On Running: Offering shoes-as-a-service
Customers don't want to own running shoes, they just want them to do a simple job for a couple of hours a week.
Business model innovation is one of the most exciting categories undergoing some radical new, creative thinking.
On Running (a Swiss running shoes company) realised that the traditional business model of 'simply selling running shoes to customers' was in desperate need of a sustainability makeover; so they developed a subscription model for running shoes called Cyclon.
At just $29.99 a month On Running sends subscribers a brand new pair of CloudNeo shoes and every 6 months they take back the old, smelly, worn shoes, recycle them and replace those shoes with a new pair of trainers.
The shoes themselves have been specially designed to be really great running shoes, but also entirely fully-recyclable...by On Running themselves.
They're also cleverly only available via the subscription service. Smart marketers these On Running peeps.
The take out
Ed Ballard