Check out the latest installment of the Interactive Content Spotlight, a monthly roundup of the coolest and most cutting edge ecommerce content from around the web. Enjoy!
What it is: An interactive guide to vacation destinations
Why we love it: This is a truly holistic experience. The concept is a vacation packing guide, but it goes beyond this with restaurant and sightseeing recommendations. The experience even provides a drink suggestion (while in Ibiza, go with a daiquiri). It’s fun, visual, and genuinely helpful to shoppers. But what really sets it apart is the navigation. Shoppers click through the slider at the top of the page to select their destination, and the content below changes to match. The best part? The entire experience is built with a mobile-first strategy, meaning mobile and tablet users will have a perfectly optimized experience.
What it’s missing: Integrated quickviews will allow customers who are inspired by this rich buying guide to purchase items immediately. Instead of being taken away from the experience, shoppers stay on the page and can continue exploring.
Check it out:
https://www.longtallsally.com/us/holiday-shop
What it is: A tutorial makeup guide
Why we love it: Tutorial content is so impactful for makeup and cosmetics brands because it demonstrates to shoppers how to get the most out of the products. Online customers can’t reach through the screen to test out how a lipstick will look on their skin tone, but rich content can get them as close to that experience as possible. Clinique guides shoppers step-by-step through a beautiful summer makeup look. Gifs and imagery make the experience dynamic, and detailed tips provide expert advice to shoppers that are hungry for information.
What it’s missing: One of the best aspects of this experience is the imagery. It’s bright, fun, and perfectly on brand. But it’s also not clickable, or shoppable. Online customers expect to be able to click any online images to begin the purchase process, and when they can’t, they’re left frustrated. Adding hover spots to activate quickviews would meet this expectation and encourage the buy.
Check it out:
http://www.clinique.com/thewink
What it is: A shoppable buying guide
Why we love it: The North Face uses beautiful graphics and easy navigation to bring their latest camping collection to life. Shoppers select the print of their choice and are instantly directed to a curated collection of camping gear with their chosen pattern. With one click, they are presented with an entire selection of products that are perfectly matched. They can do all their shopping in one go, no searching required. To learn more about the products, simply click an animated hotspot for more information. It’s a quick and streamlined purchase process.
What it’s missing: This is a great opportunity for storytelling content, in the form of embedded videos featuring real-life customers taking this equipment into the outdoors and putting them to the test. Not only would this showcase the products being used, providing purchasing confidence, but including video elements makes content dynamic and engaging.
Check it out:
https://www.thenorthface.com/featured/
What it is: A shop-the-look buying guide
Why we love it: Getting kids ready to return to school is stressful, so a digital experience that aims to alleviate some of that stress is a home run. Parents are presented with full outfits for their children that can be easily and immediately added to cart without ever leaving the page. Activated quickview lightboxes feature every piece to build the completed outfit, meaning Mom or Dad won’t waste time searching through product grids. Digital experience that do the work for customers are always appreciated, and brands are rewarded with lifelong loyalty.
What it’s missing: We recommend adding interactive animations to make the experience fun and dynamic. It’s technically for the parents, but that doesn’t mean it can’t have that youthful energy that the Crewcuts brand is known for.
Check it out:
https://www.jcrew.com/girls_feature
Long Tall Sally – Holiday Packing List
What it is: An interactive guide to vacation destinations
Why we love it: This is a truly holistic experience. The concept is a vacation packing guide, but it goes beyond this with restaurant and sightseeing recommendations. The experience even provides a drink suggestion (while in Ibiza, go with a daiquiri). It’s fun, visual, and genuinely helpful to shoppers. But what really sets it apart is the navigation. Shoppers click through the slider at the top of the page to select their destination, and the content below changes to match. The best part? The entire experience is built with a mobile-first strategy, meaning mobile and tablet users will have a perfectly optimized experience.
What it’s missing: Integrated quickviews will allow customers who are inspired by this rich buying guide to purchase items immediately. Instead of being taken away from the experience, shoppers stay on the page and can continue exploring.
Check it out:
https://www.longtallsally.com/us/holiday-shop
Clinique – Rosé All Day
What it is: A tutorial makeup guide
Why we love it: Tutorial content is so impactful for makeup and cosmetics brands because it demonstrates to shoppers how to get the most out of the products. Online customers can’t reach through the screen to test out how a lipstick will look on their skin tone, but rich content can get them as close to that experience as possible. Clinique guides shoppers step-by-step through a beautiful summer makeup look. Gifs and imagery make the experience dynamic, and detailed tips provide expert advice to shoppers that are hungry for information.
What it’s missing: One of the best aspects of this experience is the imagery. It’s bright, fun, and perfectly on brand. But it’s also not clickable, or shoppable. Online customers expect to be able to click any online images to begin the purchase process, and when they can’t, they’re left frustrated. Adding hover spots to activate quickviews would meet this expectation and encourage the buy.
Check it out:
http://www.clinique.com/thewink
The North Face – 2017 Homestead Collection
What it is: A shoppable buying guide
Why we love it: The North Face uses beautiful graphics and easy navigation to bring their latest camping collection to life. Shoppers select the print of their choice and are instantly directed to a curated collection of camping gear with their chosen pattern. With one click, they are presented with an entire selection of products that are perfectly matched. They can do all their shopping in one go, no searching required. To learn more about the products, simply click an animated hotspot for more information. It’s a quick and streamlined purchase process.
What it’s missing: This is a great opportunity for storytelling content, in the form of embedded videos featuring real-life customers taking this equipment into the outdoors and putting them to the test. Not only would this showcase the products being used, providing purchasing confidence, but including video elements makes content dynamic and engaging.
Check it out:
https://www.thenorthface.com/featured/
J. Crew (Crewcuts) – Looks We Love: Back to School
What it is: A shop-the-look buying guide
Why we love it: Getting kids ready to return to school is stressful, so a digital experience that aims to alleviate some of that stress is a home run. Parents are presented with full outfits for their children that can be easily and immediately added to cart without ever leaving the page. Activated quickview lightboxes feature every piece to build the completed outfit, meaning Mom or Dad won’t waste time searching through product grids. Digital experience that do the work for customers are always appreciated, and brands are rewarded with lifelong loyalty.
What it’s missing: We recommend adding interactive animations to make the experience fun and dynamic. It’s technically for the parents, but that doesn’t mean it can’t have that youthful energy that the Crewcuts brand is known for.
Check it out:
https://www.jcrew.com/girls_feature