Shopping inspiration comes from a range of sources. For me buying things boils down to what I like and how it will work with what I have, including in my wardrobe and in my home. Yet, I enjoy visiting retailers' websites to see what they have lined up for the season and in some cases I end up buying, either online or in the store.
The other day, while browsing the bloomingdales.com website, I noticed that a number of listings included the banner:"IN DEMAND 5 bought in the last 5 days." An enlarged image of the banner is directly below.
Based on my nearly one hour eyeball review of the website, I noticed the majority of the listings ldid not include an "IN DEMAND" banner.
The notion that five of the same items purchased (including the different colorways that are available) meant the product is highly sought after seemed odd to me.
Five purchases is a low threshold. I believe a store such as Bloomingdale's with billions of dollars in sales would use a higher number of sales to consider an item "IN DEMAND."
The Bloomingdale's website also includes the banners "POPULAR viewed X number of times recently" and "MOST WANTED: X recently added to bag." I was unable to locate what the timeframe recently means. Is it this today? This week? This month? An enlarged image of each of these banners is directly below.
Other retailers also incorporate a form of a popularity indicator on their websites. Nordstrom's website for instance, lists the number of people viewing an item and to the right side of the item lists several similar looking items with the word "Popular" next to it. This "Popular" item could be the same brand or another brand.
Below are a few examples on the bloomingdales.com website with the"IN DEMAND 5 bought in the last 5 days" banner displayed with the listing I saw a few days ago. The link to each item is provided.
Of note, when I checked today, only one of these nine items shown below includes the banner "IN DEMAND 5 items were bought in the last 5 days", though the website shows other items with this banner.
Shoes
Jimmy Choo Romy Pumps https://tinyurl.com/84nwj45n.
Gucci Horsebit Leather Ballet Flats https://tinyurl.com/2wtubmpz
Gucci Original GG Loe Top Platform Sneakers https://tinyurl.com/ynrhz7d9
Handbags
Cult Gaia Eos Box Clutch https://tinyurl.com/5n9y2cjn
MZ Wallace Woven Box Crossbody https://tinyurl.com/yezcp776
Tory Burch T Monogram Shoulder Bag https://tinyurl.com/4dpwzvdh
Home Goods
Vertuo Next Deluxe by Breville with Aeroccino Milk Frother, Dark Chrome https://tinyurl.com/3mb7mx8c
Voluspa Goji Tarocco Orange 5 Wick Hearth Candle https://tinyurl.com/mdwfr2jf
Mackenzie-Childs Courtly Check Enamel Pedestal Platter - Large https://tinyurl.com/b4zeupjf
I wonder if the banners displaying "IN DEMAND" "POPULAR" or "MOST WANTED" have an impact on shoppers' purchasing choices. It is likely that these banners, being prominently featured in the listings, do play a role for those looking to purchase trendy or sought after items. Are you swayed by these labels? Do you find them useful?
How does Bloomingdale's and other retailers use this information generated by shoppers clicking for visual and price promotion and inventory management? Below are a few more areas I'd love to learn about:
How helpful are these categories for Bloomingdale's and other retailers to improve customer service?
How often do the appropriate internal teams review and act on this information?
What changes have been made as a result of these categories?
I'm looking forward to seeing if these banners will continue and /or amended.
Comments