Fashion subscription service Rent the Runway unites its operations with Nordstrom Inc.
Aimed at fulfilling the dual motive of increasing footfall to the department store and infusing convenience in the clothing rental service, the collaborative efforts expect the initiative to be user-friendly as well as a source of attracting new customers.
The ‘drop-off boxes’ service will allow customers to scan and easily return the rented products. Under the collaborative commitment, the drop-off boxes will be spotted inside four Los-Angeles based Nordstrom stores, three of which are small scale neighbourhood locations, known as Nordstrom Local: on Melrose Avenue, in the Brentwood neighbourhood and downtown. The fourth drop box will be assigned at Nordstrom’s extensive store at The Grove in Los Angeles.
This joint business expedition is the new strategy to combat the competition from online retailers like Amazon and fast fashion brands like Zara and H&M.
Following the suit, a striving upscale US retailer Neiman Markus invested in a minority stake in online luxury reseller Fashionphile.
Marking Los Angeles as its fourth largest market, the clothing rental company backed the statement as the region comprises “particularly high density of subscribers living or working close to the Nordstrom Locals in West Hollywood, Brentwood and Downtown LA,” it remarked.
The joint initiative promises to be user-friendly as it facilitates easy return of rented items and explores other shopping options at the Nordstrom store and also get expert consultations from stylists concerning fashion and beauty and also get the alterations of their clothes done.
Shea Jensen, Nordstrom’s senior vice president of customer experience, commented, “We’re excited to see the amount of customers that end up using the service with Rent the Runway as well as the customers we’re able to introduce into our service programmes like styling,” To this, she added, “Rent the Runway obviously serves a growing customer base.”
Apparel retailer Nordstrom reported unsatisfactory quarterly reports and therefore fosters high expectations from the joint commitment.
Maureen Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer at Rent the Runway, expects the partnership to enhance customer satisfaction and seize a wider market share for the company. She added, “We’ll expect to see over time some loyalty improvement by having these physical drop-off boxes. We’re able to activate even more subscribers.”
The company had previously succeeded at witnessing a 180 per cent increase in returns directly from the customers in its drop-off box service with WeWork in October 2018.
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