During a panel discussion at Drapers Future of Fashion Conference, Marks & Spencer director of online and omnichannel Stephen Langford revealed the retailer’s growth strategy for third-party brands. Langford was joined on stage by Drapers deputy editor Gabriele Dirvanauskas and Aarthi Ramamurthy, chief product officer of ecommerce services provider Rithum, to discuss profitable marketplace models for retailers. M&S partnered with Rithum, which also services sportswear brands Under Armour and Adidas, to expand its product selection with a unified marketplace for all its 60 third-party fashion brands. Rithum enables M&S to sell third-party brands without handling inventory and fulfilment, and the retailer aims to expand its offering to 100 third-party brands in the near future, while also boosting customer engagement and experience.
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