自從今年2月成了線上租衣平臺Rent the Runway的無限量會員后,瑪吉特·馬克蕾達很快就變成了一個忠實的租衣愛好者。作為紐約市的一名公關從業(yè)者,她選擇線上租衣服務的原因,與該平臺的大多數用戶沒什么區(qū)別——只需要一個月花上159美元,就能享受到成千上萬件由設計師精心打造的服飾。趕上品牌的促銷活動,成本還能再低一些。馬克蕾達基本上一個月可以更換6次“存貨”,每次最多能收到4件新品,基本上每一件都令她心花怒放,所以這筆會員會是相當劃算的。
不過隨著新冠肺炎疫情從3月中旬起開始在紐約地區(qū)爆發(fā),今年26歲的馬克蕾達也開始了在家辦公的生活,她開始質疑自己是不是要繼續(xù)花錢購買這項服務。“我在家里對它的需求不大,而且有些事情會讓我很緊張,比如這些衣服之前放在了什么地方,被誰穿過,包裝袋有沒有可能粘上病毒等等。所以我在很認真地考慮是不是要暫停甚至取消我的會員,直到紐約的疫情結束為止?!?/p>
馬克蕾達并不是唯一這樣想的人。在這場前所未有的全球性危機中,可能有幾十萬人都在考慮放棄Rent the Runway等租衣平臺的會員資格,不少人甚至已經付諸了行動。由于全美國乃至全世界都有很多人在家辦公,加之經濟環(huán)境持續(xù)惡化,省錢成了一種剛需,相比之下,租衣服似乎成了一種不必要的開支,砍掉這筆開支似乎也無可厚非。
而在疫情爆發(fā)前,共享租衣服務已經形成了一個市值幾十億美元的市場,一些主要平臺也意識到了消費者的這種趨勢,而且他們也已經采取了一些措施來緩解會員們的焦慮。不過即便面臨迫在眉睫的退訂潮,他們似乎仍然相信,市場對共享租衣的需求是不會消失的。
早在美國的疫情擴散之前,Rent the Runway公司就意識到,消費者可能會對服裝的清潔問題產生顧慮。該公司在3月4日發(fā)給會員的一封電子郵件中表示,將對服裝的清潔流程“主動提供細節(jié)和額外的透明度”,并指出該公司的所有服裝都經過了120至150攝氏度的蒸汽消毒,根據美國疾控中心的數據,這個溫度是足以殺死流感病毒的。Rent the Runway還更新了網站的常見問題頁面,包括公司針對新冠肺炎疫情的有關做法。該公司還在3月14日宣布,將關閉全美范圍內的5個辦事處,重新營業(yè)時間將另行通知。該公司坦承,在疫情期間,有些用戶可能會選擇退訂服務,不過如果用戶選擇暫停會員資格而不是退訂,那么公司將給予一定的折扣和獎勵。
另一個熱門租衣平臺Nuuly也采取了類似的措施。Nuuly在其官網上詳細說明了公司針對新冠病毒的防范措施,并特別強調了所有服裝都會經過120攝氏度的蒸汽消毒。目前Nuuly還沒有把這些信息直接傳遞給用戶。不過Nuuly表示,該公司已經簡化了用戶注銷和暫停會員資格的流程。“用戶可以選擇中止會員資格1個月、2個月或3個月,也可以按月延長會員資格?!?Nuuly的一位代表對《財富》表示:“我知道我們的用戶眼下面臨的不確定因素很多,所以如果他們選擇暫停會員資格,我們也能理解,并且準備張開雙臂迎接他們回歸。消費者的舒適和安全始終是我們最關心的。”
在過去的一個月之中,雖然由于疫情的關系,共享租衣服務遭到了嚴重的打擊,但其他一些會員制服裝服務公司的業(yè)務卻出現了意想不到的變化。比如說,諾德斯特龍的線上購物平臺Trunk Club是最先試水男裝試穿的平臺之一,它會按月、雙月、季度或者按照用戶指定,向用戶一次寄送最多10件服裝,用戶試穿后再決定購買哪件、退回哪件。由于用戶可以隨時調整寄件的頻率,而且這項服務本身是免費的,所以該平臺目前還沒有任何用戶真正取消會員資格。不過它也注意到了一些其他趨勢。Trunk Club的一位發(fā)言人表示:“我們發(fā)現,很多用戶都讓我們多提供一些休閑裝和運動裝,以便他們在家辦公的時候穿。有的時候,我們的造型師還以視頻聊天的方式,幫助用戶整理衣柜。”
有越來越多的研究都指出了著裝得體的好處——雖然在疫情期間宅在家里,你很可能好幾天都穿著同一條運動褲。而各大共享租衣平臺和造型服務公司也希望他們的產品能成為疫情中的一座燈塔,為在家辦公的職場人帶來一些正式感。比如Rent the Runway就表示,它的很多用戶現在就是出于這個原因在使用它的服務,而該公司的服務也真的能為大家?guī)硪唤z精神上的慰藉。
西雅圖的科技公司RealSelf的內容主管卡羅琳·許表示,Rent the Runway的服務很適合需要開視頻會議的人?!拔艺於荚赯oom上開會,而且經常要打開攝像頭,這樣我會感覺與其他團隊成員都在一個房間里?!彼忉尩溃骸暗还苁窃谵k公室還是在虛擬會議室里,我都喜歡穿一些讓我能在專業(yè)場合感到自信的衣服?!?/p>
她補充道,新冠肺炎疫情的爆發(fā),讓她重新審視了自己的一些消費行為。目前,她租衣服的頻率變慢了,穿這些衣服的周期也變長了。但目前看來,大家在視頻會議里對她的著裝的溢美之辭,仍然令她覺得這個無限會員資格是值得的。(財富中文網)
譯者:隋遠洙
自從今年2月成了線上租衣平臺Rent the Runway的無限量會員后,瑪吉特·馬克蕾達很快就變成了一個忠實的租衣愛好者。作為紐約市的一名公關從業(yè)者,她選擇線上租衣服務的原因,與該平臺的大多數用戶沒什么區(qū)別——只需要一個月花上159美元,就能享受到成千上萬件由設計師精心打造的服飾。趕上品牌的促銷活動,成本還能再低一些。馬克蕾達基本上一個月可以更換6次“存貨”,每次最多能收到4件新品,基本上每一件都令她心花怒放,所以這筆會員會是相當劃算的。
不過隨著新冠肺炎疫情從3月中旬起開始在紐約地區(qū)爆發(fā),今年26歲的馬克蕾達也開始了在家辦公的生活,她開始質疑自己是不是要繼續(xù)花錢購買這項服務?!拔以诩依飳λ男枨蟛淮螅矣行┦虑闀屛液芫o張,比如這些衣服之前放在了什么地方,被誰穿過,包裝袋有沒有可能粘上病毒等等。所以我在很認真地考慮是不是要暫停甚至取消我的會員,直到紐約的疫情結束為止?!?/p>
馬克蕾達并不是唯一這樣想的人。在這場前所未有的全球性危機中,可能有幾十萬人都在考慮放棄Rent the Runway等租衣平臺的會員資格,不少人甚至已經付諸了行動。由于全美國乃至全世界都有很多人在家辦公,加之經濟環(huán)境持續(xù)惡化,省錢成了一種剛需,相比之下,租衣服似乎成了一種不必要的開支,砍掉這筆開支似乎也無可厚非。
而在疫情爆發(fā)前,共享租衣服務已經形成了一個市值幾十億美元的市場,一些主要平臺也意識到了消費者的這種趨勢,而且他們也已經采取了一些措施來緩解會員們的焦慮。不過即便面臨迫在眉睫的退訂潮,他們似乎仍然相信,市場對共享租衣的需求是不會消失的。
早在美國的疫情擴散之前,Rent the Runway公司就意識到,消費者可能會對服裝的清潔問題產生顧慮。該公司在3月4日發(fā)給會員的一封電子郵件中表示,將對服裝的清潔流程“主動提供細節(jié)和額外的透明度”,并指出該公司的所有服裝都經過了120至150攝氏度的蒸汽消毒,根據美國疾控中心的數據,這個溫度是足以殺死流感病毒的。Rent the Runway還更新了網站的常見問題頁面,包括公司針對新冠肺炎疫情的有關做法。該公司還在3月14日宣布,將關閉全美范圍內的5個辦事處,重新營業(yè)時間將另行通知。該公司坦承,在疫情期間,有些用戶可能會選擇退訂服務,不過如果用戶選擇暫停會員資格而不是退訂,那么公司將給予一定的折扣和獎勵。
另一個熱門租衣平臺Nuuly也采取了類似的措施。Nuuly在其官網上詳細說明了公司針對新冠病毒的防范措施,并特別強調了所有服裝都會經過120攝氏度的蒸汽消毒。目前Nuuly還沒有把這些信息直接傳遞給用戶。不過Nuuly表示,該公司已經簡化了用戶注銷和暫停會員資格的流程?!坝脩艨梢赃x擇中止會員資格1個月、2個月或3個月,也可以按月延長會員資格?!?Nuuly的一位代表對《財富》表示:“我知道我們的用戶眼下面臨的不確定因素很多,所以如果他們選擇暫停會員資格,我們也能理解,并且準備張開雙臂迎接他們回歸。消費者的舒適和安全始終是我們最關心的。”
在過去的一個月之中,雖然由于疫情的關系,共享租衣服務遭到了嚴重的打擊,但其他一些會員制服裝服務公司的業(yè)務卻出現了意想不到的變化。比如說,諾德斯特龍的線上購物平臺Trunk Club是最先試水男裝試穿的平臺之一,它會按月、雙月、季度或者按照用戶指定,向用戶一次寄送最多10件服裝,用戶試穿后再決定購買哪件、退回哪件。由于用戶可以隨時調整寄件的頻率,而且這項服務本身是免費的,所以該平臺目前還沒有任何用戶真正取消會員資格。不過它也注意到了一些其他趨勢。Trunk Club的一位發(fā)言人表示:“我們發(fā)現,很多用戶都讓我們多提供一些休閑裝和運動裝,以便他們在家辦公的時候穿。有的時候,我們的造型師還以視頻聊天的方式,幫助用戶整理衣柜?!?/p>
有越來越多的研究都指出了著裝得體的好處——雖然在疫情期間宅在家里,你很可能好幾天都穿著同一條運動褲。而各大共享租衣平臺和造型服務公司也希望他們的產品能成為疫情中的一座燈塔,為在家辦公的職場人帶來一些正式感。比如Rent the Runway就表示,它的很多用戶現在就是出于這個原因在使用它的服務,而該公司的服務也真的能為大家?guī)硪唤z精神上的慰藉。
西雅圖的科技公司RealSelf的內容主管卡羅琳·許表示,Rent the Runway的服務很適合需要開視頻會議的人?!拔艺於荚赯oom上開會,而且經常要打開攝像頭,這樣我會感覺與其他團隊成員都在一個房間里?!彼忉尩溃骸暗还苁窃谵k公室還是在虛擬會議室里,我都喜歡穿一些讓我能在專業(yè)場合感到自信的衣服?!?/p>
她補充道,新冠肺炎疫情的爆發(fā),讓她重新審視了自己的一些消費行為。目前,她租衣服的頻率變慢了,穿這些衣服的周期也變長了。但目前看來,大家在視頻會議里對她的著裝的溢美之辭,仍然令她覺得這個無限會員資格是值得的。(財富中文網)
譯者:隋遠洙
After signing up for Rent the Runway Unlimited in February, Margit Malcreda quickly became a clothing rental convert. As a public relations professional in New York City, she started using the service for the same reason most of its customers do: to access thousands of designer items for the low cost of $159 a month, or even less with one of the brand’s many promotions. Malcreda would swap her inventory six times a month, receiving up to four new pieces of her choosing with each exchange, and she loved almost everything, so the membership was entirely worth it.
But when the coronavirus pandemic broke out in mid-March and the 26-year-old was ordered to work from home, she began wondering if it made sense to keep paying for the service. “I don’t have a huge use for it at home, and I find myself feeling nervous about where the clothes have been, who has been in them, and the potential for a contaminated garment bag,” she says. “So, I’m really considering pausing, if not canceling, my subscription until the dust settles here in New York.”
Malcreda is far from alone in feeling this way, and in fact, many of the hundreds of thousands of people who use clothing rental services like Rent the Runway are ditching their memberships, or contemplating doing so, during this unprecedented global crisis. With many people nationwide (and around the world) now working remotely and concerns over saving money mounting as the economy continues to take a hit, clothing rental can seem like an unnecessary expense—and one some customers have no problem dropping. Key players in the?billion-dollar clothing rental market are aware of this growing trend, and they’re already making attempts to ease members’ anxieties. But even as the threat of cancellations looms, they appear adamant that demand for their services won’t stop.
Even before COVID-19 cases in the United States started to rise, Rent the Runway anticipated that its customers would likely have some questions surrounding the company’s cleaning protocols. In an email sent to members on March 4, the company stated its intent to “proactively provide details and additional transparency” around its cleaning process, noting that all of its garments are steamed at temperatures between 248 degrees and 302 degrees Fahrenheit, a level that kills flu viruses according to the CDC. Rent the Runway also updated the FAQs page on its website to include information about its practices as they relate to COVID-19, and it announced on March 14 that it would close its five brick-and-mortar locations across the country until further notice. The company acknowledges some of its customers may still opt out of its rental services for the duration of the pandemic, instead offering discounts and incentives for those who pause their memberships rather than cancel them outright.
Nuuly, another popular clothing rental service, has taken similar measures, adding details of its COVID-19/coronavirus precautions to its site, with particular emphasis on the 250-degree steaming process that all garments undergo. Nuuly has yet to communicate this information directly to customers. The brand says, however, that it has made it easy to cancel or pause memberships. “Users can choose to pause their subscriptions for one, two, or three months, and they can extend it on a month-to-month basis,” a Nuuly representative tells Fortune. “We know our subscribers are navigating uncertainty right now, so if they choose to pause, we will be here with open arms when they are ready to resume the service. The comfort and safety of our consumers are always a top priority.”
While the rental space has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, other membership-based clothing services have witnessed unexpected changes in their business over the last month. Trunk Club, an online personal shopping platform from Nordstrom that pioneered the try-on model in men’s clothing, sends users a curated selection of up to 10 items on a monthly, bimonthly, quarterly, or on-demand basis and lets them choose which to buy and which to send back. Because customers can adjust the frequency of their trunks at any time and the service itself is free of charge, the company hasn’t really experienced actual cancellations, but it has noticed other emerging trends. “We have seen a lot of customers ask us for more loungewear and athleisure that they can wear while they are working from home,” a Trunk Club spokesperson says. “And some of our stylists are also helping their customers clean out their closets through video chat.”
As more and more studies come out claiming the benefits of getting dressed—even when it’s easier to wear the same pair of sweatpants for days on end—clothing rental companies and stylist services hope that their products will provide a beacon of normalcy to members. Rent the Runway, for example, says that many of its customers are using their rentals for this very reason and that its services can actually be an emotional and mental benefit.
Carolyn Hsu, who serves as the head of content for Seattle tech company RealSelf, says that her Rent the Runway Unlimited subscription has come in particularly handy during Zoom calls and virtual meetings. “I'm in Zoom meetings throughout the day and usually keep the video on so I feel like I'm in the room with the rest of the team,” she explains. “Regardless of whether I'm physically in the office or in virtual meetings, I usually like to wear something that makes me feel confident in a professional setting.”
Hsu says the coronavirus outbreak has made her rethink some of her consumption behaviors, and she’s been renting clothing at a slower pace and holding onto items for longer as a result. For the time being, though, she says compliments on her top or jumpsuit during Zoom calls still make her unlimited membership worth it.