So, being in the fashion and technology industry plus being a blogger, a consultant and having to manage clients plus keeping up with my own social media sometimes I need help finding the latest trends. Thank God for my Tweeps! They send me amazing links and information that keep me updated.

One of my favorite tweeps, @ShiftC sent me tweet yesterday that got me obsessed for a few hours online.

‘Haul’ Videos: The Latest YouTube Style Craze http://bit.ly/9Jt7Od #fashion #beauty #tech @fashiontechie

So, I’ve watched 100’s of haul videos within the last year but I had no idea how powerful they had gotten recently. So what is a haul video?

According to Stylelist recent post, ‘Haul’ Videos: The Latest YouTube Style Craze, “In haul videos, women open up their bags, bedrooms, closets, and medicine cabinets as they obsess on their latest “finds” in front of their Web cam. That footage is then watched by thousands of curious eyes. “

Definitely worth reading the article above and maybe brainstorming on how haul videos can help your brand. Word of caution… fake hauling is wrong and sponsored hauling is even worse. But, if you have customers that have already purchased your products, how about launching a haul video contest or encouraging them to haul?

Get creative with marketing! Thanks to my tweeps for keeping me updated!

If you will be in the Buffalo, New York area on May 1st you may want to stop by  Buffalo State College. Senior design and fiber design students will be showcasing the unique work of the Fashion Technology program at the Pierce Arrow Buildong at 1685 Elmwood Avenue.

The theme is about the progression and obsession of technology and fashion and will include collections that combine design, technology and culture. Don’t miss out on this one because director Erin Habes, Buffalo State Fashion Technology Program faculty, is planning a 50 foot runway, music by Shock & Ave, a pulsating light show and more.

TWO SHOWS:

4pm Show: Doors open at 3pm. General $10; Student $7 (only available at Rockwell Hall Box Office.)

9pm Show: Doors open at 7pm. VIP (includes 7pm VIP pre-event reception) $100;

General $20 (available at Buffalo State Rockwell Hall Box Office and Wegmans.) Proceeds benefit the Fashion Students of Buffalo State College Scholarship Foundation.

Read More @ Buffalo Rising

“Stylesignal is amazing on the iPad. You can actually touch our world-beating forecasts and Trend Science with your fingers. Pinch to zoom, touch to get colours, and browse around easily and quickly. It’s the best platform for trend information we’ve used, ever.“ -Stylesignal

If you thought you wanted an iPad before, you are really going to want one now. I got a tip today from a LinkedIn connection, Geoff Watts, Director and Founder of Stylesignal, about their new Styelsignal Trendbook iPad app. I was immediately excited to check it out. First, if you haven’t heard of Stylesignal, they are an amazing trend forecasting company (seriously…they are pretty much the best) that is always in the forefront of fashion, technology and trends.

This is exactly why I’m so excited about the iPad. No more downloading pdfs and trying to organize them while dealing with the slowness of Adobe. Just download an app, a magazine, a case study and you can just flip right through it full screen. Stylesignal has utilized this technology and has launched an iPad friendly version of their trendbook with thousands of indexed pages that are ready for zooming, organizing and searching.

The graphics are amazing and it’s like looking into a glossy magazine full of trend images and research. You can pinch, zoom, browse, search by color, see swatches and more. The research and hard work they’ve done to get this looking so vivid is pretty amazing.

Also, if you subscribe to Stylesignal during April and March they will send you a free iPad with a wireless battery – you can’t beat that.

Part 2 of 4 | Will digital magazines change the way we search the internet?

This is part 2 of a 4 part series on the evolution of digital magazines. What will the launch of digital magazines mean to us as fashion bloggers, fashion websites, brands, marketers, publicists? In Part 1 we discussed whether or not digital magazines would decrease blogs and traditional websites impact and popularity online.

In Part 2 we delve into the science of search and how digital magazines will change the way readers and customers search as well as how advertisers and marketers can evolve as a result.

From a both points of view, lets think about what search and SEO really is right now:

If you are searching…the cycle continues and the next thing you know an hour has passed,  you’ve been to a million sites, you can’t remember what sites you visited (thank God for history) and hopefully you found what you looked for. If a website has predicted your keywords through SEO and relative content they have increased their chances for their website being visited, you buying their product or reading their information, you sharing what you’ve found…

If you are a website…you are constantly looking for ways to engage visitors/consumers/readers so that they won’t leave your website and search for something else, you want them to click on your advertisements and  you want them to share your site with their social community. It’s an exhausting process that’s a mix between fortune telling, trend prediction, analytic interpretations and search engine equations.

SO, TIERRA… WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH DIGITAL MAGAZINES?

Digital magazines are predicted to decrease the need for search by providing readers and subscribers with constant content. According to a new survey, “The Case of Advertising in Interactive Digital Magazines,” by Josh Gordon</a> over 1/3 or 34.2% of interactive digital magazine readers say they search less after subscribing.

Here’s how the relationship between searchers and digital magazines look:

But wait.. search accounts for 1/2 of every online ad dollar spent. If interactive digital magazines reduce the amount of future searches made by potential customers, what will happen to online marketing and online advertising? What does this all mean?

Traditional blogs, websites, advertisers, marketers… all of us; we need to start thinking about how combine the science of search (seo, pay per click adverstising, etc.) with content. But how? The only way is to use the art of prediction. I’m going to go out on a limb and predict that trend prediction, analysis and the online research businesses is going to see a boost in the next 10 years. As digital magazines start to emerge, as blogs start to evolve to keep up and as websites become more engaging – predicting what readers and subscribers want will be key to success. It’s a simple equation:

An Increase in Engaging Content + An Increase in The Frequency of Content = Less Searching and More Time Spent On Your Site

What does the new interactive and engaging website look like? A great example of how websites and blogs are beginning to change can be seen on Glo, (http://glo.msn.com), a new women’s lifestyle, fashion, and beauty destination that launched yesterday from MSN, Hachette Filipacchi (publisher of ELLE) and BermanBraun.

However, engaging content is one thing… engaging advertising is another. We will explore that in Part 3.

This is Part 2 of a 4 Part series

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Part 1 of 4 | Will digital magazines slow the growth and popularity of blogs and websites?

I know that I am way behind posting an iPad post, although I’m totally obsessed with the iPad at this point….before I posted anything, I really wanted to be able to answer some questions and not just put up another iPad features blog. I mean, you can find out how it works anywhere, but how does it affect the fahsion industry?

Throughout my research my focus stopped being on the iPad and turned into an obsession with digital magazines. I predicted at the beginning of 2010 that digital magazines would start becoming a force to reckon with and could challenge the internet as we know it. I had no idea the iPad would be introduced to the public and I had no idea how fast digital magazines would make its mark on the publishing industry, on blogs and mostly… on websites as we know it.

As a result, I’ve spent the last 2 weeks trying to answer a few questions:

1. Will digital magazines slow the growth and popularity of blogs and websites?
2. Will the digital magazines change the way we search the internet?
3. Will the digital magazines and the iPad save the fashion publishing industry or atleast give them some answers?
4. Will the digital magazines finally break the “taboo” on online paid content?

I didn’t get an answer to all my questions, but I got some much needed insight into the future and where we are headed.

So…Will digital magazines slow the growth and popularity of blogs and websites?

Yes…if blogs and websites don’t change. I know a lot of bloggers and a lot of “magazine” like websites are not happy about this answer, but consumers are very clear that they perfer digital magazines over websites and over blogs. According to a new survey, “The Case of Advertising in Interactive Digital Magazines,” by Josh Gordon 82% of readers say they find digital magazines “more engaging” than websites of similar content. Why? Digital magazines, like the print magazines we love, are guided by professional editors who pave a road for readers by controlling their experience. Websites and blogs leave the experience up to the visitor. According to the survey readers prefer digital magazines over websites for a nubmer of reasons;

So what does this mean?

Well, blogs and websites need to be prepared to change the way they provide content. Times have changed. Print is making a digital comeback that is going to influence public relations professionals, advertisers, fashion brands and more as to where they send product and how they market themselves online. When magazines work out the kinks and become digital you can bet things will change. Fashion bloggers and fashion websites should start thinking of alternative solutions to provding content to readers and should not rule out making their blogs community orientated and adding digital magazines features.

Advertisers need to be prepared to step away from traditional banner ads and start focusing on interactive and rich media ads that engage readers, grab their attention.

UPDATE: Independent Fashion Bloggers posted a great article about digital magazines, the iPad and bloggers

This is Part 1 of a 4 Part series.. stay tuned for more!

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

There is no doubt that the fashion industry has changed. We see it everywhere we turn. However, with the main focus today being on bloggers, we’ve forgotten about the equally glamorous life of those that get paid to write about fashion…the life of fashion writers and columnist.

Today’s Carrie Bradshaw still uses her laptop in the wee hours of the morning to finish a column, she still has a closet to die for and she still has a job that other writers would give their left arm for. However, today, Carrie’s column is digital, her rolodex can be found on Twitter, her network is Facebook and her image is a combination of social media, fashion events, product reviews and photo shoots.

I recently had the pleasure to get an inside look at the life local fashion columnist Corbin Chamberlin who writes a column “Fabulousity by Corbin Chamberlin” for ArizonaFoothills.com. At first glance, Corbin’s presence (which some compare to Andre Leon Talley) can be overwhelming. Corbin stands well over 6 feet tall and is usually covered from head to toe in Hermes and/or faux fur with his recorder, blackberry and Mac tucked away for quick access. However, once you speak with him he will softly inform you that his passion and life goals revolve around fashion, art and culture. According to Corbin, “Fashion in my life is what electricity is to a light bulb – meaningless and dull without it.”

Being a successful fashion writer these days is a full time job. Not only do you have the integrity of the magazine to answer to, but your “person” becomes your career. Throw in the constant need to keep up with technology, fashion, social media and the local fashion scene and only the strong and passionate survive. We sat down with Corbin and asked him a few questions:

Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from? What’s your educational background? What are your general professional and non-professional interests?

I am from Arizona, went to school for fashion merchandising. My interests both professionally and personally are fashion, art and culture as a whole. I love working with young, emerging talent and students.

When did you realize you wanted to be a part of the fashion industry?

I was nine, my neighbor was a retired pattern maker who told me stories about the fabulous garments she would create and the marvelous designers she worked with. I was in awe.

What was the first article of clothing you ever feel truly in love with?

My mother has an incredible ruby ring that I was always obsessed with. I have also had a long time love affair with Hermes Scarves.

How long have you worked in the fashion industry?

I have been working in the industry for six years! But have always loved fashion.

What’s a day look like in Corbin’s life?

I wake up at 5:30 return emails, go for a run. I always have a full day of appointments. Break for lunch, St. Francis is always my top choice. I have at least 2-4 events a week in the evening. After that is the “witching hour(s)”, where I blast the music and finish my work for the day.

How do you prepare for your day to day job?

Chanel perfume, five shots of espresso over ice and a purse filled with moleskin journals, voice recorder, planner, Blackberry, Mac.

Who is one of your favorite local models to work with?

Lauren Abbey, She is beyond gorgeous and so easy to work with. The girl is a star.

Who is one of your favorite local designers to work with?

Joy Li, hands down! One of the most sensational people in the valley…so kind and is very helpful.

What matters to you most as an up and coming local fashion icon?

Educating and supporting the local talent. Finding and exposing emerging designers is a huge part and a privilege of my job.

What’s your favorite part about conceptualizing a project, show, shoot, magazine article etc?

The finished result. As well as working with creatively driven people. And of course playing with such incredible clothing!

What are some of your accomplishments in the fashion industry?

Working and being mentored by such incredible individuals such as Peter Davis, Naeem Khan, Michael Dee and the sensational people I have interviewed. I am very fortunate.

What do you believe makes a quality article of clothing?

It’s all about the love affair. When I see something I love I have immediate day dreams of me wearing the article. Like some commercial! The fabric, design and feel must seduce you.

Do you consider yourself an artist?

I do, I think it is very important. In order to give a pure review of a collection or exhibit you must relate to the artist/designer.

Who are some of your favorite designers worldwide?

Naeem Khan is a dear friend and mentor, his work is extraordinary. I also love Alber Elbaz, Karl Lagerfeld and Doo Ri Chung.

The “Andre Leon Talley of AZ”? Explain how you got that label and how you feel personally about it?

I love it, but the title was not self given. I have been wearing fur, brooches, scarves and over the top things since a child. Evonne Bowling the fashion director of MCC and previous head buyer for Dilliards titled me this in an interview and it just stuck. Peter Davis of Italian Vogue also calls me “The New ALT” I adore Andre, and feel privileged to be compared to such a magnificent person but I am not mimicking him. We both just have elaborate.

Is it hard keeping up your image 24/7? Do ever feel like you need a break?

I am just me; I do not put on character. What you see at 10am is what you will see at 10pm. Being unique and yourself is so refreshing, no break needed.

Where can readers go to get more of Corbin?

Arizona Foothills Magazine! My column “Fabulosity” is online as well.

Is there something that no one would guess about you from looking at you?

I enjoy gardening and I am an equestrian.

Want more of Corbin?

Twitter: http://twitter.com/corbin_c

AZ Foothills Column: http://www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com/fabulosity-by-corbin-chamberlin.html

Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Corbin-Chamberlin/140102943210

Google Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/corbinchamberlin

Image from Flickr by Industry Is Virtue

So…you put yourself out there and the results were disastrous? Maybe you sent product to a blogger and they totally bashed it. Maybe an unsatisfied consumer posted a bad review on Kaboodle, StyleHive, Stylefeeder or ThisNext?

You may think it’s the end of the world, or maybe that you should rethink why are you doing this ecommerce thing in the first place. Well, if you have a great product, your website is nicely designed and you have taken the time to understand social media and online marketing…then you have to understand that bad product reviews are going to happen and you can’t make everyone happy.

I have a talented client that was totally bashed by a blogger attending his fashion show. Although emotions ran from revenge…sadness and anger, it really opened his eyes to the little details that needed to be fixed and also made him work even harder for his next line.

So how do you deal with a bad product review? Here are a few tips:

A NEGATIVE REVIEW ON A REVIEW WEBSITES

1. Be Optimistic
Understand that bad product reviews are a part of today’s online world and also a way for a brand to build credibility. Before you raise an eyebrow…think about it. How many times have you researched a product online only to find a number of corny reviews that obviously came from the retailer? Sometimes a bad review can help consumers feel like real people are using the product. However… I realize it’s hard to be realistic when you get your first bad review so what else can you do?

2. Use the system
If the bad review was placed on a site and its pretty obvious it was a competitor or a irate and unreasonable customer, use the system to correct the problem. Many systems have an option to give a review a thumbs up or thumbs down rating or they’ll ask you “did you find this review helpful?”.

3. Gather your supporters
Email satisfied customers and ask them to post a review on the same site. DO NOT offer them a discount or any incentive. Just allow them to speak from their heart about your product.

4. Try to do damage control
If it was a former customer who made the comments, call them or email them immediately and try to fix the problem. This is the time to offer a discount on their next purchase so they can try it again. Or mail them an exclusive product that isn’t out yet for them to try. If that doesn’t work, just let it go. This customer obviously angry for other reasons.

A NEGATIVE BLOG POST
This part is a little trickier…

1. Listen
The first step is to put your ego aside and listen to what the blogger or writer is saying. Do they have valid points? Are there some ways you could improve your product?

2. Respond quickly
Make sure you are researching your company, brand and product everyday online. You don’t want to have a bad review up for a few days and have thousands of people read it before you even get a chance to address the problem. When you respond to the writer be professional. My clients mistakenly decided to offend the blogger and demand they remove the review. Unfortunately, this caused a small back and forth war for a year. Instead explain the parts of the review that you don’t agree with and tell them why you don’t agree. Also explain your point of view and thank them for pointing out a few things about your product assuring them that you are working on it. Also, provide ways to contact you directly.

If the blogger has a heart and a sense of professionalism they will write a follow up post about your product explaining to readers where they went wrong with the review and how delightful it was to speak with you personally. Don’t expect a total turn around, if the blogger didn’t like your product they still won’t have a change of heart but they could do a little damage control.

2. Comment on the blog
After you have responded to the blogger make a comment on the post clearly stating that you are “such and such” from the brand. Explain your thoughts clearly and non-offensively and invite readers to try the product for themselves.

If the blogger deletes your comment, email the blogger directly again and ask them politely to have your say. If that doesn’t work, write a post on your company blog addressing the bad review and linking to it.

Remember, don’t beat yourself up, don’t doubt your product and don’t give up. Popular brands get bad reviews all the time. It’s a part of the process. In this age of branding and conversing with consumers without any control…it can be tough to deal with. Just keep your head on straight and keep moving.

How would you deal with a bad product review? Join the conversation below.

I had the pleasure of interviewing  Jenn Hyman, the co-founder of Rent The Runway (RTR) . RTR has a unique business model that allows fashionistas to rent high end fashion apparel! Seriously… who wouldn’t love that?  Founded by two super smart and chic Harvard Business School graduates, RTR is literally the “Netflix of Fashion” and every recessionistas dream.

Online, some call you the “Netflix of fashion” because of your unique business model. Can you tell us what RTR is and how it works?

Rent the Runway is high fashion delivered to your doorstep for every woman whose ever felt that she has a closet full of clothes but nothing to wear. We enable women to rent designer dresses starting at just $50 for special occasion in their life – and in this way, we’re helping women experiment with new designers, new trends and have more fun with fashion without the stress of purchasing a dress you know you’ll only wear once. Once a woman is invited to our site, they’re encouraged to browse by date, color, style, occasion, or trend, to find an amazing dress from designers that include Herve Leger, Matthew Williamson, Proenza Schouler, and over 45 more. When she’s selected a dress she’d like to rent, she can choose the date she’d like it to arrive, and we’ll ship it to her in two sizes to ensure the perfect fit. Once she’s done, she can send it back in our pre-paid envelope and we’ll take care of all the rest! Starting at the beginning of April, you can rent accessories alongside your dress – so that you can get the complete look.

The story I’m most interested in is conception. Founded by two women, both Harvard Business School grads and both named Jennifer. It sounds like a perfect match! How did you meet and how did the idea of RTR form?

I (Jenn Hyman) met Jenny at Harvard Business School where they were close friends and sectionmates. Over Thanksgiving break, I was back home in NYC and saw my very fashionable younger sister Becky (now Rent the Runway’s accessory buyer!) struggle with what to what to wear to an upcoming wedding. Becky wanted to wear Marchesa or Herve Leger or Matthew Williamson, but on her meager salary a designer experience seemed impossible. I thought about the huge amount of social pressure there is for women to constantly refresh their wardrobe (especially as Facebook kills outfits – you can no longer wear that hot dress with two different groups of friends) and the high expense of doing this. Often we accommodate by wearing the same old LBD from our closet or buying something cheap that doesn’t make us feel as fabulous or beautiful as we’d like. I thought – what if women like Becky could have the dream? Access to the ultimate closet without the guilt. A few days later I came back to school and told Jenny about Becky’s dilemma and they went to work creating a company. A short time later, Rent the Runway was born!

How important of a part does technology and social media play in promoting and marketing RTR?
Very important! We love social media because it allows us to interact with our members and really understand what they’re looking for. We’re working on even more ways to integrate social media into our site, like allowing people to ask their friends what dress the prefer, sharing rentals or faves with their friends, and more. We also get some of our best feedback on twitter and facebook and get to see some of our customers in their dresses when they share them with us on facebook!

If RTR could give other online retailers advice on standing out from the massive online crowd, what would it be?

We try and make our clothes and our brand accessible but we understand that women want to rent the more fashion-forward editorial dresses that they wouldn’t necessarily buy. We listen to our customers and try to create a memorable experience by making our stylists available by chat or by phone to ensure that any customer can understand what works for them and what doesn’t.

RTR is a huge supporter of top named designers.  However, are there emerging designers that RTR offers to their renters? If so, what are some new talents that RTR loves?
We love Prabal Gurung, Christian Cota, and Frank Tell. We hope to add more emerging designers every season.

What makes RTR different from other fashion “rental” sites like Bag Borrow Steal?

We work directly with all of our designers to bring their fashion to women who would not normally have access to them because of the high price tag. We also aim to give women complete looks before all the special occasions in their life.

Lastly, if RTR could be summed up in one sentence, what would it be?
RTR is access to the Carrie Bradshaw closet – without the high price commitment!

Join Rent The Runway: http://www.renttherunway.com/

RTR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RentTheRunway

RTR on Twitter: http://twitter.com/renttherunway

Finally, fashion magazines are embracing technology and if successful and innovative, could figure out a way to allow print to make a much needed comeback. After reading my March glossies, here are some trends that I noticed:

1. Editorial Focuses On Technology

• This month in March’s Vogue bloggers Michelle Phan, Todd Selby, Tommy Ton, Yvan Rodic, BryanBoy, Hanneli Mustaparta, Garance Dore, Catherine Kallon, and Mary Tomer were showcased.
• InStyle featured a nubmer of high tech ed pieces including:
  • “LOG ON NOW” section that featured their favorite Tweets from followers (@bait4snake, @callieezell3 and @natneagle) as well as 3D videos that showcase the seasons latest pieces
  • “what’s NOW!” section that displayed the new HP Mini Vivienne Tam Digital Clutch and Dell laptops that match with OPI nail colors
  • “the Look | MAN OF STYLE” section which featured the face of Twitter, Ashton Kutcher, and displayed his famous tweets, his follower numbers and his tweeting schedule
  • “Life, etc. | ETIQUETTE” section which displayed expert tips on communicating politely online

2. Advertisers Embrace Social Media & Online Shopping

• Nine West, Kenneth Cole and KY all featured the fact that they were on Twitter and Facebook in their March ads
• Online stores paid for full page ads including www.giuseppezanottidesign.com which featured its March 2010 online opening of their e-boutique and e-collection

3. Tech Companies Put Ads In Fashion Magazines

• Bing showed fashionistas how they can search and buy the latest “IT” bags
• HP showcased the HP Envy 15 & Vivenne Tam laptops as the latest accessory this Spring along with Calvin Kline heels, Vivenne Tam clutch, Alexis Bittar bangle and Vivienne Tam butterfly scarf
• Verizon advertised their new Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi Plus as the “IT” gadget for moms and women on the go

4. Fashion Mags Advertised Their Digital Products

• Producers featured an ad for the release of the September Issue which featured options to digitally download the movie and they displayed their Facebook url www.facebook.com/theseptemberissue
• Vogue, Vanity Fair and InStyle advertised their Mobile Apps which ranged from Holloywood inside news to personal styling
• InStyle featured a special advertising section were readers could hold up ads in front of their web cam and special 3D shopping offers would be shown to them

What do you think? Join the discussion below.

I super “HEART” these Twitter ID necklace from Survival of the Hippest.  When I saw them I was immediately reminded of Carrie’s ID Necklace on Sex and The City. Well… even before Carrie, ID jewelry were really hot in the early 90’s… what better way to take an old school trend and bring it into today’s information age?

You can get your own Twitter ID necklace, bracelet, tie-pin, anklets or keychain in Sterling Silver, gold or even with diamonds.  Great for fashion businesses who need more followers when you are at networking events or shows.

The duo behind the Twitter chic accessories are Ashley and Phoebe.  Follow them on Twitter:
http://Twitter.com/Pluckypea
http://Twitter.com/TheHippest

As a fashion marketer I am excited about the new opportunities. I’m hoping the new Twitter-ad platform will solve some major marketing issues for my clients and my readers who own fashion businesses. However, as a Tweeter and consumer… I’m nervous. I really don’t want my Twitter feed to be bombarded by tons of products and ads.

After thinking about it, I’m hoping Twitter has figured out a way to juggle loyal users and revenue to make everyone happy. If I had a wish list of things I wanted the ad-platform to address based on my role as a fashion marketer and a consumer/user it would probably look like this:

THE MARKETER’S WISHLIST:

Problem:  A Twitter feed has a lifespan of seconds, even shorter if a user follows a lot of people.
I’m hoping the new ad-platform will allow marketers to advertise in more places than the feed. Meaning that certain Tweets will be given a hover affect where it floats on the top of a Twitter feed for 5 minutes or so before dropping down. I’m also hoping some ads will be allowed to be put on the sidebar, above the feed or at the bottom of a feed.

Problem: Tweeters can easily choose to un-follow you or not follow you at all never giving you a chance to expose your product or service to them
I’m hoping ads will follow the FB model where we are targeting users based on their taste and preferences not just based on if they are following me personally or following a paid celebrity.

Problem: You could technically spend all day trying to keep up with followers, unfollowing people, organizing customers, developing Twitter strategies, working with different Twitter platforms etc. To be really effective Twitter can become a full time job for a marketer.
Crossing my fingers that with the new Twitter ad-platform there is an amazing interface for marketers where they can not only track effectiveness and ROI but also track users who have made purchases, manage company followers, etc…

Problem: The only effective advertising right now is the pay per tweet model where you pay celebrities and Twitter influentials to market a product. First, after the blogger crackdown by the FTC, I’m not sure how long that will last, and secondly that model sucks.
I HATE PAID TWEETING. I think it undermines the trust of consumers who really want to know what celebrities are wearing and using. I’m hoping with the new ad-platform these pay-per-tweet models will shut down.

THE TWEETER’S WISHLIST:

Problem: I hate my stream cluttered with people who only talk about products. Every time I get on Twitter I’m unfollowing someone because of this.
With the new ad-platform I wish Twitter would allow users to choose to turn ads on and off. I know there is a rumor of allowing users to pay to be advertising free…I’m not sure if that’s the right model to use, but I hope there is some sort of option.

Problem: I can’t check my Direct Messages anymore. I think Twitter should just remove this from Twitter. It’s literally like a huge Spam inbox for advertisers. I don’t even try to find messages from friends. If they don’t @reply they should email me or send me a message on FB. Sending me a DM on Twitter is the worst way anyone could ever send me a message.
I really hope they just get rid of DM’s…or Twitter will allow me to just turn them off.

PROBLEM: I hate repetition. The internet is full of regurgitation and the one thing I loved about Twitter was you never knew what was going to be on your stream. Now everyone is constantly re-tweeting and sending out the same messages all day.
I’m hoping that as more advertisers use the ad-platform they will stop constantly tweeting about products (yeah right). Then tweets will be more focused on what I love most about Twitter…getting people to say what they want while getting straight to the point. That’s what Twitter is all about.

What do you want to see from the new Twitter Ad Platform? Join the discussion below.

Some people say Kaboodle took social shopping to the next level. Did you think at the time Kaboodle would become a household fashion/technology name?

When we started, we were trying to solve a problem that we had all personally experienced as consumers – the challenge of “findability” of lifestyle goods on the web. It’s not easy to find cool, interesting, compelling products when you’re faced with millions of general search engine results. Like so many start-ups, we focused on solving a personal issue, knowing that others must also be having the same experience. We thought Kaboodle would be big because of the value it would offer, but we didn’t know how big. Kaboodle’s basic ability of allowing users to add products from any site on the web to their personal Kaboodle lists provided an immediate recognizable value to consumers and as the community grew, word quickly spread. Today, we have more than 15 million people visiting the Kaboodle site every month.

Your mission focuses on the consumer. However other retailers, like JCPenney, have partnered with the site. What does Kaboodle offer for smaller retailers and how important is that relationship to you?

Kaboodle’s mission is to make it easy for people to find the products they love and partnering with retailers helps us achieve that mission. The great thing about Kaboodle is that all of the products in our catalog have been added by users like you and me. That creates an even playing field for retailers where a handmade necklace from a small indie seller could be featured right next to a sweater from a large, nationwide department store. The Kaboodle community has added products from over 100,000 stores to the site and when consumers are browsing or searching, they are just as likely to find products from Etsy as they are from JCPenney or Target.

Our goal is to help consumers find the right products, and to that end, retailers, both large and small, are important stakeholders. We provide value to both consumers and retailers by connecting the two in unique, engaging and authentic ways. While we have had extremely successful, high-profile partnerships with major retailers, we also provide a number of ways for smaller partners to reach prospective customers on Kaboodle.

Any retailer can easily partner with Kaboodle simply by adding the “Add to Kaboodle” button to their site. This allows consumers to add that retailer’s products directly to their own personal Kaboodle lists, without ever leaving the retailer’s site. We recently launched an enhanced version of the “Add to Kaboodle” button, making it even easier for partners to embed (and easier for consumers to use!).

We also offer a couple of programs for smaller retailers that allow them to feature and highlight products, leverage some of the community’s tools (for example, they can poll the community to ask what product they prefer), and engage directly with consumers via our peer-to-peer messaging platform.

Being in the 2 fastest growing industries in the world (fashion and technology) how do you keep up while staying true to Kaboodle mission “shopping for people, by people”

By keeping our eyes on the consumer at all times. We aim to make her life easier and more convenient every single day by helping her discover new products, create wish lists, build weekly shopping lists, and share cool stuff with others. Everything we do is focused on simplifying her shopping journey and making the experience as enjoyable as possible. As the consumer becomes savvier, Kaboodle remains forward-thinking, anticipating our audience’s needs, demands and expectations.

What future changes can we look forward to seeing in the next year or 2 with Kaboodle?

We want to be wherever our consumers are (and wherever they want us to be) so one key area of focus is to make Kaboodle available on multiple platforms, whether it’s the web, on her phone, on another social networking site or even on retailer sites themselves.

Second, we have just launched real-time product search on our site, providing yet another dimension to our overall product search and browse functionality. We’re pioneering this advanced technology, so expect to see a lot more innovation from us in the area of real-time search. Behind the scenes, Kaboodle has patented and patent-pending technology which makes the consumer’s experience extremely rich and rewarding.

And of course, we will continue to surprise and delight consumers with the overall experience and the ability to consistently find the best products on the web!

Let’s talk about information overload. With so many social shopping sites popping up and all this information on the web including Google products and Facebook fan pages ran by retailers, how do you stay away from overloading users with information that’s not relative?

Kaboodle actually helps consumers deal with the challenge of information overload by providing them with the tools to save and organize their finds and by providing a rich catalog of products that have already been advocated in some way by other community members. In essence, the community has helped each other cut through the chaff and focus on the wheat.

Further, Kaboodle’s clustering technology allows the site to automatically group and identify the same product uploaded from different sources as a single item, while the site’s classifier determines which category it fits best. Collectively, these technologies enable consumers a cleaner and more relevant shopping experience through filtered searches, structured browsing, and the discovery of millions of products added by users.

Also, it’s really the consumers who control the dialogue on Kaboodle and as a result, the conversations are authentic, relevant and valuable. While we do partner with retail advertisers, we avoid a standard one-way approach to advertising and instead aim for authentic and transparent approaches that give the consumer the value she’s looking for.

In your words, what is Fashion 3.0 and how are you preparing for it?

Fashion 3.0 is about people. Certainly the fashion itself continues to play a central role, but people are the conduit for that fashion, more than they ever have been before. Certain people, like magazine editors, have always had influence, but now droves of individual shopping and fashion enthusiasts have the tools and the platforms to convey their own brand of influence. Technology in a Fashion 3.0 world connects individuals across the country and around the world and helps break down boundaries, allowing (and enabling) every individual to find and define his/her personal style and not be bound by parameters like geography. Fashion 3.0 is about global influence combined with smart local decisions and Kaboodle is well-positioned to facilitate both.

Special thanks to Kaboodle and Manish for taking time out of their busy schedules to join our discussions.  You too can join the conversation by commenting below.

This year at the Fashion Techie we’ve been thinking about the future of fashion and technology. We’ve reached a new decade this year, at NYFW there are more social media and fashion events than I can count and many companies have stepped forward and embraced fashion and technology as a part of life.

Even though fashion is late to the social media and technology scene, we’ve made amazing strides over the last two years. I’ve personally been blogging about fashion and technology since December 2007. After 4 years its very obvious that change is in the air.   I recently did a post on Fashion 3.0 and what it means; the response we received through email  has been tremendous. As a result, we’ve reached out to the leaders of Fashion and social media (Etsy, ThisNext, Stylefeeder and Kaboodle) and asked them one question….

What path do you think fashion and technology will take in the next 5 years?

Tyson Woeste | Head of Product for Curatemedia (Parent company of ThisNext and Stylehive)

Fashion and technology will be about all the same things they are today. I think the difference will be what’s hard and what’s easy. It used to hard to design, manufacture and sell a line. Technology is making all those steps easy- the tools of design, production, and retail are available to anyone with sufficient talent and motivation. But with these tools in everyone’s hands, the hard part will be getting noticed. This is true to some extent today, but I think it will become more extreme over the next 5 years. It will be about developing a brand, getting attention, and connecting to an audience. At Curatemedia, we refer to this problem broadly as “discovery” and it is the purpose of the company- connecting people with the products, brands, stores and trends that matter to them. As thousands and thousands of brands and stores proliferate online it will be harder and harder to find the best thing for you as an individual. Curatemedia’s goal is to sift through this confusion, curate the web’s vast offerings, and offer the very best product discovery and shopping experience anywhere.

Manish Chandra | Founder and CEO of Kaboodle

Fashion 3.0 is about people. Certainly the fashion itself continues to play a central role, but people are the conduit for that fashion, more than they ever have been before. Certain people, like magazine editors, have always had influence, but now droves of individual shopping and fashion enthusiasts have the tools and the platforms to convey their own brand of influence. Technology in a Fashion 3.0 world connects individuals across the country and around the world and helps break down boundaries, allowing (and enabling) every individual to find and define his/her personal style and not be bound by parameters like geography. Fashion 3.0 is about global influence combined with smart local decisions and Kaboodle is well-positioned to facilitate both.

Alison Feldster | Style Editor, Etsy Blog

As the style editor for Etsy’s blog, a fashion junkie and a bonafide Internet addict, I can only hazard to dream of where the world of fashion will be in 2015. The fact that 13-year-old blog wunderkind Tavi of Style Rookie is muse for fashion favorite Rodarte, featured in glossy magazine spreads and sitting in the front row of runway shows, attests to the fact that the aristocratic world of “Fashion with a capital F” is dying a slow and painful death. The industry that once dictated the trends to its readers is now gleaning influence from a new set of sources: street style photographers like Garance Dore and the Sartorialist, trendsetting style bloggers (and Etsy lovers) Susie Bubble and Queen Michelle of Kingdom of Style, and the many talented independent Etsy clothing designers — such as knitter Yokoo and accessories guru I Heart Norwegian Wood — who have chopped down and made kindling of the rigid ladder that once had to be climbed. Etsy allows these designers to divert the typical path to design renown and make a name for themselves in a supportive community of artists and craftspeople.

As for the future, I think that what was once viewed as the “alternative” route to success will become the norm. Web 2.0 has legitimized crowd sourcing as an extremely valuable way to find new voices and unique viewpoints. The true trendsetters will be making their names through viral blog posts and small-scale production of innovative clothing lines — with an enthusiastic and engaged audience propelling them toward the mainstream. I believe the intersection of fashion and technology will be centered around the innovation of individuals — not big name corporations dictating what’s “hot.” Trend forecasting, be gone!

Stay tuned tomorrow for our one on one interview with Manish Chandra, Founder and CEO of Kaboodle.

Q. “What does a great Twitter contest look like?”

Well, the example I love best is Overstock.com’s Mt. Kilmanjaro 7 Days to Summit Contest. Why?

They used Twitter to run the contest but they made sure to give the contest it’s own url on its website: http://www.overstock.com/30650/static.html?cid=148647 which included:

1. A great webpage banner designed specifically for the contest
2. Detailed information about the contest
3. Information on how to enter
4. Twitter search embed displaying all tweets with the #7DaystoSummit hash tag
5. Retweet button so you don’t have to copy and paste what to retweet to win. (If you need a retweet button for your site for a particular item use Click to Tweet)
6. Clear images of prizes that can be won each day

They ran the contest for an entire week to make sure that they stayed engaged with Twitter:

1. They announced each day of the contest

Overstock We’re on day four of our #7DaystoSummit twitter contest! Four great prizes for today’s winner! Enter here – http://bit.ly/4p52Jy

2. They announced the end of each day of the contest

Overstock 30 Minutes left to enter Overstock.com’s  #7DaystoSummit contest! Three prizes for our winner today! Enter here: http://bit.ly/4p52Jy

Overstock Today’s #7DaystoSummit contest has ended! Thanks to every one who participated. We’ll announce our winner within one hour!

3. They announced each winner everyday

Overstock Congratulations to @brittanyam! She wins the prize package for our #7DaystoSummit twitter #giveaway! Hope you’ll join us gain tomorrow!

They remembered that all their customers aren’t on Twitter or maybe missed the Twitter contest and provided another way to enter on their website http://www.overstock.com/mt-kili?cid=148727.

If you have any questions about online marketing and online public relations that you would like to see on our blog contact me at info@thefashiontechie.com

The most profound statement came from Curatemedia’s CEO Scott Morrow:

“In 2009, we saw companies in the market with unclear value propositions, failed business models and poor execution go out of business. To the contrary, we have emerged stronger, better and in a position to lead the category as the largest independent social shopping property. The market opportunity is enormous and we expect to aggressively grow our business with additional acquisitions in 2010.”

This is new acquisition is an important indicator of the next phase of fashion online and the emergence of Fashion 3.0:

1. Fashion and technology is reaching new depths and heights. Companies that keep up with both industries effectively will survive. Those who don’t will eventually be weeded out.

2. Information overload is a serious issue and the complaints were heard over and over in 2009. The fact that many social shopping networks failed in 2009 is a clear indicator that consumers want to go to less places and get more done online

3. Fashion businesses need to understand that  fashion and social media is not a “trend” – it’s here to stay and understanding how to utilize it can effect your marketing reach.

I’m personally looking forward to seeing what happens next and where Curatemedia will take this new venture. The exciting part is that ThisNext raised a Series C round of funding (to the tune of 1.2 million) from a number of investors that will provide registered users with new shopping tools and advanced ecommerce functionality.

Quick Facts for Newbies

Social Shopping: Social shopping is a combination of social media, e-commerce and traditional shopping. Using technology like wisdom crowds, registered users collect products, prices and deals while sharing shopping list, collages, articles, recommendations and more.

Fashion 3.0: Fashion 3.0, like Web 3.0, is the next generation of online fashion and according to experts, should occur between now and 2020. Fashion 3.0 consist of taking everything we learned and developed from Fashion 2.0 and making web applications that are more intelligent.

Stylehive: Stylehive is a fashion and beauty community dedicated to uncovering the styles, trends and products that shape the world of fashion and beauty. With over 600,000 registered users, the Stylehive community reveals the best new products from across the Web. Editors and bloggers provide an editorial layer on top of the crowd sourced content, providing comprehensive coverage.

ThisNext: Founded in 2006 by a team of seasoned Internet entrepreneurs, ThisNext changed the way people discover and shop for products online. Santa Monica based, ThisNext serves millions of consumers every month as the Web’s best place to discover the products, brands, trends and people that shape the future of what’s next.