Walmart Inc on Tuesday said that it is planning to acquire plus-sized clothing startup ELOQUII.
According to Andy Dunn, SVP of Digital Consumer Brands, Walmart US eCommerce, “This year, we’ve made great progress adding new brands, developing exclusive products, and launching new fashion partnerships. As the retail landscape evolves at light speed, we remain firm in our belief that it’s not just about selling brands, it’s also about building brands and customer relationships. As such, we are laser focused on developing a portfolio of direct to consumer brands with a unique assortment you can’t find anywhere else.”
Known for its trend-driven, fashion-focused assortment, ELOQUII is all about great-fitting and great-looking apparel specifically designed for women size 14 and up. Today, more than half of women age 18-65 in the US wear size 14+.
“We know they’re looking not just for basics, but also for on-trend pieces that allow them to express their individuality. This is a segment of the market that has been historically underserved and neglected. We believe she deserves better,” said Dunn.
The collection is sold exclusively at ELOQUII.com and the company’s five experiential retail stores. As a digitally native vertical brand (DNVB), ELOQUII has a direct connection with its customers that helps inform how products get developed, how they’re marketed, and how the brand comes to life.
Addressing customers’ vocal requests for fashion-forward styles is something ELOQUII does incredibly well. For example, they recently uncovered 80 percent of ELOQUII customers work full-time, and one of the most frequent requests from customers was for fashionable work wear. Embracing the feedback, ELOQUII launched The 9-5 Kit and most recently The Premier Workwear Kit, filling an unmet need in the category and further reinforcing trust with customers in the process.
“This tight customer feedback loop is core to the ethos of DNVBs, and we are excited to have Mariah Chase, CEO of ELOQUII, and her team join a portfolio that includes ModCloth, Bonobos and Allswell. DNVBs are an important part of our strategy because they offer unique and differentiated products while building strong relationships with customers,” asserts Dunn.
“What makes a digital brand great is how it converts a pain point in the market into a source of delight for the customer. It means creating real connections with people, building a spirited and interactive following, and offering customers an experience they can’t get anywhere else. It means offering a broad and growing range of great products for that customer and fundamentally elevating how they are served both online and offline. ELOQUII allows us to do all these things,” concludes Dunn.
