Saks launches online Wellness Shop

The Saks luxury e-commerce platform is taking what it calls a holistic approach to wellbeing.

Saks, which was split off from the Saks Fifth Avenue brick-and-mortar retail business by parent company Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) and venture capital firm Insight Partners in March 2021, is debuting a new Wellness Shop on the Saks.com e-commerce site.

With this expansion, Saks is increasing its wellness product selection to more than 100 brands, 50 of which are new to retail. To mark the launch of the Wellness Shop, Saks is issuing a wellness-themed article with shoppable editorial content in the “Edit” section of the site, is and hosting events on its Saks Live livestream platform from Jan. 11-18, with shoppable content and lifestyle advice from wellness insiders.

Wellness pillars
The Saks Wellness Shop, which has a dedicated place in both the women's and men's top navigation on the Saks.com website, is organized around four key pillars: fitness, health & nutrition, sexual wellness, and rest & relaxation.

Saks says it is introducing four pillars of wellness to ensure all customer needs are met. The assortment offers a range of products including recovery items and supplements, as well as kitchen tools, aromatherapy and fitness apparel. In addition to these categories, there will also be newly curated golf and ski shops, with both men's and women's apparel.

Following are closer looks at each pillar:

• Fitness: An expanded range of men's and women's athletic apparel, shoes and accessories. New items include recovery products from Hyperice, smart jump ropes from Tangram and apparel from Rhone, Beyond Yoga, Fourlaps, and SoulCycle.
• Health & Nutrition: Customers can find vitamins and supplements, protein powders, kitchen tech and tools and cookbooks. Key items include nutritional lattes from Wylde One, tools from Vitamix, and supplement patches from The Good Patch.
• Sexual Wellness: With a new focus on sexual wellbeing, shoppers can find personal care and technology items including vibrators from Lelo, feminine care from Dr. Barbara Sturm, intimate products from Maude, and menopause therapy devices from Joylux.
• Rest & Relaxation: Saks offers curated mindfulness tools, sleep products and aromatherapy. Key items include Surell weighted blankets, HATCH sleep machines, Vyrao therapeutic fragrances, and sleep supplements from Hush & Hush.

Saks is stepping up its e-commerce activities as it is also seeing financial growth. At the time of the split, the Saks e-commerce business was valued at $2 billion. A planned IPO, which could take place in the first half of 2022, is targeting a valuation of some $6 billion, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

The online luxury retailer has also closed on a syndicated $350 million, asset-based five-year revolving credit facility arranged by Bank of America and a $115 million senior secured term Loan arranged by Pathlight Capital LP. The May 2021 financing came as online sales, which took off during the pandemic, continued to boom, particularly in the luxury sector.

"Saks is thrilled to expand our array of wellness offerings, solidifying our position as the ultimate luxury retailer," said Tracy Margolies, chief merchandising officer at Saks. "A holistic, all-encompassing approach to health is essential. With the addition of this new shop and products, we are now able to serve multiple aspects of the luxury customers' lifestyle, from fashion to wellbeing."