How Our Private Ordering Portal Simplifies Custom Sneaker Orders for Employees
Designing custom company sneakers is the exciting part.
Collecting everyone’s shoe size, preferred design, and shipping address is where the process can become complicated.
The Custom Kiks Private Ordering Portal gives employees a simple way to select and order their approved company sneakers while giving the company visibility into the process.
Each employee chooses from a private, company-approved collection, enters their own shoe size and shipping information, and checks out using a company-provided access code.
The company does not have to build a spreadsheet, gather addresses, enter individual orders, or continually chase employees for missing information.
Custom Kiks monitors the ordering activity, tracks participation, and helps move the project forward.
What is a private employee ordering portal?
A private employee ordering portal is a secure, branded online collection created specifically for one company, team, event, or gifting program.
Instead of sending employees a form and later transferring all the information into an order, the company can distribute one private link.
Inside the portal, employees can:
- View the custom sneaker designs approved by their company
- Choose their preferred sneaker style or color
- Select their correct shoe size
- Enter their own shipping address
- Complete the order using a private company code
The experience feels like normal online shopping for the employee, but the collection and ordering process are created around the company’s specific program.
How the Custom Kiks ordering process works
Every program begins with the company selecting and approving its sneaker designs.
Depending on the project, employees may receive one approved design or a larger curated collection with different silhouettes, colors, and branding options.
Once the collection is approved, Custom Kiks creates a private online ordering page that is not intended for the general public.
1. We create the approved sneaker collection
The company works with Custom Kiks to develop the sneakers it wants to offer.
This may include:
- One signature company sneaker
- Multiple sneaker styles using the same branding
- Different colorways
- Low-top and high-top options
- Designs created for separate departments, locations, or teams
Custom Kiks then organizes the approved options into one private collection.
The Emory Healthcare private sneaker collection.
2. The company shares one private link
The company receives a link that can be distributed internally through email, Slack, Microsoft Teams, an employee newsletter, or another internal communication channel.
There is no public product search required. Employees go directly to the collection created for them.
3. Employees place their own orders
Each employee visits the private collection and selects the pair they want.
They enter their own:
- Sneaker selection
- Shoe size
- Name
- Shipping address
- Required contact information
They then check out using the access code provided by their company.
The employee does not need to pay individually when the program is being funded by the company.
4. The company maintains visibility
The company administrator can see the ordering activity and understand how the program is progressing.
But visibility does not mean the administrator has to manage every step.
Custom Kiks also monitors participation, tracks the number of completed orders, and communicates important updates to the company contact.
This is an important difference.
The portal is not designed to hand the company another system to manage. It is designed to remove work from the company’s team.
5. Custom Kiks manages the order through production
After the ordering window closes, Custom Kiks reviews the submitted orders and prepares them for production.
Each pair is made to order based on the employee’s selected design and size.
Depending on the program, finished sneakers can be:
- Shipped together to one company location
- Distributed at an event or meeting
- Shipped individually to employees
- Sent to multiple offices or destinations
The fulfillment plan is established before the ordering window opens so the company and its employees know what to expect.
How Rubicon used a private sneaker ordering collection
For Rubicon, Custom Kiks created a private 12-piece sneaker collection designed around the company’s branding.
The collection included several sneaker silhouettes and multiple color options, allowing employees to choose the pair that best matched their preferences while keeping every option consistent with the Rubicon brand.
Rubicon received a private link to distribute internally.
Employees could visit the collection, choose their preferred sneakers, select their size, enter their shipping address, and complete the order using an access code.
The company maintained visibility into the ordering activity, while Custom Kiks monitored participation and kept the company informed about the overall headcount.
Rubicon’s team received meaningful choice without requiring its administrator to manually collect and organize every order.
What problems does the ordering portal solve?
Without a structured ordering process, a company sneaker program can quickly produce several disconnected documents and conversations.
The organizer may need to:
- Ask employees for their sizes
- Follow up with people who did not respond
- Collect home addresses
- Confirm design preferences
- Correct incomplete information
- Transfer responses into an order sheet
- Communicate individual changes
- Keep track of who has and has not ordered
That can be manageable for five people.
It becomes much more difficult when the program includes dozens or hundreds of recipients, multiple sneaker options, remote employees, or individual shipping.
The private ordering portal moves the responsibility for entering personal order details to the person who knows them best: the employee receiving the shoes.
Custom Kiks then provides the oversight needed to keep the program organized.
When is a private ordering portal most useful?
The portal is especially helpful for:
- Employee appreciation gifts
- Company anniversaries and milestones
- Sales meetings and corporate retreats
- New-hire welcome programs
- Team recognition gifts
- Conference and trade-show teams
- Product launches
- Brand activations
- Distributed and remote workforces
- Company-wide custom merchandise programs
It can also be used for smaller teams when the organizer wants to offer employees a choice without personally coordinating every selection.
Employee choice without administrative overload
Offering employees several sneaker options makes the gift more personal.
It also creates more information to manage.
The private portal allows companies to offer that choice without taking on the operational burden that normally comes with it.
Employees receive a simple shopping experience.
The company receives program visibility.
Custom Kiks handles the monitoring, production coordination, and fulfillment support behind the scenes.
Because a memorable employee gift should not create another job for the person organizing it.
Frequently asked questions
How do companies collect employee shoe sizes for custom sneaker orders?
Custom Kiks can create a private ordering portal where each employee selects their own sneaker size. This removes the need for the company to collect sizes manually in a spreadsheet or email thread.
Can employees choose between multiple sneaker designs?
Yes. A private collection can include one approved sneaker or several company-approved styles and colorways. The available choices are established with the company before the portal opens.
Can employees enter their own shipping addresses?
Yes. When sneakers are being shipped individually, employees can provide their shipping information during checkout.
Do employees have to pay for the sneakers?
For company-funded programs, employees can check out using a private code rather than paying for the order themselves. The final billing arrangement is established directly with the company.
Can the company monitor who has ordered?
The company administrator can maintain visibility into ordering activity. Custom Kiks can also monitor participation, report the current headcount, and help identify outstanding orders.
Can all of the sneakers be shipped to one location?
Yes. Orders may be shipped in bulk to one company location or individually to recipients, depending on the needs of the program.
Are the sneaker collections public?
No. Private company collections are created for internal distribution and accessed through a direct link.
How many employees can use the ordering portal?
The process can be used for individual teams, departments, events, and larger company gifting programs. The collection and fulfillment structure are planned around the expected number of recipients.
Create a private sneaker ordering experience for your company
Custom Kiks creates branded sneakers and private ordering experiences for employee gifts, corporate events, company milestones, customer gifts, and team programs.
Your employees choose their approved sneakers and submit their own order details.
Your company maintains visibility without taking on the entire administrative process.
Talk to Custom Kiks about creating a private sneaker collection for your team.