Online shopping is about more than just buying things
Can you remember when you had to actually go to a store in person to buy your clothes? It wasn’t that long ago, but I can’t even imagine not being able to shop online. For brands, selling clothes online opens them up to a huge new world of customers. But just as the Internet has opened the doors to new customers, it has also opened up a whole new set of competition. So what are companies doing to keep you on their site? They’re redesigning their websites to be more than just about selling clothes.
Nicole Miller has a community for their fans on the website. In the community, you can upload a picture of your fashionable self and every month one person is given a $100 gift card. They also just started posting videos bi-weekly with behind-the-scenes looks at the brand. Kate Spade recently updated their website by separating it into two sections – “shop” and “play.” When you “play” at katespade.com you get to read about what Kate Spade employees are inspired by and you can watch colorful short films.
I think these expanded e-commerce sites makes the concept of branding so much more interesting. It’s not just about the products being sold; it’s about the experience, the personality and the people behind the brand you’re buying from. By offering videos and blogs and places to upload your own content, customers are spending more time on these websites keeping them away from competitor sites. They’re forming a connection with the brand more than any in-person store can do. People can engage in the brand from the comfort of their home in their own time. And if it’s interesting enough, they’ll keep coming back to the site to see what’s new or they’ll share it with their friends through a simple copy/paste. And by staying engaged, they’ll buy and become advocates for the brand.
What do you think about these expanded e-commerce sites? Are they effective at keeping people on their own site and away from their competitors? Any other examples of brands with sites where you do more than just online shop?
i love kate spade’s new site!! they did a great job with it. just signed up for your newsletter
Cool – and thanks for joining my newsletter Jaime!
Great post! I met Michele Levy of Melissa Shoes a few weeks ago and she kep talking about this. When shopping for her product in Saks, for example, she wants the shoes to be laid out a certain way, and the shoes even SMELL GOOD. She wants the customer to have a whole shopping experience. She’s trying to make the website the same way (as are a lot of e-tailers now)! Maybe you can’t smell the shoes, but she wants a site where fans can vote on potential designs, “play” and more. Kate Spade is really knocking it out of the park right now; I just love that site!
Awesome – thanks for sharing Kristen! It is definitely really amazing to see all of the new things people are doing to make buying online as close to the real thing as possible.
I think all brand should consider makin their e-commerce more interactive. I think revolve is a great example, with magazine worthy spreads, and their revolve boutiques.