Shoppable Content: It’s Time for the Shazam Experience in Fashion

Shoppable Content: It’s Time for the Shazam Experience in Fashion

In today’s Business of Fashion opinion column, “Fashion Magazines Are Missing the Mark with Shoppable Content”, Renata Certo-Ware (writer, blogger and user experience lead at Shopping Cart Technologies) discussed the challenges publishers face as they attempt to monetize their readership by converging content and commerce. Ms. Certo-Ware writes, “In a world where I can hear a song on my television and purchase it within seconds straight from my phone, shopping directly from magazines and their websites should be equally as easy. Readers simply want to click and buy straight from the editorial that inspires them.” We agree, and shoppable content is an example of the broader “experiential commerce” concept of creating a destination and social experience for customers, which in turn supports better customer lifetime values for brands and retailers due to increased levels of customer engagement. Experiential commerce is a common trend through all of the investment themes highlighted in our recent “Let’s Drop the “E” and Talk Commerce” post (commerce platforms incorporate shoppable content functionality; social marketplaces inspire and facilitate purchases; differentiated merchandise eRetailers build enthusiast communities around market niches and serve curated content to drive purchases), and we are interested in exploring investment opportunities with growth-stage companies in the space.