Nike is a global seller of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment that is currently pulling in over 2 trillion dollars in retail sales per year. Nike is an unbeatable brand for customer loyalty, and their membership program proves just how well they know their consumers and their business model.
Under the Nike umbrella are the following brands; Nike, Converse, Hurley, and Jordan. Their closest competition is Adidas, Puma, and Under Armour. They also have an extensive network of celebrities and athletes that endorse them. They are doing something creative and unique with their membership program, and you’re going to want to learn how it all works to save the most money possible.
Explaining the Unique Concept Behind Nike Membership
Nike had a loyalty program and several apps that catered to people with different athletic or shopping interests. Nike membership was created to connect all of these programs across their live stores, online stores, and apps into one massive program. All of these programs and apps are free, and you need your free Nike membership to log into them all.
The Nike membership program’s truly unique part is that it combines shopping loyalty and subscription-based services but gives the membership away for free. Nike can afford to do this because they have an extensive catalog of products they know people will purchase. The more people use these free Nike apps in their daily lives, and the more rewards they give out, the more sales revenue they will make.
Nike has a mission to “be more personal at scale,” which means they want to hyper-personalize the shopping experience to drive sales in a way that makes sense to the consumer. They adopted this mission after seeing data that uncovered that people who shopped through their various free apps spend three times the amount of money than people who shopped in their live retail stores.
What Benefits Does Nike Membership Give You?
Nike membership gives you personalized benefits in-store, online, and through their apps. You can sign up on their website for free. Here are the in-store and online benefits of the Nike membership:
- Member-exclusive products and early release access to limited-edition merchandise
- Expert advice from customer service reps with access to your buying information
- Priority access, curbside locker pick up, private shopping sessions
- Connect online to over 100 free at-home workouts
- Free delivery for online and app shoppers
- 30 day “wear it” tests, if you don’t love it, return it
- Birthday rewards
- Exclusive discounts
Nike Apps You Can Use With Your Nike Membership
Nike has several apps that show just how well they know their customer’s wants and needs. The apps are free to download, and all have free elements to use, plus optional premium add-ons and opportunities to shop. You’ll need your free Nike membership log-on to use any of the Nike apps.
- Nike – This is the leading Nike shopping app.
- SNKRS – This app is an augmented reality “game” similar to Pokemon Go. You are given clues to find locations in the real world, and once you find them, you unlock access to secret limited edition products for purchase.
- Nike Training Club (NTC) – This personalized training app lets you customize and track your workouts. Access to free workouts, keep your workout information and data in one place, and unlock free real-world fitness classes and passes. The app can be used by beginners as well as accomplished athletes as there is something for everyone. You’ll also get access to nutrition tips and recipes as well as holistic wellness.
- Nike Running Club (NRC) – Exactly as the name suggests, an app for avid runners! This year they are having a 21K run challenge to celebrate the year 2021. Have your smartphone or apple watch with you on your runs to get accurate run data like pace and mileage. You can set up a schedule or use one of the custom ones in the app. There is also a competition element with a leaderboard.
The most interesting, dare we say addictive, element of the Nike apps is the ability to “unlock” more benefits simply by using the app. If you hit a milestone on the Nike Running Club app, for example, you will unlock an exclusive members-only product. You can also earn free Apple Music access, free training classes or fitness passes, and many more. Here are some possible benefits to unlock:
- Previews and early access to new collections
- Free ClassPass class credits
- A Free month of Apple Music
- A discount off membership of Headspace
- Access to Nike events
- Testing new products
- Shopping in-stores during special hours
- Personalize and customize items (in-store or studio)
- Monetary discount vouchers (on purchases over a certain value)
- Product guidance using the app, even when in-store
These “unlocks” will have you constantly reaching for the apps and striving for your goals. Nike knows that this will lead to more product sales over time because they sell workout apparel and fitness gear right inside these apps. Offering the app for free removes any barrier of entry and encourages a wider range of participation.
How Does Nike’s Membership Program Compare to the Competition?
There isn’t another brand loyalty program out there quite like Nike membership because they combined a loyalty program with a subscription-based program, then turned around and made access free. Nike Training Club was originally a paid membership, but Nike changed the game during the pandemic by making it free and announcing it would stay that way.
Nike does have its direct competitors, however, and they have their own loyalty or membership programs. Here are three of these programs and what they offer.
- Adidas Creator Club: Adidas has a free loyalty program that is a bit more traditional. You earn points for shopping, reviewing products, and participating in fitness using their app. The more points you earn, the more benefits you unlock. The benefits are discounts, in-store events, exclusive products, birthday gifts, and other special events.
- Puma offers a very basic membership plan called AdvoCAT. It’s very straightforward; you earn points for purchases which, in turn, level up what tier of discount you can receive when you shop.
- Under Armour has a membership program called Shoprunner which costs $79 a year, and its main benefit is free shipping. They also have paid membership for their “Performance Centers” for fitness. They also have a free basic loyalty card program that is pretty old fashion; you have a card and earn promo codes when they shop.
While Adidas comes closest, there is no other brand offering as extensive, personal, and interactive a membership service as Nike.
FAQs About the Nike Membership
Is Nike Membership Free?
Yes, Nike membership is totally free! Once you have a Nike membership account, you’ll also get free access to all of their apps.
What Is A Nike Locker?
Available at select live shops, a Nike locker allows you to shop online or through the Nike app, pay digitally, and pick up your purchase at the store with zero contact.
How Do I Get Free Shipping?
If you love buying Nike products online, make sure to sign up for the free membership program. This unlocks free shipping and many other benefits.
What Is A Nike First Access Offer?
Available to Nike Members, “first access offers” allow you to get your hands on the latest new product drops. Turn on notification on your Nike app, so you don’t miss out! The products are sold on a first-come-first-serve basis and often sell out quickly.
Find even more FAQs on the Nike website.
Wrapping Things Up: How to Get the Most Out of Your Nike Membership
Like all membership plans, the more you use it, the more you will benefit from it. You can absolutely use your Nike membership to simply gain access to online and in-store deals and discounts, but the real magic happens when you start downloading and using the apps.
If you’re a sneakerhead, then you’ll want to use the SNKRS app to unlock access to limited edition products. If you love to run, then racking up miles on the NRC app will earn you more discounts and rewards while also keeping your body healthy. Nike loves to promote fitness and athleticism, and they are willing to reward you for it.
Use the Nike Training App or The Nike Run Club app to gain access to guided workouts, yoga, meditation, and other training goodies. As you workout, you’ll gain badges and unlock rewards. It’s a great way to gamify fitness and help everyone succeed in their goals while at the same time encouraging shoppers to buy Nike gear.
In a very smart move, Nike has given away valuable memberships for free to gain exponentially more wealth in retail sales. The best part is you, the consumer, benefit both in savings and good health. To get the most benefit from your Nike Membership, participate with the fitness apps and make sure to look out for time-sensitive notifications and emails.
