Foot
Locker

Trendsetters

Foot Locker wasn’t just a store, it was an experience. Renowned as Trendsetters, it was a hub where sneaker culture thrived, exclusive drops built excitement, and sneakerheads found a place to belong. But over time, something changed! The journey to get back their mojo.

Himanish Goel

Role:
UX Research & Strategy, Experience Design, and mobile UI/UX for crafting an engaging retail experience

The Problem - A Sneaker Experience That Lost Its Soul

Lost Connection: The brand started to feel like just another retail chain, losing its emotional connection with sneaker lovers

Digital & Physical Disjoint:
‍The in-store experience felt disconnected from online shopping, leaving customers frustrated

Lack of Personalization: Customers were overwhelmed with choices but lacked tailored recommendations

Competitor Innovation:
Brands like GOAT and StockX created better ways for sneaker lovers to buy, trade, and engage

Decreasing Community Engagement: Foot Locker lost its cultural experience. All in all, it lost its mojo

Understanding the Users

We needed to re-imagine Foot Locker—not just as a store, but as a movement. Here’s how we tackled it:

Random Consumer Insights = 25 (1:1 Interviews) × Real Stories ×
Fresh Perspectives, Purpose & Passion

To understand the why, to Foot Locker’s fading, I took the time and conducted 25 one-on-one interviews with random people, to gain rich qualitative insights into what drives today’s users to brands and what influences them to make their purchasing decisions, in the evolving role of today’s sneaker culture

Understanding the Users

“Shoes that are not for me, feels a little outdated” - Adam

“When you want to try a shoe on with multiple sizes, it’s awful” - Thomas

“It’s honestly nostalgic, or used. Haven’t thought of Foot Locker in today’s times” - Julianne

Rebuilding the Foot Locker Experience

Digital & Physical Integration: The app connects with in-store experiences, making exclusive sneaker releases and in-store reservations seamless

Personalization: Users get sneaker recommendations based on style, purchase history, and cultural trends

Loyalty & Rewards: Customers are incentivized with perks, early access, and community-based engagement

Home Screen

User Community Screen

Account Screen

Verification Screen

Order Place Screen

Delivery Address Screen

Payment Method Screen

Confirmation Screen

Designing the Future of Sneaker Shopping

Intuitive App: Simplified user journeys for discovering, purchasing, and engaging with sneaker culture

Sneaker Drops: Users get real-time updates on availability, reducing frustration

Bringing the Culture Back: Foot Locker becomes more than a retailer—it reinvents as a hub for sneaker enthusiasts, featuring social media integrations, community events, and influencer collaborations

Next Steps

The Future of Foot Locker

With these changes, Foot Locker isn’t just another sneaker store. It’s a cultural movement. Which is:

Personalized
Giving every sneaker lover an experience that feels tailored to them

Connected
Merging online and offline sneaker shopping into one seamless journey

Revitalized
Making Foot Locker the go-to space for sneaker culture once again

Watch the Story Unfold

Want to see the vision in action? Check it out here.

Because Foot Locker isn’t just about sneakers. It’s about culture, community, and connection.