Zara is known as a leader among the fast fashion retail set but it has been downright slow when it comes to developing a selling presence online.
The chain, according to The Wall Street Journal, has stayed away from going the e-commerce route even as rivals set up virtual shops because it was concerned about "the complexity of managing and selling its fast-changing collections online."
All that appears to be changing with the announcement that Zara would sell items from its Autumn/Winter collections next year from its website. The site will initially launch in France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the U.K. A progressive rollout of the site to other markets served by Zara will follow.
Pablo Isla, CEO and deputy chairman of Zara parent Inditex, called the move "an important strategic step" in his company's "constant daily search to offer the best service to clients worldwide."
Discussion Questions: What will selling online mean for Zara's business? What specific challenges and opportunities do you see facing Zara as it goes to a multi-channel approach?