Headlined by iconic brands like J.Crew, Neiman Marcus, and Lord & Taylor, the retail industry is on track to have its most bankruptcy filings in over a decade. It’s no secret that COVID-19 has fundamentally changed how consumers shop.
While the impact of the pandemic can’t be overstated, the industry had been steadily evolving well before this year. Modern retail/e-commerce brands have invested significantly in their online buying channels, with some having few or no brick and mortar stores. Digital marketing has become the go-to method to reach younger audiences who shop more frequently from their phones than the nearest mall.
Apparel company UNTUCKit has been on the forefront of this movement since its inception in 2011. Once an online-only retailer, the company launched its first physical store in 2015 in New York City’s SoHo district. In the last few years, the industry has seen a trend of these newer brands (Warby Parker, Everlane, Casper, etc.) moving towards a hybrid approach of physical and digital presence. UNTUCKit is no exception, with over 80 stores today.
Founded on the principle that consumers are looking for a button-down shirt that can still look sharp untucked, the brand has expanded its product line to include polos, tees, outerwear, and a women’s line. Their core strategy of being innovative, bold, and focused on customer needs has remained unchanged—if anything, those values have been magnified to meet the demands of a pandemic-ridden market.
“I was in retail during 9/11 and the 2008 financial crisis,” says Julie Mares, UNTUCKit’s head of e-commerce, a veteran executive who’s seen it all in her career with stints at Macy’s, Gucci, and Walmart. “Each event posed economic challenges, but this pandemic is unique in that it’s had such a fundamental effect on what people buy and how they buy. The change in behavior and sentiment is different than anything we’ve ever seen. So we’ve been doubling down on our approach of being agile and creative.”
New initiatives include contactless pickup or delivery, organizing collections by 2020-friendly categories like an important Zoom presentation or weekend hiking trip, and an online avatar to assist customers seeking a high-touch digital shopping experience. The company has bolstered its digital advertising and relevance, meeting customers where they (usually) are: at home, on a device.
“As we went into COVID, our main question was ‘what does the customer need now?’” says Mares. “We used data not only from our digital tools but also from our stores (once we were allowed to re-open), and from there we figured out what kinds of stories to tell. Then my team’s job is to connect all those dots and execute on a strategy to keep our existing customers engaged and bring awareness to new ones.”