Crowd-Sourced Fashion: New Social-Shopping Apps

It has been – and will always be about – shopping.  And while shopping may be the preferred religion of many women, who has time to run around town searching for the perfect garment? Let alone spend hours trying on different styles and sizes.  But thanks to a series of new fashion-based “social shopping” apps and services, it’s becoming easier to make better – and more thoughtful – purchasing decisions.

Let’s take a look at a few:

Pose is a free iPhone app that urges users to strut their stuff by posting geo-tagged photos of their favorite fashion finds on Facebook, Twitter, and within Pose itself.  Users can then solicit style feedback from a panel of fashion-savvy experts, ranging from celebrated bloggers to other active members of the Pose community. Brands themselves can also leverage the app for promotions and in-store deals.  This is a great way for traditional brick-and-mortar retailers to reignite the thrill that was once associated with in-store shopping.

VIZL is a new real-time app that enables retailers, stylists and shoppers to save time and money: two of the most precious – and coveted – things in our lives! Not only do brands provide abundant catalogs of their newest items, but stylists can snag photos of the must-have goods and get quick e-approval from their clients. And shoppers can upload whole wardrobes to the app for later use, e.g., when searching for matching pieces in stores. Outfits can then be shared on Facebook – for even more approval.

Ever wonder where you can snag that must-have accessory or item? You search everywhere and come up empty-handed? Well, Where To Get It solves that problem for you.  The program employs crowd-sourcing to help site members determine the source of garments and accessories. Users take a picture of their object of desire—e.g., on the street, in a magazine, or in the closet of a stingy friend—then can post it to a community of knowledgeable shoppers who are able to identify both the brand and store.

WHAT WILL THIS MEAN?

• More companies will operate in two realms – the traditional brick-and-mortar and the virtual. Effectively marrying the two in increasingly innovative and expansive ways will be critical.
• The creation of a more holistic consumer retailing and brand experience  will prove revolutionary to existing and new businesses in the future.

• Not only are traditional marketing messages being moved to alternative media, but new technologies and sales channels are spurring wholly new businesses.

Related posts:

1. Social Networks and Online Shopping Collide to Create “Social Shopping”
2. Brick and Mortar Stores Try to Simulate the Online Shopping Experience
3. Small Business and Social Media
4. Is Online Anonymity a Thing of the Past?
5. Want to save the earth? Drop the online shopping and drive to the store, apparently.