Why Editorial Brands Will Dominate Retail’s ‘Long Tale’

- Ways for big-brand retailers to launch wholesale supplier marketplaces

They (Nordstrom) have remained true to their original proposition of exceptional service, combined with a great product, merchandising, and design. They have also been unafraid to make bold experiments, such as with Nordstrom Local, a concept that fits beautifully into the new world of unified commerce, at the crossroads of online and offline.

If I were to draw a throughline between the closures of Need Supply, Unionmade, and, say, Barneys, it’s that the “curator” business case for most multi-brand online apparel retail is disappearing.

If commerce is a transaction between buyer and seller, the face of the seller is evolving with new tools for discovery and purchase that allow for a personal relationship between creator and customer. Beyond a corporation or mass retailer, the seller is now frequently a person or small business. We are seeing a new long-tail retailer learning how t... See more