Zara: International brand image and fashion site launch in Western Europe

Abstract

Purpose: Zara launched its e-store in Spain, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy and Portugal in the campaign fall/winter 2010. This is an important strategic step; aligned with the search that Inditex daily performs to provide the best customer service worldwide. This paper aims to analyse the international awareness of this notorious fast-fashion firm and the importance of electronic retailing as a communication tool and as a significant growing channel of distribution for fashion merchandise.

Design/methodology: A descriptive analysis of Zara's experience is presented, since the launch of zara.com in September 2010. It also shows a comparative analysis on two of its competitors: H&M and Mango.

Findings: Zara seems to be surpassing Mango in reach and number of page views, but is still below the levels of H&M, worldwide.

Research limitations: This is a descriptive article. We have not been able to provide an in-depth study of the results of the online sale of Zara due to its recent inclusion in the distribution channel and due to the Inditex Group's policy that is to wait for twelve months of store activity to publish its first results.

Practical implications: Knowing the strategy undertaken by Zara and its competitors through e-commerce in order to consolidate its international brand image, allows us to provide managerial guidelines for successful retailers when implementing a clicks and mortar strategy.

Originality/value: Given the economic recession in which we find ourselves and due to the leading role being taken by online selling in the textile in Spain in recent months, e-commerce in the textile sector has emerged as a very important topic. Besides, this study focuses on a Spanish company that has attracted more studies during the last decades due to its undoubted success.