London Designer Outlet launches LDO Edit digital initiative

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Oct 9, 2020

As fashion shopping in physical stores continues its long recovery, Wembley Park’s London Designer Outlet has launched the UK’s first click-and-reserve outlet shopping service.

LDO, like other outlet malls, has seen stronger footfall than the wider UK fashion retail sector since physical shops reopened, but still sees digital initiatives as key.

So its new online Edit site “brings together some of LDO’s top brands with additional time-limited discounts on top of the outlet centre’s existing 70% discount on RRP on selected items”. The mall operator said it will “benefit retailers by encouraging guests to reserve items before leaving home”.

And it added that it will “bridge the gap between the superior service and experience of physical shopping and the ease of shopping online”.

The online platform kicks off with a curated collection so guests, “from the comfort of their sofas, can find items from top fashion and lifestyle brands, reserving their choices for collection and payment in-store within two days”.
 
Dan Parr, VP of research and data specialist CACI, said: “The LDO Edit takes away the uncertainty of purchases and, for the first time, allows the shopper to browse in their own environment before they make the commitment to buy, putting browsing power back into the consumers’ hands. Outlet shopping is frequently regarded as a speculative experience. Outlet brands are thought of as offering limited ranges, sizes and colours and, historically, specific products aren’t available online. This creates the excitement of discovery, but also means there are a lot of unknowns for shoppers who may want more certainty from their shopping visit.”

The online platform is expected to appeal to shoppers "who are wary of public spaces due to coronavirus". And retailers should “benefit from further value-added initiatives that benefit all stores”.

A 2020 global Metapack study found 41% of people say they’ve bought something else when picking up pre-ordered items. 

Sue Shepherd, LDO general manager at mall operator Realm said: “Nothing beats the physical retail experience for discovering hidden gems and enjoying a day out. Footfall at the London Designer Outlet since we reopened shows that people want to visit our brands and we’ve worked tirelessly to ensure that they can feel safe while doing so. The LDO Edit will help give our shoppers the confidence to visit while knowing they’ve found an amazing deal – before they’ve even set foot in-store.”