Following another strong year, innovative run shoe brand, On, continues to build momentum. The company is currently expanding its UK sales operation and is looking to add a sales representative to its fast growing team.
On notes that it has gone from strength to strength in the UK market, with growth of more than 100% year on year. The number of retailers stocking the brand has almost doubled in the last six months, from 30 to 55.
On has developed strong working relationships and has had success with retailers such as Sweatshop and Runners Need, as well as with independent specialists such as Alton Sports, Advance Performance, The Triathlon Shop Bristol, Profeet and others.
Internationally, On shoes are currently available in more than 1,300 specialist retailers in 25 countries. Since On was founded in 2010, it has seen several hundred thousands of runners wearing its shoes. In the last two years, the team has grown from 20 to more than 40 people. Next to the company headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, there is main US office in Portland, Oregon, and own sales reps teams in Switzerland, Germany, the UK and elsewhere in the US.
The new UK sales representative will work closely with Richard Burney, Head of Sales in the UK and also Christian Bahr, Head of European Sales, and UK Tech Rep, Kate Blythe. This latest hire is part of a strategy to establish a first-class team in the UK to push the brand further and support retailers through dedicated training, sales and event support. On is actively looking to expand its sales team with additional Sales and Tech Reps planned for recruitment in 2014-15.
European Head of Sales, Christian Bahr, said “Since the start of building the UK team, On has gone from strength to strength and we’ve seen huge success with our sales this year, and pre-sales for next year. It’s an exciting time for On both in the UK and on the global stage. Our goal for the next three years is to set up a strong UK team. We want to position On as one of the top five premium performance running brands in the UK.”
On is following a strategy of selective distribution, which has positioned the brand well with specialist retailers and as a premium brand offering. Retailers are reportedly seeing the commercial benefits of this strategy and consumers are enjoying ‘a completely unique and fun running experience.’
On’s goal is to provide retailers with the best service possible and a partnership to help increase sales for retailers. It is customer focused and offers an attentive, proactive and agile partnership at all levels, be it Sales and Tech, the Customer Service Team, or marketing personnel. According to On, ‘this is set against a backdrop of the many efficiency driven brands that are increasingly distancing themselves from their customers.’
On has a simple mission: making everyone’s running fun. On is an award-winning shoe, scooping prizes across the globe and has been awarded the likes of the prestigious Gold Award for the best performance shoe 2013 at the international ISPO sports fair.
On’s CloudTec system has received worldwide patents and the young company has become one of the fastest growing running brands since its launch four years ago. More than 80 elite athletes run in On, amongst them Olympic Gold Medallist Nicola Spirig and Triathlon World Champion Caroline Steffen.
