The company focuses on growing its digital business with inhouse capabilities
Controlled closure of the cooperations with Amazon, Wehkamp and Zalando over the next weeks
Düsseldorf, 25 January 2024 – C&A drives a comprehensive transformation to grow the company within a dynamic industry. This is done through constant evaluation and agile adjustments to the business model when needed in order to adapt to the market situations and customers’ demands. As a result, C&A decided to close all cooperations with external digital marketplaces via Amazon, Wehkamp and Zalando. Going forward the European retailer will focus on growing its own digital channels and business based on inhouse capabilities.
The business strategy to partner with external marketplaces started in 2008, initially only with Wehkamp. In 2022 Amazon and Zalando were added. The cooperations were entered with the clear goal of growing the loyal customer base and acquiring new customers that then would turn directly to C&A’s digital channels and stores to shop. An extensive evaluation showed that the results on that front were not satisfying.
Strengthening digital business thanks to membership program
Although the partnerships supported in the revenue growth of the marketplace business, it was difficult to do that with a positive sales contribution. Even more, C&A actually competed with itself in the markets where marketplace cooperations were set up. Going forward, the European retailer will focus on strengthening and growing its own digital channels with the strong capabilities the company has got at hand internally, besides nurturing the new membership program “C&A for you” with the main goal to build and own long term relationships with our customers. “The program made a successful start with almost 4 million members across Europe and we strongly believe in the growth trajectory that lies ahead. We are convinced that we have the potential to modernize and simplify our digital business, make it future-proof and grow going forward”, says Wim Blaauw, Chief Digital & Transformation Officer at C&A.
Discussions with Amazon, Zalando and Wehkamp on a controlled close down are currently taking place.
About C&A Europe
With over 1,300 stores in 17 European countries and more than 27,000 employees, C&A is one of Europe’s leading fashion retailers. Every day, C&A welcomes millions of visitors to its stores in Europe and to its online shop. C&A offers quality and long-lasting fashion at affordable prices for the many. For further information, please visit our website.
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