[Manchester, UK] — Footasylum has partnered with Zipline, the leading platform for frontline execution and communication, to modernise how information flows from home office to the shop floor. By standardising on Zipline across 64 stores across the UK, Footasylum aims to improve day-to-day execution, elevate visibility for managers and teams, and support the brand’s next phase of growth following record performance.
“This platform is a game changer for our store teams: streamlining communication, improving visibility, and making it easier than ever to deliver an exceptional customer experience,” said Shannon Osman, Head of Retail at Footasylum. “Huge thanks to everyone who made this possible, especially the team at Zipline who have been incredibly supportive throughout this process.”
Footasylum employs around 1,800 retail team members (rising to ~2,500 at Christmas) and is investing in consumer-grade tools that meet a largely Gen Z workforce where they are. With Zipline, leaders can distinguish routine work from truly delegated tasks, refocusing manager time from repeated “routing” to higher-value coaching and coordination.
The company’s rollout plan began with pilots in July, with full onboarding ahead of peak season. Richard Noon, Omnichannel Project Manager at Footasylum, praised the speed of the rollout: “From a conversation at the Retail Technology Show, a sector review was undertaken, a business case put together, and here we are: live in our stores just a couple of months later. Well done to the Zipline implementation team and our own awesome Retail Ops team for running with it and getting it into the hands of our store associates so quickly, with minimal impact to business-as-usual operations.”
Early feedback from shop leaders speak to stronger clarity, accountability and day-to-day coordination:
- “[Zipline is] a million times better than what we had before. I have used it to prompt and plan the whole week’s tasks and messages, setting reminders for all management. One of my biggest areas for improvement is organisation and Zipline has helped me stay more organised.”
- “It has been a fantastic tool to use as a manager, but I particularly like that it widens visibility to the whole team with certain aspects of communication that needs to be shared with everyone.”
- “Zipline is great! After my floor walk, I can set tasks and work along the week and can stay on top of the progress.”
“Footasylum’s leadership set a high bar for speed and execution, and we’re proud that Zipline could help them go from business case to live in stores in just a few months,” said Zipline CEO and Co-founder, Melissa Wong. “Together, we’re giving managers and associates a single source of truth for what matters today, so they can focus on serving customers and scaling what works.”
About Footasylum
Footasylum is a creative, brave and agile omnichannel retailer, with over 60 stores in the UK and a ‘hyper-local’ approach – seeking to serve the local community. The Company was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Rochdale. It sells a mix of footwear, apparel and accessories through stores, websites, and a wholesale channel. Well-known key third party brands include Nike, adidas, TheNorthFace and New Balance. Examples of Footasylum’s exclusive brands include Zavetti Canada, Alessandro Zavetti, and Monterrain. Footasylum employs around 2,500 staff across the UK and was acquired by AURELIUS in August 2022. Footasylum’s core audience is 16 to 24-year-old urban style leaders. This demographic tends to prioritise discretionary spend on aesthetics and image, particularly clothing and footwear. They are also more willing to embrace new trends and are prominent users of digital sales channels. Footasylum takes a digital-first approach in its marketing, working in partnership with established and up-and-coming players in industries aligned with its core audience to create online content that inspires, engages and entertains its consumers. Footasylum has industry-leading YouTube (2.9m subscribers) and TikTok (2.3m followers) channels, whose content is facilitated by a creative team of 40 based in a 16,000 sq ft studio located in Manchester city centre
About Zipline
Zipline is the leading platform for frontline execution and communication. Purpose-built by retail veterans, Zipline helps more than 150 of the world’s best brands — including Sephora, The Fresh Market, and AEO Inc.— bring their brand strategies to life in stores. By unifying task management, communication, learning, and operational insights, Zipline Keeps Today On Track for field leaders, store managers, and frontline associates alike. Consistently recognized for excellence, Zipline holds an industry-leading Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 89, a 4.9/5 customer satisfaction rating, and was named Overall Store Management Platform of the Year by the Retail Breakthrough Awards. Zipline was also recognized as a Top 100 B2B Retail Tech Company by CB Insights.
