Diesel Lands on (The) Moon

On May 21, 2020, DIESEL announced the launch of MOON, a new omni-channel operating model designed to significantly upgrade the company’s digital retail operations, while offering its global customers an entirely seamless experience.

With advanced technology playing an increasingly vital role in the fashion universe, DIESEL saw the need to strategically own, manage and map its digital evolution. With the 360-degree omni-channel system that is MOON, the company continues to put forth boundary-pushing ideas. DIESEL and OTB have long been at the forefront of fashion-and-digital spaces. MOON is the next big step for fashion-kind.

Befitting of DIESEL’s “Only the Brave” slogan, this particular step is notably bold. E-commerce accounts for 12% of DIESEL’s business (year 2019), but the revenue stream is driving double-digit growth figures year-on-year.

The escalation and spread of the global COVID-19 pandemic has changed consumer behavior patterns, some of which will remain permanent. Omni-channel experience has quickly become omnipresent; new methods of engagement between businesses and consumers are here to stay.

To stay on the leading edge of this new paradigm, brands and retailers must invest further time and resources in setting specific goals when it comes to customer interactions.

From start to finish, MOON took 13 months to finalize—multiple times faster than anticipated, given the pressure to quickly adapt under COVID-19—and it places DIESEL in a highly progressive position to deliver a complete omni-channel experience to its clientele. MOON injects innovation into this space, and it fully embraces an agile operating model—for now, the near future and the long-term.

For consumers, MOON offers a smooth, easy and all-in-one shopping experience. Shopping options are unlimited, in that all of DIESEL’s current global stock will be integrated and buyable through this model.

Shopping itself becomes frictionless: increased service levels, easy returns in-store, same day pickup in all stores, same day delivery in key cities, pre-ordering and more are all available. In the near future, the act of shopping will also become highly personalized in the digital space; data-driven approaches will elevate and edit user-specific interfaces as more purchases are made.

MOON is built over a leading edge technical architecture that integrates several best in class applications complemented with a visual process & system real time monitoring dashboard. These include: the full control of DIESEL’s order management system (the company’s OMS partner is Manhattan Associates); enhanced logistics operations; widened payment methods; universal stock fluidity (between warehouses and stores) and omni-channel client services.

The newly integrated B2B and B2C logistics model guarantees best-in-class customer relations practices, and the broadened flexibility of inventory displayed between locations will exponentially increase product visibility. New emerging payment methods (including Wallets and Buy Now, Pay Later) will be accepted, and client services will be expanded, including a complete assimilation of social media care.

In March and April of 2020, DIESEL quietly assumed 100% control of its web operations (prior, parts had been outsourced). The company believes not in digitizing the practice of retail. Rather, it fosters retailing in a digital world, where the customer is always at the center of the experience, no matter where they are shopping or engaging with the brand.

Technology (and the managerial changes that come with it) will save the fashion industry, and DIESEL is excited to initiate its next wave—to the MOON, and, then, frontiers beyond.