Case Study: kizik
Revolutionizing Footwear with Hands-Free Innovation, and VibeIQ
Key Takeaways from Kizik’s Success Story with VibeIQ
Quick Implementation
Fully operational in one month
Business Growth
Enabled 44% YoY net revenue growth
Operational Efficiency
Saved 4 weeks per season
Scaling a product line while keeping up with market demands is no small feat, especially when outdated tools limit your team’s efficiency and collaboration. For kizik, an innovative footwear brand founded in 2017, this challenge became a pressing reality as they revolutionized the industry with their hands-free, step-in footwear designed for inclusivity.
By 2023, kizik’s growth skyrocketed as they expanded into new product categories and markets. However, the increasing complexity of their operations exposed inefficiencies in their existing processes, prompting the need for a transformative solution. This success story highlights how kizik overcame these challenges with VibeIQ.
The Challenge: Scaling Innovation with Outdated Tools
Kizik’s rapid growth brought a host of operational challenges for its merchandising team:
Disconnected Tools
The team relied on Excel and PowerPoint for line planning and data management. These tools led to inefficiencies such as:
- Version control issues.
- Risk of file corruption.
- Lack of real-time collaboration, making updates slow and error-prone.
Complex Growth Management
As SKU counts grew and new product categories were introduced, kizik’s merchandising team needed data-driven tools to support decision-making. Their existing processes couldn’t keep pace with the complexity of scaling efficiently.
Time-Intensive Processes
Preparing for key milestone reviews often required weeks of manual work, delaying critical decisions and slowing down the go-to-market timeline.
Heather Kananowicz, VP of Merchandising at kizik, described the struggle: “We were constantly consolidating data across multiple tools, which was incredibly time-consuming. On top of that, we lacked visuals and had to juggle multiple files to make sense of our plans.”
The Solution: VibeIQ
To address these challenges, kizik adopted VibeIQ in June 2023. Unlike traditional PLM systems, which focus on production, VibeIQ empowers teams to collaborate earlier in the go-to-market process by providing a centralized platform with real-time product visuals and data.
Why VibeIQ Over PLM?
“Standing up a PLM system in the midst of everything else we were dealing with in terms of growth and complexity would have taken too long. We needed a tool for real-time collaboration, line planning, and visibility.”
With VibeIQ , kizik gained a solution tailored to the fast-paced needs of merchandising teams, helping them streamline their processes without the heavy lift of implementing a PLM system.
Implementation: Quick Setup, Seamless Adoption
Kizik’s transition to VibeIQ was smooth and efficient, minimizing disruption to their operations:
- Timeline: Fully operational within a month, including the transfer of 130 historical SKUs.
- Ease of Adoption: VibeIQ’s team handled the heavy lifting, allowing kizik to get started with minimal effort.
- Continuous Support: Weekly touchpoints ensured the platform evolved alongside kizik’s growing needs.
Heather reflected on the onboarding experience, “what was phenomenal was that I just gave them an Excel document, and they did everything else. VibeIQ’s understanding of the industry made all the difference.”
Business Impact: Driving Growth and Efficiency
Since adopting VibeIQ , kizik has achieved remarkable results that resonate with any brand looking to improve speed, collaboration, and profitability:
- 44% YoY Revenue Growth: By streamlining go-to-market processes, kizik accelerated its growth trajectory.
- Expanded Product Offering: With VibeIQ ,kizik increased new SKUs by 7x in less than a year, enabling them to capitalize on market opportunities.
- Reduced Time-to-Market: The team saved 4 weeks per season (16 weeks annually) across critical path milestones, freeing up time to focus on innovation and strategy.
“Preparing the line plan for a milestone meeting, which used to take a week, now takes less than a day.”
How kizik Uses VibeIQ Today
VibeIQ has become an integral part of kizik’s operations, empowering the team in several key ways:
- Centralized Data Hub
Provides a single source of truth, allowing teams to access and visualize data in real-time. - Remote Collaboration
Facilitates virtual line planning and product visualization, enabling seamless collaboration across remote teams. - Informed Decision-Making
Reliable data and SKU analysis support better forecasting, planning, and milestone reviews.
Looking Ahead: A Future with VibeIQ
As kizik continues its expansion into wholesale and international markets, VibeIQ remains a cornerstone of their strategy. Gretchen summarized, “We are super happy with what VibeIQ offers us. It’s become an integral part of our process as we continue to grow.”
Transform Your Business with VibeIQ
Ready to eliminate inefficiencies, accelerate your go-to-market timeline, and drive growth like kizik?