Schuh's Strides in Inclusive Retail

If you've walked down Oxford Street or any British high street for that matter, the chances are you know a bit about Schuh. One of the biggest footwear retailers in the UK with over 120 stores nationwide, they are your one-stop-shop for all things shoes.

What you may not know, however, is all the work they have done to make British retail more inclusive for customers with various disabilities, whether physical, mental or neurodivergence. So much so that they won the Diversity and Inclusion Award at the Drapers Awards in 2022. At Mpowering Solutions, we believe we have our finger on the pulse, but we weren't aware of the work Schuh were doing behind-the-scenes, until we read the news that Schuh are selling single shoes to customers with limb differences or disabilities. As a former buyer and merchie, this fascinated me, and I went down a rabbit hole to investigate whether this was a marketing ploy to coincide with the Paralympics in Paris, or if Schuh had a longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.

And you know what? I have to tip my imaginary hat to them. They have long been champions of inclusive retail, and continue to make strides towards disability inclusion that would put other retailers to shame.

Don't believe me? Have a read and see what you think.

Single Shoe Sales

As of 30th August, customers with a limb difference or disability can purchase a single shoe from any Schuh store, and will get a 50% discount. If you are unable to visit a Schuh store, you can reach out to their customer service team online or on the phone.

(It is worth noting that this is not a scheme to allow for single shoe replacements if you are an able customer and have worn out your left shoe from dragging your toe when riding your scooter. This would open a whole other kettle of logistical fish as we'll touch on below that even Schuh wouldn't be prepared to deal with.)

This comes off the back off a news story in April where British Paralympian Stef Reid called out Nike for using an amputee mannequin with a single shoe, but were not actually able to sell her a single shoe, and she had to buy a pair. Disabled customers are used to having to buy a pair of shoes and unfortunately having to let the unused foot go to waste (or participate in shoe exchanges), but the fact that the mannequins were used showed that Nike wanted to appeal to that demographic and market, but not actually make that vision of purchasing a single shoe a reality.

From a business perspective, selling a single shoe is a logistical headache. Shoes are traditionally manufactured in pairs and have always been sold in pairs. So say you own a shoe store and you sell the right shoe of your pair. What do you do with the left shoe? What are the odds of a customer coming in only looking for the left? So you're likely to just be left with this left shoe. It will eat up space in your stock room because you have to store it somewhere, and you won't be able to sell it in clearance because you're missing the right foot to make a pair.

Then you factor in your costs and profit margin. Let's say the shoes cost £25 to make and you sell them for £100. This means your profit is £75 if you sell the complete pair. But if you only sell the one foot, the chances are you will have to sell it at 50% off (half the shoe, half the price). This means you're selling the single shoe at £50, leaving you with a profit of £25 instead of the £75 you'd originally planned.

(This is a very simplified version of retail maths, before anybody comes at me for this! It's just to illustrate the cost and profit scenario.)

You may think, oh that can only happen once in a while. But what if it doesn't? Especially if we open up single shoe sales for all customers, not just those who have a disability that necessitates this. You could end up with a stockroom of mismatched sizes, too many right feet, which will be a merchandising nightmare and also could result in more waste than the fashion industry already produces.

This is not to say this cannot be made a reality. But it would require a huge overhaul of how the industry works and the entire supply chain, which requires time, money and resources.

So when Schuh announced they were undertaking the single shoe sales initiative for disabled customers, we sat up and took notice. And thus the Schuh rabbit hole began.

Representation of Visible Disabilities

Schuh have quietly and unassumingly used models with visible disabilities in their marketing campaigns and social media posts with very little fuss or noise. We love this approach because it normalises visible disabilities and basically says it's not a big deal that needs to be called out or mentioned, because--surprise surprise--people with disabilities are just people, perhaps with some differences, but should be treated the same and not ostracised or called out as "other".

Schuh have also made a very conscious decision to include disabled child models as well, such as in their Back to School campaign, to not only normalise these differences but to empower young children who are aware and perhaps self-conscious of their differences.

“We get great feedback from our customers, both disabled and non-disabled – particularly parents with disabled children. They often highlight that by including disabled models in our campaigns, we are showing their young children they are not alone.”

- Kellie Lauder, Head of Marketing at Schuh -

Schuh also use models with disabilities on their eCommerce PDP imagery. At the moment, 15% of their models have a disability, which again normalises and embraces those with disabilities.

Quiet shopping hours

In 26% of their stores (with more on the way), Schuh operate quiet hours in the mornings and afternoons, where the instore music is turned down to provide a comfortable shopping experience for customers with sensory needs.

In addition, their staff have been trained in accessible customer service, so they can adapt their instore experience whenever required. They launched their Disability Confident module on its Schuh Academy training platform at the end of 2022, and within a year, it had been completed by over 82% of their 4,043 store staff.

More-accessible product assortment

Often when we think of velcro or slip-on shoes, we assume they are suitable for young children only, thus these styles rarely come in larger sizes, or if they do, with very few units behind them, which means adults with disabilities are often overlooked.

As a result, Schuh increased the size ranges in "easy-on" product assortments to include bigger sizes so adults with adaptive needs are not left behind.

Accessible store design

Schuh's newer stores have been designed with accessibility in mind. The stores have movable seating and display plinths that allow for more space for those who need it, such as wheelchair users. In addition, the aforementioned "easy-on" products are signposted, and digital screens can be switched off to provide a better experience for those with neurodivergent needs.

Disability Confidence Employee Programme

Schuh's disability inclusion efforts are not just customer-facing; they ensure their staff have the same treatment too. Schuh have longstanding relationships with different charities to promote racial and LGBTQ+ equality, and disability equality is just as much a priority for them. Through the Disability Confidence Employee Programme, they host work experiences and internships for disabled or neurodiverse people, with the potential to lead to permanent jobs.

Along with a previous work experience programme, 3 interns have been given full-time roles, empowering them with jobs to support themselves and providing them with opportunities they may not have had otherwise.

And more!

On Schuh's website, they have a detailed page about how their website is accessible, where their functionalities are lacking or in development and why. This is more than most high street retailers offer, and shows their true and genuine commitment to making retail, whether it's online or in person, a more inclusive experience.

This is not to say Schuh are perfect in their execution. Perhaps there is someone out there who has had a bad experience with Schuh's disability initiatives. But the point is they are actively and genuinely trying. Where other retailers and brands may pay lip service here and there, Schuh have made it a pillar in their community values and have made continued strides towards their goal of true inclusion.

The best part? They don't necessarily shout about it. Because, quite frankly, it's the least we can do. We should be striving to make the world--digital or physical--a more inclusive environment, and we shouldn't need a pat on the back for that. As an able society, we often put up barriers to success for those with differences and disabilities. Most of the time this is completely and utterly unintentional; when you're fully able, you take certain things for granted, and it's easy to overlook the needs of those who have a different reality to ourselves. But by being considerate and thoughtful, we can make the lives of those with disabilities easier, just by bridging the accessibility gap.

This is why, at Mpowering Solutions, we are huge advocates about WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), because many of the requirements are actually incredibly easy to implement and don't require a large investment of time or money. So if you want to join us on our digital revolution but aren't sure where to start, give our KISS guide on WCAG a read, or get in touch and see how we can help you make your website accessible for all.