Michaels expands inventory with online marketplace
The Michaels Companies is giving its customers direct access to a wide new curated third-party assortment.
The major North American specialty arts & crafts retailer is increasing its online product inventory from 250,000 items to more than 1 million goods via a new third-party digital marketplace. The marketplace features more than 750,000 curated products from selected sellers across categories including arts and crafts supplies, candle and soap making, leather and woodwork, baking, tools and tech, yarn, stitchery, kids, toys, education, journaling, and seasonal products.
The retailer has built a full-service portal for sellers to manage their business on Michaels.com and enable direct integration, including a suite of seller APIs and connections with multi-channel integration partners such as ChannelAdvisor (a CommerceHub company) and ShipStation.
"The launch of Michaels’ curated marketplace for arts, crafts, and décor is the next phase of our ongoing digital transformation to be the destination for all creatives to get inspired, learn, shop and create,” said Heather Bennett, executive VP of marketing and e-commerce at Michaels. “By more than quadrupling our online assortment across categories including candle and soap making, leather work and more, Michaels will ensure every customer can find what they need to bring their creative dreams to life no matter their craft."
Michaels undergoes digital transformation
Michaels has been pursuing a variety of digitally-oriented initiatives in the past couple of years. These include successfully reactivating more than 80,000 customer email addresses that were at risk of becoming inactive for marketing purposes, as well as making a number of significant updates to its Michaels Rewards Program loyalty offering, with the aim of simplifying the program while maximizing its value for its most loyal customers.
Customers told Michaels there was room to improve its rewards program, and in response, the retailer simplified the program and added value through everyday rewards on all purchases and by increasing the frequency and relevance of personalized bonus offers, among other steps.
In addition, Michaels is partnering with retail media technology and service provider Criteo to enable brands and agencies participating in Criteo's retail media platform and ecosystem to engage its customer base. The company has also launched buy online pick-up in-store (BOPIS), curbside delivery, same-day delivery, and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) options.
Based in Irving, Texas, The Michaels Companies Inc. operates 1,275 stores in 49 states and Canada, and online at Michaels.com and Michaels.ca. The Michaels Companies also owns Artistree, a manufacturer of custom and specialty framing merchandise.