StORES Magazine - September 2007 - (Page 10) CONSIDER THIS / EXECUTIVE EDITOR’S PAGE StORES® Watch This BY SUSAN REDA STORES Magazine 325 7th St. NW, Suite 1100 Washington, D.C. 20004 202/626-8101 I t’s September. You know what that means. Everyone who’s anyone in the fashion and retail industries has already devoured this month’s issue of Vogue and by now they’re browsing the shops for a couple of the season’s “must-haves.” Will it be the patent leather shoe bootie with the gem-encrusted heel? Maybe it’s time to give in to that feather obsession? I’m a little behind on the shopping front but I’ve read the magazine cover to cover and flipped through the 727 pages of advertising numerous times. I’m currently using the “extra, extra large” issue to do arm curls. (Weighing in at just under five pounds it seems only apropos to use this fashion bible to conquer the devilish jiggle in my upper arms.) One of the reasons this year’s September Vogue is more stacked than it’s been in the past is that most of the ad pages were sold with the added value of an Internet feature – a broadband channel called ShopVogue.TV which debuted in mid-August. ShopVogue.TV offers links to purchase the products featured in the magazine’s print ads. There also are videos of runway shows, clips of fashion shoots for ad campaigns and original content, including “60 Seconds to Chic” and “Trend Watch.” Vogue executives insist they’re not getting into the retail business, but I couldn’t help but think about this new site against the backdrop of what I learned about QVC while working on this month’s STORES cover story. Vogue’s new project represents a major push into the world of fashion-related video entertainment – or more accurately, edu-tainment. It’s a world QVC has inhabited for years. There are obvious differences between the two, but one thing I take away from both is the power of video as a sales tool. Women like to think of themselves as fashion savvy and self-assured, but truth be told, we love it when a sales associate offers a suggestion, explains how the fabric should drape or shows us how to add an accessory. The problem is that in a traditional store setting, knowledgeable sales associates are difficult to come by. Videos that both educate and entertain provide the “color commentary” that’s missing from shopping today. They also allow the viewer to watch them over and over, picking up tips on make-up applications, for example. I recently chatted with a vendor who sells product on QVC. She told me that, at first, she was amazed how much product sold during the 5- to 7minute segment; she was even more surprised to see the ripple effects of the broadcast. For days after her QVC appearance, she saw an uptick in sales at traditional retail stores selling the item. I’m convinced it comes down to the power of video as a tool to drive sales. Women want information; they want shopping to be fun again. Video can accomplish both objectives – edu-tainment for women who love to shop. RICK GALLAGHER Publisher Vice President 202/626-8103 FAX: 866/640-8136 E-mail: publisher@nrf.com SUSAN PATTERSON Assistant Publisher 202/626-8102 FAX: 202/661-3042 E-mail: pattersons@nrf.com EDITORIAL SUSAN REDA Executive Editor 516/437-1245 FAX: 866/640-8138 E-mail: editor@nrf.com HARRY LISTER Managing Editor 202/626-8199 FAX: 866/640-8137 E-mail: listerh@nrf.com MARY ALICE ELMER Senior Copy Editor 202/661-3047 FAX: 866/640-8134 E-mail: elmerm@nrf.com LUCY D. REDDAWAY Creative Director ADVERTISING & MARKETING MIKE GRIBBIN Advertising Director 410/893-8003 Mike Gribbin Therese Draddy Tim O’Connell Molly Deise Terry Baker Dan McClure Executive Publishing Inc. 900A Main St., Suite 103 Bel Air, MD 21014 410/893-8003 FAX: 410/893-8004 E-mail: advertising@stores.org CIRCULATION ELENA CAIOLA Senior Director, Circulation and Information Management 202/626-8146 FAX: 866/640-8139 E-mail: circulation@nrf.com DORIS MASON Circulation Assistant 202/626-8172 FAX: 866/640-8140 For high-quality article reprints (minimum of 100), including e-prints, please contact Reprint Management Services at 717-666-3052. editor@nrf.com At STORES, we appreciate hearing our readers’ thoughts and comments. Please address your correspondence to editor@nrf.com, or contact me at (516) 437-1245. 10 STORES / SEPTEMBER 2007 WWW.STORES.ORG http://ShopVogue.TV http://ShopVogue.TV http://WWW.STORES.ORG
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