LONDON (Reuters) -Dr Martens plans to launch a shoe repair service in Britain next month as it seeks to polish its sustainability credentials, encourage customers to extend the life of their boots, and create a new revenue stream.
The London-listed maker of leather boots, shoes and sandals is currently testing the service with its employees, CEO Kenny Wilson said in an interview. The British launch is a pilot, with a view to expanding the service to continental Europe.
Even if the repair service displaces some demand as people opt for repairing their boots over buying a new pair, Wilson said the service would bring benefits overall.
“Could it potentially lose us some business short term? Yes, but we think about it long-term, therefore we think it will breed customer loyalty, and it’s the right thing to do,” he said.
“I get letters from people every week saying can I get my DMs repaired,” he added.
Dr Martens is working with The Boot Repair Company in the northern English city of Leeds to offer repairs.
To replace worn-out soles on a pair of boots – a procedure that requires taking the whole boot apart – customers would pay 81 pounds ($100.50), Wilson said, while other repairs would likely be less expensive. That compares with 169 pounds ($209.68) for a new pair of Dr Martens 1460 boots.
Overall, Wilson said he sees a big opportunity in the second-hand market for Dr Martens, with the potential to grow to a tenth of group revenue. In May last year, the company launched a resale service with second-hand marketplace Depop.
Clothing and footwear brands around the world, including Zara and H&M, are seeking a toehold in the resale market as more sustainability-conscious young shoppers opt for second-hand over new.
($1 = 0.8060 pounds)
(Reporting by Helen Reid; Editing by Marguerita Choy and Alexander Smith)
Uma Rajagopal has been managing the posting of content for multiple platforms since 2021, including Global Banking & Finance Review, Asset Digest, Biz Dispatch, Blockchain Tribune, Business Express, Brands Journal, Companies Digest, Economy Standard, Entrepreneur Tribune, Finance Digest, Fintech Herald, Global Islamic Finance Magazine, International Releases, Online World News, Luxury Adviser, Palmbay Herald, Startup Observer, Technology Dispatch, Trading Herald, and Wealth Tribune. Her role ensures that content is published accurately and efficiently across these diverse publications.