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M&S welcomes Skechers, Crocs and Toms to its growing third-party offering

Chloe Burney
02 June 2023

Highstreet retailer Marks & Spencer rivals omnichannel retailers with the introduction of global footwear brands Skechers, Crocs and TOMS to its ‘Brands at M&S’ online initiative.

The popular US footwear brands join M&S as they all report double-digit revenue growth. For example, Skechers have risen up the ranks and are now the third-largest footwear brand in the UK (behind Nike and Adidas). Meanwhile, Crocs have officially claimed a comeback post-pandemic.

This comes as the British retailer is on a mission to enlist third-party brands in an attempt to lure shoppers from competitors NEXT and John Lewis. In March, it revealed plans to increase the number of third-party brands it sells from 60 to 100, aiming to drastically drive sales.

According to Statista, the footwear market is worth over £14 million in the UK and is projected to grow annually by 3.92% between 2023 and 2027. Therefore, as M&S continues to reposition as a leading omnichannel retailer, it has identified footwear as a key opportunity for growth.

M&S is filling the gaps in its footwear offering with the help of the new third-party brands, which offer a range of trainers, espadrilles, everyday sandals, and flip-flops for all ages.

Together, the brands will bring 200 new styles to M&S.com. Along with the retailer's recent introduction of ASICS, Hoff, Hoka and VEJA, 15 footwear brands are now available on M&S.com, which represent 16% of footwear page visits.

As well as welcoming new branded options, M&S has focused on strengthening its core footwear offering, which is shopped by over three million customers every year. In 2022, M&S welcomed Annie Dore, former Head of Buying at New Look into a newly created position as Business Lead for Footwear and Accessories. Thanks to Dore, over the last quarter, searches for footwear on M&S.com have grown by 21% year-on-year.

Richard Price, Managing Director of Clothing & Home at M&S, commented: "At M&S, our footwear performance is at its strongest during the autumn-winter – customers come to us because they know they can trust in the value, style and quality of our range – from leather boots to loafers.

"Through our Brands at M&S platform, we are building a carefully curated offer of third-party partners which enhance customers’ shopping experience and increase our style credentials. With the arrival of three global brands in the leisure footwear category, together with a refreshed and reshaped own-brand offer - we’re confident that we have a compelling footwear offer to win during the summer months too.”

Recently, M&S welcomed eco-conscious fashion brand Nobody’s Child to 30 stores across the UK from March to August as part of its ‘Brands at M&S’ initiative.

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