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In this edition of the weekly Research Briefing, we examine e-tailer Matches’ recent addition of Matches Outlet to attract shoppers to its site looking for deals with focal points from Glossy’s annual report.
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25% of marketers chose brand-owned sites as the channel to invest most in
Electronic retailer (e-tailer) Matches announced last Sunday that it is expanding its site with the addition of Matches Outlet. The outlet currently offers nearly 6,000 products, with about 30% of them, or 1,750 products, selling for 70% off. New leadership at Matches, including CEO Nick Beighton who was formerly at Asos, is hoping to attract more luxury purchases with this expansion, especially younger shoppers.
And shoppers are also in search of deals, particularly for luxury goods. In August, Glossy’s sibling publication Modern Retail reported outlet malls’ occupancy rates are up and more retailers are opening up outlet stores to meet shoppers’ demands for deals. Glossy’s 2022 Annual Report on fashion brand distribution found that luxury brands are seeking more accessible sales channels, such as Nordstrom. The retailer was the No. 1 distribution channel for luxury bands in 2022.
Aside from distributing through more accessible retailer channels, fashion brand professionals said owned websites were their clear top pick as a key target for future channel investment. Twenty-five percent of respondents selected the channel as the one their company should invest most in to attract new customers going forward. Owned stores and pop-up shops tied in second place, at 16% of respondents. These results signal a strong emphasis on direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels in the future, with third-party channels starting to play roles outside of main points of sales.
Matches has unified both approaches — broadening luxury fashions brands’ reach and emphasizing DTC sales — by establishing a more accessible retail channel on its own site. Matches Outlet aims to offer a new value proposition in which the brands’ e-tailer site will attract new customers, especially those interested in more affordable luxury options.
Key findings:
- Findings from Glossy’s annual report indicate fashion brands continue to become more accessible this year, favoring retailers like Nordstrom.
- Owned websites were the clear top pick as the key target for future channel investment for fashion brands, with 25% of respondents selecting the channel.
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