November 2022
Shop Usability Award
The Shop Usability Award is one of the best-known e-commerce awards in Germany. The award has been presented once a year since 2008. The best-known software manufacturers support the award. For participants, winning the award is a great honor and recognition of the unique achievement that every company puts into its online shop.
The e-commerce landscape is constantly evolving. Online shopping is booming, especially in times such as the coronavirus pandemic. Every company boosts its sales through a professionally designed and easy-to-use online shop. In addition to design and usability, factors such as creativity and storytelling are also among the evaluation criteria. The award is presented in 13 product categories and 3 special categories. These include categories such as Food & Beverages, Furniture & Living, Sports & Outdoor, and more.
In November 2022, BÄR was nominated to participate in the Shop Usability Award. In the Fashion category, with more than 400 competitors, the BÄR online shop was selected as one of the top five.
For the BÄR e-commerce team, this confirms that the continuous development of the online shop in terms of customer experience and performance places it among the state-of-the-art e-commerce sites in Germany. The primary goal is, of course, to make the shopping experience as pleasant and enjoyable as possible for customers, with all the information they need. It is all the more rewarding when this work receives recognition at such an important award.
On November 9, the e-commerce team was invited to the award ceremony in Munich. In addition to a unique venue and wonderful colleagues, the winners in each category were crowned. We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our colleagues at Hugo Boss on this year's victory in the Fashion category. For BÄR, this is an incentive to become even better and win the Fashion category next year.
November 2022
BÄR Goes Marketplace
BÄR shoes have stood for a positive attitude toward life for 40 years. They are daily companions for people who confidently and independently live their own style. Perfect shoes for women and men that support foot health and well-being. Customers appreciate their comfortable fit without having to compromise on contemporary fashion.
In BÄR shoes, feet experience what it means to move naturally. Feet usually adapt to footwear, but in BÄR shoes, the shoe adapts to the shape of the foot. This allows you to experience a natural barefoot feeling.
Marketplaces give BÄR the opportunity to share these principles with even more customers. Nowadays, marketplaces are almost essential in online retail for reaching customers through many different channels. They facilitate the sale and purchase of products. This means that products can be marketed not only through your own online shop, but also through other marketplaces that sell products via a website.
BÄR launched the marketplace project in November. As part of this project, existing processes had to be reassessed and various adjustments had to be made or completely reorganized. With a few exercises and improvements, BÄR successfully entered marketplace integration. This is a true milestone for the BÄR brand, founded in 1982.
The first batch will be launched on Mirapodo. Thanks to proven technology that allows a brand to connect to marketplaces and open itself up as a retailer, BÄR now has a starting point for continuing to develop its omnichannel business quickly and flexibly. The foundations have been laid, and the next step is to connect further marketplaces one by one.
October 2022
BÄR Shoes Presents the “Scan2Fit” Pilot Project
At its outlet in Bietigheim-Bissingen, the BÄR Manufactory is launching the innovative “Scan2Fit” project for optimal foot analysis using 3D scanning. Interested visitors have the unique opportunity to have their feet scanned and analyzed free of charge. The scanner identifies misalignments and provides an excellent basis for analyzing issues such as back pain, which often originates from foot problems. The precise digital capture of the foot provides information about size, width, circumference, and more.
The individual scan data is transmitted to an intelligent program that automatically evaluates the foot. BÄR manages all its shoe lasts digitally and can use the foot scan to match the appropriate shoe size from the anonymized data and even determine model recommendations. In the footwear industry, the BÄR “Scan2Fit” method is a sensational innovation and advancement in foot analysis of its kind.
The complex software solution has so far been an absolute unique selling proposition in the industry. Customers gain incomparable benefits for their foot health by being recommended “their” model, which fits their foot perfectly and offers the best comfort. This means that problems can not only be identified and analyzed but also resolved immediately. Another advantage is that, at the customer's request, BÄR's “Scan2Fit” allows digital measurement data to be managed and scans from different points in time to be compared. This makes it possible to identify changes in the foot. Registered customers can also provide their personal 3D scans to doctors. BÄR's lasts can be improved based on all scans in order to optimize fits in the future, reduce return rates in mail-order sales, and protect the environment.
BÄR sees great learning potential in evaluating the anonymized mass data and hopes to gain an exciting foundation for adapting shoe development to customers' needs. In the near future, customers should be able to order orthopedic insoles from BÄR that are perfectly matched to their shoes. This provides an additional service and reduces the customer's effort and saves time. BÄR's vision is the customized 1:1 production of perfectly fitting shoes in its own facility – the perfect fit for every foot: analyze the foot – choose the recommended model and size – receive an exclusively made shoe at the price of a standard model. The concept was developed together with one of the most experienced last makers in the footwear industry and an innovative leading provider of orthopedic measuring systems.
For 40 years, BÄR has followed a consistent production philosophy that continuously advances and supports social, economic, and ecological sustainability. Take part in the project launch: have your feet scanned, receive comprehensive information, and benefit from expert advice.
September 2022
Crepe Sole Made from Natural Rubber and Mushroom-Based Upper
Crepe sole made from natural rubber
BÄR's 10 mm thick natural crepe soles, made from 100% rubber, combine unique cushioning with low abrasion. The flexibility of the sole allows the foot to train itself and maintain its natural rolling motion, helping it stay healthy. Reflex zones are activated by sensing the texture of the ground. This allows the feet's sensory system to immediately adapt walking impulses to the surface, making long shopping trips, walks, trade fair days, and prolonged standing at work enjoyable without tiring the feet. The soles also provide good full-surface ground contact and abrasion resistance, as well as slip resistance – on ice, the natural crepe sole is simply unbeatable. Natural rubber is a durable, water-repellent, and breathable material. Thanks to its excellent resilience, it protects the foot and gives the shoe additional support. Since the sole is made from natural materials, its characteristic color is a light honey-brown or milky white. Its crinkled structure and porous feel are also characteristic features of a natural crepe sole.
Crepe begins as a milky liquid obtained from rubber trees. The soles are made from naturally white, pure latex milk sourced from rubber plantations and processing facilities. No trees are felled to obtain the latex milk from rubber trees. The latex milk is processed under strict hygiene standards to ensure the purity of the product. Once the liquid coagulates, it forms a viscous mass that is pressed into a thin, fine sheet of rubber using a roller. Producing natural crepe soles is extremely labor-intensive and complex and requires extensive expertise. For this reason, the process is no longer widely used.
Mushroom-based upper
The ethically correct and sustainable alternative to animal leather.
A mushroom-based upper – the new innovative product with a bio-based content of more than 90%. Visually, it closely resembles the familiar look of animal leather. The unique “ALOE” and “OLEANDER” models feature a textured leather look and highly contemporary natural colors, perfect for the fall and winter seasons. But how is it possible to produce such an animal- and environmentally friendly alternative? Using the innovative HyphaLite™ TC technology, mushrooms from surplus production are sustainably reused. HyphaLite™ TC is extracted from the fruiting body of the mushroom. After harvesting, the mushrooms from Vietnam are dried, mixed with water, and then puréed. Finally, the mixture is pressed to create the leather-like structure. HyphaLite™ TC is a circular product that is highly regenerative and reusable over the long term.
The mushroom-based upper is highly absorbent and has antibacterial and antiseptic properties. Microscopic air pockets in the material make the shoe exceptionally lightweight while also providing an insulating effect. Thanks to the breathable material, it provides a comfortable foot climate in every season.
