The Athlete’s Foot will sport a new logo and a simplified new banner, TAF, on any new stores opened anywhere around the world from November onward. The initiative goes along with a new modular merchandising system, the launch of an exclusive line of sports apparel and increased support for the franchisees.
NexCen, which acquired TAF for $5.15 million in November 2006, hopes that these moves will further stimulate the development of its international store network, which includes 225 doors in the USA and 389 in 45 other countries in Europe and elsewhere around the world.
The new store concept will be based on four modules that can be chosen by the franchisee to position its stores in the performance segment of the market (taftec) or in classic athletics, or in urban sports, or in extreme and board sports. Specific video and music programs will be offered for the stores, as well as a specific scent. In addition to new stores, the new merchandising program will be mandatory for store remodeling, which is compulsory for the franchisees every five years or so.
Along with the special make-ups developed for the store network, TAF’s new exclusive apparel collection is intended to boost the franchisees margins. It will be available for delivery from January 2008, consisting of a “taftec” performance line and of a line that combines athletic and lifestyle looks.
Furthermore, NexCen will launch a new intranet that will allow the franchisees to share information on new trends and other topics. Some European franchisees, especially in France, recently complained that they were not getting enough support from TAF to justify their franchising fees.
