Make the call on your next drop before the line is locked.
Colorways, silhouettes, materials, graphics, campaign directions, and product names are often decided by small differences with significant commercial consequences.
Teststrip gives footwear and apparel teams one focused place to compare creative routes with internal teams, buyers, retail partners, and others close to the decision.
Read what is leading, understand why, and leave with a clear record of the final call.
No dashboards to learn. No debate over screenshots in Slack. One decision at a time. One clear record of the call.
Built for product, design, merchandising, brand, creative, sales, and marketing teams.
Make the call on your next drop before the line is locked.
Colorways, silhouettes, materials, graphics, campaign directions, and product names are often decided by small differences with significant commercial consequences.
Teststrip gives footwear and apparel teams one focused place to compare the routes, understand what is leading, and keep a clear record of the final call.
One decision at a time. One clear record of the call.
Built for product, design, merchandising, brand, sales, and marketing teams.
The next drop does not need more opinions. It needs a clear call.
Design, product, merchandising, brand, sales, leadership, and retail partners may all see the same work differently. Each perspective can be valid, but the development calendar keeps moving while the team debates what should move forward.
By the time samples are approved, materials are committed, campaigns are planned, or the line reaches wholesale, changing direction has already become more expensive.
Teststrip helps teams organize those perspectives into a clearer read while meaningful changes are still possible.
Design, product, merchandising, brand, sales, leadership, and retail partners may all see the same work differently.
While the team debates, the seasonal calendar keeps moving. Once samples, materials, photography, wholesale, and launch plans are underway, changing direction becomes more expensive.
Design, product, merchandising, brand, and sales may all be right from their own point of view. Without shared criteria, the team cannot see where the real agreement is.
While the team debates, samples, materials, costing, photography, wholesale, and launch plans continue moving forward.
Email threads, Slack messages, marked-up decks, and percentages still leave the team interpreting what should move forward and what must change.
A weak colorway, unclear product story, or off-brand campaign can create markdown pressure and weaken the broader drop.
- 01Too many perspectives
Without shared criteria, the team cannot see where the real agreement is.
- 02The calendar keeps moving
Samples, costing, photography, wholesale, and launch plans continue while the team debates.
- 03Comments are not a decision
Slack, email, marked-up decks, and percentages still leave the final call unresolved.
- 04Late changes cost more
Weak product or creative decisions become harder and more expensive to reopen.
Any creative or product decision, framed as one clear call.
Compare color, material, and finish combinations before the assortment is finalized.
Evaluate which product direction best serves the target consumer, use case, and commercial opportunity.
Review material stories, textures, components, branding details, and finish options.
Compare graphics, logos, patterns, prints, placements, and visual systems.
Choose the creative story that connects product, merchandising, and marketing across the line.
Compare product, franchise, technology, and seasonal names for clarity, fit, and distinction.
Evaluate which visual and narrative direction best introduces the product and supports the launch.
Review packaging, labels, claims, hangtags, and product storytelling before files are released.
Compare color, material, and finish before the assortment is finalized.
Choose the product direction that best serves the consumer and use case.
Review materials, components, branding details, and finishes.
Compare graphics, logos, patterns, prints, and placements.
Choose the story connecting product, merchandising, and marketing.
Compare names for clarity, distinction, and brand fit.
Choose the visual and narrative route supporting the launch.
Review packaging, labels, claims, hangtags, and storytelling.
How a footwear brand chose the lead colorway for its Fall trail runner.
Muted olive and tan. Technical, versatile, and grounded.
Warm clay and rust. Strong Fall relevance with clear shelf distinction.
Sand and stone neutrals. Premium, wearable, and easy to carry across channels.
- Leading
- Route B, Canyon Ember
- Strength
- Clear preference across merchandising, sales, retail, and community reviewers.
- Agreement
- Reviewers saw the strongest shelf distinction and clearest Fall story without losing trail credibility.
- Merchandising read
- Canyon Ember adds seasonal energy without overlapping too closely with the existing assortment.
- Watchout
- The bright heel accent and warm strap treatment may limit versatility beyond the launch window.
- Required changes
- Reduce the heel accent and darken the primary strap before sample confirmation.
Proceed with Route B, Canyon Ember, as the lead Fall launch colorway. Reduce the bright heel accent and darken the primary strap before sample confirmation. Keep Alpine Olive as the second colorway. Hold Desert Stone for a future neutral assortment or online-exclusive opportunity.
In this illustrative example, the team reached a clear direction because reviewers were responding to one defined colorway decision rather than leaving general comments.
Teststrip does not simply count preferences. It shows why one colorway is leading, where teams agree, what concerns remain, and what must change before approval.
How a footwear brand chose the lead colorway for its Fall trail runner.
Which colorway should lead the Fall launch for the Ridge Run Trail One?
Muted olive and tan. Technical, versatile, and grounded.
Warm clay and rust. Strong Fall relevance with clear shelf distinction.
Sand and stone neutrals. Premium, wearable, and easy to carry across channels.
Route B, Canyon Ember
Clear preference across merchandising, sales, retail, and community reviewers.
Reviewers saw the strongest shelf distinction and clearest Fall story without losing trail credibility.
Canyon Ember adds seasonal energy without overlapping too closely with the existing assortment.
The bright heel accent and warm strap treatment may limit versatility beyond the launch window.
Reduce the heel accent and darken the primary strap before sample confirmation.
Proceed with Route B, Canyon Ember, as the lead Fall launch colorway. Reduce the bright heel accent and darken the primary strap before sample confirmation. Keep Alpine Olive as the second colorway. Hold Desert Stone for a future neutral assortment or online-exclusive opportunity.
In this illustrative example, the team reached a clear direction because reviewers were responding to one defined colorway decision rather than leaving general comments.
Teststrip does not simply count preferences. It shows why one colorway is leading, where teams agree, what concerns remain, and what must change before approval.
See where buyers, retail partners, and internal teams agree and where they do not.
Invite the people whose perspective matters to the decision.
Core buyers may see relevance. Merchandising may see assortment fit. Retail partners may see wholesale potential. Product and design may see technical or creative risk.
Teststrip keeps those perspectives clear, then organizes the input into a focused read on what is leading, why it is leading, and what still needs to be resolved.
Different groups see different risks and opportunities.
Teststrip keeps those perspectives clear, then shows what is leading, why it is leading, and what still needs to be resolved.
Define the exact call the team needs to make, what is being compared, and what matters to the next stage.
e.g. Which two colorways should carry the lead trail runner?
Add the colorways, products, names, campaigns, materials, or other directions being considered.
Invite buyers, retail partners, internal teams, and other reviewers close to the decision. No reviewer account is required.
See what is leading, understand why, capture required changes, and document the final decision.
- 01Frame the decision
Define the exact call and what matters to the next stage.
e.g. Which two colorways should carry the lead trail runner?
- 02Lay out the routes
Add the products, colorways, names, materials, campaigns, or other directions.
- 03Gather focused input
Invite buyers, retail partners, internal teams, and others close to the decision.
- 04Read and record the call
See what is leading, understand why, capture changes, and document the final decision.
Leave the review with a decision the team can carry forward.
Every Teststrip room ends with an editable Test Readout that captures what was chosen, why it won, what concerns remain, what must change, who owns the next step, and when the decision was made. It can move into a merchandising review, wholesale meeting, development handoff, founder update, or future seasonal discussion without losing the rationale behind the call.
Every Teststrip room ends with an editable Test Readout showing what was chosen, why it won, what must change, who owns the next step, and when the decision was made.
- Decision ask
- Which colorway should lead the Fall launch for the Ridge Run Trail One?
- Selected direction
- Route B, Canyon Ember.
- Why it won
- Canyon Ember created the strongest shelf distinction, supported a clear Fall launch story, and remained credible with core trail users.
- Confidence / signal strength
- Strong preference across merchandising, sales, retail, and invited community reviewers.
- Watchouts
- The bright heel accent and warm strap treatment may limit versatility beyond the initial launch window.
- Rejected alternatives
- Alpine Olive will remain in the assortment as a secondary colorway. Desert Stone will not move forward for the primary launch because it lacks enough shelf distinction, but it may be reconsidered for a future neutral assortment or online-exclusive opportunity.
- Required changes
- Reduce the bright heel accent and darken the primary strap before sample confirmation.
- Risks accepted
- Canyon Ember is more directional than the current assortment, but the team believes the stronger shelf presence and seasonal relevance justify the risk.
- Decision owner
- VP of Product, with General Manager approval.
- Decision date
- Recorded in the room.
- Next step
- Update the color specification and confirm the revised sample before the wholesale review.
- Decision ask
- Which colorway should lead the Fall launch for the Ridge Run Trail One?
- Selected direction
- Route B, Canyon Ember.
- Why it won
- Canyon Ember created the strongest shelf distinction, supported a clear Fall launch story, and remained credible with core trail users.
- Watchouts
- The bright heel accent and warm strap treatment may limit versatility beyond the initial launch window.
- Required changes
- Reduce the bright heel accent and darken the primary strap before sample confirmation.
- Decision owner
- VP of Product, with General Manager approval.
- Next step
- Update the color specification and confirm the revised sample before the wholesale review.
View full decision record
- Confidence / signal strength
- Strong preference across merchandising, sales, retail, and invited community reviewers.
- Rejected alternatives
- Alpine Olive will remain in the assortment as a secondary colorway. Desert Stone will not move forward for the primary launch because it lacks enough shelf distinction, but it may be reconsidered for a future neutral assortment or online-exclusive opportunity.
- Risks accepted
- Canyon Ember is more directional than the current assortment, but the team believes the stronger shelf presence and seasonal relevance justify the risk.
- Decision date
- Recorded in the room.
This is what the team keeps after the review.
Use Teststrip when a seasonal decision needs to hold.
- Stage 1Line planning
Compare product directions, silhouettes, material stories, and consumer opportunities before development narrows the options.
- Stage 2Colorway selection
Narrow five viable colorways to the two or three that should move into the assortment.
- Stage 3Seasonal and campaign direction
Choose the product and creative story that should lead the drop.
- Stage 4Naming and storytelling
Pressure-test product names, technology names, claims, and the language supporting the launch.
- Stage 5Retail readiness
Review packaging, hangtags, wholesale presentations, PDP creative, and retail-facing materials before release.
- 1Line planning
Compare product directions, silhouettes, material stories, and consumer opportunities.
- 2Colorway selection
Narrow viable options to the colorways that should move into the assortment.
- 3Seasonal and campaign direction
Choose the product and creative story that should lead the drop.
- 4Naming and storytelling
Review names, claims, and the language supporting the launch.
- 5Retail readiness
Review packaging, hangtags, wholesale materials, PDP creative, and retail-facing work.
Built by someone who has spent more than 20 years making these calls.
Founded by Andrew Estey, Teststrip grew from firsthand experience inside footwear, product creation, merchandising, creative leadership, manufacturing, and brand building. Across color reviews, seasonal lines, product concepts, wholesale presentations, and launches, teams rarely lacked opinions. What they lacked was one focused place to compare the routes, understand the signal, make the final call, and preserve why it was made.
Teststrip grew from firsthand experience inside footwear, product creation, merchandising, creative leadership, manufacturing, and brand building.
Teams rarely lacked opinions. What they lacked was one focused place to compare the routes, understand the signal, make the final call, and preserve why it was made.
The decisions teams start with most often.
Compare options across a product or assortment.Compare individual colorways or review how they work across the broader assortment.
Choose between silhouettes, use cases, or design routes.Choose between silhouettes, use cases, consumer propositions, or design routes.
Select the direction connecting product, merchandising, and launch.Select the creative direction that connects the line, merchandising, and launch.
Compare routes before photography and production begin.Compare visual and narrative routes before photography and production begin.
Evaluate names for clarity, relevance, and brand fit.Evaluate names for clarity, relevance, differentiation, and brand fit.
Review claims, labels, packaging, and retail storytelling.Review packaging, product claims, labels, hangtags, and retail-facing storytelling.
Make your next drop one your team can stand behind.
Bring the decision. Teststrip helps your team compare the routes, gather the right perspectives, and leave with a documented final call.Bring the decision. Teststrip helps frame the review, gather the right perspectives, read the signal, and give your team a documented final call before the line moves forward.