Did you know that three out of every five people are likely wearing the wrong size shoe? That’s partly because the system the industry uses to determine shoe size is antiquated. It’s not just the equipment — essentially a foot ruler with a measurement scale based on a barley corn kernel–but the concept of sizing itself. Length and width don’t provide nearly enough data to get a shoe to fit comfortably. Sizing as we know it is a gross simplification of a complex problem.
Enter Nike Fit, a new scanning solution that uses a proprietary combination of computer vision, data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence and recommendation algorithms. It does this by measuring the full shape of both feet, offering the ability to know your truly perfect fit for each Nike shoe style.
While shopping within the Nike app, there’s a moment we all face when we get close to purchasing a pair of new shoes where we ask ourselves: “What size am I?” This is where Nike Fit comes in. When you go to select your size, there will be a new option that asks whether you’d like to try Nike Fit.
Using your smartphone’s camera, Nike Fit will scan your feet, collecting 13 data points mapping your foot morphology for both feet within a matter of seconds. This hyper-accurate scan of your unique foot dimension can then be stored in your NikePlus member profile and easily used for future shopping online and in-store.
You can also use Nike Fit in a Nike retail store. This experience leverages a specially developed Nike Fit mat (rather than a wall) and allows store athletes to help recommend the best fit for whatever Nike shoe you’re shopping.
If you want to shop for family or friends, you can enter a guest mode that will allow you to also scan their feet. Nike Fit will be great for parents trying to figure out what size cleat, basketball shoe or runner your little one needs this time.
How to Apply It
Once you’ve scanned your feet, you will be offered a “best fit for you” recommendation for that footwear wherever you shop — in the app or in store.
For example, if you have used Nike Fit to scan your feet and you go to purchase a Nike Cortez on the Nike app, you won’t see a run of sizes anymore. Instead, you’ll just see your size for that particular shoe. Then, if you go to buy a Nike Air Zoom Pegasus you might see another size. That’s because different shoes are made with different performance intent – a running shoe works best for the athlete when a little more snug while a sportswear shoe is designed to have more room for everyday wear.
Why Nike Fit Matters
Nike Fit is a transformative solution and an industry first — using a digital technology to solve for massive customer friction.
In the short term, Nike Fit will improve the way Nike designs, manufactures and sells shoes — product better tailored to match consumer needs. A more accurate fit can contribute to everything from less shipping and fewer returns to better performance.
