E-catalog: Web Content

Reports show that editorial content best achieves Internet customer retention. Making one’s site a resource for information related to your products draws buyers back to your site when they aren’t looking to buy, and provides a sales vehicle when they are buying.

Content can do everything from establish brand to build community to tap into the power of suggestive selling. Melissa Davis, director of e-commerce for R.R. Donnelley Direct (RRD), says that editorial is a good place to integrate multiple channels of retailing. RRD has created a whole division devoted to e-commerce, and in addition to providing expertise on moving from print catalogs to the Web, the company also provides editorial content for Web sites.

One of its most recent clients is Limited Too, an apparel retailer for girls 8- to 12-years-old. Limited Too launched its content-only site in 1999. While Limited Too is confined by the new Child Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) that went into effect May 1, it independently decided to use editorial to develop a no-pressure site for its “girl” to build brand awareness and increase customer retention.

“The initial plan was to create a Web site that wasn’t necessarily commerce driven, but a place to extend brand and relate with the girl,” says Mickey Racine, director of Internet and e-commerce for Limited Too. “We wanted to offer a place where she could play games and try on clothes without a commerce drive.”

The site, uses content to repeatedly draw its target audience to the site, which visually mirrors Limited Too’s retail stores and its catazine, a combination catalog and magazine it mails. There, the girl—Limited Too’s target audience—can read about the latest fashion trends, lifestyle issues and play games. The content attempts to develop Limited Too as an authority on fashion.

The e-commerce channel marries the catalog with the Internet platform. Limited Too found that there is a lot of cross-over between the Internet and the catalog in terms of product and editorial content affinity, customer base and behavior.

“We made the catalog as interactive as possible, and we are looking to bring that over. We see a lot of ideas swapped back and forth,” says Davis.

All three channels have the same look and feel.

“It is chaotic, bright, loud and junky, almost like a scavenger hunt,” says Davis. “From the browsing standpoint it appeals to the girl, but to the mom, as well.”

The Site

Currently, the Web site is currently divided into four sections: fun, entertainment, fashion and shop, the latter was just introduced May 16. After having digested COPPA, Limited Too, decided to keep the sales channel clearly labeled and separate from the content parts of the site.

“The shopping channel is separate and distinct for legality in terms of marketing to minors on the Web,” says Davis who emphasizes that there is no direct or suggestive selling in the fun, entertainment and fashion sections to drive traffic to the shop channel.

The new site has a very large privacy policy stating that is doesn’t release private information of minors. The clickable disclaimer leads the viewer to a five page privacy policy that explains what gathered information is used for and by whom and outlines the result generated by each form. For instance the disclaimer describes what information the girl would supply if she filled out the “Sign Me Up Too!” form, and it details what the girl will receive and how frequently and its general content. The policy also supplies numerous contact addresses and customer service numbers.

In the fashion, fun and entertainment sections Limited Too can sell in an indirect way by providing checklists for activities, such as slumber parties, that contain items available through the catalog or the store, but never drives the girl to the shop channel. The company wants to develop itself as an influencing force in terms of fashion and trends for the 8- to 12-year-old girl, so that it prepares them to buy the styles at the Limited Too.

Content

For Limited Too it is important that the content be fresh and relevant to the girl and what she thinks about each day.

“It keeps them interested. It is really a retention tool, a way to get customers to come back to the site. It is easy, so it’s an effective way to provide info that will hopefully lead to a purchase,” says Racine.

RRD writes the copy for Limited Too, which supplies access to customer demographic and behavior information, plus customer interaction opportunities in stores and focus groups for RRD writers. The copy is refreshed on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.

The target audience’s reaction to the content is also used to track behavioral patterns that are then used to model purchase patterns.

“Our initial goal is to start understanding how the online purchaser behaves. Based on what we have seen, we have already decided the e-commerce channel will not contain all of the items we have available,” says Racine. Limited Too is also applying data gathered from its catazine to the e-commerce site. “In terms of our customer, we know from our catazine buyers that the mom is the actual buyer. So, currency or alternative payment methods will be a part of the equation” that Limited Too has to solve before moving online, says Racine.

Commerce, she says, is merely and extension of the site, the content is the driver of the site. “Then, we are always there for her,” says Racine.

New Site: Big DOGS

Since its site launch in October 1999, apparel cataloger Big Dogs has made a strong push to move its brand online.

The site is loaded with many of the same loveable St. Bernards and paw prints that track through the print catalog.

“The Big Dogs customer loves the site because it represents them. The layout and graphics are exactly what the Big Dogs customer identifies with ... It has its own unique style and craziness to it,” says Ken Burke, president of Petaluma, CA-based MultiMedia Live, who assisted with the redesign.

The second generation site also has more of the “customer-friendly” components seen these days, such as multiple ship-to, gift wrap and the hot button of the moment—Catalog Quick Find.

The Catalog Quick Find button allows the Internet shopper to input catalog order numbers to buy or find the merchandise quickly. It is something every cataloger should implement, whether an Internet beginner or online veteran. It builds a strong tie with print catalog shoppers, which encourages them to shop with you online in a way they understand.

Big Dogs contracted with MultiMedia Live to enhance its site and to provide some really functional technology. Internally, one the best features of this site is that Big Dogs staff can access every section of the site enabling them to update graphics and add merchandise.

Big Dogs used Multimedia Live’s E-Commerce and Merchandising engine, MarketPlace, to create a “deal” engine. Using customer information, past site shopping history and rules set by the Big Dog marketing department, users receive special discounts, free gifts and free shipping based on what they have purchased. All of this is automatically calculated by the system so the customer always gets the best deal.

To build brand loyalty, consumers are invited to join a club/membership that enables them to accumulate points toward free merchandise. Points are accumulated by shopping online and offline, are tallied automatically and seamlessly connected in the database.

To keep the traffic flowing, Big Dogs offers “Hallbarks,” an electronic personalized greeting card service. Owners also can post pictures of their dogs. Big Dogs participates in several affiliate marketing programs, including one with PetSmart. And it sends direct mail pieces to promote the Web site.