Brands like Athleta are betting on product swaps as a customer acquisition tool

Athleta held a product swap, in partnership with ThredUp, called “Move Up,” which was the company’s first time giving away products in this manner. Athleta gave away 3,000 pairs of tights: 1,000 in New York City, 500 in Miami, 500 in Dallas, 500 in Washington, D.C. and 500 in Chicago. However, there was so much demand that Athleta ran out of tights to give away, Shannon Damen, chief commercial officer at Athleta, told Modern Retail. As a result, Athleta gave the remaining people in line a coupon for 20% off one item in the store. Product swaps like these are becoming a common way for brands to bring in new customers, especially as acquisition costs continue to rise.