Iconic department store returning to the UK after 25 years – but there’s a catch

A luxury department store that disappeared from the high street more than 25 years ago has returned to the UK.

Rackhams first opened its doors in 1881 and served customers for more than 100 years.

The chain became part of the Harrods group in 1955 and was then brought by House of Fraser in 1959.

The now independently-owned retailer is open once again – but only for online shoppers.

Does Rackhams still exist?

Rackhams exited the high street in 2000 when its name was retired.

Their stores completely replaced by its owner House of Fraser.

But now, 25 years later, the brand say they are back as an online-only department store.

This time, Rackhams will be a marketplace-only business, offering a mix of  mix of designer brands, boutique labels and fashion essentials.

The brand, operated by Rackhams Retail Ltd, sells more than 170,000 products.

The company will also chip in free delivery on every order.

Since the businesses’ soft launch, they are already boasting a ‘fast-growing customer base’ as well as ‘strong month-on-month growth’.

Rackhams CEO Mark Jordan said: ‘At Rackhams, our marketplace-first approach is not a side project, it is the business.

‘Because of that, we put equal weight on the experience for both our customers and our partners.

‘Unlike bolt-on marketplaces, which rarely command the time and resources needed to deliver real pre- and post-sales support, we are built from the ground up to make that support central.’

He continued: ‘That’s why we can promise an exceptional experience at every stage.

‘Having previously built an online retail business to more than £100 million in annual turnover, I wanted to take those lessons in scaling and apply them to a new kind of department store.”

Rackhams sales director Will Spencer added: ‘Since our soft launch we’ve been delighted with the momentum Rackhams has built.

‘We’ve already welcomed over 600 partners and shipped tens of thousands of orders in less than a year, and we fully expect this growth to accelerate as we increase our presence within the market.’

The new luxury online brand is not the only business to look towards a marketplace model.

B&Q trialled a marketplace click-and-collect service in July in a UK first.

Fashion brand BoohooMan has also set up an online marketplace with more than 500 brands.

Rackhams’ return coincides with a string of high street closures in September.

GAME will have closed three stores by the end of this month, six Hobbycrafts are also due to shut.

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