The retailer has made improvements to usability including a top central search box and a strip placement, below the main navigation, which contains shopping incentives. The refresh also includes the launch of V-Blog, a content area with celebrity, home, parenting and technology product features.

The celebrity channel features contributions from former Sunday Mirror showbiz columnist and celebrity blogger Zoe Griffin, who has previously featured on The Online Fashion Agency.

http://www.very.co.uk
http://blog.very.co.uk

Steve, tell us what you do at Boohoo.
As Online Marketing Manager I’m responsible for all online marketing activity for Boohoo. I work across the usual online channels of search, email, affiliates and social media, as well as overseeing ecommerce developments.

My role is to act as a digital champion within Boohoo, ensuring that our customer’s experience is as engaging as possible.

You seem to invest a lot in offline advertising. Most online fashion retailers tend to invest in online advertising/marketing as it is easier to track. Why has offline been important to Boohoo?
Online retailers neglect offline advertising at their peril. Offline is as important to us as online because we need to be where our customers are; today’s customers don’t live in an online bubble, they consume media across all channels.

Boohoo’s success is testament to the fact that integrated marketing needs to be exactly that.

Graham Charlton from Econsultancy recently told us he thinks ‘there is strong growth in the m-commerce market‘. Is mobile an area Boohoo is looking at?
We already provide SMS updates of promotions and offers to our customers, but are exploring the various opportunities that mobile affords us to interact with our customers in new and more engaging ways.

What’s key for us is that any mobile development we launch adds value to the customer experience, not simply replicate our site optimized for a mobile phone.

Rare Fashion recently revealed Rare Opulence, a higher end range. Is this something Boohoo would do?
Never say never, but our focus remains very much on providing the very best stylist inspired fashion collections at affordable prices. We listen closely to what our customers tell us and right now that’s “more, more, more”.

What’s next for Boohoo?
We have some very exciting developments in the pipeline for the coming year. There are new product ranges in design that are sure to be a big hit. You can also expect to see the launch of some great new online developments that will create a very personal and individual experience for all of our customers.

www.boohoo.com

The best and worst of dotcom mania.
Source: Times Online

Q&A with eBags co-founder Peter Cobb on online versus traditional retail.
Source: Econsultancy

1 in 20 Brits feels “physically ill if they have to pay full price.”
Source: Internet Retailing

Multichannel retailers debate future role of catalogues.
Source: Drapers

In the same week that child blogger, Tavi, made the headlines by obstructing the view with her oversized head gear, of an established fashion journalist, at the Chanel couture show, The Manchester Fashion Network hosted a timely discussion on, ‘The Power of The Blog’.

As newly appointed Brand Manager for online, luxury vintage retailer, Vintageacademe.com, I was keen to hear what they had to say about the importance of social networking and online marketing strategies for fashion businesses.

The panel consisted of Leon Bailey Green and Drapers Online Editor Keely Stocker, chaired by Dale Hicks from the MFN. The presentation was relaxed and informal, and hosted in the chic surroundings of Manchester bar, Epernay.

The crowd was a mixture of local fashion businesses wanting to know what online strategies were right for them, keen bloggers and fashion students. The panel discussed companies with successful blogs – Matches was mentioned, for it’s original content, which supported their product and drove traffic to the site.

The panel covered the merits of having a blog as a fashion business, which included monitoring your audience’s tastes with click-throughs, and being able to directly address your customer.

Bailey Green also quashed the notion that this type of online marketing works for everyone. He succinctly put that if your customer wouldn’t go on Facebook/Twitter/read a blog, don’t just do it for the sake of it, a welcome word of advice to many a retailer feeling the pressure of online marketing.

After the experts had talked, the discussion was opened to the floor. Wannabe Susie Bubbles sought advice on how to use their blogs to crash fashion shows, PRs asked whether they should blog themselves, or send product to key bloggers, and tips were shared for the ultimate goal: driving traffic to a site.

After the talk, the students downed their drinks, and headed out into Manchester club land, and the business minded stayed behind for some light networking. Whether you were there for the wine or the business advice, it is safe to say, that an informative and enjoyable night was had by all.

Written by Jessica Hannan, Brand Manager of online luxury vintage retailer Vintage Academe

http://www.vintageacademe.com
http://vintageacademe.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/vintageacademe

Pavers, founded in 1971, has over 100 outlets in the UK and operates with a turnover of £50m. Shoe-shop.com, launched in 1999, claims a turnover of £10m.

Speaking of the acquisition Stuart Paver, the Managing Director of the business said “We’re delighted with the merger it is a very exciting time for us as it will now enable us to offer all our loyal customers… a complete ‘Pavers Experience’ offering our products both in store and on-line.”

www.shoe-shop.com

You’re Head of Web Selling at House of Fraser. What are your main responsibilities?
I’m responsible for overall brand identity online; balancing the commercials of trading a profitable website with the overall customer experience.

We now have over 600 brands online (and more arrive every week) plus new products and content daily, so there is plenty to talk about on the site, in our blog and across our various marketing channels, it is just how and where.

What can we expect from House of Fraser online in the next few months?
Over the coming year we will have even more new initiatives and development than last year and our sales plan reflects it!

This season, amongst others, we are looking to develop our video & editorial content, launch version 2 of our iPhone App, further develop our onsite look & feel, plus trial new delivery methods and locations, and that’s just the beginning.

Tell us about the Econsultancy Internet Retailing MSc you’re doing.
This year is the first intake of the MSc Internet Retailing (part time over 3 years). After 5 months I have absolutely no regrets – I would recommend it to anyone interested in pursuing a career as a leader in eCommerce.

It is very interesting and satisfying delving further into the business you are working at day-to-day, all I do at work benefits my study and vice-versa. It is also a pleasure to have out of the office time and talk with like-minded individuals across other markets and specialisms.

And finally, who would you like to see interviewed on The Online Fashion Agency, and why?
Got to be Jane Shepherdson, previously of Topshop, currently at Whistles. I really admire her vision of brand, product design and style, her fashion retail outlook seems so innovative and fresh. However, despite this, I am still not sure about the new Whistles website.

I am a customer of the brand, but find the site unfriendly and a bit over designed. I would love to know the design thoughts and user experience feedback about it… would they do anything differently if they did it again?

www.houseoffraser.co.uk

However, there is a fair degree of complexity and things to consider before doing so. As a result, a number of retailers have simply ‘switched on the buy button.’

This will only have very limited success as consumers in EU countries want to select from a range of products that is tailored to their local market needs, they want to view your proposition in their local language, and they want to buy in their own currency.

They also want to buy using local market payment methods and that includes by bank transfer and direct debit, the most common online payment methods in Germany.

If you’re going to fulfil the order from the UK, you need to find a good delivery solution where you can still offer delivery within one to two days. And if there’s a problem, they want to speak to someone in customer service who speaks their language.

If you can’t deliver all of the above, then why would a consumer in a mainland European country buy from you? The only compelling reason would be if they couldn’t buy your products anywhere else locally. And even then, they’d be more inclined to switch their attention to another brand that did satisfy the above criteria.

Don’t waste your budget playing at Internationalisation, if you’re going to do it, then do so properly.

Written by Martin Newman, leading e-commerce consultant (www.martinnewman.co.uk)

Drapers take a sneak peek at the soon to be launched Selfridges e-commerce website.
Source: Drapers

Ethical fashion retailer Adili/Ascension sold for £1 to Luke Heron.
Source: Guardian

LVMH launches luxury fashion website Nowness.
Source: Independent

Gap prepares European e-commerce presence
Source: Marketing

Fergal, tell us what 10CMS does for online fashion retailers…
10CMS gives fashion retailers the ability to use their lifestyle and product media to create and update powerful dynamic interactive merchandising displays, without developer intervention.

Our customers are deploying carousels, get-the-look modules, interactive video and social shops to drive conversion and deliver online brand differentiation.
 
How did the business begin and what were your backgrounds?
The four founders of 10CMS have backgrounds in digital media and eCommerce.

Our past experience led us to the recognise the growing demand from retailers for cost effective tools to manage Flash based rich media, so we created the 10CMS platform as a solution to this challenge.
 
Are you ever met with resistance because 10CMS is based on Flash technology?
Initially there was plenty of resistance, especially on the issue of SEO as it’s been a long term issue surrounding Flash content.

However, 10CMS solves this issue directly by automatically providing an alternative view of the content that can be indexed by search engines and viewed by non-Flash enabled browsers.

What’s next for 10CMS?
10CMS is going on-demand to enable delivery of 10CMS interactive merchandising modules off-site into social and other media destinations – taking the online shop to the consumer wherever they are.

We also have big ambitions for the US. We are launching several fashion brands there this quarter and we plan to open an office in NYC later this year.

www.10cms.com

ASOS has been named as the most visible fashion website in natural search, and Very.co.uk the most visible in paid search.

The research is based on 1,100 of the most popular clothing related search terms conducted by UK consumers.

According to Greenlight, which reports the findings in its Fashion Retail Sector Report, 7.1 million searches took place for fashion related terms in November 2009; 51% of which accounted for women’s fashion.

House of Fraser, Debenhams, Dorothy Perkins and New Look join ASOS in the top five most visible by natural search. USC, Littlewoods, John Lewis and Marks and Spencer feature alongside Very in the top five most visible by paid search.

Greenlight says no retailer succeeded in achieving considerable visibility across both mediums, a statement backed up by Finlay Clark of Bigmouthmedia who, in his article for The Online Fashion Agency, said “[retailers] don’t spend enough time looking at the synergies which are available by integrating them [PPC and SEO]“.

See Finlay Clark’s article ‘Catching your customer with integrated SEO and PPC campaigns’ and get more information on the report on Greenlight’s website.

What were you doing before becoming Senior Reporter at Econsultancy?
I had qualified as a junior school teacher, but ultimately I decided that it wasn’t for me, so I had a change of career.

After working for ntl for a year or so, I started writing and blogging online, and after doing some freelance work for Econsultancy for a year or so, I was offered a full time role.

You’ve reviewed countless websites for Econsultancy, many of them fashion retailers. What’s a common mistake online fashion stores make with usability?
I think that online fashion retailers have to work harder than some other sectors online because there is the challenge of overcoming the simple fact that shoppers cannot try clothes on.

I think some fashion websites make the mistake of trying to produce stylish and attractive websites without giving enough though to usability.

The Whistles website is a prime example of this, while others, such as River Island, have Flash sites which aren’t great for usability, have major accessibility issues, and will not do as well in the search engines.

I think fashion sites do need to be visually appealing, and there are some that pull this off very well, but web users still need to be able to easily find what they want on the site and make a purchase with the minimum of friction.

Did you expect so many comments on your site review of Whistles.co.uk?
No, that was a surprise to me! There are over 85 comments now, thanks to the fact that some people defended the site against the criticism.

I was critical of the site, and you have to expect that some people will react to that. I find that most companies will appreciate the criticism and thank you for the advice though.

I think Whistles is a prime example of a company that has got it wrong online by choosing to forget about how people will actually use the site, and just going for a bold design.

I don’t think that all e-commerce sites should look the same, and I applaud the desire to do something different, but the result is a site that it actually very difficult to browse and buy from, since it ignores some basic usability principles.

Which fashion retailer has the best checkout process and why?
The checkout process on any site should be easy to use with as few steps as possible. By selecting items and entering the process, customers have shown a clear intention to make a purchase, so the key is to make this as smooth as possible.

Of the sites I have reviewed over the past year, Quiz Clothing is one that stands out. The one page checkout process provides all the information that customers need to reassure them, form filling is easy, and there is a clear contact number for customers to call if they have any issues.

Just as importantly, it doesn’t insist that shoppers register before shopping, a mistake that many sites make.

The John Lewis fashion site is also a good example of checkout best practice for similar reasons; no compulsory registration, removal of distractions, and well –designed forms.

You recently reviewed the Yoox mobile website. Do you think 2010 is the breakout year for m-commerce?
I think we are finally getting to that point, thanks to the proliferation of the iPhone and other handsets which allow for a more enjoyable shopping experience.

Also, more retailers are now producing mobile dedicated websites and apps which make it easier for mobile users to actually make a purchase; Net A Porter has an excellent iPhone app, while Yoox is probably the best mobile fashion website I have seen.

It is still a niche activity, and there are barriers to be overcome, customer concerns, making payments easier etc, but I think we are at the beginning of a few years of strong growth in the m-commerce market.

And finally, where do you shop online?
Not sure why, but I tend to buy most of my clothes offline, but I do buy plenty of other things online.

For books, games etc, I tend to use Amazon, just because they are so reliable. Firebox is great for quirky gifts and gadgets, while I use Naked Wines when I want to stock up with a few bottles.

See Graham Charlton’s posts on the Econsultancy blog.

A selection of online fashion, retail and e-commerce stories from across the web.

Robin Terrell joins House of Fraser to lead online and international operations.
Source: Retail Week

Bad weather causes dip to online retail growth according to IMRG…
Source: Guardian

… But fashion leads online sales growth
Source: Drapers

Top 3 trends for email marketing in 2010
Source: Netimperative

It’s important you’re using the strengths of both SEO and PPC to your benefit. PPC is great because you can turn it on quickly, integrate stock availability and pricing to create really compelling adverts at the top of searches on Google, Yahoo or Bing in no time at all, but if it’s not managed properly your costs can spiral out of control.

SEO is much more cost effective, but takes time to build up and you may need to make several changes to your site architecture and content before you start seeing your site rank for competitive keywords.

Spend time keeping up with the trends that happen in your market. Use Google Insights for Search to see the search volume for keywords and plan seasonality into your search campaigns accordingly.

Searches for bikinis peak every year at the beginning of June, so make sure you’re weighting your PPC budgets at this time, as well as having your SEO strategy working on “bikini” phrases several months beforehand so you are already near the top when the searches go through the roof.

If you see a high Cost-Per-Acquisition on your generic keywords think twice before just cutting them out of your PPC campaigns too suddenly. Very often generic keywords won’t drive sales themselves but they will contribute to the consumer’s purchasing decision making – making sure your brand is on the shopping list – therefore click path analysis tracking is great to see what role your generic keywords are playing earlier in the cycle.

Finally, if you’re spending lots of money on PPC and SEO and you’re not getting the desired conversions, have a look at your bounce rate, this is the metric for the % of people who land on your site and immediately click “back” to visit another site.

If your bounce rate is over 50%, it would be worthwhile allocating budget on conversion optimisation and usability to make your traffic work harder for you.

Written by Finlay Clark of bigmouthmedia, the UK’s leading online marketing specialist for fashion retailers

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Ben Sherman needs an Ecommerce Assistant to be responsible for the administrative content and coordination of the website.
Source: Econsultancy Ecommerce Assistant

ASOS is looking for a System Architect to ‘ensure the ongoing integrity of the systems’ and ‘provide advice and recommendations as appropriate’.
Source: ASOS Systems Architect

E-commerce provider Venda has a position available for a Project Manager to deliver websites from brief to ‘go live’.
Source: Venda Project Manager

The new design will make it easier for users to find items they’re looking for quickly. An outfit configurator/personal wardrobe facility is expected to help users create looks, presumably leading to increased basket sizes.

Peacocks (www.peacocks.co.uk) has enlisted its current e-commerce provider GSI Commerce to develop the website.

Peacocks is part of Peacocks Group which also includes Bonmarche. This week’s issue of Drapers features Peacocks Group’s (trading figures).

Now consulting for White Stuff, Alison talks to The Online Fashion Agency about tracking multi-channel activity, the launch of Selfridges and working at John Lewis.

You were a significant part of the development of John Lewis Direct. Would you ever go back as a consultant?
Yes, of course, if I was asked! The Partnership’s unique principles made working there a pleasure.

John Lewis brand values are the best and I am delighted that the John Lewis Direct business has been such a success.

I’m looking forward to them breaking the £1bn sales barrier now they have fashion online.

What is it about the White Stuff retail proposition that made it an attractive project for you?
White Stuff is a very strong business with huge UK and international potential, an inspirational leadership team that oozes passion for their products and people, with clear brand values and a continuous drive to innovate and differentiate.

They place their customer at the heart of everything they do. Truly a lovely brand and lovely people.

Could your position at White Stuff become permanent?
I’m thoroughly enjoying my Interim consulting role and am busy assisting the Board and in-house team review and develop their home shopping strategy.

I’m contracted to White Stuff until the end of April, and have other clients to look after too, but I’m always on hand to help such lovely people, anytime in the future.

Do you think the impending launch of Selfridges online is a threat to Harrods, where you were previously Marketing Director?
There are reasons, I think mainly outside the retailers’ control, why the premium-luxury sector is still years behind the rest of online and multi-channel retailing.

The coming decade will see the luxury department stores develop their own multi-channel retail and marketing strategies and experiences. Online competition in this sector can only be a good thing for the customer.

Do you think we will see more multi-channel retailers offering loyalty cards to track cross channel activity? Or should retailers track credit/debit card use?
One of the greatest ‘direct’ benefits is the ability to track, measure and analyse customer response. Rewarding customers for data capture is important when wishing to track offline and multi channel response successfully.

I would not rely on this being via third party bank cards – I would aim for more imaginative and original branded ways of doing this.

Michael Ross recently told The Online Fashion Agency the industry is short of “traders” with P&L experience. Do you agree, and if so, how can the issue be tackled?
There are a few of us who have been trading in this space for almost two decades now! We came from different backgrounds but are the original online pioneers and instinctively know how to trade direct.

I am Chair of The Catalogue Exchange and work with colleagues in the industry (e.g. Internet Retailing, Econsultancy, ECMOD) to help develop practical, multi-channel trading and best practice workshops and events for the next generation.

And finally, who would you like to see interviewed on The Online Fashion Agency, and why?
Peter Ruis, Fashion Director at John Lewis – they are the ones to watch in the online fashion space over the next few years, and will be the first to really integrate and scale the multi-channel experience in that sector. See an interview with Peter Ruis here.

Natalie Massenet, founder of NET-A-PORTER – she virtually single handedly managed to launch luxury online 10 years ago where other retailers failed. Great respect!

Ian Jindal, editor of Internet Retailing – always a valuable source of what’s new, and hugely entertaining.

Nick Robertson, CEO of ASOS - a real pioneer in this space who’s achieved remarkable results!

You can find Alison Lancaster on LinkedIn

Yahoo! teams up with Nectar to show adverts online based on offline shopping habits.
Source: The Register

Agyness Deyn to launch online fashion magazine with former NME.com editor Fiona Byrne .
Source: Stylist

Econsultancy’s Graham Charlton interviews Yoox CEO Federico Marchetti.
Source: Econsultancy

NET-A-PORTER hires Jenny Cossons as publisher, to generate revenue across its print magazine and websites.
Source: Media Week

Dublin based A|wear is seeking an Online Marketing Executive to manage SEO, PPC, affiliate, email and SMS promotions. You’ll need between 1-2 years experience.
Source: Econsultancy Online Marketing Executive

MSN UK needs a Content Editor for its Life & Style section, which covers fashion, beauty and health content. Applications needed by February 20th.
Source: Gorkana Content Editor

Drive Business, the e-commerce solutions provider, is looking for E-Commerce Managers to take projects from initial build through to full retail proposition development. You need to be sales driven and a strong e-commerce background is a must.
Source: Drive Business E-Commerce Managers

Selfridges needs an E-commerce Marketing Coordinator who will maximise conversions and develop a strategy to keep customers “coming back for more”.
Source: Selfridges E-Commerce Marketing Coordinator

She now manages online campaigns and social media for Otto Group’s Oli.co.uk.

My role at Oli involves… working closely with our designers, buyers and marketing teams to make sure we’ve got the most fabulous fashion on our website, displayed in the most fabulous way.

I update the Oli Style Notes blog and manage our social networking channels, including Facebook and Twitter (@Oli_Blog). It’s amazing to be able to interact with our customers and make them part of what’s happening on our site.

We’re kicking off a lot of really exciting projects which will really bring Oli.co.uk to life in the near future… Watch this space!

I joined Oli… at the end of 2009 and I absolutely love it. It’s a bit of a leap from banking to fashion but I’ve worked on a lot of social media and innovation projects in the past and I’m passionate about pushing boundaries online, so I jumped at the chance to work with a strong brand and a really creative, driven team at Oli.co.uk. Being into fashion and blogging certainly helped, too!

Before working at Oli I… graduated with a BA in Film and Literature then worked in Communications before moving into digital marketing and managing online content for firstdirect.com.

I enjoy working at Oli because… I’ve always been passionate about creative digital innovation and I adore fashion.

It’s great seeing the results of combining the two, especially with the advent of bloggers like Michele Obi, Shini Park, Tavi and street style hunters like the Sartorialist.

Online fashion boutiques like Oli.co.uk are making fashion accessible and style achievable 24/7. People are taking style into their own hands and driving trends themselves and it’s really exciting to be able to react to change as a business and be a part of that.

I love how things move super-fast at Oli.co.uk, it’s always exciting whether it’s researching new trends, new lines landing or trying out new developments in social media. There’s never a dull moment and always a new challenge to pounce on!

www.oli.co.uk

Online sales for January 2010 14.6% higher than previous year.
Source: BBC News

Online lingerie retailer Figleaves is said to have received several bid approaches. Analysts claim the company is likely to be valued at £40m.
Source: Times Online

A survey by CyberSource claims 50% of people refuse to shop online, mostly due to security issues. 71% of people are concerened about their security, rising from 66% in 2008.
Source: PC Pro

NET-A-PORTER teams up with Naomi Campbell’s Fashion For Relief charity.
Source: VOGUE.COM UK

Pod1’s Fadi Shuman guest comments on Netimperative on the outlook for e-commerce in 2010.
Source: Netimperative

Returning to the UK, I bumped into my school friend David [Hathiramani, co-founder] who commented on my olive green flared suit (well…who wouldn’t!?), and our idea for the world’s first online tailor was born. We wanted to create a company that fuses tailoring with technology and make it available to almost everybody.

Before I started the business I… had been travelling the world on a Gap year. I was teaching science in the HVP school in Nepal when I met the small, highly-skilled family of tailors that we still work with today at A Suit That Fits.com.

We also support the HVP school where I taught, donating a proportion on top of our tailoring costs from every suit we stitch.

I love what we do because… we make our customers amazingly happy and I work with a very enthusiastic team both in the UK and in Nepal who are all as passionate about suits as I am.

To help me keep in tune with our customers, the entire management team, including myself, spends at least one day per month working in one of our 22 branches nationwide. Through our combined ongoing experiences and the experiences of our styling team, we are constantly evolving according to customer feedback to ensure that our customers exactly what they need.

It’s great to meet our customers who love being able to design their own suit that matches their personal style as well as fitted to their frames perfectly; and it is so exciting to see the different styles they dream up!

www.asuitthatfits.com

You co-founded Figleaves, would you set up another online fashion retail brand again?
No! Figleaves was a great experience but – in my opinion – the time for creating a large online-only multibrand fashion retailer has passed. The future will be dominated by large multichannel fashion retailers, and brand owners selling direct.

Which of these four online retailers (ASOS, Boohoo.com, my-wardrobe, NET-A-PORTER) would you invest in and why?
ASOS is the only retailer on the list with a developed own-brand proposition. I believe this will be key to long-term success. Online retailers selling an edited selection of brands is a riskier strategy and subject to competition from the brands themselves, multichannel superstores and niche specialists.

You’re a non-executive director of Glasses Direct and Spreadshirt. What attracted you to those businesses?
Glasses Direct has the potential to disrupt a very old-fashioned industry. Spreadshirt is defining a new category of customised apparel. Both are great businesses to be a part of and both make to order so don’t have the same inventory challenges as Figleaves.

Do you think we are close to seeing market consolidation between the major e-commerce platform providers?
The ecommerce platform market is incredibly complex for most retailers to navigate. Post traumatic platform selection stress is a common ailment! There is a desperate need for some simplification but I don’t think this will come from consolidation. I simply think that a number of platforms have had their day.

Are there any gaps in talent/skills you feel the industry needs to fill?
Most retailers I talk to are still failing to get the basics right. There is too much talk of widgets, web 2.0, social media etc. and not enough about range, price, availability, delivery and service. The industry needs more experienced ecommerce “traders” who can run an ecommerce P&L.

And finally, who would you like to see interviewed on The Online Fashion Agency?
Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.

eCommera offers advisory, support and software services to multi-channel retail businesses.

It is expected to be targeted at 25-45 year old women with content driven from Channel 4 brands such as Gok’s Fashion Fix, 10 Years Younger and How To Look Good Naked.

The Online Fashion Agency believes TV and media production company Maverick TV will run the website. Maverick TV also manages the Film4, 4Car and 4Homes websites.

The launch of the website is expected to be backed by a TV and marketing campaign. An Editor for the website is being recruited within weeks.

Charles Tyrwhitt is looking for an Online Marketing Executive to manage paid search campaigns, social media activity (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) and natural search.
Source: Econsultancy Online Marketing Executive

Oasis is looking for an E-Marketing Manager who will manage campaigns and promotional activity to drive the online store to further success. You’ll need to have online marketing and technical knowledge.
Source: Drapers E-Marketing Manager

Two pureplay online retailers are actively looking for experienced Art Directors and Creative Managers. They’ll need experience in producing brand identities, creating guidelines and of course be able to use photoshop and Flash. Is this you, or a friend? Email talk.to@theonlinefashionagency.com for more information.

Pod1, Fadi Shuman’s digital agency which manages websites for Anya Hindmarch, Reiss and Coast, is on a recruitment drive. They’re looking for an Art Director with at least 5 years experience, an analytically minded Ecommerce Strategist and a Senior Digital Project Manager, who can make things happen on time and on budget.
Source: Econsultancy Art Director | Ecommerce Strategist | Senior Digital Project Manager

theOutnet.com is looking for an Art Director to oversee cohesive brand experience for customers, suppliers and staff. theOutnet.com parent brand NET-A-PORTER is seeking a PR Manager.
Source: Gorkana Art Director | PR Manager

Send us your vacancies – contact talk.to@theonlinefashionagency.com

VIDEO: Sarah Curran of my-wardrobe.com interviewed by Frances Card for Fashion Business Club.

See our report on Sarah Curran at Fashion Business Club here

In a year where the industry is experiencing increasing pressures, it is a real honour to be recognised by an institution such as Drapers for our contribution to the sector.

We launched Girl Meets Dress to give our customers a different retail experience, merging new levels of accessibility with best in class fulfilment and on-demand convenience to suit every style and occasion.

Winning this Drapers award for Innovation is particularly special to us given the high calibre of contenders and judges and we are absolutely delighted!

Innovations I admire most tend to be based on a great concept such as delivering a customer offering or experience ahead of the market trend.

NotOnTheHighStreet.com and A Suit That Fits.com are two of my favourites because both, like Girl Meets Dress, offer customers something exciting that they weren’t able to get before, and have managed to make sustainable businesses out of it.

Written by Anna Bance of Girl Meets Dress, winner of Best Etail Innovation at the Drapers Etail Awards

VOGUE.COM UK has been announced as the official media partner of the Fashion Business Club.

The website’s editor Dolly Jones, who is on the board of the fashion industry networking club, said “I’m really pleased to formalise our relationship with Fashion Business Club having worked closely with Courtney Blackman and Alison Whelan over the last 4 years.” She continued “I hope VOGUE.COM UK can help [Fashion Business Club] to grow even more.”

Speaking of the partnership Alison, co-founder and co-chairman of Fashion Business Club said “Dolly Jones and VOGUE.COM UK understood immediately the potential of FBC and continue to champion our growth. We are delighted!”.

Fashion Business Club recently interviewed my-wardrobe.com’s Sarah Curran. Last year Malika Dalamal, editor of Daily Candy London, was interviewed by Alison Whelan.

www.fashionbusinessclub.net www.vogue.co.uk

A highlights video of the Sarah Curran interview will be available here.

A selection of photos from the Drapers Etail Awards 2010. For more photos from the night  click here.

For the first Fashion Business Club meet up of the year, held at the Swarovski lounge on Great Marlborough street on Thursday, CEO of my-wardrobe.com Sarah Curran was interviewed by Frances Card.

With a bustling turn out and one of the longest question sessions to date, it is clear that the New Year will be a successful one for both FBC and my-wardrobe!

Generating over £1 million of sales in December alone, my-wardrobe has gone from strength to strength since its launch in 2006, clearly qualifying Curran’s ability to provide an informed insight into making a success of an online business.

my-wardrobe separates itself from many of its competitors through its ability to retain a personal shopping experience online – from the suggested outfit break downs, to the delivery and packaging, the process is smooth and professional throughout.

This was recognised later on that evening, winning Best Customer Experience at the Drapers Etail Awards – a phenomenal achievement for the company.

Curran considers my-wardrobe to be a safe and trusted online area, using a “friend to friend” approach with care and attention to detail from start to finish.

Notably sharp features of the site include the mytv section – videos of outfits and trends, the style blog (constantly updated) and ‘Inspire Me’ – one of my favourites as it includes the ‘4 ways to wear it’ and the ‘My Inspirtion’ tab.

With brands including McQueen, Vivienne Westwood and Kurt Geiger, my-wardrobe is an accessible designer fashion paradise for online shoppers, both women and men.

Speaking to the FBC, Curran admitted that she couldn’t sit still when it came to my-wardrobe, and following the success of the addition of menswear to the site, it’s fairly safe to say we can expect a lot more from them in 2010.

http://www.my-wardrobe.com http://www.fashionbusinessclub.net

Drapers, the fashion business magazine, has chosen Fashshot to provide photography and styling for its menswear and womenswear specials.

The special editions of the magazines showcase the best in upcoming trends from top brands.

A copy of the menswear special (January 23rd 2010) is available as a back issue from drapers@subscription.co.uk or by calling 0844 848 8859. Womenswear will appear in the edition out later this week (February 6th 2010).

Fashshot is the leading producer of e-commerce fashion photography and video production.

www.drapersonline.com  www.fashshot.com

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Start-up Girl Meets Dress was awarded for its service innovation whilst last year’s Gold winner my-wardrobe.com walked away with this year’s Best Customer Experience award.

ASOS, who last week won the Snow Valley Golden Chariot award, left with a commendation for its Customer Experience, but no awards.

Radley, Mytights, Farfetch, Schuh and Coggles also celebrated as they picked up awards.

Best Customer Experience
my-wardrobe.com, with ASOS highly commended

Best Etail Innovation
Girl Meets Dress

Best Etail Marketing Initiative (sponsored by E-Style)
M and M Direct

Best Independent Etailer
Coggles

Best Multichannel Retailer (sponsored by BT Fresca)
Schuh

Best New Etailer (sponsored by 10CMS)
Farfetch

Best Pureplay Etailer
M and M Direct

Best Single-brand Etailer
Radley

Best Specialist Etailer
MyTights, with Mama-La-Mode highly commended

Gold Award (sponsored by Fashshot.com)
M and M Direct

www.drapersetailawards.co.uk

Sponsored by Fashshot.com, E-Style and 10CMS, amongst others, the ceremony will recognise the movers and shakers of online fashion retail, and the guest list promises to be as glitzy as the gowns some of the nominees sell on their websites.  Claudia Winkleman is hosting this year’s event, before the tables are pushed back to let the dancing begin.

Competition is fierce this year and in this hugely competitive market, the prestige of winning a Drapers award is sure to put the victors in a fantastic position to begin their 2010 trading, so we’re expecting a few bitten nails by now!

Check back with The Online Fashion Agency for all the winners, hot gossip and the best outfits later in the week.

The report is available for free for a limited period, to subscribers of the Snow Valley newsletter. See here for more information or contact Sarah Clelland (sarah.clelland@snowvalley.com).

The download of the report will eventually incur a charge of £249. Take a look at some of the photos from the event.

Online fashion retailers cannot afford to miss this – grab the opportunity to quiz the knowledgeable pair about everything from writing blogs to getting started in the industry. 

Set up by The Fashion Network who run events across Manchester and London, this night is not to be missed.  It’s being held at Epernay on Watson Street in Manchester, and with tickets costing just £10, they’re going to sell out fast, so get moving.  

It looks like these Leon Bailey-Green and Keely Stocker have been busy – first the prestigious Drapers Etail Awards and now this!  Obviously there’s no rest for the stylish…

Check out www.manchesterfashion.com for more information and to reserve your place.

Prior to joining Liberty Ruth was Senior Fashion Editor at Matches where she was responsible for the retailer’s content including it’s blog. Her final blog for the retailer ‘So long… farewell… auf wiedersehen… good-bye’ was posted last week.

It is believed Chloe Batt has taken over Ruth’s responsibilities in the role of Senior Fashion Writer.

Ruth’s new role at Liberty.co.uk reports directly to Managing Director Guy Hipwell.

The e-commerce service provider evaluated the delivery service of 166 UK online retailers.

ASOS was commended for improvements to its delivery service with the implementation of a Same Day option and the launch of ASOS Premier. ASOS Premier offers Free Next Day Delivery and Free Returns via Collection on unlimited orders for £24.95 per year.

http://www.snowvalley.com/golden-chariot/

Click here to read ‘how to manage your e-fulfilment’

The brand is available online at ASOS, House of Fraser and Very, but also its own website. We meet the Website Manager Bradley Burke.

My role at Rare Fashion involves… taking care of the day to day running of the website. This involves planning site evolution strategies, marketing and PR activities as well as setting up SEO and most recently affiliate marketing program.

Due to Rare’s explosive growth over the last two years the website is the flagship brand experience. The site experience needs to offer the customer everything they want at their fingertips and I am responsible for making that happen.

Before working at Rare I… was working for Next for almost six years which is what helped me secure my first role at Rare which was running the online stock and fulfilment process.

Whilst at Next I gained a lot of stockroom and shop floor experience and merchandising tricks, which helps a lot managing the Rare website.

I enjoy working at Rare because… No two days are ever the same. Whether it is new styles hitting the site, new technologies hitting the web, enhancements or strategic decisions for future development.

Rare offers me a mixed bag daily, which always keeps me on my toes.

www.rarefashion.co.uk

Mark Macdonald tells us how Skimlinks works for retailers and publishers.

Affiliate marketing has become a vital channel for driving incremental sales to many e-tailers’ sites. It’s also a great way for those writing about the latest styles and trends to earn commissions from their content in an ethical and user-friendly way.

Traditionally, it’s been an overly complex technology to set up, but our products are designed to make this as simple as possible. Instead of signing up to thousands of individual merchant programs through multiple affiliate networks, publishers can take two minutes to install the Skimlinks code, and we take care of the rest.

Editors and journalists can then concentrate on writing great copy, linking directly to relevant product pages, and Skimlinks adds the required affiliate tracking automatically.

Since launching Skimlinks.com at the end of 2008, our technology has been used within some of the UK’s largest online communities. On sites like Handbag.com, Cosmopolitan.co.uk, OSOYOU.com and Mumsnet.com, users are constantly recommending the latest styles to each other.

Thanks to these affiliate marketing technologies, brands can monitor and analyse forums and blog comments to see what people are actually buying, and publishers can earn the revenues required to support such communities. It’s a great way of targeting your campaigns and make the most of your marketing budget.

Skimlinks works for the largest national newspapers and the most niche of niche blogs, and opens up a whole realm of opportunities for listening to your customers and readers.

Written by Mark Macdonald, Account Director at www.skimlinks.com

Now that the hectic and stressful Christmas and January sale period is finally coming to an end (with the bad weather hopefully disappearing too), The Online Fashion Agency wants to hear from you.

We’re looking for online fashion retailers to get in touch and let us know how they fared this year. The high street is reported to have had its best growth in Christmas sales in the past eight years – but how did you fare? 

More people may have stayed at home to shop online – so how did you cope during the adverse weather?  Was your delivery service up to the job?  And did your warehouse survive with several inches of snow and workers snowed in at home?  We want you to tell us!

Get in touch at talk.to@theonlinefashionagency.com and let us know how your festive season and adverse weather went this year – we’d love to hear from you.  And don’t worry – we won’t publish individual stories.

H&M’s Trashgate: A lesson in social media – Econsultancy
H&M responds to Twitter outrage.
http://econsultancy.com/blog/5221-h-m-s-trashgate-a-lesson-in-social-media

Peacocks’ sales surge over Christmas – FT.com
70% rise for the retailer’s online sales.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1a093e1e-fde3-11de-9340-00144feab49a.html

Claudia Winkleman to host Drapers Etail Awards 2010 – The Online Fashion Agency
Strictly Come Dancing presenter to host awards.
http://www.theonlinefashionagency.com/retail-consultancy/industry-news/01/13/claudia-winkleman-drapers-etail-awards/

GQ.com partners with Burberry for online fashion show – Brand Republic
Burberry’s Autumn/Winter 2010 menswear catwalk show to stream live on GQ.
http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/977394/GQcom-partners-Burberry-online-fashion-show/

When it comes to photography and catwalk video I encourage my clients to keep daily logs of what is happening with their direct competitors, watching for minute changes.

Doing this you may be able to use their testing to see what is working generally and what isn’t. So Watch, Listen, Research, Learn and Test – then act in knowledge.

It is important to wait before reacting in anger as it may cost you money. Your competitor may not have had success with their new initiative and it may be taken down once their testing comes to an end.

If a competitor is doing something it does not always mean it is right, or indeed right for your brand.

I know of retailers that spend heavily on model photography and catwalk video just because they are trapped in comitted term contracts with their current suppliers, not because it is delivering sales results or enhacing their brand image.

We see Leon’s comments about ASOSitis on Drapers; what pureplay retailers such as ASOS, My-Wardrobe and Net-A-Porter do for instance are doing it because it is right for them, it isn’t always the right or nessecary investment for every fashion e-commerce business.

Multi-channel retailers have the support of unique promotion from their bricks and mortar presence, so of course the online only brands tend to work that bit harder to compete and are often seen spending more money on content.

To discuss your photography and catwalk video strategy call me today on 0207 267 0700 or email lee@packshot.com.

Written by Lee Friend of Fashshot, The UK’s leading e-commerce fashion photographers

Claudia Winkleman to host Drapers Etail Awards 2010

Strictly Come Dancing favourite Claudia Winkleman has been announced as the host of this year’s Drapers Etail Awards.

Returning after a hugely successful first year, the awards recognise innovation and achievement in online retailing, with past winners including retail giants such as ASOS, My Wardrobe and Mulberry. 

Last year’s awards ceremony was presented by Mica Paris, and The Online Fashion Agency’s very own Leon Bailey-Green was on the judging panel.

Competition is stiffer than ever this year, and it’s going to be a tough battle to take those top prizes. Leon was back again this year as one of a team of judges who put finalists through their paces to award prizes to the Best Customer Experience, the Best Independent Etailer, the Best Specialist Etailer and more.

This year the shortlist includes established giants such as Net-a-Porter and Figleaves, as well as young independents looking for their big break like Pretty Disturbia and Affair Lingerie. 

So who did the judges chose?  We’ll keep you posted…

Tickets are available for the event, see www.drapersetailawards.co.uk for more details

Taking place from 28-29^th January, the event is essential for online companies looking for advice on merchandising, traffic generation and mobile technology, alongside providing a fantastic opportunity to network and make new business contacts at the same time.

Just like previous years’ Summits, the programme is full and varied.  Our highlights include Andrew Curran, Chief Operating Officer of My-wardrobe.com, who is speaking on online merchandising. On the same day, Miriam Lahage of Koodos will be discussing how to make the most of online discounting – an essential part of gaining new customers. 

The Online Fashion Agency is also delighted to announce that our very own Mademoiselle Robot (part of our Talent Pad) is on the blogger panel of this year’s focus – and she’s definitely not one to miss.

With the current economic climate, the E-Commerce Summit offers vital advice on surviving the recession – can you really afford to miss it? Register now at http://www.rw-ecommerce.com/price-grid

The company underwent significant restructuring during 2009 and secured investment at the end of the year.

Speaking of the restructure and Christmas trading period Justine told The Online Fashion Agency “Our team is now much more lean and efficient. We took more over Christmas 2009 as the previous year with a third of the staff. We’re really proud of what we have achieved in the last 8 months.”

Justine plans to launch new brands on the website prior to the Valentines peak.

The founders of BeCheeky.com James Akin-Smith and Sarah Akin-Smith left the company mid 2009. James now runs the successful management consultancy etailWorks and Sarah is an advisor to online retailers on sourcing and buying.

www.becheeky.com