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  • November 2011 (Revised December 2012)
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Rent the Runway

By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Laura Winig
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:20
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Abstract

Two months after a successful launch in November 2009, the cofounders of Rent the Runway (RTR), a website that rented designer dresses, are debating whether to grow their startup at a measured pace and focus on improving operational effectiveness, or raise a new round of venture capital sooner than originally planned. Raising more venture capital would allow RTR to aggressively expand its inventory and customer acquisition efforts, in order to serve a broader range of customer segments with a wider selection of products, (e.g., accessories, maternity wear).

Keywords

Lean Startup; Electronic Commerce; Fashion; Expansion; Business Startups; Growth and Development Strategy; E-commerce; Fashion Industry

Citation

Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Laura Winig. "Rent the Runway." Harvard Business School Case 812-077, November 2011. (Revised December 2012.)
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About The Author

Thomas R. Eisenmann

Entrepreneurial Management
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Related Work

    • August 2014
    • Faculty Research

    Rent the Runway (Abridged)

    By: Thomas R. Eisenmann, Brent Goldfarb and David A. Kirsch
    • September 2012
    • Faculty Research

    Rent the Runway (TP)

    By: Thomas R. Eisenmann
    • October 2019
    • Faculty Research

    Business Model Exercise: Purpose and Overview

    By: Shikhar Ghosh and Christopher Payton
    • November 2011 (Revised December 2012)
    • Faculty Research

    Rent the Runway

    By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Laura Winig
Related Work
  • Rent the Runway (Abridged) By: Thomas R. Eisenmann, Brent Goldfarb and David A. Kirsch
  • Rent the Runway (TP) By: Thomas R. Eisenmann
  • Business Model Exercise: Purpose and Overview By: Shikhar Ghosh and Christopher Payton
  • Rent the Runway By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Laura Winig
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