Shoemaker Clarks has broadened its global digital footprint by rolling out on a series of online marketplaces, including Shein, TikTok Shop, Secret Sales, Walmart and Target, with Dress for Less to follow soon.

The British footwear company, which marks its 200th anniversary this year, said the move is designed to meet customers “wherever they are” and make its products easier to purchase online.

In the UK, Clarks has gone live on Shein and Secret Sales, with plans to launch on Secret Sales Netherlands and Dress for Less before the end of the year. In the US, the brand has expanded to Walmart, Shein and Shop Simon, with a Target launch scheduled for December, according to industry reports.

Joe Ulloa, president of Clarks UK, Republic of Ireland and Europe, framed the strategy as a practical way to widen access and maintain the brand’s value proposition. “Expanding into new digital spaces helps us meet customers where they are. We’re making Clarks even more accessible while continuing to offer fantastic products at great prices. Value and comfort remain at the heart of everything we do,” he said He echoed the same message in trade coverage of the marketplace push.

The company’s emphasis on marketplace growth follows a difficult trading period. In July, Clarks announced it was cutting 1,200 jobs after a fall in sales. For the year ending 2024, revenues declined to £901.3 million from £994.5 million in 2023, while the group recorded a pre-tax loss of £39.2 million, similar to the previous year’s £39.8 million. The marketplace expansion sits alongside plans for the brand’s first owned digital marketplace in the UK, slated to launch in early 2026 on clarks.com, which will host multiple trusted brands “offering customers greater choice and convenience” .

One new partner has drawn particular scrutiny. Shein, the fast-fashion platform, is facing public backlash in France linked to the sale of a supposedly child-like sex doll and the opening of a store in Paris. More than 100,000 citizens reportedly signed a petition opposing its presence in the city. French authorities have also taken steps related to investigations into such products.

Clarks maintains that expanding into new digital spaces helps the brand serve customers “wherever they are,” underscoring a pragmatic pivot to marketplaces during a period of restructuring and investment in future digital infrastructure.

---