Pier 1 prepares for new fulfillment options

Eyeing a strong holiday season, Pier 1 is working on a new fulfillment strategy to meet omnichannel shopper demand.



As the home decor retailer continues to focus on how to enhance its digi-tal channel, Pier 1 is turning its attention to drop-ship capabilities. By working with third-party suppliers, the chain will be able to augment its assortment, and “test new categories with much less risk using vendor-owned inventory,” Alexander Smith said during the company’s earnings call on Wednesday.



While the retailer did not reveal how many storekeeping units (SKUs) would be involved in the initial launch, Smith reported that Pier 1 plans to continuously ramp up the number of SKUs in the program.



The retailer is also preparing to test Google Express in select markets. The turnkey marketplace leverages the chain’s store inventory, and “will work in a similar way to pick up in store, giving a new customer base direct ac-cess to the Pier 1 Imports assortment,” he said.



The service will launch in October in Dallas and Boston.