South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Thrifting at JCP, Macy’s: ThredUp now in stores
JC Penney and Macy’s will be bringing the thrill of thrifting to a department store near you.
The chains are partnering with ThredUp, the world’s largest online thrift store. Cheap secondhand goods are already popping up in some South Florida Macy’s stores.
After testing a pilot program in about 40 stores, Macy’s launched the concept in Aventura, Dadeland and Southland malls, among others around the country, the company told the Sun Sentinel.
“Millions of consumers use ThredUp to sell clothes they no longer wear and buy vetted secondhand apparel at up to 90% off retail prices,” a Macy’s rep said. “Now Macy’s will add some of that high-quality secondhand product to select stores.”
JCP will soon add ThredUp displays and personal styling services in 30 stores, according to a news release. No word yet on which locations.
The moves are designed to appeal to younger shoppers who like the value and sustainability of resale.
ThredUp displays will occupy about 500 to 1,000 square feet of floor space. Macy’s says it will add new arrivals from ThredUp frequently, so it will feel like a completely fresh shopping experience, giving customers a reason to come back to see what’s new.
That’s part of the appeal of thrifting, besides cheap prices. You never know what treasures you’ll find since merchandise turns over rapidly.
The ThredUp partnership was announced Wednesday by Macy’s CEO Jeff Gennette as part of the chain’s bid to boost lagging profits and reach new customers. He also announced the chain working on launching a subscription service.
Resale, rental and subscriptions services are new trends in retail. They allow fashionistas to keep their closets lean and mean for a monthly fee. Customers always have new stuff to wear. You pick out items or stylists can select them for you. Ship them back at a scheduled time or opt to buy items at a discount.
Brick-and-mortar retail experimentation is being driven by successful sites like Rent the Runway, which loans designer duds for a $30 fee or up to $159 a month for unlimited wardrobe access. Then there is Stitch Fix, a stylistdriven service that delivers complete looks, from apparel, shoes and accessories, to your front door after you fill out a profile.
Styling costs $20 a box; purchase what suits you and easily ship the rest back.
Traditional retailers are not
sitting idly by waiting for the internet to swallow them whole.
In mid-September, Bloomingdale’s will launch My List, a monthly “limitless wardrobe” program for $149 a month. Ann Taylor Infinite Wardrobe ($95 a month) and Urban Outfitters’ Nuuly ($88 a month) have quietly launched subscription services. But Gap, Old Navy and JC Penney launched subscription box services and quickly shuttered them.
Kohl’s now is smartly selling Amazon electronics and has increased foot traffic in stores by accepting Amazon returns. Clerks will even pack and ship them back for free.
Meanwhile, Macy’s continues to open Macy’s Backstage Outlets inside stores.
The discount store-within-a-store concept occupies thousands of feet of retail space inside more than 200 department stores. An outlet opened at Westfield Broward Mall in Plantation in May and another debuted at Westland Mall in Miami on Aug. 10.
Are these newfangled services fads? It doesn’t really matter.
As the great retail apocalypse continues with thousands of stores closing, Macy’s and other legacy retailers have no choice but to boldly adapt and test the concepts in stores to stay relevant as Amazon and younger consumers continue to reshape how we shop. Connect with me: Facebook.com/DoreensDeals, Twitter.com/PrettyGoodIdeas and sign up for my weekly freebie roundup at SunSentinel.com/FreebieFridayMail.