foot scanning hardware device costs a pretty penny, and the need for a higher tech solution quickly became apparent.
Enter NetVirta. We partnered with IMOTANA in 2020 to provide an easier, more scalable way to collect customer foot scans. Because our Verifyt 3D foot scanning solution works on any smartphone, IMOTANA can capture players’ scans anytime, anywhere. Customers access the Verifyt solution through IMOTANA’s website and scan themselves using the Verifyt App. About 6 weeks after completing a scan, a brand-new pair of custom soccer cleats arrives at their doorstep.
We love this “no-sizing” approach for made-to-order footwear brands because the customer doesn’t even have to think about selecting their size. They simply scan their feet and let the experts take care of the rest.
One of the most remarkable things about IMOTANA is their extremely low return rate. While the industry standard return rate for online footwear brands is around 25%, IMOTANA maintains a return rate of just 5%. According to CEO Benjamin Dorsch, “Verifyt scanning technology allows us to sell and produce soccer boots in a new, innovative way. In our case, we aren’t starting with a shoe and looking for a foot that fits. Instead, we start with the feet and create boots that will fit those feet perfectly. Every single order is forwarded directly to production – we produce on demand with a made-to-order model, so our process is highly sustainable. Where a general market return rate is about 25%, we end up with just 5% due to fit."
This low return rate is due in large part to Verifyt’s 3D foot scanning accuracy, which is predicated upon FDA-cleared 3D scanning medical technology. But don’t take our word for it – one customer raves, "The scan-to-fit process through the app works very well. Shoes are fitting perfectly and looking amazing with my unique design." Another satisfied customer notes: "Scan worked easily and fit is bomb. Thank you IMOTANA for this great opportunity!”
Now in their third year of business, IMOTANA is primed to explode with the support of NetVirta’s Verifyt solution. Given Verifyt’s compatibility with all smartphone models, IMOTANA can reach customers all over the world without spending on pricey equipment or specially trained staff. Compare this to their early days of transporting bulky scanning devices in a van, and Verifyt is a breath of fresh air.
NetVirta is proud to partner with IMOTANA to improve the performance of soccer players everywhere. We are excited to continue working with custom footwear companies and other brands to bring the benefits of 3D scanning technology to athletes around the world.
If you’re a brand looking for a smarter sizing solution, get in touch today.