URBN Is Launching A New Subscription Rental Service & It’s About To Change The Way You Shop

"I have nothing to wear" is about to become a phrase of the past, thanks to the latest shopping rental service that's on its way here. This summer, Urban Outfitters Inc. (URBN) will release Nuuly, a new "subscription rental experience" offering apparel you can rent for a fraction of its normal cost. And, as you could probably guess, it's going to change the way you shop.

For fashion girls, shopping the latest trends can come at a hefty price, but this new service makes it easier to experiment with any style at a lower cost. According to the brand's press release, a subscription means receiving one six-item box per month for $88, and each box will contain more than $800 worth of initial retail value on average.

And no, it won't just be URBN's brands in the mix. "About one third of Nuuly’s assortment will be comprised of our own URBN brands, and the remainder from hundreds of other brands and labels such as AYR, Universal Standard, and LoveShackFancy, as well as a carefully selected assortment of one-of-a-kind vintage pieces," David Hayne, Chief Digital Officer, URBN, and Nuuly President, tells The Zoe Report in an email.

And as for the actual items you get, there's quite a bit of variety. "Our assortment is specifically geared towards versatile pieces that our subscribers can wear in a multitude of ways throughout their month long rental period," Hayne explains. "Our breadth of options will mean subscribers can find options they love for all aspects of their daily lives, whether that is for the office, a weekend brunch, baby shower, or a night on the town."

It won't be a small assortment, either. "Nuuly will stock over 1,000 styles at launch, with plans to add over 100 new styles a week and triple style count by year’s end," reads a press release from the brand. And the collection of products will span everything from premium denim to seasonal outerwear, also including petite and plus-size options. Size options will range from 00-26. For the time being, however, you won't be able to exchange sizes — but it's possible that will eventually change, depending on users' wants and needs. "At launch, Nuuly will not offer swaps but we are excited to see our customers’ feedback in real time, which will help us evolve the platform as we grow," explains Hayne.

While it may seem like an unexpected move for the company, it's actually a result of years of observations by URBN of trends impacting consumers' shopping behaviors. "Our job at URBN is to listen to our customers and serve them however they’d prefer to engage with our brands and products," says Hayne. "We’ve been supporting the consumer’s shift into e-commerce, omni-channel, and mobile experiences, and more recently we’ve seen a growing interest in subscription and sharing-economy models as customers are looking to add newness and excitement to their wardrobe, in a sustainable way."

When it launches in summer 2019, you'll only be able to rent apparel — but the brand is open to the idea of offering more. "There are no immediate plans to expand the categories offered, but it is certainly an option for us in the future," Hayne notes.

Already planning your first rental? Head over to Nuuly's site now to get on the waitlist for when the service is officially available.