Kering to Bring E-Commerce In-House

RAPAPORT... Kering, the owner of Gucci, Boucheron and Pomellato, plans to end its seven-year partnership with luxuryplatform Yoox Net-A-Porter (YNAP), and bring its e-commerce activitiesin-house. The Paris-based retailer, which has worked with YNAP since2013, will move all its sales to a new website in the first half of 2020, itsaid Monday. It's in the process of building that platform, it added. The decision came after Richemont, a rival luxury retailer, boughtYNAP in May. It also followed Kering's appointment of Gr?(C)gory Boutt?(C) as chiefclient and digital officer at the end of 2017 with the aim of improving itsonline business. E-commerce is Kering's fastest-growing channel for all itsluxury brands, it said. "These exciting new initiatives have been designed to meet -and exceed - the needs of our houses' customers and to ensure we continue tooffer them an exceptional experience across all channels in a fast-changingglobal market," Boutt?(C) said. "These opportunities have been made possible by theexperience and know-how that Kering has gained over the years, notably throughits successful joint venture with YNAP. We will continue to work with thempost-transition and to enjoy a fruitful relationship," he added. Image: Boucheron store, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. (Shutterstock)