Why is it that brands take so much time to embrace the online experience?

We have been wondering about that for a while and feel that, somehow, the current economic crisis may actually help brands take notice of this tool and finally embrace it fully.

For the longest time the consensus, especially in the apparel industry, has been that selling clothes online would never work because shoppers needed to be able to touch the garments, try them on, etc… Yet the success of e-tailers such as NET-A-PORTER  and Vivre belly that philosophy.

Interestingly enough, back in July 2007, CNNMoney.com featured an article on that topic in which Milton Pedraza, chief executive of the Luxury Institute, stated that  “wealthy consumers don’t want the in-store experience, they want  convenience”.  Indeed, while we can all agree that stores are not going to completely disappear, the online shopping experience can offer a level of convenience that cannot be found through a traditional retail concept.

Today, in addition to offering high level services as part of the online experience, brands are also realizing the opportunity it affords them to reach their consumers while operating on a much leaner budget than a brick-and-mortar operation would entail.  What’s more, at a time when consumers are debating whether to open their wallets at all, online can become a very attractive opportunity to promote one’s brand and develop a loyal following that will remain with the brand once the economy picks up again.

The interaction between the brand and the consumer can be taken onto a whole new level via brands’ websites. It is a very auspicious time to be creative and find out how to retain and acquire consumers and we believe that online is the way to do it.