With free viral marketing exposure through venues like TV’s American Idol program, teen fashions retailer The Wet Seal Inc. is preparing to kick up its marketing with tools like search engine and affiliate marketing, the retailer says.
The Wet Seal has been growing its online sales in recent years without a formal online marketing strategy, says Adam Silverman, senior manager of e-commerce. “We haven’t done much online marketing, but our sales are way up,” he tells InternetRetailer.com, noting that sales rose 27% year-over-year in 2005 to about $14 million.
Instead, The Wet Seal has focused on developing its two web sites, WetSeal.com and ArdenB.com, as sources of both fashion-forward apparel and information on trends as expressed by its visitors, Silverman says. For example, visitors to its home page are encouraged to participate in its “Stylizer” program, through which consumers contribute their views about fashion trends, participate in online fashion design projects and share information with other consumers. “We poll them about what they’re experiencing in their schools and get the pulse of fashion in their worlds,” Silverman says. “We’ve become a destination where teens can learn about how to be on top of fashion trends.”
This has resulted in a viral marketing effect and led to exposure on sites like AmericanIdol.com, where consumers can see apparel worn by contestants on the American Idol TV show, Silverman says. AmericanIdol.com shows images of the contestants as they performed on the TV show, with links to AdenB.com and other retailers that sell the featured merchandise.
“This has really helped to build up traffic and sales, so far with little online marketing,” Silverman says.
But now The West Seal is planning to spur new growth through a coordinated online marketing program that will include customer-segmented e-mail campaigns, search engine marketing, affiliate marketing, and loyalty programs that integrate with stores as well as web sites, Silverman says, adding that it will also improve online merchandising and site search.
“We’re looking to extend our growth in e-commerce,” he says.
Back...
