Good morning and Happy Cyber Monday to you. I don't know if you got the menu or not- BUT EVERYTHING IS ON SALE.
OMFG.
I'm not going to pretend I hate to shop, or that I don't enjoy a great deal. But seriously? The barrage. The superstorm. The desperation. I can't be the only person feeling completely overwhelmed by the amount of things on sale can I? I am craving an experience where I can look at 10-15 things. Tops. I am so fatigued from looking at sites offering endless discounts. I'm bored to death and completely over it.
So for me, this must be indicative of a trend we'll spot in the next year or so- a return to a more civilized shopping experience. Here's what I can picture happening:
Microsites- Think big retailers like the Gap and Best Buy doing smaller, more well curated (sorry about that word) sites that cater to people who want a) special things and b) less things. That's why I also think shopping direct from Instagram is so big and will continue to be so- it's a buy this one item right now kind of vibe. I like that. I want to look at less, and think this will be something to look for in the years to come. I do love what Garmentory is doing of course- love all the indie boutiques on one site, but again- even that is overwhelming.
A return to retail- I think many of us are feeling like it's almost more stressful sometimes to shop from home where our eyeballs are about to explode from screen fatigue. Sure Amazon is a great destination for all things mass and quick, but do think there's a huge chance in retail to stand apart and be special. From stores opening more local items and smaller batched things to creating "experiences" in store, I think retailers have a big chance to offer a reprieve from all things online. Think private appointments and special rewards for great customers. Also gyms and boutique will see a big uptick in retail sales - think shop and sweat moments where friends who spin together shop together too.
A focus on small- Sure this has been happening forever with the whole shop local thing. But I can imagine bigger brands getting in on the action by producing smaller, more capsule like collections of things for those with more discerning tastes that don't want what everybody else has got. Look for a new kind of pathos where smaller feels better. Think next step of brand collaborations where the smaller quantities offered feel more special, premium, and exclusive.
Destination shopping- Yes, we have online destinations where I love to shop for particular things but look for cities to make shopping a huge part of their "brands" as we look for ways to consume in new ways. Take the Ace Hotel in New Orleans opening up a pop up of very indie and small Freda, a great shop I found in Marfa and fell in love with while I was there. I can see this continuing- with more and more small businesses that help promote a city's brand DNA. Shinola in Detroit is another great example and I imagine there will be more- El Cosmico in Marfa also a great example, where the destination is very much the brand, with great merchandise to go with it.
Next gen curators as shopkeepers- Since we are all searching for the best stuff but feeling bored or overwhelmed by looking for it, the next generation of cultural curators will offer shopping services- whether it's by the hour research or sites built out of a collection of favorite pieces, curators will be the new shopkeepers of cool, particularly online but also in pop ups around town. Also think of Garance Dore's collection around her recent retreat offered in Morocco. Love the idea of collections around travel, experiences, etc.
So that's where my head is when it comes to shopping 2.0. What do you see as a result of all of these crazy sales and Cyber deals and steals? Would love to hear your thoughts.
Cause that's what's up this Cyber Monday in New York City. Just as we were talking, a Balenciaga Moto boot disappeared from my Barneys Warehouse cart. Yours, in missed opportunities whilst trendspotting. XO