Blog - How to choose the right Flaneurz Custom?

Flaneurz proposes the Custom offer, which gives the possibility to transform the shoes of your choice into detachable roller skates. In Ready-to-Roll or Change Your Shoes, choose your model, send it to us and we will transform it for you! To guide you through this offer, we interviewed Inès and Léa, in charge of customer service for Flaneurz and Slades products.

 

/THE CUSTOM OFFER, WHAT IS IT? WHAT ARE ALL THE ADVANTAGES?

©Amaury Cibot

 

"The Custom offer allows the customer to send us the shoes of their choice to be transformed into detachable roller skates..." explains Lea. She also adds that "In order to be sent to our production workshop, the shoes must be compatible with our criteria. For each custom order, we ask for a URL (internet) link of the shoe model. This link is invaluable for Inès and me to confirm whether or not the compatibility of the chosen model."

Léa also specifies that "The main advantage of the Custom offer is that it opens a field of possibilities, the customer can express their wishes. Each one can represent their style and have a shoe that fits them."

 

/WHAT ARE THE TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS NECESSARY FOR THE TRANSFORMATION?

Amaury Cibot

 

The shoe must be new and unworn, for two reasons. The first is that the sole of a shoe that has been worn sags and crumbles, which compromises the integration of the Flaneurz system. The second is hygiene: the shoes are handled by our production operators for several hours. 

Here is the list of technical and ergonomic constraints of the shoes suitable for transformation. You will find them in the "Shoes" tab on each of the Custom pages (Ready-to-Roll and Change Your Shoes):

/TECHNICAL CONSTRAINTS

- New shoes (unworn outdoor)
- Size must be between EU35 and EU46 ⅔ (European size)
- Flat sole made of rubber material
- Minimum sole thickness: 7,0 mm in the front, 13,0 mm in the back
- Maximum sole thickness: 32mm in the back
- Sole's bump must not exceed 5mm depth with the ground contact area
- Shoe tongue must be able to allow access to the shoes internal front part

 

/ERGONOMIC CONSTRAINTS

- Shoes must allow a good heel support during the walking movement
- Shoes can be low

 

/HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SHOE FOR MY LEVEL?

Amaury Cibot

 

To answer this question, Inès identifies several types of skaters and their needs in order to provide the best advice. 

"For beginners, we generally recommend high top shoes that better support the ankle. In fact, we often receive Air Force One High or Adidas Forum High. In addition to their high cut, they have a scratch to tighten the joint and the malleolus.” 

For intermediate skaters, Inès asks them what type of skates they already own and what kind of skating they practice. 

"This matters a lot, for example, for someone who does inline skating or roller skating in boots, they are used to having an ankle support and a boot that goes up above the malleolus. We will then advise a high top shoe, especially if it is the first time they practice roller skating. This has an impact on the skater's balance and reference points. Our goal is for our customers to get used to the Flaneurz concept and then advise them to switch to low-top sneakers if they wish."

For advanced skaters, it depends more on their habits and styles, says Inès: "High or low tops, they are free to express their talents however they want. We remain at their disposal to advise them, especially to choose proper materials.” 

Indeed, materials are important to take into account, Léa adds that "No matter the level of a skater, some materials are not suitable: certain fabric can tear, certain soles can sag etc..."

 

/WHAT IS THE PROCESS TO ORDER MY CUSTOM?

© © Amaury Cibot

 

Flaneurz follows a precise process, as Léa explains: 

/Choose your favorite sneaker

"The first step is that the customer chooses their favorite sneaker, which will later become detachable roller skates. It must meet the Flaneurz processing requirements. Do not forget that the purchase of the shoe is the responsibility of the customer.”

It must meet the conditions of the Flaneurz transformation.

/Ordering and sending your shoes

"To send their Custom, the customer must indicate to us:

- The URL link (internet) of the model they want to transform
- The rolling parts series and its color
- The color of the unlocking key 

Then, within 24 hours, the customer will receive an email confirming that their pair is compatible with our system. If it is not, we will guide them to another model.”

Léa specifies that "The delivery of the shoe is at the customer's expense but it is possible to send the pair of shoes from a third party e-commerce site. Then, we notify the customer by email that we have received their pair at our workshop."

/Transformation

"This step is managed by our production team who installs the Flaneurz system into the customer's sneaker and ensures that the result meets our quality criteria."

/Shipment

Once transformed and checked, the pair can be shipped to your home. Léa adds with a smile that "The customer receives their new detachable roller skates and can now clip-on and clip-off as many times as they want. They can now enjoy their newfound freedom and go from roller skating to walking with the flip of a key."

 

/WHY ARE SOME SHOES REFUSED? AND ARE WE ACCOMPANIED ON THE SITE?

© ©Flaneurz

 

To summarize, shoes are rejected if:

- They do not meet the transformation criteria that allow the insertion of the system.
- They are not authentic.
- They are not new and clean.
- They have shank*.

* Léa's anecdote: "The shanks are metallic pieces placed inside the sole connecting the heel and the sole. This part can be an obstacle to the insertion of the Flaneurz system (many factories in Portugal keep this technique). Upon receipt of the custom shoes, the pairs go through a metal detector to check for the presence of cambria.”

At Flaneurz, the customers benefit from an accompaniment, Inès explains to us the solutions for the customer: "On the site, there is our bot. A trigger appears when you are on the Ready-to-Roll Custom or Change Your Shoes Custom pages with the most frequent questions. The bot is a help that accompanies the customer in his choice. In addition, with Léa, we are always willing to answer questions."

 

Written by Alexandre