SINGAPORE — The new adidas Virtual Football Wall has scored the sports brand a goal in the way it markets its football boots. Imagine scrolling through 3D graphically-animated shoes on a 2.5m-tall touchscreen and you will have an idea of what the Virtual Football Wall — the first in South-east Asia — is about.

The “giant tablet”, as described by Mr Hermann Seet, adidas’ Head of Football, South-east Asia, lets consumers interact with and understand the technology behind 120 different models of adidas football boots. Rather than read through a list of technical specifications, consumers can see an “exploded” view of the boot to better understand each technology used in a model.

Useful functions include letting shoppers “compare up to four different boots side by side”, said Mr Seet. In addition, a video component lets the user watch videos of adidas-sponsored athletes such as Lionel Messi. Shoppers can also pre-order their boots using the wall from next month onwards.

FLYING OFF THE VIRTUAL SHELF

Another goal on the brand’s scorecard is the location of the Virtual Football Wall: Weston Corporation in Queensway Shopping Centre. Regarded as the “destination of choice” for shoppers of football boots, Weston Corporation carries the widest range of adidas models, including special editions exclusive to the store, said Mr Seet.

Mr Amandeep Singh, 34, owner of Weston Corporation, said: “The wall is a good selling point as it lends oomph to the way the football boots are presented.” He added that 80 pairs of Nitrocharge — the latest model launched in May at S$289 per pair — were sold in the first week. According to Mr Singh, it would typically take a month to sell the same number of boots.

The virtual wall can display up to 500 football boot models. In fact, every adidas football boot model carried by Weston Corporation is available on the virtual wall for consumers to interact with. New models are uploaded via a touch pad by Mr Singh. The good news: Prices of the boots on the virtual wall and the shelves are the same.

The four touchscreens that make up the interactive wall took two days to install and set up. An expert from the adidas global football team flew in to train the staff. Mr Seet declined to reveal the cost of the wall but said the five-figure bill was borne by adidas.

VIRTUAL SALESPERSON

At times when the store gets busy, the interactive wall can complement the sales staff by allowing shoppers to explore the different boot options on their own, said Mr Singh.

Weston Corporation sales assistant Cris Zhang, 32, said: “Customers like to compare. With the wall, they can find out what they are paying more for in a first-grade boot versus a second-grade one. It is also easy to figure out how to use the wall.”

Shoppers, from the young to the old, agreed. Mr Muhd Fauzi, 17, found it easier to find the football boot model that he was looking for. “It’s like using an iPad,” said the ITE student.

Sales manager Low Cheng Huat, 49, who was with his son to shop for football boots, liked the user-friendly interface. “When the sales staff is busy, I prefer to look for what I need myself. The wall lets me do that easily.”

According to Mr Seet, the virtual wall will be available at Weston Corporation “indefinitely”. Running shoes may be next in line to have their own virtual wall next year, he said.

Singapore is the fifth location to have the interactive wall after Berlin, London, Paris and Japan. Following Singapore’s launch, the interactive wall will be available in Thailand and Indonesia later this year.