NORDSTROM TO EXPAND INTO LICENSED SPORTS FAN PRODUCTS
Nordstrom has inked a new long-term partnership with Fanatics through which nordstrom.com customers will have access to shop thousands of licensed sports fan products available exclusively through Fanatics’ assortment. Nordstrom will power the front-end digital customer experience, while orders will be fulfilled and shipped by Fanatics. Fanatics will also make championship products and other real-time items available that are designed and manufactured on-demand through the company’s vertical commerce business model and agile supply chain.
“We are thrilled to partner with Fanatics to serve both current and new customers, just in time for the gifting season,” said Teri Bariquit, chief merchandising officer at Nordstrom. “Through this innovative partnership model and new product category, we can now meet the needs of sports enthusiasts and the people who shop for them. Since Fanatics is the industry leader in this category and a digital-first company with strong investments in technology, they made the perfect fit for us to differentiate our offer and give customers increased selection to discover.”
Earlier this year Nordstrom shared its long-term ambition for growth through increased non-wholesale models to offer customers more choices. This partnership supports the company’s long-term strategy to offer the broadest assortment online and deliver personalization at scale by using customer insights and enhanced capabilities to deploy the right product to the right place at the right time. Through Nordstrom’s customer-centric, digital-first, data-driven approach to merchandising, the fashion retailer identified the opportunity for growth in the licensed sports category within its customer base.
Through this partnership, Nordstrom is introducing an entirely new product category to its assortment with men’s, women’s, and kids’ licensed products in the new nordstrom.com Sports Fan Shop. The new vertical will feature merchandise from top leagues including the NFL, NCAA, NBA, MLB, and more. The tailored product selection is from Fanatics’ wide-ranging merchandise portfolio and includes quality brands like Fanatics, Nike, Adidas and Mitchell & Ness.
“Fanatics is incredibly excited to partner with Nordstrom and provide its shoppers with access to a new selection of officially licensed sports merchandise for the first time,” added Jack Boyle, Fanatics global co-president for direct-to-consumer. “We look forward to introducing this new category to their business and creating an elevated experience for all members of the family to celebrate their pride and passion on gamedays and beyond.”