Vogue Shopping Commerce Production Edit Test.
A five part edit test exploring strategic inventory management, Vogue audience insights, newsletter optimization, personalized product recommendations, and competitive analysis.
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Part One.
Inventory & Optimization Check
Elizabeth reviewed 3 live articles on Vogue.com, which contained 85+ products varying from ladylike jackets, to raffia bags, to small pumps. Elizabeth noted 45 discrepancies from broken links and price changes to out-of -stock products. For products that were out-of-stock, Elizabeth suggested either alternative retailer(s) where the product was currently available to purchase, or a similar product to serve as a replacement.
Part Two.
Understanding the Vogue Shopping’s audience
After identifying two articles that Elizabeth loved on the Vogue Shopping site, she was then tasked with explaining why, in her opinion, these articles made sense for the Vogue audience.
Here is what she wrote at a glance:
Article 1 - Are Capri Leggings Really Back?
“Capri Leggings are one of those trends that I was scared to hear were coming back. Partly because of my stint in Junior High when I, along with everyone else, wore the iconic PINK fold-over yoga leggings with the pink cheetah print waist band. From a fashion perspective, what makes Capri leggings seem inaccessible is the lack of understanding of how to style them and how to truly make them look good.
In comes this article; it details precisely how to style capris and how, you too, can look good in them. What makes this article so effective, and a perfect addition to the content for the Vogue Shopping audience, is how Alexis details that capris aren’t just a random fad we saw on Kendall Jenner, but a trend that has been seen on the runway (with photographic evidence).”
Article 2 - Denim Lovers, Rejoice!
“What initially drew me to click on this article was the captivating visual movement of the hero image. But what kept me hooked was the seamless blend of visuals, relatable content, and expert personalized curation. The consistency of this article is satisfying. Right off the bat, the hero image encapsulates the essence of the article’s title, creating a seamless connection between visual and textual elements; they are one in the same. The title itself makes me want to rejoice; someone has finally addressed the need for comfy jeans and has created a detailed guide consisting of the best of the best comfy jeans. While the title leans into a fun and flirty tone, it still maintains Vogue’s status as an opinion leader within the fashion industry.
Once again, this article addresses a common problem: rigid denim is uncomfortable, while offering a solution: Vogue-approved options with some stretch but without the typical stretch fibers like elastane and spandex. This article is relatable, we all want to find that perfect pair of jeans that is actually comfy but is also stylish. One key trait of the Vogue audience is that they want to be stylish in every aspect of their lives, even in comfort. Moreover, the combination of variety and personalization really speaks to me, and to the diverse taste of the Vogue audience.”
In addition, Elizabeth was tasked with selecting one article that could be improved visually and to suggest the changes that would benefit the piece.
Here is what she wrote at a glance:
Article 3 - These Are the Buzziest Under-$300 Micro Trends
“This article piqued my interest as I love micro-trends AND this edit is under $300. The best combination. However, I do think this article could be improved visually. The hero image, for instance, does not give me a grasp on what specific micro trends will be included in this article. While each model is wearing one of the micro trends, it is difficult to distinguish without reading the article… I think this article could definitely benefit from implementing some visually diverse features to re-engage users throughout. Including additional images, where applicable, of these micro trends in real life would give readers inspiration. How are people styling them? What did it look like on the runway? Furthermore, another aspect that characterizes this article is that it offers so many great options for each trend, however, it forces the reader to have to scroll for a while. Moreover, as attention spans are shortening, it can be easy to lose people when they have to continually scroll to get to content, so, unless they are keen on implementing micro trends into their personal style, many readers may stop reading before they get to the bottom.”
Part Three.
Building & Optimizing Newsletters
Elizabeth was presented with a newsletter template (pictured on the left) with the subject line: “The Minimalist’s Guide to Dressing for the Beach”
She was to answer these questions: What could we be doing better visually? How would you reformat the newsletter to encourage clicks? Are there changes you would make (ie., reorganizing story order, editing headlines/decks, link additions) to better optimize the template?
From this template, Elizabeth created a mockup template (pictured on the right) with the new subject line: “Wardrobe Essentials to Beach the Minimalist Way”
Elizabeth made adjustments throughout “The Get” newsletter to create consistency with other Vogue newsletters and ensure a cohesive brand identity, including fonts, colors, and other stylistic tendencies. While maintaining the newsletter’s original flow of content–which she believed to be effective–Elizabeth introduced two additional sections to increase engagement and aid in additional clicks.
Elizabeth suggested 14 changes for the newsletter, these alterations consists of adding more CTAs, reformatting, reorganizing content, and creating and adding links to optimize the template. She structured the email to provide users with immediate engagement opportunities so users no longer have to scroll multiple times to get to stoppable or visibly clickable content.
Part Four.
Product Recommendations
POV: you are a Buyer’s Rejoice subject, what is one recent purchase you would want to talk about? Tell us about it in 100-200 words and why you think Vogue Shopping’s audience would enjoy it.
The Pink Gazelle
“Yes, I know, another nod to a sneaker that’s part of the viral Adidas Samba family. But this shoe is different, trust me. I’ve been looking for different ways to add pops of color to my wardrobe, and the Adidas Gazelle “Pink Glow” Platform sneakers do just the trick. These shoes have become part of my weekly rotation, they are the perfect blend of a sporty aesthetic with a touch of feminine flair. They are a practical staple and versatile for running errands or meeting friends for brunch; I find myself constantly reaching for them as they are the perfect statement piece to spice up a neutral outfit. If you don’t like platforms, don’t worry, these come in standard Adidas Gazelle fashion as well.”
Introduction to ShopBazaar
ShopBazaar has been able to brand itself as an e-commerce site; for better or worse, they steer clear from including articles on this site. So, apart from edits, ShopBazaar situates itself much closer to an e-commerce site than a Magazine. While this does provide for a clean and easy shopping experience, it also creates a loss of brand authority as it almost feels like a completely separate brand, one that is not a part of Harper’s Bazaar. While completing this analysis, several features across the site stood out to Elizabeth:
Part 1 – Very shoppable, especially on mobile
Part 2 – Native checkout
Part 3 – Neiman Marcus Shop, collaboration every Spring
Part 4 – Sophisticated filter and sort feature for shoppable content
Part 5 – Offering first time shoppers 10% off when they input their email and phone number
Part 6 – SMS messaging
Part 1
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Feature 1, Content Block – On the home page, ShopBazaar utilizes a unique content block to showcase designers that the Harper’s Bazaar editors are currently loving, adding to the visual diversity of the home page.
Feature 2, Navigation – Every navigation item contains a series of subcategories that are organized into two options: “Shop by” to directly shop by item type AND "Get Inspired” to shop edits, titled by situation or trend (i.e. Chic Escapes) that the editors at Harper’s Bazaar have curated.
Feature 3, Condensed Content Block – ShopBazaar’s “Featured Shops” content blocks utilize a grid layout to offer four different edits that users can to navigate to on a singular line, conducive to shopping. This feature is even more effective on mobile as user can see all four edits on their screen at once.
Feature 4, Carousels – ShopBazaar implements multiple carousels on their mobile homepage, users can simply slide their finger horizontally across the screen to get to the next piece of shoppable content, mitigating the need for buttons that block visibility on either side of the content blocks.
Part 2
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ShopBazaar so closely resemble an e-commerce site due to its native checkout experience. When shopping an item, users are not redirected to an external tab and it, therefore, is much easier to keep users on the ShopBazaar site for longer, reducing the likelihood of a user abandoning their session. The ability to add items to cart encourages continued browsing, amplifying user engagement and retention, and even encouraging the purchase of multiple items. Implementing a native checkout experience provides ShopBazaar with the opportunity to leverage Google Shopping Ads to bid on searches.
Part 3
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ShopBazaar hosts “The Neiman Marcus Shop,” which exists as a distinct shopping category on their site. This partnership with Neiman Marcus elevates the shopping experience as it provides Harper’s Bazaar with the opportunity to make curated selections that are uniquely tailored to the Harper’s Bazaar's audience, adding an exclusive allure to the shop.
Part 4
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The ShopBazaar site has implemented a sophisticated filtering and sorting feature to make their content extremely shoppable. Users are able to filter by “Category,” “Designer,” “Fashion Color,” “Color Eyes,” and “Size.” Their “Sort By” feature consists of “Newest,” “Price: low to high,” “Price: high to low,” and “Editor Recommended.” While the majority of these features are common, the ability to sort by “Editor Recommended” is what makes this otherwise seemingly e-commerce site unique. This option underscores Harper Bazaar’s role as a tastemaker in the industry and it brings the user back to this idea that this is a curated shopping experience created by various knowledgeable leaders in the fashion industry.
Part 5
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ShopBazaar entices first-time shoppers with a 10% discount on their first order upon providing their email address and phone number. This incentive not only encourages shopping on the site but it also enhances the overall shopping experience by making users feel they are getting a deal. This inherently makes their content more "shoppable" ads it has become more accessible. Additionally, users can get a 15% off discount when they sign up for the ShopBazaar Newsletter, again incentivizing users to engage with ShopBazaar. On the other hand, this strategy also grants ShopBazaar more opportunities to contact users via both email and SMS.
Part 6
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The integration of SMS messaging into the ShopBazaar platform is a highly effective e-commerce strategy, making their content more convenient for shoppers to shop, which increases accessibility and shoppability. By sending text messages directly to customers’ inboxes to promote their edits, ShopBazaar engages users instantly. SMS offers the ultimate mobile-friendly experience, hooking users right in their text message inbox. Unlike emails, which can be automatically filtered into folders and potentially overlooked, SMS are more likely to be seen and read promptly.