Gap is debuting its home collection next month on Walmart.com. The retailers unveiled the new Gap Home collection in late May, and it will carry more than 400 items including bedding, window treatment, tabletop, and other interior decor products. The launch represents a significant multiyear partnership for the companies with the potential to grow, the parties said.
The collection, which is set to go on sale on June 24 on Walmart’s website, spans a price range of roughly $15 to $65, and features products made with materials including organic cotton, and recycled fabrics including yarn. “Gap Home embodies the brand’s optimistic, modern American style that bridges the gaps between individuals, generations and cultures,” the companies said in a joint statement. “The launch collection is made with the planet in mind and features quality materials like denim and chambray with unique finishes at a price point that is accessible to all customers.”
The collection also appears to reflect a number of current intersecting trends — an ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has reoriented shoppers much more toward their homes; Walmart’s steady investments in building its digital platform and a goal to top $100 billion in e-commerce revenue in the next couple of years; and Gap’s own strategy over the past year to push into licensing and expand its brand.
The collection will be available exclusively on Walmart.com, with the possibility of the collaboration expanding over time to include products sold at Walmart stores, the companies said. They have also said that for the time being, “new Gap Home seasonal and special collections will drop throughout the year” on the Walmart website.
Says Anthony Soohoo, executive VP of Home at Walmart, “I think this is a very strong first step for us, in terms of being able to deliver on our idea of timeless signature style that’s affordable and sustainable. I think that’s why this partnership made sense: leveraging Gap’s expertise in terms of delivering timeless American styles, and, for us, to be able to leverage across our network and be able to deliver that at great value for our customers,” he said. “This is our first step, and I can’t wait to see where else this goes as we strengthen our partnership in the years ahead.”
For Gap, the launch marks another milestone in its overall strategy to grow its brand and cater to shifting product needs as the pandemic has changed shoppers’ lifestyles, said Mark Breitbard, president and chief executive officer of Gap Global. “It is clear that our customer has an appetite for other extensions from us,” he said. “[Walmart] has incredible experience in the home space, and they’ve made a bunch of improvements and upgrades on Walmart.com and the whole experience of it,” he said. “We just thought launching Gap home with a proven home retailer like Walmart made a lot of sense for us.”
But Breitbard says this isn’t just a one and done. The company expects to be in the Home Decor business for the long haul. “One of the big things to make a note of is that this is a multiyear partnership, and this isn’t a small collaboration where we drop styles and expect to be done,” he added. “This is us trying to build a business here.”
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