Scott and Laura Jordan headquartered SCOTTeVEST, their pocket-laden outdoor clothing line, in Ketchum, Idaho, because they love to hike with their three poodles in the Wood River Valley. The sleek glass-and-concrete building includes the retail shop and showroom on the first floor, an e-commerce office on the second floor, and a climbing wall in the stairwell between the two. They live upstairs, where they enjoy views of the Sun Valley ski area.
When Scott, the brand鈥檚 CEO and co-founder, wanted to take the pups for a hike last summer, he didn鈥檛 have a staffer to mind the store. So, he bought a few hundred dollars鈥 worth of electronics, including a Ring doorbell, motion sensors, an Alexa Echo speaker, and security cameras. He put a sign on the door explaining the concept of 鈥渉onor shopping.鈥 When customers ring the doorbell during business hours, his phone alerts him, he introduces himself over the speaker, and he opens the door remotely so they can shop solo. He encourages them to ask about product features, colors, or sizes via the shop鈥檚 microphone, which is always on, or to dial his cell. When they鈥檙e ready to buy, he鈥檒l come back if he鈥檚 nearby, or they can pay via PayPal and he can keep hiking. 鈥淚鈥檓 a social animal and I like building relationships,鈥 Scott said, 鈥渟o I work to manage expectations so the experience isn鈥檛 weird.鈥
鈥楬onor Shopping鈥 Actually Works
The company, which reportedly generates seven figures in annual revenue and doesn鈥檛 currently employ other staffers, counts honor shopping as a success. The Jordans don鈥檛 have to preside over an empty shop, and, Scott says, customers appreciate that they can try things on at their leisure.
鈥淭rust begets trust,鈥 said Carla Smith, a retiree from Calgary who honor-shopped at SCOTTeVEST while vacationing in the area. 鈥淚f you are willing to make the first move and show you trust people, it will be reciprocated.鈥 Indeed, Laura said customers have been more likely to return to the website for repeat online purchases after honor shopping.
That said, there are drawbacks to the concept. Customers who value hands-on assessment for the fit of a boot or the size of聽a paddle may find the lack of in-person assistance off-putting. Plus, accessibility challenges鈥攕ay, for items stocked on high shelves鈥攐r purchase returns mean shoppers would have to plan a visit during staffed hours.
Nevertheless, the idea is likely to catch on, said Brittain Ladd, a global retail and supply chain consultant based in Dallas: 鈥淎 lot of people think it鈥檚 about labor shortages, but it鈥檚 primarily about convenience. It gives the consumer the ability to shop when they want, in a cost-effective way [for the store].鈥
In most of the honor-shopping programs Ladd has set up, regular customers register in advance, so their credit cards are on file鈥攁 different approach from the SCOTTeVEST model that invites new folks to wander in. For small outdoor retailers, Ladd envisions a true showroom setup, with paddles and fishing rods on the floor鈥攁nd no sales associate on site鈥攕o customers can get the hands-on experience they miss with online shopping. When ready to purchase, they鈥檇 receive the item from a staffed window or via delivery within 24 hours.
For customers like Smith, the no-pressure buying environment is perhaps most appealing of all. And the Jordans get that. 鈥淚 hate it when someone is following me around asking me if I need help鈥攅xcept when I want help,鈥 Scott said. With his new system, he points out, the best of both worlds is possible.