In an effort to get out of its sales funk, J. Crew has partnered with Nordstrom to bring its womenswear products under more retail roofs. Beginning Sept. 12, an edited assortment of J. Crew apparel and accessories will be available at 16 Nordstrom stores as well as on Nordstrom.com.
J. Crew’s recent Q2 earnings reported a 4% sales drop compared to the same period last year, sparking a focus on “driving sales productivity with new merchandising and marketing initiatives that are expected to enhance customer loyalty and extend brand reach,” according to J. Crew Chairman and CEO Millard Drexler in a statement.
The partnership with Nordstrom has the potential to drive these efforts given the strong customer response to the J. Crew sub-brand Madewell, which has been a Nordstrom partner since 2015. The company’s Q2 report noted that Madewell’s sales increased by 15%.
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“This was an easy decision,” said Drexler in a statement. “Nordstrom is the perfect partner because we both share the same high standards of customer service and store experience. Additionally, we are known for exceptional design, quality and style, which we know will appeal to the Nordstrom customer.”
Paula Rosenblum, Managing Partner at RSR Research, also believes this is a good move for J. Crew.
“The win for J. Crew is fairly obvious,” Rosenblum told MarketWatch. “They get to sell their product and their brand without making an investment in new stores. Basically, they’re getting square footage in an existing box.”
Will Nordstrom be the ticket out of J. Crew’s slump? Only time will tell.
