Happy New Year! As I was finishing up my shopping this season, I got to thinking – wouldn’t it be nice to more easily choose the perfect gift for all of my friends and family? To spend less time searching through countless products and instead see the most unexpected and interesting pieces that you’d never expect, but end up loving?
Ecommerce companies are hoping that’s the experience want. Because as more consumers spend time online, a plethora of eCommerce sites are leading with curated collections that target specific types of customers, in an effort to mimic the personal shopper experience.
Popular curated web magazines like Uncrate show products chosen by their editors that are targeted to a certain type of hip urban man. On this site, you can always expect to find the coolest of gadgets, cars, gaming gear and stylish duds.
Their sister site, Outblush, features products targeted to a female audience. All links redirect shoppers to the original eCommerce site where they can purchase the item. In the same vein of edited content, Piperlime features celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe’s fashion picks, and in the past has run curated collections by other celebrities and fashion superstars.
Curated commerce is the next step forward from ratings & reviews, since expert suggestions can be the push customers need to make a purchase. It’s a move toward niche rather than generalist shopping experiences, and runs in parallel with the personal sharing and targeting that’s occurring in the social media sphere.
These persuasive techniques give a personalized approach to shopping, although they target a much narrower audience.
User preference is the key driver in other sites, such as ShoeDazzle and OpenSky, which take a different tack by first identifying what customers want through a style quiz. The resulting products that they show to individuals are narrowed down and tailored to their personal preferences. This technique personalizes a site and may help drive engagement and repeat visits.
Some curated sites like Pinterest and The Fancy also have strong social media connections. They both allow you to share the same products that you “Fancy it” on Facebook or “Pin it” so your social network can see what you’re currently lusting over.
Many of us love sharing the best information or products with our friends, and eCommerce sites have made the most of that user insight to create sites and tools to harness those social needs.
What other sites did I miss? Let me know other curated shopping sites I should be checking out!
