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American Express Partners with Birchbox, Bonobos and Rent the Runway to Launch Inaugural "Online’s Day Off"

Event Celebrates Retail Innovation By Highlighting Today’s Retail Pioneers; Brings Small Online-Only Brands into Stores for One Day


New York, NY – WEBWIRE

American Express’ U.S. Small Merchant Group has partnered with Birchbox, Bonobos and Rent the Runway to present Online’s Day Off, a two-day event that kicks off with a thought-leadership panel on September 18, followed by a one-day shopping event on September 20. The events will showcase innovative ways e-commerce pioneers have parlayed their online success into the physical world and bring new networking opportunities to small merchants.

[p"Online’s Day Off, like many of the other small merchant-focused initiatives supported by American Express, was created to connect our small merchant partners to seasoned entrepreneurs and industry experts who can help them successfully navigate a changing business environment" said Ed Jay, Executive Vice President, Merchant Services, Americas, American Express. "Most importantly, we want to help small merchants and what better way to do that than to provide resources that enable them to grow their business"[/p]

Birchbox, Bonobos and Rent the Runway established themselves as successful online retailers before bringing their innovation offline. Birchbox opened a physical store where consumers can select from a curated selection of beauty, grooming, and lifestyle products; Bonobos’ Guideshops let clients shop the brand’s latest apparel styles in a personalized environment; and at Rent the Runway’s stores consumers can enlist stylists to find the right look for upcoming events.

[p"Though we launched as a digital brand, it turns out that having an offline presence has been a successful sales, marketing and service channel so we’re excited to share our insights as part of Online’s Day Off" said Andy Dunn, CEO and founder of Bonobos Inc. "We’ve learned that the future of retail isn’t exclusively online or offline, which is why we are further driving the ‘clicks to bricks’ movement"[/p]

Participants of Online’s Day Off will share their business insights at a thought leadership conference on September 18 that will explore top fashion, retail and e-commerce trends. The discussion will also cover how these retailers used technology to launch as small merchants and quickly expand into well-known players in the retail category today. The panel, moderated by American Express’ Ed Jay, will feature industry leaders:

  • Katia Beauchamp, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Birchbox
  • Andy Dunn, CEO and Founder of Bonobos Inc.
  • Jennifer Fleiss, Co-Founder and Head of Business Development of Rent the Runway
  • Steve Chien, EVP & GM of Shutl North America


Separately, on September 20, there will be a special shopping event that will allow consumers to experience three emerging, online-only brands – GLAMSQUAD, Mantry and Ringly – in-person. Birchbox, Bonobos and Rent the Runway will host these online brands in their physical stores. Consumers will be able to shop the latest products and take advantage of special offers and experiences, including limited edition Online’s Day Off gift bags with purchase; hair and make-up touch ups at Birchbox; food and beverage tastings at Bonobos; and manicures, cupcakes and champagne at Rent the Runway. Shutl, an eBay company that provides same-hour courier service, will offer same-day delivery of purchases to those who buy in store that day.

Andy Dunn of Bonobos added, "Online’s Day Off will provide a platform for smaller online-only brands to test the waters offline in a no-risk environment"

For more information about the event, please visit www.OnlinesDayOff.com.

About American Express:
American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress, foursquare.com/americanexpress, linkedin.com/company/american-express, twitter.com/americanexpress, and youtube.com/americanexpress.

Key links to products and services: charge and credit cards, business credit cards, travel services, gift cards, prepaid cards, merchant services, corporate card, and business travel.

About Birchbox: Launched in 2010, Birchbox is a leading beauty and grooming ecommerce company for men and women. Birchbox redefines the retail process by offering consumers a personalized way to discover, learn about and purchase the best beauty, grooming and lifestyle products. With more than 800,000 members, Birchbox users enjoy first-touch experiences with new products each month and exclusive access to expert editorial content to help them get the most out of each item. Additionally, through Birchbox’s online store, customers can shop a handpicked selection of full-sized products from more than 800 top brands such as Lancôme, Laura Mercier, Benefit, Stila, Caudalie, Payot, L’Occitane, Bourjois, and L’Oreal. In 2012, Birchbox acquired an international competitor, gaining outposts in France, Spain and the UK. To learn more about Birchbox, visit www.birchbox.com, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and our blog.

About Bonobos: Bonobos is a clothing brand focused on delivering great fit, excellent customer experience, and a fun approach to menswear. Launched online in 2007 with its signature line of better-fitting men’s pants, Bonobos is now the largest apparel brand ever built on the web in the United States. In 2011 Bonobos extended offline, launching Bonobos Guideshops, e-commerce stores that deliver personalized, one-to-one service to those wanting to experience the brand in person. To date, Bonobos has ten Guideshops across the United States. In 2012, Bonobos expanded its distribution partnering with Nordstrom, bringing Bonobos apparel into all 118-doors nationwide and to Nordstrom.com. Bonobos was named "One of America’s Hottest Brands" by Advertising Age, "Best Men’s Pants" by New York Magazine, and was twice awarded Crain’s "Best Places to Work in New York City" Visit www.bonobos.com

About Rent the Runway: Rent the Runway has transformed the retail industry by making designer dress and accessory rentals a convenient and accessible luxury experience for millions of women. With door-to-door delivery, a free second-size and access to personal stylists, Rent the Runway combines technology and fashion to expand the reach of a woman’s closet and gives her the ability to search thousands of styles in a way that’s most convenient for her - on desktop, mobile device or in-store.

About Shutl: Shutl, an eBay Inc. company, launched in 2008 as a rapid fulfillment service to connect online retailers with local same-day couriers. Shutl’s suite of tools enables easy deliveries online, offline, and in-store. Retailers can work with Shutl via shopping cart integration, standalone POS app, or a self-service web app. In addition, Shutl offers 24/7 delivery service and electronic GPS tracking in real time. In 2013, eBay acquired Shutl to empower retailers with omni-channel fulfillment capabilities. Visit https://us.shutl.it/



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