When David’s Bridal announced its acquisition of Love Stories TV at the end of 2024, the move set the tone for 2025 as the company launched its retail media network and proceeded to build out its digital infrastructure, including newly announced features through Shopify.
The new ecommerce and omnichannel capabilities mark a major launch as David’s Bridal makes the platform transition. As a result, the wedding and bridal-focused retailer will integrate Shopify into its ecommerce and in-store operations, leveraging a range of options for its customers and operations. The announcement also highlights the most visible change yet for Kelly Cook, the CEO at David’s Bridal, who stepped into the role in April.
David’s Bridal ranks No. 468 in the Top 2000. The database is Digital Commerce 360’s ranking of the largest North American online retailers by web sales. There, it falls under the Apparel & Accessories category. Digital Commerce 360 projects that David’s Bridal’s online sales in 2025 will reach $167.22 million.
How David’s Bridal is using Shopify
David’s Bridal’s use of Shopify will extend to many touchpoints throughout its customer experience, which for its clientele may include anywhere from nine to 26 website visits before their first bridal appointment gets made, Cook told Digital Commerce 360. New capabilities such as real-time inventory visibility and online-to-offline cart integration will play major roles in the digital buildout that Cook calls a major priority.
“On April 1 of this year is when I officially became CEO, and that was the day that we launched our new aisle to algorithm strategy for the company,” Cook said.
That set the stage for David’s Bridal’s June 17 announcement that it would bring in Shopify’s platform to enable at least six new enhancements. Those include:
- “Endless Aisle” shopping, which David’s Bridal characterizes as the ability for customers to browse its full catalog on interactive digital touchscreens in stores, including purchase and shipping options.
- Faster checkout experiences with flexible payment options and online-to-offline cart integration.
- Real-time visibility into inventory across stores and online.
- Unified data and platforms to provide more accurate pricing, promotions and inventory statuses.
- Automatic feature updates and built-in compliance to optimize costs and maintenance.
- New tools for David’s Bridal associates to speed up onboarding and offer real-time customer insights.
What David’s Bridal is trying to get right with digital upgrades
Convenience is a major point of emphasis for Cook as David’s Bridal continues to grow and improve its digital presence.
“Our bride, when she gets proposed to, is happy and ecstatic for 15 minutes, and then panic sets in, because she’s got to plan an 18-month journey,” she explained. “Her No. 1 emotion for 18 months is anxiety.”
That 18-month journey may include as many as 300 tasks, Cook said. And David’s Bridal is working to align its offerings in order to be responsive to those needs, while easing anxiety along the way.
In the meantime, the company is beta-testing new artificial intelligence solutions behind the scenes to bring additional personalization to its wedding planning. Plans include an agentic commerce-enabled version of its Pearl planner tool.
“At David’s, we’re not just evolving — we’re reimagining the entire bridal journey from inspiration to purchase, all through an AI, digital, asset-lite lens,” Cook stated in the June 17 announcement.
Next ecommerce steps for David’s Bridal
“David’s Bridal is using our technology and a deep understanding of their customer to reimagine the bridal shopping experience — whether online, in-store or anywhere in between,” said Harley Finkelstein, president at Shopify, in a public statement. “That’s what excites us: helping iconic brands deliver for real people, at real moments, in ways that were never possible before.”
Many of David’s Bridal’s new on-site and online integrations fall firmly under the umbrella of omnichannel retail strategy. Cook likes to refer to these ambitions as an “anywhere channel” approach.
“An anywhere channel strategy is where we’re going now,” she stated. “When it comes specifically to our DTC channels — our direct-to-consumer channels, typically site and store — there is a certain amount of tactical plans that are consistent between channel, but we have a very different environment than most retail.”
Those channels are characterized by the long bridal journeys where she wants David’s Bridal to maximize its relevance every step of the way by strengthening its digital core.
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