What: The fast fashion giant is launching a marketplace with a roster of 13 external brands.

Why it is important: For traditional retailers, competition is now coming from everywhere, including from brands themselves. The brands’ marketplace approach generates two opportunities for department stores: either team up with them (as shown by FNAC/Darty and Manor) or significantly work on the store’s offer differentiation.

Fast fashion giant is launching a “H&M with friends” marketplace in Sweden and Germany, where customers will be able to find the group’s own brands (Weekdat, &Other Stories, Monki, Arket) but also Lee, Fila, Superdry and Crocs, among others (a total of 13 external brands will be also present).

Sweden and Germany are test markets, and if the experience is successful, other countries will be included in the programme. As of today, more than 1/3 of H&M’s revenue comes from e-commerce.

H&M is not the first brand to venture in marketplace, as Decathlon or Maisons du Monde already launched such initiatives.

H&M becomes a marketplace