At Net-a-porter and Mr Porter, It's All About the Customer
London (https://wwd.com/tag/london/) — The band is back together, and the music is being rewritten for a new generation. Net-a-porter and Mr Porter veterans Heather Kaminetsky and Toby Bateman have assembled their teams, set their strategies, and begun to reshape the sites' offerings for both loyal fans and those who may have drifted away.
Some of the new team members are former colleagues from the early days of Net and Mr Porter who built the e-commerce platforms during the infancy of smartphones and social media, when luxury demand was seemingly insatiable.
Kaminetsky has brought back Claudia Plant, Net's "employee number one" and co-founder, as the chief brand and customer officer. Plant oversees marketing, brand, and content, aiming to reignite the magic and spark customers' interest once again.
At Mr Porter, Bateman has reinstalled old colleagues like Jeremy Langmead, the retailer's founding editor-in-chief, as brand director. Langmead oversees digital and video content, as well as the online Journal, focusing on product and customer service.
Kaminetsky and Bateman discuss their strategies and ambitions for both sites, emphasizing the importance of servicing, educating, and captivating customers in a challenging luxury market. Kaminetsky, the CEO of Net-a-porter, aims to create a profitable, full-price business with a sharper focus on product and customer service, while also refining site shoots to showcase styling tips.
Bateman, the CEO of Mr Porter, envisions the platform as a go-to destination for men's fashion, offering clothing, accessories, lifestyle, and culture. He emphasizes the importance of education and advice, reaching beyond world capitals to engage men globally.
Both Kaminetsky and Bateman recognize the value of their EIP (extremely important, big-spending) customers, offering them special events, "secret shops," and personalized experiences. They also focus on the broader customer base, using campaigns to remind them of same-day delivery services and adding more personal shoppers.
Despite a slowdown in luxury spending, Kaminetsky and Bateman are confident in the future of both brands. They believe in the power of storytelling, editorial, and product curation to engage customers and create a sense of community. With a renewed focus on personal shopping, lifestyle content, and celebrity collaborations, they aim to differentiate Net-a-porter and Mr Porter from competitors like Mytheresa, while also catering to a diverse range of customers.
But here's where it gets controversial... The competition between Mr Porter and Mytheresa menswear is minimal, with a customer overlap of around 10 percent, similar to Net and Mytheresa womenswear. However, this overlap doesn't diminish the unique value proposition of each brand. Mr Porter and Mytheresa serve different customers, and their distinct offerings allow them to coexist harmoniously in the menswear market.
And this is the part most people miss... The evolution of menswear has blurred age barriers, with contemporary brands dominating office dressing. Men of all ages are embracing ageless, timeless dressing, focusing on what looks contemporary and suits their personal style. This shift in fashion tastes has led to a more refined and casual approach, with brands like A. Presse and Auralee offering quality and silhouette-driven pieces that resonate with the modern man.
