Nuuly and Recurly: A partnership powering customer-centric growth
A fashion platform tailor-made for modern consumers
Nuuly, a US-based circular fashion platform, is for those who love fashion and want a more sustainable, budget-friendly way to enjoy it. Designed for discovery and creativity, Nuuly offers a curated selection of styles—including favorite brands from its parent company, URBN—so customers can experiment with their wardrobe in a more flexible and intentional way. With over 20,000 styles to choose from, Nuuly makes it easy for subscribers to come up with an amazing look every day—not just for special occasions.
But powering a flexible subscription model at scale requires more than great fashion—it demands cutting-edge technology and a partner that understands the complexities of recurring revenue. That’s why Nuuly chose Recurly. From launch to rapid growth, Recurly has played a key role in helping Nuuly scale efficiently, optimize its subscriber experience, and drive continued innovation in the fashion industry.
What truly sets Nuuly apart, however, is its unwavering commitment to its customers. From the very beginning, Nuuly has put its customers first, building a team, technology, and operations that exceed expectations in the fashion industry by blending convenience, customization, and creativity.
As a team, we are focused on what will have the most meaningful impact on the customer experience.
“As a team, we are focused on what will have the most meaningful impact on the customer experience," said David Hayne, President of Nuuly and Chief Technology Officer at URBN. “That vision serves as our north star when deciding which features, capabilities, and new experiences to develop or enhance.”
This customer-first approach, combined with the power of Recurly’s subscription management platform, has helped Nuuly build a loyal subscriber base and set the standard for fashion rental and e-commerce innovation.
Prioritizing a frictionless customer experience
One key aspect of Nuuly's customer-centric strategy is its commitment to providing a frictionless user experience. With the rise of online shopping, consumers expect fast and easy transactions. Taking this into account, Nuuly offers a seamless monthly subscription process for renting and returning clothes. From its user-friendly website to its efficient shipping methods, every aspect of the journey has been designed with customer satisfaction in mind.
But a frictionless experience alone is not enough to stand out in the competitive fashion industry. A key part of Nuuly’s philosophy is understanding and addressing the evolving needs of its diverse customer base. Instead of relying on traditional practices, Nuuly continuously introduces new features to enrich the customer experience. One such innovation came from recognizing a common pain point: Customers had to wait for their returned shipment to be received at Nuuly’s facility before they could place their next order. To solve this, Nuuly developed “Check My Return,” a feature that allows users to unlock their next shipment as soon as UPS scans their return, eliminating unnecessary delays and keeping their wardrobe in constant rotation.
"Recurly helps us streamline the process by confirming UPS drop-offs in real-time and triggering the next box to open, ensuring a seamless experience for customers," said Hayne.
By enabling such real-time adjustments, Nuuly puts control directly into the hands of its customers, fostering a truly personalized and engaging shopping experience.
Expanding into new markets: The Thrift Shop
But Nuuly’s innovation doesn’t stop with rentals. Nuuly has also expanded its offerings with the addition of The Thrift Shop—a new avenue designed to enable customers to buy pre-loved clothing from Nuuly’s rental inventory. This initiative to give its garments a second life aligns with the principles of conscious consumption, while reinforcing Nuuly’s commitment to building a community that values both individuality and environmental responsibility—and Recurly has played a pivotal role in bringing this vision to life.
Recurly has developed its product to be highly extensible.
“Recurly has developed its product to be highly extensible,” said Hayne. “For The Thrift Shop, Nuuly manages the shopping experience, but when it’s time to transact, we push to the Recurly platform to handle the payment.”
By seamlessly integrating subscription and transaction logic, Recurly functions as more than just a subscription management tool—it also provides partial order management capabilities that support Nuuly’s evolving business model.
“As the business grows and expands into different types of customer experiences, we've been able to use Recurly’s capabilities to support those initiatives,” Hayne added.
Driving growth through partnership
Driving these innovations is a laser focus on balancing customer acquisition with long-term retention. Nuuly’s growth marketing team works tirelessly to attract new members, but the real magic happens in the team’s cross-functional collaboration to refine the customer experience. Whether it’s optimizing product discoverability, ensuring reliability in delivery, or crafting features that add convenience and value, every improvement is made with the customer in mind. It’s this ongoing pursuit of excellence that makes being a part of Nuuly feel less like a transaction and more like a lifestyle.
Kim Gallagher, Executive Director of Marketing and Customer Success at Nuuly, added, “We really focus on developing features that make the Nuuly experience better, because, at the end of the day, the best way we can retain customers is by continually improving their experience.”
Nuuly's partnership with Recurly enables seamless subscription management, allowing the team to focus on creating innovative features and memorable customer experiences. Together, they drive scalable growth and enhance satisfaction.
“As our business has grown and the volume has increased, our relationship with Recurly has only strengthened. We've been able to provide valuable feedback and guidance on the roadmap, sharing what’s critical for our needs,” explained Hayne. “In turn, Recurly has consistently partnered with us, offering thoughtful solutions and support to help us succeed."
Recurly has consistently partnered with us, offering thoughtful solutions and support to help us succeed.
A future built on innovation
Ultimately, Nuuly’s success stems from its steadfast commitment to its customers. As the company looks to the future, their focus remains on expanding awareness and reaching more consumers who may not yet be familiar with the rental model.
“We’ve seen over 50% growth in the last year, and we believe there’s still a huge opportunity ahead—whether through more women discovering us, word-of-mouth marketing, or new ways to engage with our platform,” said Hayne.
Nuuly is also focused on building an experience designed for flexibility, allowing them to expand in a variety of ways, including new categories and geographies.
“We’ve built an infrastructure that supports evolution, and it’s just a matter of how we expand that infrastructure to different business opportunities or category opportunities,” Hayne added.
From the personalization features to initiatives like The Thrift Shop, Nuuly continuously evolves to meet the needs of its community. By integrating innovation with user-driven solutions, the company has carved out a unique space in the competitive fashion industry.
“We made a decision to partner with Recurly early on that was born out of necessity, speed, and simplicity,” Hayne shared. “We've been very encouraged that that decision was the right one long term, because it’s allowed us to scale and evolve alongside the platform.”
Through its relentless dedication to customer-driven innovation—and with the support of Recurly—Nuuly isn’t just building a brand. They’re creating an experience that keeps customers engaged, inspired, and coming back for more.
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