According to the eShopper Index compiled by iVentures Consulting, which marketing guru Greg from Paris included in a recent awesome slideshow about the future of the luxury shopping experience, Harrods reigns supreme in the world of luxury brands online. 14 steps of a customer's "journey" encompassing 250 criteria were considered when determining the cream of the eCommerce crop.
Here are the Top 10:
- Harrods
- Burberry
- Selfridges & Co.
- Tiffany & Co.
- Marc Jacobs
- Louis Vuitton
- Saks Fifth Avenue
- Barneys
- Baccarat
- Hermes
Which naturally peaked my interest. What made these particular etailers stand out enough to justify inclusion in this type of "best of" list? So I decided it was high time to conduct some "research" (um, okay, e-window shopping) to see what makes for a top luxury e-commerce experience.
Harrods Feels like shopping a high-end glossy magazine. Their Style Insider trend edits give matters a particularly cool, non-marketingy feel - be it the excitement surrounding a new Tom Ford fragrance, what Alexa Chung is wearing this week, or the backstage beauty buzz from Fashion Week.
Burberry (top) The landing page is super clean with only a few, standout editorial-type shots - which is quite refreshing given how cluttered so many e-shopping portals are. The nav bar runs vertically down the left-hand side and is easy to find and read at a glance. Bonus! Plus it's content rich, with a really interesting section on the history of the brand.
Selfridges (above) A clean, fashion'y landing page like Burberry with a stylish slideshow variously highlighting the big trends in womenswear and menswear, plus ideas on how to pack for a seasonal vacay. These type of Pinteresty visuals draw you in and make you start to lust over stuff...rather than feeling hit over the head with "Buy this!" or "That's on sale...get it NOW!" Taking your time and enjoying the shopping journey is the new black.
Tiffany A refreshing splash of their signature blue hue is the first thing you see when landing here. They currently have a retro, midcentury vibe to their presentation reminiscent of Holly Golightly's groovy social scene when she wasn't "breakfasting" there. The shopping suggestions are presented editorially, again giving the site an "enjoy browsing" feel rather than a harried "buy it now" experience.
Marc Jacobs (right) Oh, the hipness. An eyecatching - and clean (yes, that clean thing again) - high-fash smattering of editorial shots of both guys and dolls. The odd quote from Marc himself. Pix of whatever beauty goodies they're promoting. They all work together to create a good sense of the MJ brand vibe. Which is very NYC downtown cool. Not that you needed me to tell you that if you're already one of their in-the-know regulars.
Louis Vuitton A prominent place to click on the most recent fashion show pix is the first thing you see when landing on this (clean) site. The nav bar across the top is easy to read and not too lengthy, which is always a plus. As you scroll down, the contents have a Pinterest-like feel - from their collection of masks to pix of celebs in the front row - which has a fun feeling of stuff to be discovered. The "World of Louis Vuitton" tab provides extensive and interesting content about what makes this heritage brand so French & heritagey.
Saks Fifth Avenue The first thing that greets you when you land here is one of those ads that pops up, greying out the landing page and offering 10% off. The very top of the page is devoted to various deals and discounts and the overall feel of the page wasn't that clean, editorial vibe of the eShopper Index's Top 5. Plus the way the clothes are shot feels more cataloguey and less glossy magazine. As you scroll down the landing page, things do become more Pinteresty, which is a good thing. But it's hard to overcome that cluttered, "Buy it Now!" first impression.
Barneys Like a less cluttery Saks. Cool brands, though, that they carry.
Baccarat More of a clean, editorial slide-show approach to their jewelry, tabletop and fragrances - an aesthetic that the Euro heritage brands really seem to do well.
Hermes (left) Whimsical cartoon characters are interspersed with product pix of the merch, creating a charming, handspun feel. Makes you want to browse and explore, even if pretty much anything they sell is out of your current budget. A lovely online experience that should really rank higher on the eShopper Index list.
- Lesley Scott
NOTE: This post concerns the Supremium fashion tribe - spendy, style-conscious fashionistas that enjoy jetsetting, globetrotting and shopping their way across the globe. For more of my weekly posts about Supremiums, CLICK HERE. To learn more about each of fashion's four mega-tribes that I track, START HERE.
