A
company that got it very right when it comes to the e-commerce territory is the
online fashion store heavy weight Net-a-Porter. For
brands that are entering the digital market, Net-a-Porter is one to take some
tips from. And no I’m not just referring to their branded same-day service vans
which can be spotted zipping around the streets of London and New York.
A. Service is Paramount
Consumers are now demanding that companies don’t
merely serve them, but do so in a personalized way. Having grown exponentially
over the last decade Net-a-Porter has not let this waver their excellent
service. I'm talking seamless online ordering and
processing, an easy returns policy, great customer care and perfectly packaged
garments that can make any girl swoon. The picture of the Net-a-Porter black box wrapped with a dainty black and white ribbon is the Hermès orange box standard of fame. It's no wonder that their net worth has
risen to the hefty heights of $3.4 billion.
B. Disrupting the Digital Landscape
In
today’s digital environment, the consumer appetite for a high-quality customer
experience is a given and, as a result, e-commerce is ripe for disruption
through innovative customer service and experience. Net-a-Porter’s
fusion of content and commerce is what led it to stand out from similar
retailers.
The fashion juggernaut saw the importance of incorporating human talents alongside
sending to print their own publication “Porter”- as a service to its beloved
customer. Last time I was writing away about Net-a-Porter
was because they were about to send Porter to the printers for the first time. As a side note I did purchase Porter for the first time
the other week and found it to have the soul of a Myer catalogue, but that's
another story.
C. Engage your target consumer
It's often said that today's customer is connected, empowered and impatient. This refers to the Net-a-Porter woman precisely. She is connected with the global fashion industry, actively uses Instagram and dreams of it all. Although the empowering of consumers has meant that companies are now in an arms race to build customer service and experience across a multitude of channels. Net-a-Porter has managed to create an organic, genuine and loyal following. Something that cannot be created with the click of the fingers. The customers are definitely both the backbone and driving force of Net-a-Porter, and it will strive to facilitate their every need. Net-a-Porter's constant creation of relevant content is what keeps it moving. They are industry leaders on both the instagram and twitter front's and their iPad "Notebook" app is a dream. Onwards and upwards.
“The most important thing, certainly today, is to follow the consumer. Technology and the consumer are changing so quickly.”
-Natalie Massenet
The subsequent rise of e-commerce, led by the fashion giants of Net-A-Porter, their brother store Mr.Porter (and let's not forget their little sister, The Outnet), has let to us as consumers being able to shop marked down "sale" items virtually all year round.
