A sense of discovery fuels the desire for fashion. Accessibility transforms desire into purchase. Our own individual need to be validated as an expert and style setter drives word of mouth. What encapsulates these three things (discovery, accessibility and becoming an expert) more than the boutique shopping experience? We stumble upon old stores in uncharted neighborhoods, or new stores in heavily trafficked ones, and delight in exploring the labels, conversing with store owners and supporting local business through our collective buying power. The same goes for the digital arena, where the most influential searches within fashion stem not from a blind Google search but from the opinion of a trusted blogger, editor or friend. As we continue our virtual hunt and stumble upon brands or boutiques, our journey of exploration sometimes leads to a purchase and other times to information that places us at the forefront of a trend.
Now imagine a place where the in-store and online searches collide, resulting in increased discovery, greater accessibility and heightened expertise. Enter Crowdbeacon, a communication platform that provides relevant, localized information based on your personal inquiry and your actual location. The brainchild of interactive agency Squeaky Wheel Media, (the agency for Revlon, Lexus, and Maxmara that I just happen to work for), the application has potential for the ultimate on-demand encounter where people ask free-form questions and receive customized responses.
While many see Crowdbeacon as a resource for finding restaurants and services in your vicinity, I am particularly excited about the possibilities for the fashion retail industry. Currently, you can access Crowdbeacon via the website or iPhone application, and ask an open-ended question to receive a specific answer. For example, “Where can I find Prada boots at a store that’s open past 7pm tonight in SoHo?” Crowdbeacon detects your inquiry and sends a series of feedback, most importantly the replies from other users who have self-identified themselves as an expert in that topic (in this case shopping + SoHo), and local businesses who have registered for a specific set of keywords (SoHo, boutique, Prada, shoes, designer, etc). In addition, the service also provides FourSquare, Yelp and Wishpond results to help ensure your question is addressed.
While many of the bigger fashion retail posts are pulled in through Wishpond (Barneys, Bloomingdales, TJ Maxx…), what’s exciting about this is the opportunity it presents for local businesses. Imagine you are an independent boutique on the Lower East Side of Manhattan receiving new merchandise. Simply add corresponding keywords to your business profile on Crowdbeacon to be notified every time a search is made for said item in your area. The result is added recognition for your store, greater foot traffic and potentially increased sales, at no cost. It allows small boutiques to compete with big industry stores and foster relationships with highly interested potential customers.
While Crowdbeacon is only recently launched, and thus not yet the thriving community it aims to become, the possibility to revolutionize the way we search for and find products, services and recommendations across all categories is undisputed. Given that 30% of inquiries are shopping-oriented, the capacity to impact the way in which the fashion industry harnesses word of mouth to encourage our sense of discovery for emerging designers, labels and boutiques, and drives sales as a result, is exciting.
Photo Credits: Thomas Barwick
All articles are copy-edited by Gina Conforti
