[Report] "Running Together Feels Great"... Wearing New Nike Shoes for a Run, Returning with Bags Full of Shopping

How "Running" Is Changing Retail Rules
A Review of the Nike Running Class at Lotte Department Store Jamsil
Department Stores Strengthen Experiential Stores
Increasing Store Revisits and Dwell Time with Experiential Content

"Running alone used to be boring, but running together is fun and helps me keep my pace."

Around 7 p.m. on the 4th, about 20 office workers, having changed into athletic wear after work, gathered in small groups in front of the Nike Rise store at Lotte World Mall in Jamsil, Songpa-gu, Seoul. Wearing the new Nike Vomero 18 running shoes, they participated in a "city run," covering a 5-kilometer route from Lotte World Mall to Jamsil Sports Complex together for about an hour. A Nike store employee acted as the pacemaker, and participants cheered each other on with shouts of "Fighting" during the run. Running together to the music playing from the speakers, they hardly felt tired.

Around 7 p.m. on the 4th, about 20 runners participating in the 'Nike Lotte World Tower Run Club' were running in the Jamsil area of Songpa-gu, Seoul, wearing the new product 'Nike Vomero 18'.
Photo by Lotte Department Store

This running class was organized by Lotte Department Store at the Nike Rise store, which opened last month at Lotte World Mall in Jamsil. The store, covering approximately 320 pyeong, is about three times larger than previous Nike stores, and the running product category, which typically accounts for 15-20% of products in regular stores, has been expanded to 25-30%. The store offers not only limited edition products such as the Vaporfly 4 Proto, but also features a "community zone" with lockers for storing running shoes and apparel, as well as a "trial service" where customers can test high-performance running shoes.

Lotte Department Store and Nike hold running classes every Wednesday at 7 p.m. Participants are recruited every Friday through the KakaoTalk channel, and 20 to 30 runners are invited each week. The popularity is so high that spots are filled within three to four minutes. The running routes are divided into ten courses, covering areas from Jamsil Lotte Town to Olympic Park, and a different course is chosen each week, resulting in a high rate of repeat participation. Kwon Youngkyung (31), who participated in the class, said, "A friend I met in a running crew recommended it to me after saying it was fun, so this is already my second time participating. Since we run a different course each time, I always look forward to seeing which route we'll take today," she said with a big smile.

Around 7:30 PM on the 4th, about 20 runners participating in the Nike Lotte World Tower Run Club are running near Jamsil Sports Complex in Songpa-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Lotte Department Store]

The Jamsil area is considered a "mecca for running" due to its well-developed running infrastructure, including Olympic Park, Seokchon Lake, and Songpa Dulle-gil Trail. With the recent running boom, sales of related products at Lotte Department Store Jamsil branch have recorded double-digit growth rates for two consecutive years since 2023, the highest among all branches. Park Juho, MD of the Lotte Department Store Sports Team, explained, "Jamsil is home to global running brands such as Nike and Hoka, so we are able to offer premium products linked to running while maximizing experiential elements."

Previously, Lotte Department Store has been expanding related content by hosting its own running event "Style Run" since 2017 and attracting flagship stores of global running brands. Park also explained, "Running is an activity that requires little equipment, has a low barrier to entry, and makes it easy to build a community, making it ideal for experiential content." He added, "Recently, the popularity of running core looks (wearing athletic wear as everyday clothing) and trail running (running on mountain trails) has expanded the entry-level customer base, which is something the department store industry is paying close attention to."

The exterior view of the 'Nike Rise Store' opened by Lotte Department Store on the B1 floor of Lotte World Mall in Jamsil, Seoul, on the 15th of last month.
[Photo by Lotte Department Store]

Experiential running content is effective in increasing brand loyalty and purchase rates. In fact, runners who tried on Nike's new running shoes through the "trial service" on this day went on to purchase Nike products immediately after the experience. Nike is also running events for participants in the running class, offering in-store discounts and giveaways.

Yoon (27), whom we met right after the class, was holding a headband in one hand and said, "After running, I'm planning to buy accessories, hats, and socks. The running shoes I tried on today also felt great, so I plan to purchase them soon." Kim (29), a resident of Songpa-gu, Seoul, said, "I tried on running shoes during today's class and was surprised by how comfortable they were. In the past, I didn't pay much attention to brands, but after experiencing it myself, I find myself wanting to buy more Nike products."

Park explained, "The disadvantage of department stores compared to online is the question of 'why should I go there in person?' Experiential content addresses this question, increasing revisit rates and the amount of time customers spend in offline stores. Running together in shoes you’ve actually tried on, as well as the sense of community, are factors that can increase brand loyalty and conversion rates."

A Nike employee, after completing a running class, is informing runners who experienced the event inside the Nike Rise store about promotions such as product discounts and giveaways.
[Photo by Lotte Department Store]