10.06.2020

A STORE FOR ALL ATHLETES

Under Armour Delivers All-New Experience at Retail to Make Athletes Better

As the Human Performance Company, Under Armour is delivering on its mission to make all athletes better through a new retail store experience.

 

The UA Brand House City Concept delivers an elevated store design, experiential touchpoints and product and service offerings that provide athletes with new ways to interact with the brand unique to the in-store experience.  More than 18 months in the making, Under Armour put the concept to the test, listening and leveraging insights from its Focused Performer consumer to inform the retail expression.

 

The retail adaptations featured in the UA Brand House City Concept add convenience and ease to the athletes’ in-store experience.

 

“We’ve listened to our athletes and are delivering on what they’ve asked for in-store. Brand House City Concept is not about Under Armour; it is about the athlete and is where every part of our Brand comes to life.”

Josh Denton, Senior Vice President of Direct to Consumer, The Americas at Under Armour

Orienting in an unfamiliar store can be difficult. Athletes expressed that store lay-out is one of the most important aspects while shopping.  UA Brand House City Concept’s new bright, open design and balance of co-gender products makes it easier for athletes to discern the layout and navigate the store.

 

The growth of Under Armour’s footwear business has informed the brand’s decision to prioritize footwear in-store. UA Brand House City Concept’s new store layout and wall configuration pulls the athlete’s attention from the front of the store, making the footwear wall visible upon entry. Sub-category headers on the wall clarify the technological capabilities and usage of each shoe, as well as provide the athlete with a better understanding of UA’s growing assortment.  New experiential touchpoints, like a 3D Foot Scanner and Footwear Customization space showcase Under Armour’s commitment to footwear and the athlete’s in-store experience. 

 

“To ensure the store not only meets an athlete's needs - but delivers all of our product and service offerings that would help make them better - their journey in the space is intuitive and displays visuals in the most impactful way.”

Sarah Wexler, Director of Global Store Design at Under Armour

Testimonials printed and positioned next to highlighted products feature athlete imagery and reviews, while also outlining the technological benefits of each. Redesigned mannequins represent all body forms in various poses, making them more relatable and inclusive for the athlete. UA Brand House City Concept’s Connected Fitting Rooms add yet another layer of service and ease to the athlete’s in-store experience. 

 

A new hiring and training process, focused on product education elevates the athlete’s shopping experience. As experts in the tech and innovation of all UA products, teammates will provide athletes with the guidance they need to make an informed purchase. 

 

Read on to learn more about UA Brand House City Concept’s experiential touchpoints.

 

UA Shop App

 

More than ever before, UA athletes are digitally connected and checking underamour.com and the UA app before making their way into stores. This is why Under Armour has created a premium, curated, mobile-first experience designed to digitally connect with athletes as they shop. Downloading the UA app allows the ability to scan products in store for a seamless experience, providing access to product DNA, online product reviews, and size or fit information. UA Shop App connects the brand with the athlete before, during, and after their shopping journey, encouraging the athlete to visit the app for exclusive products and experiences.

 

Connected Fitting Rooms

 

Designed to remove friction from the shopping experience, Connected Fitting Rooms better service the athlete. The technology enables our athletes to directly access additional information about UA product descriptions, availability, outfit recommendations and price points. With an iPad featured in each room, athletes are able to communicate with a UA teammate to request another color, size or see the total cost of the products they’ve selected.  A store dashboard displays real-time and historical data, teammate performance, popular items, and other reporting.

 

3D Foot Scanner

 

A brand rooted in performance solutions, UA is bringing that vision to life in-store with the 3D Foot Scanner. Located in UA Brand House City Concept’s footwear zone, the 3D Foot Scanner experience offers an in-store assessment tool that measures our athlete’s feet. A 3D model of both feet is generated with measurements on length, arch, in-step, and width. Within 5 seconds of stepping into the scanner, a 3D model of the athlete’s feet, along with their measurements, are populated and used by the teammate to help recommend footwear based on the athlete’s scan report.

 

Footwear Customization

 

What started as a trend has now become a cultural movement. Footwear Customization has become a form of creative expression and thanks to UA’s in-store Footwear Customization space, athletes can bring individualized style to performance products. Using a curated design tool and innovative machinery - Athletes can design it, create it, and leave with it all in one-day. Currently, Under Armour is the only retailer providing same-day footwear customization.

 

In The Americas, the first UA Brand House City Concept is slated to open November 2020 in Annapolis Mall Maryland with at least 2 other stores opening their doors in 2021. The APAC region will open 60 UA Brand House City Concept stores in 2020 and EMEA will see its first opening at Westend Mall in Hungary with more to follow in 2021.