Siguiendo con las informaciones, adelantadas por FashionUnited a comienzos de julio de este mismo año, la multinacional estadounidense de la moda Gap ha anunciado la creación de una joint venture (empresa conjunta) junto a la compañía multinacional británica Next, considerada como el mayor retailer de moda de todo el mercado británico, con la que finalmente se garantiza el poder seguir operando en los mercados del Reino Unido e Irlanda.A strategic alliance that will allow the chain, one of the main trademarks of the GAP group, continue to put its fashion collections within reach of its customers in both countries after the announced closure of all its physical establishments, using the network of the network of the network of the network ofPhysical stores and the deep digital footprint with which Next in these markets.

"We are pleased to announce some plans that will allow us.Two markets for which "we are associating with Next PLC", through a strategic agreement that "will allow us to benefit from its extensive omnichannel platform and its high experience in electronic commerce as the retrieve of online clothing number number one of the entireUnited Kingdom".

Physical and online presence in the markets of the United Kingdom and Ireland through the NEXT structures

As detailed from the GAP Group itself, the joint company will begin to be operational from next year of 2022, at which time a franchise agreement will begin that will allow this new Joint Venture, participated both by GAP and by Next, exploit the marketing of the GAP brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and both from the field of physical and digital.

In this regard, from GAP they add that, as far as the digital media is concerned, the new company will be responsible for managing “our growing online trade business”, being responsible for supervising all the operations and work linked to the digital marketing of allThe collections and items of the chain in the markets of the United Kingdom and Ireland.Sales that in this case can be carried out through both the official GAP online page for both markets, as well as the official online platform of Next, from where they will also be available.

Meanwhile, in what refers to the physical environment, this agreement will allow GAPFrom its main locations and flagships stores. Unos puntos de venta en los que las colecciones de Gap comenzarán a ponerse a la venta en forma de córners, siendo de esta suerte accesibles tanto para la compra física tradicional, como estando disponibles a través de los distintos servicios de compra “click&collect” y de venta online con los que desde Next buscan completar la experiencia de compra física de sus clientes.

Grow in Europe from a franchise model

Como parte del plan estratégico “Power Plan 2023” que la compañía norteamericana presentaba a finales de octubre del pasado 2020, desde Gap se decidían, como uno de los principales pilares de dicho plan, a reformular por completo las bases de su modelo comercial, y en especial en lo que hacía referencia a Europa.A region that from the company continues to observe with enormous potential for the growth of its brands, and on which they decided to grow on a model created from a series of strategic agreements together with a small group of local partners.Companies that from GAP observe that they have sufficient potential to boost the growth of the chain in their respective countries, setting them to exploit the brand for their respective markets by signing a franchise agreement.

De este modo, tras el acuerdo de franquicia para España que la compañía firmaba con el Grupo Galceran, el primero de estas características que formalizaba en Europa a pesar de ser España el último de los mercados europeos que sumaba la cadena, desde Gap anunciaban a principios del mes de julio estar ultimando los preparativos para la firma de idénticos acuerdos para sus mercados de Francia e Italia.Two countries in which the company already had an important physical footprint that tried to keep giving its management entirely to its new local partners, at one end that was then the one that refused to be able to carry out on markets in the United Kingdom and IrelandFor the one that also announced the closure of all its physical stores.

As a last update on what concerns the rest of its main operations in Europe, in regard to France from GAP, they point to the fact that they are waiting for the necessary approval of regulators to transfer, this October 2021, its 21Stores and most of its employees in France to the company that will take care of all its operations in the Galo country, Hermione People and Brands', the FIB Group retail subsidiary.While in Italy the North American explains that it is in exclusive negotiations with a local partner, whose name still avoids revealing, so that it takes care of all the stores operated by GAP in the country.

"In response to our Power Plan 2023, we begin to carry out a strategic review of GAP commercial operations in Europe, with the aim of maximizing opportunities for our brand in these key international markets"."Through this process," they explain from the American multinational, "we determine that the most effective way to grow our business in Europe was through franchised local partners capable of attracting consumers with excellent customer experiences" and"Through powerful omnichannel platforms that can extend the scope of GAP in each market".As a note, "once, we want to thank our European teams, whose hard work has helped build the powerful brand we have today"."Thanks to the solid GAP base, we can now expand our reach through strategic associations that will make us even stronger and capable of continuing to offer incredible products and experiences to our customers from Europe and around the world".