Our Customers’ Touching Moments Are Our Greatest Motivation — Reflections on GARMONT’s 10th Anniversary in China, A Tribute Event
Ren Yulong, General Manager, Beijing Xialangduoji Outdoor Products Co., Ltd.
In 2011, we marked the 10th anniversary of GARMONT, the prestigious Italian hiking footwear brand established in 1867 (now 144 years old), which entered the Chinese market in 2001. Over the past decade, as one of the first international professional outdoor footwear brands to enter China, GARMONT not only witnessed the growth and development of China’s outdoor market but also gained widespread recognition and affection among outdoor enthusiasts for its impeccable design, meticulous craftsmanship, and superior quality, earning an excellent reputation.
Over the past ten years, GARMONT dealers have grown from just over a dozen initial partners such as Beijing Sangwent, Nanjing Yuanjing, Jinan Huoniao, Xi’an Green Ant, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen Huohu, to now encompassing hundreds of outdoor retail stores across more than 20 provinces nationwide. Consumers have also evolved from being primarily professional outdoor adventurers to hundreds of thousands of Chinese outdoor enthusiasts wearing GARMONT hiking shoes. A large number of loyal GARMONT dealers and devoted consumers have emerged, including many who are truly passionate about the brand. On the occasion of GARMONT’s 10th anniversary in China, to thank our dealers for their support and consumers for their love of GARMONT products, GARMONT’s China general agent, Beijing Xialangduoji Outdoor Products Co., Ltd., launched a series of gratitude and reward activities.
Here, I’d like to highlight this year’s “Find Our Loyal Customers – Exchange Old Shoes for New” campaign. It was first officially launched at the GARMONT 10th Anniversary Celebration during the ISPO Beijing show earlier this year, and subsequently widely promoted through the official GARMONT website, China Hiking Website, 8264.com, Greenlight Outdoor, the magazine “Rui Outdoor,” and the outdoor club websites of TaoYe Network. We also specially produced promotional posters for the event, distributing them to dealers to display in their stores. During the campaign, we made extensive efforts to locate the first group of people who wore GARMONT shoes back in 2001, through phone calls and dealer visits. The entire initiative received active participation and strong support from all sides. Many customers either visited dealers in person to inquire, called our company, or even brought their old shoes directly to us. After joint verification by the original agents and dealers, we ultimately confirmed 22 pairs of shoes purchased in 2001 that met the exchange criteria. Moreover, these consumers shared many touching stories about their experiences with GARMONT. In the end, as promised, we exchanged a pair of GARMONT’s classic 10th-anniversary commemorative model, worth 1,780 RMB, for each of these 22 earliest GARMONT wearers—free of charge.
Through this campaign, we not only found dealers who have been with GARMONT for a full decade, but also discovered and reunited with many of the most loyal “veteran hikers” who have worn GARMONT shoes throughout the years. We also collected numerous heartwarming stories about consumers and their GARMONT footwear. Furthermore, the event once again demonstrated the outstanding quality of GARMONT products. Among them were customers who owned as many as over ten pairs of GARMONT shoes themselves, those who bought up to 27 pairs for friends, individuals who refused to discard their shoes even after the soles wore out and instead had new soles fitted to continue wearing them, and those who have been wearing their 2001-purchased GARMONT shoes until today, still in perfect condition. The feedback from consumers about GARMONT was deeply heartfelt and sincere. Some said that wearing GARMONT shoes felt like the shoes were a natural extension of their feet—extremely comfortable. Others mentioned that GARMONT had become addictive for them; they haven’t worn any other brand since their first pair. And some even said they found GARMONT shoes so comfortable they didn’t want to take them off at night.
Seeing so many people love GARMONT shoes and hearing so many touching stories about them, as GARMONT’s general agent, we feel deeply touched and greatly inspired. On this occasion, we would like to express our most sincere gratitude to all the dealers and consumers who have supported, cared for, and loved GARMONT over the past ten years.
Customer satisfaction is our greatest source of motivation. All staff at Xialangduoji are committed to taking a long-term view, focusing on the future, paying attention to detail, and striving to create a new chapter in promoting the GARMONT brand in the Chinese market. We aim to deliver to every dealer and consumer the high-quality, exquisitely crafted GARMONT shoes beloved by consumers, along with our comprehensive and attentive service.