She was elevated to her current position, president of consumer and marketplace, right as the pandemic hit.
Even before the pandemic, Nike had been shifting its focus more to its own direct channels and away from the traditional wholesale model on which it was built.Since fiscal year 2018, Nike Direct has driven more than 75 percent of the revenue growth at the Nike brand, fueled by the company’s digital business, which posted sales of more than $9 billion in fiscal year 2021, nearly 35 percent of the total volume. This is a number that Nike achieved three years ahead of plan.
While online efforts have taken center stage, O’Neill said the retail stores have also had to change to meet the changing consumer demand. O’Neill explained the differences this way: “If you think about our Rise concept, what we really want to do is connect with the sport pulse of the city. Cities around the world have connections to different sports at different times of the year, and we want the store to kind of light up and rise for the sports and the connection in that city. And we will be publishing local run routes, workouts, and it’s also a way for the whole family to gear up for all sports.
For instance, Nike experts are available both online and offline to work with customers to find the right products, it offers exclusive product access and early releases based on personal preferences. “And we’re going to continue to invest in personal coaching online and offline, and training,” she said. “Our Nike Training Club is now in 180 countries. And we continue to innovate that content for Nike Run clubs launching at many of our new stores.
The Nike app, she said, connects consumers to the store experience by allowing shoppers to scan looks on a mannequin or check out remotely. Then there’s buy online, pick up in store, ship from store and the opportunity to book in-store expert sessions online. “We’re seeing high-double-digit growth for those services in-store,” she said.