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360i Point of View on
Social Commerce: Social Shopping Sites
June 2011
Overview
Shopping has always been a social activity. For generations, shoppershave been informing their purchase decisions by engaging others in theprocess. This is never truer than when purchasing clothing andaccessories. Window shopping with friends is practically a competitivesport, and spending the afternoon browsing the racks can be a bondingexperience. As the social web has matured, the shopping experience hasmoved online, with millions of people turning to “social shopping” websites and apps to interact with products, brands and trendsettingindividuals.In this POV we’ll discuss how social shopping sites are changing thegame for the fashion industry, and review some of the ways brands areexperimenting and succeeding in the space.
A Lookbook.nu member showsoffherUGGboots
Social Shopping: A Primer
Since the beginning of the web, people have been going online to exchange style advice and discussproducts they love. But it wasn’t until about 2005 that social networks began cropping up to capturethis interest. One of the first, and now one of the biggest, isKaboodle(acquired by Hearst in 2007),which draws anywhere from 1 million to 5 million unique visitors a month, depending on the time of year. But there are dozens of sites, both large and small, attracting tens of millions of people a month– fromStylehivetoStylecaster, from the aptly-namedGo Try It Onto the controversially-named
Fashism– and they all have something different to offer.
What do people do on social shopping sites?
For one thing, they don’t shop. Social shopping sites typically do not have e-commerce functionality,and instead many utilize affiliate programs which drive users away from their sites to purchase (moreon that below). People come to social shopping sites to discover new products, brands and trends,share their style, ask for and give advice and connect with likeminded individuals.
Discovering:
Shoppers can discover products in a myriad of ways on social shopping sites. Many sites have an activity feed,similar in nature to Facebook’s News Feed, which surfacescontent from people and brands they’re connected to, or fromnew things happening around the site. People can also searchfor keywords such as “summer dresses” or “holiday gifts” if they’re looking for something specific, or stumble upon newproducts as they’re interacting with the site.
Creating & Sharing:
Fashion is all about expression, and socialshopping sites have made it extremely easy for shoppers toshare their style with friends and strangers alike.Polyvore, forone, is built almost entirely on member-created “sets,” similar to fashion editorial spreads. These setsare populated with images users find around the web, as well as products that brands have uploaded
Kaboodle activity feed on ashopper’s homepage
NEW YORK | ATLANTA | CHICAGO | DETROIT | SAN FRANCISCO | LONDON | info@360i.com | 888.360.9630
©2011360i LLC. All Rights Reserved
Integrated Solutions. Measurable Results.
360i Point of View on
Social Commerce: Social Shopping Sites
June 2011
into the site. People can then share their sets on blogs and social networks, leading to the organicspread of Polyvore (and brand) content around the web.Newer sites and services, such asChictopia,Lookbook.nu, and the mobile phone application Pose, are
also beginning to crop up that allow people to share what they’re wearing at the moment, promotingtheir personal style. This is a direct evolution of the street style and personal style blogging trendsthat have exploded in recent years.
Advice:
One of the most prevalent features on any socialshopping site or app is the ability to ask for and give advice toother people. Some sites, in fact, are built entirely on thispremise, such asWheretoget.itand Fashism. Where To Get Itallows users to upload a picture of a magazine ad, man on thestreet, celebrity red carpet, etc. and crowdsource advice fromother users on where they can get the items being worn in thepicture. Fashism and similar websites and apps are designed forusers to get instant advice from their peers on outfits or itemsthey own. And others like Chictopia allow people to ask pointedstyle questions in a forum-like environment.
Gaining Influence:
Like much of the web, social shopping siteshave developed into a way for users to promote themselves andportray their savvy style to a captive audience. Sites likeKaboodle, Stylecaster and Chictopia have developed their own proprietary systems of rewarding userswith points based on their activity on the site and the extent to which they influence others. The mostinfluential users are highlighted on the homepage and sometimes asked to create editorial content forthe site. Social shopping sites have also become venues for fashion bloggers to promote themselvesand further solidify their own brands.
A user-created set onPolyvoreSharing a style onLookbook.nuA recent post on Wheretoget.it showsusers recommending where to purchase
NEW YORK | ATLANTA | CHICAGO | DETROIT | SAN FRANCISCO | LONDON | info@360i.com | 888.360.9630
©2011360i LLC. All Rights Reserved
Integrated Solutions. Measurable Results.
360i Point of View on
Social Commerce: Social Shopping Sites
June 2011
On Stylecaster, shoppers earn StylePointsKaboodle shows topusers on the homepageOn Lookbook.nu, peoplecan “hype” others’ styles
How brands can get involved
Social shopping provides a unique opportunity for brandengagement, given so much of the organic consumerconversation on these sites already revolves aroundbrand name products. Below are a few ways brands cancreate relevance within these existing communities:
Get your products into the conversation.
One of the primary reasons people go to social shopping sitesis to interact with the products and brands they love.To that end, having your products available for them inthat environment is a great opportunity to engageexisting customers and attract new ones. With mostsocial shopping sites, getting your brand’s products intothe conversation is as simple as joining an affiliateprogram, where the website will take a cut of any salesthat result from traffic being driven to your e-commercesite. Once your products are fed into the system, that’swhen the real opportunity – and fun – begins.
Set up a brand presence.
Some social shopping sitesallow brands to create “pages,” similar to a Facebookbrand page but with more limited creative freedom (no “inside pages,” nee tabs). Take, for example, jcpenney’spage on Kaboodle, where the brand is able to uploadproducts, create lists, and engage fans withcommentary, polls and creative messaging. Other sitesallow brands to set up shop under a standard userprofile, such as Polyvore, Chictopia and Lookbook.nu. Inthat case, brands should ensure they are completelytransparent about who they are and why they’re there.
Create engaging content.
A strong content strategy is essential for succeeding in the socialshopping space, where users are constantly looking for sartorial inspiration. Every website has unique
Diane von Furstenberg boutique on Boutiques.comjcpenney brand page on KaboodleAmerican Apparel regularlyuploads “outfits” to Chictopia
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