Brands Bet Limited-Edition Apparel Can Catch Consumers’ Interest

In the coming weeks, many families who have gathered for the holidays will sit down around the table to play board games such as Scrabble and Monopoly — and for some enthusiasts, they may blend in with the pieces.

Hasbro’s collaboration with Champion Athleticwear is just one of several partnerships unveiled this week that see brands not typically known for their apparel creating limited-edition fashion pieces, just in time for them to be wrapped up and gifted. 7-Eleven, for instance, has teamed up with entertainer and designer Kerwin Frost to create a “Snack Attack Uniform” made up of a jacket, pants and T-shirt that includes a total of 18 pockets.

Branded clothing is nothing new — shirts advertising various products have been around for decades. But what sets these partnerships apart is their exclusive nature, as only a certain number of items are being produced for a short period of time. The 7-Eleven outfit, which will be sold with a selection of 7-Eleven snacks and beverages for $280, drops on Dec. 13 with only 500 uniforms available.

PYMNTS research, conducted in collaboration with Scalefast, has found that at least 21% of consumers have recently participated in product drops, including 42% of Generation Z and 33% of millennials. Over 45% of consumers say product drops give them access to products that are difficult to obtain, and 64% say they can access items through product drops at a good price.

Read more: How Product Drops And Exclusive Sales Boost Retail’s Top Line

And these product drops also create some semblance of loyalty: 47% of consumers who previously participated in a product drop or flash sale say they’re “very” or “extremely” interested in participating in another sales event over the next year. Additionally, 72% of Generation Z and 68% of millennials say product drops increased their affinity to a brand.

Enabling Product Drops

Earlier this year, Instagram debuted a new feature that allows online shoppers to link to product drops through its app, expanding the availability of product drops to a wider set of consumers. Instagram Drops have a specific spot on the Shop tab to enable users to find new and upcoming product launches, and shoppers also have the ability to sign up for merchandise reminders regarding sought-after products.

Read more: Instagram Rolls out Feature for Product Drops

Consumers also flock to marketplaces such as TheDrop.com, which has over 70 new items dropping every day from more than 300 brands.

“What makes TheDrop so attractive to most brands is usually their [return on investment] is better on TheDrop than it is on marketing and driving sales on their own website, because they’re learning how to manage that,” Matt Falcinelli, CEO of TheDrop.com, told PYMNTS in a recent interview.

Related news: How Product Drops, Marketplaces and Payments Keep Gen Z Loyal, D2C Brands Profitable

Growing Contextual Commerce

Netflix is also trying its hand at offering apparel tied to content, teaming up with several luxury brands to offer selections of clothing related to pieces worn on “Emily in Paris,” which will have its second season debut later this month.

The Netflix Shop will include apparel from AZ Factory, various Chanel-owned brands and My Beachy Side, according to French fashion magazine L’Officiel, as well as jewels by Roberto Coin. The products will also be available on Saks.com and at select Saks locations.

Netflix first launched its eCommerce shop in June with merchandise from hits such as “Stranger Things” and “The Witcher,” as well as branded Netflix apparel. Since then, the company has added more items from those shows, including a collaboration with General Mills on limited-edition boxes of cereal related to “Stranger Things,” and has also launched products from more recent sensations like “Squid Game.”

You may also like: Netflix Embraces Contextual Commerce With Fashion Items Tied to Content