Fashion rental company Rent the Runway wants customers to view it an option for everyday apparel and accessories and not just fancy clothes for special occassions.
After a beta test, the company is rolling out “Unlimited, ” a cloud-based “endless closet” service featuring designer sportswear and accessories for work and weekend wear. For a flat monthly fee, users can rent items from a constant rotation of more than 350 designers, ranging from Tory Burch to Derek Lam. New designers will be added to the service on a regular basis.
Users can select three items and keep them for as long as they want or swap any or all of them out for new selections, with no limit to the number of times they can swap. The subscription costs $139 per month and shipping, dry cleaning, and insurance are included.
The retailer is making Unlimited a true omnichannel offering. Members can return Unlimited items via mail or to one of Rent the Runway’s store locations. They can also arrange to pick up their Unlimited orders in the stores. And if a customer really likes a particular item, she can purchase it at a discount.
Rent the Runway has also updated its mobile app with new features for Unlimited members. New functionalities include:
• Personalized home screen that displays items users are currently renting through their Unlimited subscription.
• If members have returned an item and need to pick out another one, there will be a blank space with a call-to-action to add a new item.
• Search functionality for new items by style, color, body type, or curated assortments.
• Members can click into an item and land on the product page, which includes customer reviews.
• Free shipment confirmations.
"With Unlimited, we are putting the closet in the cloud and allowing women to experience and cycle through thousands of designer looks for their everyday work and weekend wear," said Rent the Runway CEO Jennifer Hyman. "Your closet no longer has to be a graveyard for questionable purchases and bad trends. Unlimited provides the variety and quality that the modern woman's wardrobe requires, allowing her to have fun with fashion without the commitment of purchase."