Case Study: The Heat Check achieves stronger online sales and expanded reach with Shopify

The Heat Check - Customer Case Study

The Heat Check, based in Lancaster, PA, grew from a lifelong sneaker obsession into a resale business focused on limited-edition and hard-to-find shoes. What began as buying extra pairs to cover a personal pair expanded into sourcing from chain and independent stores, eBay, unreleased friend-and-family drops and entire collections — with the challenge of turning a hobby into a scalable business and reaching customers in a smaller city.

To solve that, the owner launched an eBay presence in 2008 and a Shopify store, paired with aggressive local and digital marketing — daily social media, a pre-movie theatre spot, and a mailed Clipper magazine — plus attentive in-store service and USPS-based fulfillment. The result: online sales now outpace the brick-and-mortar location, a growing social following that drives repeat sales, and steady business growth.

The Heat Check