Bonobos has launched a redesigned e-commerce platform powered by Shopify, introducing new technology intended to connect online shopping with personalized service at its 48 Guideshop locations across the United States.
The New York-based menswear retailer said the changes include digital sizing profiles, automated follow-ups after in-store fitting room visits, integrated checkout and purchase tracking designed to link sales across online and physical stores.
The launch is part of Bonobos’ broader omnichannel strategy, which aims to provide a more connected shopping experience while giving store associates better access to customers’ fit preferences and purchasing activity.
Bonobos is available for Canadian-based customers to shop and this partnership with Shopify will make their online shopping experience more seamless.
Ellen Pope, Senior Director of Ecommerce at Bonobos, said: “For our international customers, our digital storefront is the primary way they experience Bonobos, making it especially important that we deliver a seamless and personalized shopping experience. Partnering with Shopify gives us the flexibility to better serve our customers in international markets, bringing our signature focus on fit, service and product discovery to the digital experience. It’s an important part of how we’re continuing to evolve the brand and connect with customers around the world.”
Connecting online and in-store shopping
The redesigned platform introduces a tool called My Fit that allows Bonobos’ store associates, known as Guides, to access customers’ sizing preferences in real time. The fit information synchronizes across selling systems and Bonobos.com, enabling sizing recommendations at different points in the shopping process.
The retailer is also introducing automated follow-ups after customers use in-store fitting rooms, extending interactions beyond their visits. Another feature allows associates to assemble an outfit with a customer while browsing online and transfer the completed selection directly into the in-store checkout process through Shopify’s point-of-sale system. The integration is intended to eliminate the need to recreate the shopping cart at checkout.
Bonobos is also implementing a cross-channel purchase attribution system that records store visits and connects purchases made within seven days to the original store location and Guide. The system covers transactions completed online or in person, according to the company.
The approach provides a way to associate purchases with the store and employee involved in the customer interaction, even when the eventual transaction takes place through another channel.
For online purchases, the redesigned platform incorporates Shop Pay, Shopify’s accelerated checkout service, which the release describes as offering a one-tap checkout experience.
Retailer focuses on personalized service
Pope said the new platform builds on the retailer’s existing approach to fit and customer service while extending those capabilities across its sales channels.
“For nearly two decades, Bonobos has helped men find their best fit through exceptional products and personal service. Now we’re bringing that same confidence and care to every part of the shopping journey,” said Pope. “With Shopify, we can connect what a customer discovers online with the expertise of our Guides in store, while making it easier to find the right fit and check out wherever he chooses to shop. This gives us a more flexible foundation to keep improving the experience as our customers’ needs evolve.”
The company said the redesigned experience is intended to simplify the customer journey from product discovery through checkout, with tools to help shoppers identify styles, assess fit and complete purchases.
For Shopify, the Bonobos launch demonstrates how its technology can support a retailer whose products require detailed sizing information and personalized assistance.
Lauren Nemeth, vice-president of global enterprise at Shopify, said the platform is designed to accommodate those requirements.
“Bonobos built its reputation on getting fit right, and that only works online if the technology can keep up,” said Nemeth. “Our infrastructure is built for that level of product complexity, so brands like Bonobos can spend their energy on the customer experience instead of the infrastructure behind it.”
U.S. retail network supports omnichannel strategy
Bonobos began operating in 2007 as a digitally native menswear brand, focusing on fit and personalized service. The company later introduced its Guideshop concept, allowing customers to experience its products in person and receive one-to-one assistance.
It now operates 48 Guideshop locations across the United States and has distribution partnerships with Nordstrom stores and the department store retailer’s online storefronts.
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