Information Technology Reference
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to be made in this regard is the format in which the website is to be presented.
Should it be in interactive flash mode, which supports image presentation,
or in HTML, which is optimal for text-based referencing on search engines?
The tendency has been for luxury e-stores to be flash-based while most of
the independent e-stores and department stores have opted for HTML-based
websites. The overall design concept and product presentation formats have
to be considered in making this decision. In the early days of e-retail, most of
the pioneers began by creating online stores in which products were presented
in a “square” format within frames. Several e-stores of department stores like
Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus are still at the “square” stage. The
subsequent e-retailers jumped on the bandwagon and the trend of e-boutiques
that resembled boxes in a puzzle game began. A few years down the line a
few online stores were changed and their new versions featured a black back-
ground. Suddenly nearly all luxury online stores caught the “black” bug and
the landscape changed to black. Currently, the bug has moved from black to
horizontal navigation with the proliferation of e-boutiques with horizontal
navigation modes since Luxury Culture introduced this in 2004 and Gucci
popularized it from 2005 (Figure 6.4). The appearance and presentation of
luxury e-boutiques, however, do not have to be uniform and clients are likely
to be put off by the sameness of luxury websites. The same applies to luxury
services websites like hotels and resorts as well as other categories ranging
from automobiles to private jets. Just as it is crucial to overcome store win-
dows that look the same on major luxury shopping streets around the world, it
is also essential to avoid sameness in the design concept of online stores.
Usability and navigation are both essential aspects of the front-office inter-
face. Usability has to do with the ease with which the shopper can move around
the e-store, browse the products available, make selections and purchase. It is
basically what features have been incorporated in the e-store to make the brows-
ing process more interesting while increasing the chances that the shopper
will view the full range and make a purchase. It includes the classification
of products according to type, seasons, collections, colors, styles, occasions,
trends, events, complements and so on. Some e-retailers like Net-A-Porter
have included categories that are powered by interactivity such as videos
featuring seasonal trends directly from the runway shows, with commentary,
as well as themes presented in a magazine format with flip-through pages
on which the shopper may click and buy. Others like BrownsFashion.com
have incorporated categories for “stylist's suggestions”, “insider's favorites”,
“hottest new entries” and “labels for less”. Matches.com approaches prod-
uct classification through an editorial format with themes that range from
“frills” to “patterns” and “geometry”, while Coach has created a clipboard of
pre-selected products as its homepage image. Vivre uses a style diary of its
founder named “Eva's World” to enhance interactivity and intimacy through
providing style tips and product recommendations. Features of the website's
products in mainstream fashion magazines are used for product classification
