There was a time when an e-commerce site only required three things to be successful: content, community and, of course, commerce. Recently, a fourth “C” has been added to the list: curators.
Such e-commerce sites as shop.Nordstrom.com have added digital curators to assist in the selection process. Just like museum curators who vet and select which pieces should be on public display, the e-retailer curator sifts through inventory to make relevant selections for the on-line customer. For instance, the digital curator notices that your taste runs toward khaki trousers and stiletto heels, so they might suggest something that could fit neatly into your eclectic wheelhouse. An olive-drab feather boa, for instance. Nordstrom charges a premium for their curation service, but others are free.
Now add another “C” to the list: celebrities. That’s right, celeb curators is the next big thing in e-commerce. Today, you can have Kim Kardashian weigh in on your shoe wardrobe at ShoeDazzle.com or get Olsen twins’ fashion guidance on underwear at StyleMint.com. Shop at OpenSky.com and you hit the celebrity jackpot. There, you get the able curation of over 50 minor celebs. Choose from such has-been film divas as Alicia Silverstone and Mariel Hemingway. They are there in cyberspace ready to provide you insights and recommendations on everything from vegan snacks and yoga mats to mascara and mud masques.
OpenSky’s CEO decribes it this way: ”It’s Twitter meets the Home Shopping Network.” To date, OpenSky has racked up over 200,000 members and are selling hundreds of thousands of goods each week. This is just another random example of how the interactive world is constantly evolving and adapting. Marketing people and their digital agencies are busy reinventing the retail experience. Department store mannequins are no longer in the front window. They are on the Web.
So why can’t the head on that mannequin belong to Angelina Jolie or Liv Tyler? After all, from Dallas to Destin, we could all use a little second-hand glamour in our shopping carts.
