How SNIPES manages massive traffic for hyped sneaker drops
SNIPES has always been focused on shaping and driving the streetwear culture, and has launched branded product partnerships with popular figures like Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg and Rick Ross. On a typical sneaker release day, their online stores attract approximately 100,000 sneaker heads seeking the limited-edition shoes.
Challenge
With previous sneaker releases encountering mass interest and buzz from sneaker heads that led to site slowdowns and unsatisfied customers, SNIPES was eager to maintain website performance and keep their customers hyped about the latest sneaker styles from Nike, Jordan, Adidas, and other exclusive footwear brands. Having invested heavily into scaling servers during the releases, SNIPES realized that they needed an innovative solution that would be even more reliable than server scaling during the popular releases.
"We invested a lot of money into scaling servers and we still had major issues that prevented potential customers from purchasing on our website. Nobody enjoys shopping on a website where they cannot check out. That just doesn’t work."
Robert Williams, Digital Manager
Solution
To address the key server issues they faced during their highly anticipated sneaker releases, SNIPES implemented Queue-it’s virtual waiting room and continue to use it for their online events as a strategic way to manage the rush of customers while capitalizing on the hype and social proof that surrounds the limited collection sneakers.
"The huge server infrastructure mess was something we did not want to continue with. Nobody builds a website to handle hundreds of thousands of people just for a limited amount of time. Throughout the day it’s different, but having that major peak is insane. Queue-it is a great solution that saves the day and it works flawlessly."
Results
Not only did the implementation of the virtual waiting room contribute to maintaining SNIPES' website performance, but SNIPES also experienced improved customer feedback on social media. Queue-it’s 24/7 support before, during, and after the releases, as well as the recommendations on waiting room installation and load anticipation helped the SNIPES team deliver smooth online sales.
"Queue-it made everything more pleasant for the customer experience and the social media complaints disappeared. Having only one person to set-up the technology together with the Queue-it team saved us a lot of time, human resources, and money."
About SNIPES
The SNIPES story begins in 1998 with the opening of the very first SNIPES store in Essen, Germany. Since then the company has opened 200+ retail stores across Europe and has expanded into the U.S. market with its acquisition of KicksUSA.