AI-Powered Shoe Fitting Revolutionizes Runners Need Stores

Runners Need, a leading UK sportswear specialist, is revolutionizing the in-store shoe-fitting experience through a new partnership with Ochy, an artificial intelligence-powered running analysis app. This collaboration brings advanced gait and form assessment directly to Runners Need stores across the UK, marking a significant advancement for the running industry.

This initiative represents the first time a UK retailer has offered AI-powered movement analysis within its physical stores. The integration of Ochy’s platform aims to elevate the customer experience and move away from traditional shoe-fitting methods, transforming it into a quicker, more scientifically grounded, and readily available process. Ochy delivers detailed results in under a minute, providing runners with valuable insights into their running style.

The new service offers detailed analysis of key running metrics, including asymmetries and stride mechanics, as well as providing guidance on shoe compatibility. Runners can access a free rear-view gait analysis with any shoe purchase, whether online or in-store. For a more in-depth evaluation, a side-view analysis is available for £25, which includes the rear-view assessment as part of the package.

Customers who wish to utilize the rear-view gait analysis without a shoe purchase can do so for a fee of £15. Andy Dopson, Head of Retail at Runners Need, emphasized the company’s commitment to ensuring customers feel confident in their footwear choices, stating, “Whatever our customers goals are, we want to make sure that they have confidence that their shoes will help them achieve it.”