Nike cancels its Run Club app in China

Nike announced this week that it would no longer operate its Run Club app in China. The American footwear manufacturing company said that the service would be effectively deactivated on July 8.

Nike's Run Club application is a platform that allows users to track their runs and challenge friends so they will get fit. This has been used by many because it also serves as a motivator for people to keep going.

According to CNN Business, Nike's suspension of its Run Club in China made it the latest Western firm to reform its business in the second-largest economy in the world. The company informed the Chinese runners who use its app about the "cease service and operation" by posting a notice on its website.

Then again, despite the sudden halt of the service, the company's spokesperson said it would be introducing something new in the future. He said that Nike is planning to roll out a localized platform that will be exclusive to Chinese runners.

Nike Run Club in China is said to have eight million users in the country. Collectively, they have recorded more than 600 million kilometers of run in the app, and this is almost 373 million miles of distance. Apparently, the app has many users, so Nike still has plans to create a similar service for its Chinese customers.

Meanwhile, ABC Australia reported that Nike did not provide any reason for its decision to stop the operation of its Run Club app in the Chinese nation. The company just left a promise of offering a localized solution later but failed to explain why it has to withdraw the app.

"Thanks for every run together with us! It is with sadness that NRC APP will cease service and operation in your market from July 8," ABC Australia quoted Nike as saying in a statement. "We are creating an ecosystem from China for China, specifically catered to the region's unique consumer needs to serve athletes better and we will continue to serve Chinese runners with an enhanced and localized digital solution in the future."