DSW rolls out DSW Kids program in time for Back to School

By

Cassidy Mantor

Published
Jul 17, 2018

DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse) has officially rolled out its DSW Kids range across all stores after piloting it in select markets over the past few years.

Explaining the reasoning behind the launch of the kids range in a release, DSW Chief Operating Officer Michele Love said, "More than half of DSW's 25 million [loyalty program] members have at least one child in the household, and they tell us they want to buy the whole family's footwear in one place."

DSW Kids offers dress and athletic shoes in infant, toddler and youth sizes. In addition to shoes, the DSW Kids also assortment includes backpacks and lunchboxes.

From a service standpoint, the DSW Kids program centers around fit experts who help parents chose the right size for their children and make the shopping experience easier. The program employs sales associates trained in fitting children as well as data-backed algorithms to make fit and style suggestions.

Love highlighted that when parents are buying for children, their biggest concern is often ensuring that they purchase shoes with the proper fit. "Parents want to make sure they're getting value out of school shoes, so fit is everything," she stated. 

In addition to the new shoe range, the program also involves a donation center where DSW loyalty program members can donate the shoes their children have outgrown in exchange for additional purchase incentives. The used footwear will then be sent to Soles4Souls, a non-profit that repurposes gently worn shoes and recycles unwearable shoes to reduce environmental impact.

DSW Kids is now available at all 500 DSW stores, which span 45 states. The program has also rolled out on DSW's mobile and e-commerce sites.