Skechers had less than 10 stores in Southeast Asia when Zann Lee joined the company in 2009. It now counts more than 1000 points of sale across the region. In a conversation with Inside Retail, Lee talked about what gets harder at that size and what the company’s bigger stores are teaching it.

Inside Retail: What has changed most about the consumer since you joined the company?

Zann Lee: The biggest change is that consumers today are much more sophisticated and demanding. When I first joined Skechers, consumers were often focused on the basics. Comfort was a very clear reason for consumers to choose us. 

Consumers now have much more information at their fingertips. They compare prices across online and offline channels, follow global trends, read reviews, and have higher expectations of what a footwear brand should deliver. Comfort is still important, but they also expect performance, style, and products that fit naturally into their lifestyle. 

That’s changed how we run the business, from what we develop to how we market it to what the store feels like. It’s not enough to know what people want to buy. We have to understand how they live and what’s influencing them.

We are also seeing younger consumers discover Skechers in different ways today. It may be through sport, entertainment, cultural partnerships, or through the communities and experiences we create around the brand. 

IR: What gets harder at a larger scale, especially when the markets are so different?

ZL: At a 1000-store scale, the challenge is about making sure each location has a clear purpose and delivers an experience that is relevant to its market.

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