Big news coming from the land of preppy basic pieces: Gap vending machines are coming. Maybe. Our fingers are crossed, anyway. With online shopping becoming a massive alternative to brick-and-mortar stores, the Gap is exploring expanded e-commerce in new ways to make their consumers' buying experiences stand out, according to a Fast Company interview with Cap CEO Art Peck.
Personally, I spend more time shopping online than I ever do at a mall. It's quick, easy, and often presents many, many more options than a brick-and-mortar store is able to provide. Whether you need specific clothes because you're a little taller than average (me) or because you're plus size or petite, usually online shopping is the way to go. Gap is a mega retail brand, and although it has a strong online presence, Peck only wants it to get bigger.
The first step to reinventing the brand and putting more focus on innovative, e-commerce endeavors? Cutting back on retail stores. Now, don't worry, Gap has over 3,000 stores, so odds are that there's still going to be a typical walk-in Gap store in your neighborhood for the next few years. According to Racked, and accounts of Peck's new brand strategy, e-commerce and mobile sales will simply, "inevitably" overcome the traditional retail stores. Other ideas for Gap's e-commerce domination reportedly include mobile registers and Gap vending machines. Because why shouldn't buying casually worn-in chambray shift dresses be as simple as grabbing a Diet Coke, right?
From the reports, it sounds like Peck's plans are still in the beginning stages, but that makes sense. Gap has been evolving and changing for more than a few years now, a seemingly constant effort to become relevant again. And while Gap's simple, well-made, "normcore" aesthetic is certainly trendy in theory, the brand often misses the mark in execution. Long story short, Gap seems to be a little lost. But with all the recent changes, including waving goodbye to both their creative director and the position of creative director as a whole earlier this year, one almost can't fault Gap for trying to evolve and adapt.
At the end of the day, Gap is one of the most inherently American brands there is, and it's not going to go away any time soon regardless of any changes or restructuring that may be happening on a higher level in the company. Gap will alway survive. With vending machines. Sweet.
Image: @gap/Instagram
