The OUTNET - launches dedicated CARE & REPAIR service

2023-04-11

LONDON - UK - 11 APRIL 2023

THE OUTNET launches CARE & REPAIR, its first dedicated customer repair and alternations service offer to extend the life of luxury products, as part of YOOX NET-A-PORTER’s partnership with clothing repairs and alterations service, The Seam. THE OUTNET will offer both womenswear and menswear services, available from April 11th, following recent launches for womenswear at NET-A-PORTER in February, and menswear at MR PORTER in March 2023.

This marks The Seam’s first ever collaboration in luxury retail and will leverage its extensive network of local makers across the UK. The Seam was selected for its personal approach to care & repair, having brought together a specialised group of makers to serve THE OUTNET, NET-A-PORTER and MR PORTEaR customers and reflecting the strong community-building values of the three online stores.

The customer offer includes clothing alterations, bespoke customisations, repair services for specialist items such as knitwear and outwear, and care & repair for footwear and accessories including sneaker cleaning. Most services will be completed within 7-10 days and an express service subject to availability.

The care & repair service marks another step in NET-A-PORTER, MR PORTER and THE OUTNET’s incremental rollout of circularity-related services which aim to deepen relationships between customers and their products, driving the shift towards more sustainable behaviours. It contributes to YOOX NET-A-PORTER’s vision for a future customer journey where circular product design, resale, and care & repair offers are connected and complementary.

The UK care & repair service launch follows an expansion of NET-A-PORTER, MR PORTER and THE OUTNET’s resale offer, through which customers can refresh their wardrobes by reselling their pre-loved designer items from key product categories: ready-to-wear, handbags, shoes, accessories, and jewellery. An instant buy-back service for men’s sneakers from pre-approved designers is also available at MR PORTER and THE OUTNET, rewarding customers with immediate store credit without the need to wait until it is sold on. Together with NET-A-PORTER and THE OUTNET’s instant buy-back offering for women’s designer handbags, the feature offers greater flexibility for customers looking to resell across menswear and womenswear. Further market expansion for resale is set to follow during 2023.

The services, powered by leading resale technology provider, Reflaunt, initially launched in Autumn 2021 and have seen positive customer response, reflected in the quality of resold items with over 60% of pieces in new or excellent condition. The response reaffirms the role that the three online stores’ resale services can play in maximising the value of designer pieces within their customers’ wardrobes.