Google launches it's online 'shopping mall'

With Youtube getting on the shopping band wagon and Facebook launching 'deals' it was only a matter of time before Google also took part in the conversation.

On Wednesday, Google launched Boutiques.com, it's very own online shopping centre. The website is designed to give users a personalised shopping experience allowing you to browse through designers, follow them and be followed. It includes bloggers recommendation pages, celebrity style pages and popular trend pages. Perfect for those who need inspiration to build their wardrobe.

Googles Product Management Director, Munjal Shah wrote:

"It lets you find and discover fashion goods by creating your own curated boutique or through a collection of boutiques curated by taste-makers -- celebrities, stylists, designers and fashion bloggers. These days, bloggers, stylists and everyday fashionistas are expressing their sense of style online. We invited them to create boutiques so people could shop their diverse styles. But you have a unique and independent style too, so Boutiques also lets you build your own personalized boutique and get recommendations of products that match your taste."

The site is set up to let users filter their searches by size, silhouette, patterns and colors. Google also is offering what it's calling "inspirational photos." If a user searches for brown boots, photos will pop up on the right showing brown boots with matching outfits.

However, Boutiques.com is currently only available in the U.S. and only for women's fashion. Google has said that it intends to expand but has yet to state when.

Google to launch online fashion store

Online giant Google is moving into fashion with the launch of a website and virtual designer boutiques on Wednesday, according to reports.

The site, which is thought to be called Boutiques.com, will let users create and share their own personalised online store by showcasing their style preferences and favourite brands and allowing visitors to click through to a brand’s online store or a retailer who sells the product. Visitors will not be able to make a transaction on the online boutiques themselves.

Google has reportedly tapped up Sex And The City actress and Halston chief creative officer Sarah Jessica Parker to create her own online shop and has also invited designers Oscar de la Renta, Tory Burch and Marchesa to set up their own store.

Etail giant Asos is set to launch Marketplace this month. Marketplace will become a global marketplace where shoppers and independent retailers will be able to buy and sell clothing online. Fashion designers will be able to open ‘boutiques’ in the Marketplace.

RetailWeek

Debenhams Interactive TV

Debenhams has launched an interactive TV channel today (Monday) to attract new customers by offering fashion and beauty advice, alongside the opportunity to buy.

Debenhams TV, which is available on Debenhams.com, Youtube and Debenhams’ iPhone app, includes interviews with top designers such as Ben de Lisi, Henry Holland and Matthew Williamson and expert fashion advice. There is also a ‘how-to’ focus with online fashion workshops and beauty lessons.

The station is expected to generate 1.5 million views in its first week. Customers can purchase products using a click-to-buy feature as they watch.

Menswear shows on the channel will feature exclusive footage from the launch of Debenhams latest brand, FFP, and other behind-the-scenes footage and interviews from photo shoots, fashion shows and launches.

Debenhams said it hopes to “attract the attention” of shoppers who might not already be using Debenhams.com.

Debenhams online trading director Simon Forster said: “Our online TV channel is a brilliant way for our customers to get style and beauty advice, see the latest fashions and just be entertained. You can see it on our website, through our iPhone app, on Youtube and coming soon – in our stores.”

Retail Week

River Island now available on ASOS!

Fashion retailer River Island is to sell its product on etail fashion giant Asos.

It is the first time River Island has partnered with another retailer, and the agreement will make its offer available in more than 170 countries.

It will launch selected product on Asos, starting with its autumn 10 range next month.

Asos product and trading director Rob Bready said River Island offers a “strong point of difference”, and added: “We look forward to our customer’s response to the proposition.”

River Island said: “We are excited to be able to offer River Island to customers around the world.”

Retail Week

FCUK's Youtique

Clothing retailer FCUK tapped 'Poke London' to create Youtique, a direct sales channel on Youtube featuring stylist Louise Roe. Roe doles out fashion tips in annotated videos that allow consumers to directly purchase the featured items through contextual links to the frenchconnection.com website, providing for a streamlined user experience.

http://www.youtube.com/user/frenchconnection

Awesome. Shopping just keeps getting more and more convenient.

eBay for Wine Lovers!

Opening today is Australia's first dedicated wine auction house - Crackawines.com.
The brainchild of Wine Ark founder Dean Taylor and digital media specialist (and current COO of Carsales.com.au) Shane Pettiona.

Cracka’s Wine Auctions will begin everyday at 1pm, seven days a week where prices start at the RRP and continue to fall until all the stock has been sold. When you click to purchase it locks the price. Shop too early and you could miss out on a super-low price. Leave it too late and there may be no more stock left.

It follows a similar model to that of theoutnet.com, whose 'Going, Going, Gone' sales are the same reverse type of auction - once the sale clock starts counting the price drops - and will only run for a limited time.

And delivery is quick aswell with Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane customers assured to expect delivery of their auction purchases within 48 hours.

And as if you needed more reason to start bidding Cracka Wines is offering a $25 credit to new members and a chance to win $5000 in cash. In addition, all buyers go into a weekly draw for a bottle of Penfolds Grange during 2010.

Zara now shopping online

Finally, Zara have opened online shopping. Complete with Zara's famous 'look book', catalogue, newsletter subscription and magazine. You can browse through 1000's of current styles for men, women and kids.

The catch? Delivery is only available in Germany, Spain, The canary Islands, France, Italy, Portugal and the UK. So get on the phone to your European mates and start shopping through them!

Australian first: online florist for iPhone

Queensland based florist, Brisbane City Blooms, has become the Australia’s first and only florist with an online store built for iPhone users.

Developed by enflexion, an Australian interactive design firm, the Brisbane City Blooms iPhone interface was created off the back of Flower Store In a Box, a dedicated e-commerce shopfront designed for florists.

Drew Wentzel, principal of enflexion said, “We are introducing florists to e-commerce through the iPhone. This is a new opportunity for online florists who are looking for new ways to reach their customers and want to engage with customers who need to make purchases while they are on the run.”

The enflexion Flower Store In a Box iPhone interface has been designed for retailers who want to capitalise on the iPhone to present an enhanced mobile shopping experience in a secure online environment.

Customers can shop for flowers by occasion, specific types of flowers or shop by price ranges. The interface has been optimised for the iPhone’s screen and users will not need to scroll or zoom in on a page to get more details as they would in a normal web page.

Buying has also been made easier with a simplified 128-bit secure checkout system that accepts all major credit cards. The level of security is similar to what users will expect from secure online transactions completed on a desktop computer or laptop.

Kirsty Farrell, owner of Brisbane City Blooms said: “The online florist industry is a competitive market and we see the iPhone store front as an additional channel for us to reach prospective customers who have an immediate need. We’re really excited with this new opportunity.”

Article from Insider Retail 25/02/2010