Sears has made a series of recent moves to aid in its return to profitability, the latest of which is a new fast fashion shop-in-shop called Now + Here.
The in-transition retailer announced the new in-store shop Thursday and said Now + Here will offer a compelling new shopping environment updated with monthly deliveries of the latest trends. The fully-integrated retail experience will also be offered online where shoppers can access exclusive content, watch behind the scenes videos and get fashion tips.
The goal is to keep customers “on the pulse of fashion,” something Sears has been making a concerted effort to do with its product offerings and through Shop Your Way, the company’s social shopping community and loyalty program.
Shop Your Way has been a big focus for Sears of late and the company has invested quite heavily in the platform which lets shoppers earn rewards on brick or click purchases, get deals and coupons, read product reviews from like-minded shoppers and create wish lists for social sharing.
Sheila Field, chief marketing officer for Sears Apparel, said, “Fast fashion for Sears means an accelerated timeline for trends at an affordable price. The new Now + Here shop provides an experience that transcends the store, leveraging our integrated retail capabilities to give our customers and Shop Your Way members a 360 degree fashion experience.”
Sears has recently been praised for its digital prowess and Seventeen magazine chose to partner with the retailer in part because of the investments the company has so far made in technology and integrated retail.
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In another partnership announced this week, Seventeen magazine will collaborate with Sears to create a collection of clothing, shoes and accessories that will be sold in 500-square-foot Seventeen-branded shop-in-shops at Sears’ ten flagship stores and in an additional 500 doors.
To celebrate the Now + Here launch, Sears will host its first ever virtual event at searsspringfashion.com on April 14 at 9 p.m. EDT. The event will include a virtual runway show experience, behind the scenes video, new product look book and live shopping of all the looks from the show. During a live chat session, celebrity Brooke Burke-Charvet will share her favorite fashion tips to shoppers who have pre-registered for the event. Shop Your Way members have exclusive access to a style video created by Burke-Charvet.
“Today’s fashionista lives a digital lifestyle that is part of everything she does, including how she shops,” Field said. “Launching the Now + Here shop with a virtual fashion event not only gives her a front row seat to the launch, it takes her inside to experience and purchase the product in a whole new way. It also showcases our integrated approach and focus on shopping made fun and easy.”
Now + Here will be in stores and online from the second week of April and the line will include an assortment of fashion tops, bottoms, cardigans and vests with prices ranging from $20 to $42.