Rollasole is innovative because it truly satisfies a currently unmet need: comfortable shoes for women to change into after a night of dancing without sacrificing the style of the wearer. Innovation is the act of introducing something new. Before Rollasole came on the market, no company has explored with the idea of offering cheap alternatives to high heels for women who partied late into the night. However, the problem has been around for quite a while. The age-old saying, “beauty is pain,” holds true to this day. Women all over the world gladly sacrifice their comfort for skyscraper heels in order to accentuate their legs and boost their confidence. Sure, ballet flats don’t make fashion news anymore. But how many ballet flats have the ability to be rolled into a tiny ball and tucked away? Furthermore, how many nightclubs offered a solution to the aching feet of millions of women around the world? That’s what makes Rollasole so innovative. It revolutionizes the post-partying experience and offers a new solution to an old problem.
Rollasole is also creative because it fulfills this unmet need in an unconventional and relevant way. Traditionally, vending machines have been used as the vehicle to sell quick snacks and beverages. Over the years, the “vending industry” has even expanded to hot foods.
Who could’ve ever thought vending machines could be used to sell shoes? However, in the context of Rollasole, it makes perfect sense. Vending machines offer convenience, portability, and value. In the case of Rollasole, these machines appear at numerous nightclubs. They produce shoes that are portable and have the ability to be rolled up. These shoes are also sold at a reasonable price (around $8). Furthermore, the machines are placed at locations where the items are needed the most. For example, vending machines are on every floor of the business school on the way to class, where students who are running late can grab a quick snack. In this case, these ballet flats are needed the most at night in the clubs. Creativity can be defined as the generation of new associations between existing ideas. Rollasole associates vending machines with ballet flats to provide a product and service that solves an unmet need.
The idea of Rollasole was inspired by the creator’s girlfriend, who loves wearing heels but doesn’t like the pain they cause after hours of dancing. As mentioned in the article, “The New, Faster Face of Innovation,” anyone can have or inspire innovative ideas, and it is up to the company to be open to trying new things. The shoes originally were tested in six Oceana and Liquid nightclubs in the UK. It is with the help of information technology that Rollasole was able to test this idea and track the results quickly in order to rollout to new markets. For example, Rollasole tracked the pairs of shoes sold in the first year at 60,000 and can now start the plans to expand his distribution to the U.S., starting with New York and L.A. The article mentions that people no longer think of experiments as running months into the future but rather encourages the speed with which ideas are tested. In addition, this new age of innovation believes that “some of the best experiments come from outside the chain of command.” In the case of Rollasole, the girlfriend had no relations to the company yet came up with the idea for this innovation.
Personally, I cannot wait for Rollasole to arrive in the U.S. As someone who is only 5’3”, heels are a necessity when I go out dancing. However, a night of standing around really takes a toll on my feet. I can think of several times when I thought I would give anything to have a pair of flats to wear home. I have tried wearing flats out but it just doesn’t make the outfit. However, carrying around a pair of flats all night is also unappealing. Rollasole vending machines will allow me to purchase a pair of shoes at the end of the night for a reasonable price while remaining stylish. I can also see this business expanding from the nightclubs to prom, the workplace, weddings, etc.
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