shop til you drop

In a more direct reference to our course, the next topic to be covered in this series is Online Retail. The concept has been around in various forms for about a decade and a half with the invention of the internet. Aside from companies like Amazon and eBay, independent entrepreneurs sought to make some money on the web. The discovery and monetization of the Long Tail allowed profits to be made in an area of business that wasn’t available before the internet. Brick and mortar stores started to realize the existence of opportunities available online, bringing us back to our topic at hand.

the online retail of fashion

In the past few years, brick and mortar stores realized they could reach a LOT more customers in a much larger geographical area if they opened themselves up to the Internet. They weren’t limited to those customers who lived within driving distance of a store outpost; they could expand their potential market exponentially. On top of this, online retail allowed shoppers to shop at their own pace at a time of day convenient to them- not limited by store hours. Companies that have an established online presence include Gap, Urban Outfitters and for the high-end fashion, Barneys New York.

On the other hand, there are many online-only retail organizations that are in the business of high fashion. Companies such as shopbop, Zappos, and NET-A-PORTER all offer highly customizable shopping experiences online, all in the comfort of your own home!

Lately, a new trend has emerged in high fashion online retail, that of online sample sales. Sites such as Hautelook and Gilt Groupe offer members discounts of up to 70% and over on high fashion, luxury brands during timed online events.