Constituent, Customers and Consumers of Digital Product and Services
// March 31st, 2010 // View Comments // Web 2.0, usability
Constituent, customer and consumer… in marketing the goal is to make me a consumer! a constituent has an interest in your product! get me in your store and I am a customer especially if keep coming back! Get me to Buy… consume is the goal. It’s a game of strategy that needs to be executed with finesse!
Designed in line with the colors and theme for www.28squared.com for Sew Social February
I exist in the nexus of fashion and technology; ( I’m a FashionCamp proponent) and have been exploring and testing a lot of the theories that are put out as facts! My specialty custom and customized apparel and accessories and wearables!
I’m also a woman and a Shoes of Prey customer (not a consumer) so I’m uniquely qualified to comment.
I’ll admit it I read the Business Insider a Silicon Alley blog everyday , religiously and I love it! It’s smart witty and at the same time a bit gossipy, perfect for early morning coffee! So if that makes me a geek than I’ll own it!
This post on the viral campaign caught my eye. First of all the numbers are not surprising. Put “shoe” or “handbag and design” and “Free” in any statement and there is not a woman between 5 and 95 that will not take notice… anywhere in the world! It’s in the DNA. It has nothing to do with how attractive the young woman is or how great the video is! Women and their shoes (and Handbags) have a unique relationship!
I found Shoes of Prey in an email, all I saw was ‘Shoes and design “and I forgot all about what I was doing! I have visited the site a number of times and played with the software! I’m on their email list I consider myself a customer of their product not a consumer! Here’s why; I have no idea how the product will ‘fit and feel’, nor which size to order! It is as simple as that! Before they engage in social media or any type of marketing This company has a key part of their PLM to work out (especially coming from new Zealand, I live technology!)
They are not unique most web 2.0 companies are started by college graduates with no experience in their product area or sales, and they do little direct research in the actual industry! The ‘Macro’ of enterprise as opposed to “micro’ of “mom and pops…”
This post highlights a number of factors that I point out
- Social Media Marketing is not working… as it is presently practiced
- The web has an amazing reach
- There is still a lot of work to be done
- Most web based businesses cannot answer the question “who is your CONSUMER”
- You have to give to get ( That give away or flash sale works!)
- Video in marketing is powerful
Let’s tackle the video, “the problem is the length”; not because, as one commentator stated “ten minutes is a tad too long to keep anyone’s attention (especially 13-17 year olds!)”, but because few outside “early adapters and techies” have computers that can stream 10 minutes without faultering.
People watch and read content that engages them regardless of length even 16 and 17 year olds, TEACHERS TAKE NOTE! Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/16-year-old-girl-gives-best-day-ever-to-small-ecommerce-site-2010-3##ixzz0jlBlzZ9I
Many simply do not want to hear it, but social media marketing as it is practiced is not working! They have built businesses around it and so admitting that seems risky! Note I am not saying that social media is invalid… what I am saying is that it’s present use is not EFFECTIVE! If that many visitors (400,000, as saw visited the site) stopped by the window of a brick and mortar store and did not buy … I’d say that there was a problem!
Marketing is not about eyes it is about conversion and please do not bring fancy equations to prove “ROI”. As one store owner said “I cannot take that to the bank, show me the money”… or the sales!
Even if I got the visitors, to come in and take their credit cards out, but could not “hand the product over to them, without them first handing over another $40.00, many would simply walk away, which is essential what happens! I do not know a woman who will buy a shoe at that price without trying it out! That is at the core consumer confidence so I go back to Shoes of prey and wonder will it fit? Returns I don’t want the hassle and I need shoes… especially pretty ones!
EXCEPT FOR T SHIRTS AND JEWELRY and HANDBAGS, fit is an essential factor in higher price clothing especially with consumers who do not fall within industry “Standards!” the customer is willing to go around $50-60 US for a “casual” purchase anything that crosses $100 they place expectation, such as fit! Hit the $ 200.00 and durability, comfort and solid personal aesthetic comes into play. I have no idea as to how these shoes would “FIT” essentially the process is missing a core part of functionality! If I’m shelling out $300 on a pair of shoes I expect fit and comfort ! Yes I can return it but the hassle is not worth it!
But luxury brand are selling look at Gilt Groupe… essentially they are doing online what they are doing offline. Selling at reduced price-points. FIT is still an issue, but the customer does not mind paying extra to customize the length , or adjust the waits if they got it “on sale!”
The larger retailers already have brand familiarity, shipping , customer support , warehousing etc figured out! At that level the price of social media marketing is a steal when compared with traditional methods! For small e-commerce sites there are lots of challenges! Many ask about the many sites that sell hand-made items… reporting millions in revenue; how much of that is sale of actual product, and are the sales of those “products”, what’s actually making a profit. Questions few have asked, fewer will answer!
True Shoe of Prey missed their consumer mark in reaching out to this blogger ( though as a parent of a teenage it’s not much higher than some of their sneakers) but their CONSUMER may not be online yet (and frankly few Bloggers cater to their consumer) they are selling based more than just on the notion of individuality as a form of expression… That consumer is print on demand Zazzle, CaféPress. What Shoes of Prey is more sell is a customized product, that is a lifestyle choice, that customer also demands customized clothing, and differs from ‘custom” which is a luxury choice! In this case the site falls under my specialty; selling customized or custom physical products, “wearable’ items in the digital realm! It is potentially and extremely lucrative market but has distinct challenges, (for which I believe) which the core technology exist. Essentially that of FIT! While that customer does not demand as precise a fit as the “custom” or ‘bespoke” or customer, Make the exact dress they want and it is too short or long, they get angry! This is a passionate group!
Theoretically they should be able to use photogrammetry to match 3d renderings of customer feet to their digital making method! I say “theoretically” since I have not heard of this technology being investigated as a fashion tool , it is currently used in forensics, and what is good for the dead should be better for the living.
Web sites have constituents, customers and consumers. C customers frequently visit a site because they like the content the site owner offers they may or may not buy, Site owners can capitalize on this as Etsy and others have. Consumers actually buy and use the products offered! I am a Shoes of Prey customer they have no product or service that I can “consume”, and they have not figured out how to monetize the huge consumer base they will develop… remember women love shoes! Unlike Zappos that sells shoes from familiar brands and at significantly lower prices. But I am not a Zappos customer, at that price point and their offering, I prefer to go to the store around the corner where I can actually try on the shoe
Moving me from a customer to the consumer; “A shoe maker never has shoes” I like designing shoes, not necessarily wearing them women who want to buy may not have my design acumen. I found Shoes of Prey a little over a month ago and I have been back to the site several times, I eventually figured out the software, I could not save the design and offer it to others without a purchase, at least not that I saw. I like designing shoes, not necessarily wearing them! The “Shoes of Prey’ site may seem easy and I am sure that these teenagers did some great designs
WHERE IS YOUR CONSUMER AT! Then again the target is women like many of the customers from the custom designers in our project; who love their shoes and want the “unique and individual” and are not only willing to pay for it, they are in control of the credit cards! These designers, dressmakers, cleaners that can connect to the consumers are not online. But they have a client base that would pay and pay well for this product! Till the digital divide is narrowed reaching the right consumer needs to be an integrated approach!
Usability and USER Ability –essentially I have found myself having, not just to teach (more on that later) but also educate the consumers on how to use these sites… after figuring them out myself! That’s not how we shop especially for clothing and accessories. If nothing else people do online what they do offline! Store window and display space is essential in the sales environment!
Educate women on technology and you can change the world! Design with women in mind and your company’s bottom line will improve. Most sites are not designed for or with women in mind! I returned to the site and it has been redesigned though not with women who shop for shoes in mind! The front page needs to be purely about shoes and it’s display! Much like a store window! If you sell shoes you understand they need to be displayed , to us they are art! If I could try it on or see it “on” engage me! Design for me.. In fact most technology gadgets are not designed for or with women in mind.
Apart from not necessarily reaching the right consumer, social media does not stand on it’s own. Eventually it can point potential consumers in your direction, but if your ecommerce and M- commerce set up has not been designed to convert, it is a wasted effort! At the core conversion is about selling most web designers have no sales skills or experience especially in the clothing and products. Store display and layout is an artform and as yet not fully explored, as a concept in digital design!
- Social media does not reach my consumer… yet
- The Social media consumer is not my consumer… yet
They are not on the web and if they are it is not USABLE… for them. It’s not just shoes of Prey… I have a list of these great sites that essential mean little because the customer who would love them cannot use them. Essentially they are designed by tech people who have never been inside a custom design business store has never had a custom item made and have no inkling of the need, the process, essentially “THE CULTURE” of this sector It is experiential!
I am not ready to change consumers!
Shoes of Prey did due diligence and reached out to a blogger defined as a “fashion blogger” and probably listed on one of the emerging “list” However the definition for “fashion” has changed. So too has the “fashion” consumer. Essentially this is about branded, popular and celebrity! Social media, fashion and blogs, have become about “pop or Popular culture” custom is not! Selling to that consumer sometimes require a change of product!
It is not ready To serve my consumer’s needs!
The Custom culture is about “LIFE”, living and Style, the “custom niche” consumer is busy living… their hands are busy and often there minds and eyes are focused. They still read magazines (on their commute to and from work) how else can they afford the higher priced goods customized to their liking! Will the IPad make a difference eventually when it comes within their reach! For now they have little or no time to tweet and watch viral video… unless it is streamin on the larger screen that’s running across the room on the airwave, within earshot, essential the internet on TV will make a huge difference… If they can figure out how to use them.
Whose responsibility is it to bring consumers to social media and the technology that supports it?
There too is a problem as Idan Cohen from Boxee.tv’ said in a discussion we had, “we designed for early adapters, individual comfortable with technology!”
Which is the norm with many new web sites. The fact is early adaptors can make and code whatever they want (whether they have the legal or moral right to do so is another issue or know someone who can! Yet most of the best apps, cannot be used by the “average user and the companies market to themselves!
Social media essentially ask everyone to bring their list to the table, and then proceeds to “own” that list. The average custom designer I know has a list that will give about 70-90% response; their list is their business so they are unwilling to bring it to social media platforms!
The social media consumer is not presently their consumer… and making the social media customer their consumer needs investment and changes in the PLM and delivery of the fashion product that is not being addresses! Whose responsibility is it to reach the customer and educate them, mine, the business that uses the apps or the company that makes it! Frankly it is not in the vested interest of the small business owner! They can survive and thrive without the apps and social media tools apps cannot survive without the small business owner!
Yet off all the investment and VC money being poured into these companies how much is targeted towards “education’ and “digital literacy”. There exist a disdain towards consumers that are not as tech savvy! Few tech teams include the woman’s perspective, or people from various cultures! It is not bias there is a significant difference! Women love their gadgets I just wish they were more attractive and “had a mirror’. I’m kidding on the mirror but all the women I know have the same amounts of gadget s as the men, we just want it in “a pretty case with a handle (no pockets on those sexy dresses”), and with these nail a qwerty keyboard please!
Now If I can just figure out which shoe size to order.
