Four Innovative E-Commerce Apparel Stores

Apparel, Footwear, Fashion

Four Innovative E-Commerce Apparel Stores

As ecommerce becomes increasingly competitive, business owners will need to embrace innovation and uniqueness to succeed.

E-commerce is an area being watched closely by entrepreneurs and wantrepreneurs alike. The apparel category is particularly exciting. Taking inspiration from Amazon and other businesses, many apparel and accessory e-commerce companies are trying their hand at "something new and different."

Crisp Clothing

The perfect shirt is hard to come by. But what if perfect fit could be achieved with the help of two simple metrics? That's what Crisp Clothing does. By using your height and weight and what it calls "3D Measuring," Crisp Clothing can tailor the perfect shirt for you.

Founded by Swapnil and Prakash Kamble _ a father-and-son team _ Crisp Clothing uses 100% Egyptian Giza cotton to fashion its handmade tailored shirts, which are currently available in black, white, blue and pink. The company recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funding for the project.

Not surprisingly, the cost of a single shirt isn't cheap, but pledging to the Crisp Clothing campaign at the $78 level will get you one custom, hand-crafted shirt. What's clearly innovative about Crisp Clothing is the approach it takes to crafting the perfect shirt. Technology is the difference. It gives Crisp Clothing a more scientific way to tailor better shirts.

Trunk Club

The Nordstrom-owned Trunk Club may be a familiar name to some. Its business model is a lot like that of Amazon Prime Wardrobe, except Trunk Club has been around a lot longer.

This is its process: first, the customer is prompted to answer a few questions about the style of clothing he (or she) is interested in, how the clothing should fit and what budget range is desired.

Then, he can chat with a stylist who'll offer help on exactly what he's looking for. The trunk is delivered free of charge once the customer approves it, and he or she has five days to decide what clothing to keep and what to send back. Then, the customer can either re-order on his or her own schedule or set up a regular delivery schedule, to keep the wardrobe fresh.

What Trunk Club did right was make it easier for the consumer to get items that are truly desired. With the rise of online shopping, consumers don't necessarily go to malls or stores to shop anymore. Trunk Club is an easy, fast and convenient way for today's buyer.

Bonobos

Bonobos was launched because its founders recognised how difficult it is for consumers to find pants that fit perfectly. To solve this problem, Bonobos developed a signature curved waistband that fits more naturally around your waist. The company offers free shipping as well as painless returns and exchanges.

Bonobos also has something called a Guideshop. Customers can schedule a one-hour appointment at a Guideshop, try on anything in the store and find the perfect clothing with the help of a guide. The guide will place the order and have it shipped to the customer's home or office.

Bonobos is doing a couple of noteworthy things for its customers. First, it came up with a solution where none previously existed, thereby creating more comfortable pants. Second, it created a unique in-store experience that allows customers to find what they're looking for on their own time - a personalised experience they're sure to remember.

Wanderlust + Co

Jenn Low, founder of Wanderlust + Co, creates custom jewelry and accessories that many models and celebrities don at notable events. Her work is inspired by what she calls the #WCOgirlgang, which includes celebrities, fashion bloggers, editors, stylists and content creators.

What's innovative about Wunderlust + Co is Low's willingness to cater to a specific audience. She doesn't create products consumers don't want. She built her own tribe, #WCOgirlgang, and stays in regular contact with them to come up with new product ideas her audience will love.

Entrepreneurs sometimes take the opposite approach, creating a product first and then finding an audience for it. Sometimes that can work, but there are no guarantees. A more reliable approach, especially today, is what Low does: She's built a brand around a target audience, offering products they want and have even asked for.

Everlane

Complete transparency is hard to find but has become somewhat trendier, thanks to online entrepreneurs like Pat Flynn and John Lee Dumas.

That's where Everlane stands out. These founders aim to be as up-front as possible about the cost of their goods. They even offer a detailed breakdown on materials, hardware, labour, duties and transport. They also reveal what the true cost of the product is, in addition to what they're selling it for.

If you've ever wondered where your money is going when you purchase a product, you won't have to, with Everlane. You'll get total transparency, and that builds trust. Though full transparency may not be the right approach for every business, it's something to consider: Maybe no one in your industry is embracing it, making it worth considering as a strategy.