Nordstrom enters rental space as consumers’ interests change

March 29, 2017

The Black Tux partners with Nordstrom

Department store chain Nordstrom is the latest high-end retailer to turn to rental services, as the industry moves toward temporary solutions to appeal to the new consumer.

Nordstrom is partnering with online tuxedo rental service The Black Tux to give the digital-only shop a bricks-and-mortar presence. The department store is one of many luxury entities that are looking to rental services or partnering with third-party rental platforms.

"Our partnership with The Black Tux gives us an additional opportunity to bridge the convenience of the digital world to our physical stores," said Paige Thomas, Men's merchandise manager at Nordstrom. "The new service combines ease with expert tailoring and styling, all in one place.

"We know customers expect Nordstrom to deliver differentiated experiences along with relevant products, and adding The Black Tux to our offering does just that."

Renting luxury
The Black Tux will be making an appearance through shop-in-shop showrooms in selected Nordstrom stores.

Nordstrom customers will be able to come in for consultation and rent The Black Tux’s line of tuxedos for special events. Products such as the brand’s seasonal tuxedos, shirts and accessories will be available for rental.

The Black Tux rental shop

Customers book an in-store consultation online and come in for a fitting. Each guest will receive their own The Black Tux ambassador that will meet with them to discuss styling and measurements.

An online profile is created for The Black Tux ambassadors to gain access to guests’ information from then out. The online profile includes a variety of information for individuals such as sizing and accessories preferences.

Each rental will arrive two weeks before the event. The tuxedos arrive early so that customers can be sure of the fit and have ample time to have alterations done if needed.

The Black Tux apparel

If the tuxedo does need an adjustment, The Black Tux will send a replacement for no additional fee.

Customers can send their rentals back through the packaging it first arrived in and with a provided, prepaid shipping label.

Nordstrom in Ocean County, CA was the first location to usher in the partnership, with the in-store showroom opening on March 24. Other locations will include Washington, Atlanta, Boston, Seattle and Denver.

Rental industry growth
Rental services are popping up often with luxury brands in addition to Nordstrom.

For instance, department store chain Neiman Marcus looked to draw millennial shoppers in-store by offering designer fashions to both rent and purchase.

Rent the Runway set up a store within the retailer’s San Francisco location, which includes high-tech customer service features and styling help. Aiming to disrupt retail, this collaboration is meant to introduce a new generation of customers to Neiman Marcus while also appealing to consumers’ mixed shopping habits (see more).

Armarium and Net-A-Porter also teamed up to bridge the gap between borrowing and investing.

The digital service that lets members borrow high-end fashions is now enabling its users to also purchase full-price apparel and accessories directly from Net-A-Porter to complete their look. For luxury shoppers, this partnership lets them add key pieces to their wardrobe more permanently while also participating in trends through loaned garments (see more).

"Partnering with Nordstrom allows us to bring our streamlined process, improved fit and increased quality to more customers," said Andrew Blackmon, co-founder of The Black Tux. "Nordstrom's commitment to customer experience makes them an ideal partner as we scale to be the largest suit and tuxedo rental brand in the U.S."

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Nordstrom enters rental space as consumers’ interests change

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