Boots woos brands for launch of online marketplace

Boots is expanding its digital strategy with the launch of a new online marketplace, which will give third-party brands access to its website and open up new categories for its customers.

Due to launch in spring 2023, Boots Marketplace products will be integrated with the existing product range on Boots.com, offering customers access to hundreds of new brands across established names and new sellers.

Powered by Mirakl, customers will still enjoy a single checkout for mixed baskets and access to Boots Advantage Card points.

Boots chief digital officer Paula Bobbett said: “Marketplace is the exciting next step in our digital transformation programme.

“We’re approaching this opportunity for Boots with a deep understanding of our customers and the health, beauty and wellness products that they want to buy, and helps us to work with new smaller and entrepreneurial brands.

“Marketplace will allow us to build on the strength of our existing business to offer an even bigger range of choice for consumers and be the first to market with emerging brands and new products.”

Mirakl executive vice president Sophie Marchessou added: “Boots is a heritage brand loved and trusted by British consumers, and in launching its marketplace it is delivering on its promise to deliver customers more of the products they want, from a carefully curated selection of third-party suppliers that meet the company’s extremely high quality standards.”

The move follows the launch of a new 60-product budget range – including toothpaste, shower gel shampoo and period products – in more than 1,000 stores; all items cost £1.50 or less.

The health and beauty brand has said that it has created the range to help shoppers find low-priced toiletries as the price of basic items continues to grow; it has also frozen the price of up to 1,500 products until the end of the year.