In yet another strange retail industry twist, Walmart.com and Lord & Taylor announced today that the companies will roll out a new Lord & Taylor flagship store on Walmart.com.
The flagship, which will debut online in the coming weeks, will feature with more than 125 brands ranging from Tommy Bahama to H Halston. The move is part of a larger strategy to reposition Walmart as a fashion destination by introducing premium brands to customers. For Lord & Taylor, the partnership, first announced in late 2017, is an opportunity to expand their e-commerce.
“This innovative flagship on Walmart.com is an entirely new model for us and demonstrates the evolution of Lord & Taylor and our commitment to advancing our digital presence,” said RJ Cilley, SVP of Digital, Lord & Taylor in a statement. “We are excited for the opportunity to serve exponentially more customers with our premium fashion offerings, including our famous dress selection and many stylish brands.”
Founded in 1826, Lord & Taylor is the oldest department store chain in the nation. It once had a strong national presence among better department stores such as Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue.
While the Christmas windows at the flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City remain a popular holiday tradition, in the 2000s other stores across the country began to close due to poor performance.
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In 2003, low sales led Lord & Taylor to close its three locations in Atlanta at Mall of Georgia, North Point Mall and Phipps Plaza. There are now about 50 Lord & Taylor stores nationwide concentrated along the East coast.
Lord & Taylor flagship store on Walmart.com will include clothing for men, women and children as well as shoes, handbags, accessories, and jewelry.
Customers will have the option of shopping by category, by brand or they can browse through editorial stories.
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