Footsloggers Stands Tall in the Outdoors

Since 1971 Footsloggers Outfitters has offered the best in backpacks, sleeping bags, footwear, tents, and outdoor equipment to the North Carolina High Country where outdoor activity is a year-round endeavor. The name is from the term meaning “one who walks, marches, or trudges, especially over a long distance,” which was in popular use during WWII. Home of the Footsloggers Tower, a 35-foot climbing structure for beginner and experienced climbers (right), the main store is easy to spot in the middle of downtown Boone. It happens to be right outside the ECRS office windows, so when owner Hanes Boren and office manager Jane Anderson went in search of an inventory automation system in 2001, they didn't have to go far.

Footsloggers has expanded to a second location in nearby Blowing Rock and an outlet store also in Boone. “When we opened second and third locations, we knew we needed to have a better handle on our merchandise,” said Jane. “Not only did ECRS show us a product that addressed those needs, the salespeople and support staff were extremely helpful and very professional from the start.”

(left) Inside the Main Store in downtown Boone, NC.

(inset) Office Manager Jane Anderson describes how Catapult has helped Footsloggers stay in control of its huge inventory.

Adopting an inventory management and POS system is no mean feat. Not only does it involve learning what the system can do, but how to use it effectively which means replacing former procedures and ways of thinking about and using business data. After years of depending on Catapult to help run Footsloggers, Jane remembers when she needed help getting used to the way it works or setting it up. “The transition was smooth. ECRS was there to help, so there were no real problems. Technical Support has always been fast, efficient, and professional. Messages left are returned promptly within 15 minutes or so.”

“Training at the Catapult University was very detailed,” recalls Jane. “Mac Mast was very captivating—before I knew it the class day was over. There was so much to learn, but it was all relevant to how we wanted to use Catapult.”

“Once we knew we needed a particular function or feature and how to use it, it was very easy to use. Catapult is definitely user-friendly.”

Most of the customer service employees at Footsloggers are college students, and there is the usual turnover for a college town. “There is never a problem with a new employee learning Catapult. Basic training on the register takes about 15 minutes.”

(right) The Footsloggers Family
(a stone's throw from ECRS offices)

Besides tracking an inventory of tens of thousands of items, Catapult brings accuracy to Footsloggers. “Mistakes in inventory and at the register are easy to find with all the reports. There's a report for nearly everything. The End of Month Department Sales and Optimized Sales reports tell me exactly what's sold by department and subdepartment.” Footsloggers uses Catapult's PowerField feature to categorize within departments.

“From one computer Catapult helps with reordering, shows me which items are selling and which aren't.” Jane finds the Automatic Reordering feature particularly helpful. “It's definitely worth the time setting it up to do the work for you.”

(left) Footsloggers Outfitters shop in neighboring Blowing Rock

With over 1,000 customers a day when it's busy, which is directly tied to the weather, customer service is a particular concern at Footsloggers. “We use the POS Prompts to collect data about where our customers are coming from and how they heard about us or a particular sales event. It's helped save money by targeting our advertising where it's most effective. Having our Return Policy printed on every receipt gives customers assurance about their purchase, which is really the kind of service they're looking for.”

Footsloggers continues its respected tradition as a mainstay in the local economy, and ECRS is proud that Catapult plays a vital role in Footsloggers's ongoing success.