Online shopping has evolved past the standard product grid. Shoppers are hungry for more – they want inspiration, straight from the brands they love. And when customers receive motivational content, brands are rewarded not just with revenue, but loyalty as well. One of the best ways to deliver this sort of inspiration is through shop the look content. These highly visual experiences present a fully formed look, such as an outfit, with every item instantly shoppable. When integrated quickviews are included, shoppers can click individual pieces to buy as they explore the look or trend, without being sidetracked by static product pages. And when they present a perfectly curated collection all in one place, these experience provide the perfect opportunity for upsells. Shop the look experiences are not limited to one industry; below, we break down how apparel, furniture, and cosmetics brands can serve up inspirational content to audiences that expect more than the grid.
Apparel
Displaying a blouse in a product page or grid is standard, but hardly exciting. Show that same blouse as part of a fully realized outfit that includes a matching skirt, shoes, and even jewelry, and you have your customers’ attention. Demonstrate to shoppers who are eager for outfit inspiration exactly how to style your products, and what they need to build the perfect outfit themselves. Then position that outfit in the context of a curated collection theme – 5 Perfect Outfits for Your Office Holiday Party! – and you have a home-run experience that is sure to delight.
Furniture
Furniture items are a big investment, and so shopping online can be a risk. The worst case scenario for a customer is to buy that giant dresser, go through the trouble of shipping it and then carrying it up two flights of stairs, only to discover it looks terrible in the actual bedroom. Shop the room experiences can alleviate these common concerns. By visually showing how the piece – be it a dresser, a bed, or a couch – will look within a fully styled room, customers can feel confident in their purchase. And they can find inspiration for their own space, making it easy to make over an entire room in just a few minutes of online shopping.
Cosmetics
Cosmetics brands are just now embracing shop the look experiences, but they have already been proven to be popular on beauty bloggers’ personal sites, or on apps like Pinterest. The best experiences are where shoppers are presented with a complete makeup look, and through the experience are not only able to shop it, but learn how to recreate it themselves. On one easy-to-navigate page they can buy the foundation, mascara, and lipstick that they know is guaranteed to create the perfect look they already fell in love with. Makeup is such a visual product, so it is only fitting that shopping for this online should be too.
Shop the Look Content: Final Thoughts
Employing shop the look experiences highlights your brand’s unique creativity, and provides value outside of the standard “buy.” Whether a customer makes a purchase or not, they are exploring your page and come away from the experience with inspiration. This sort of fresh and motivational content is priceless; it creates lifelong loyalty among shoppers, making your website a true content destination.