In theory, social shopping seems to be the wave of the future– location-based apps that show some promise, but have yet to really carry out “greatness”. Crowdsourcing and shopping however shows a lot more (immediate) possibility. From a strategic perspective (sorry, throwing “that face” on) crowdsourcing for RETAIL can be a great way to get consumers to feel a PART of the process. Ah, the democratisation of fashion.

Modcloth is a company that has taken on a nearly completely “social” model. From having consumers interact with “games” they set up through Facebook and Twitter (and no, there are no fancy apps involved, just good old fashioned interaction) to having consumers vote on their favorite pieces. A sample lives on the site for two weeks and consumers can “heart” it and at the end of the couple weeks, if there are enough votes, the piece becomes part of the collection. Simple ideas, but engaging and empowering. The empowerment aspect is something I feel is so often overlooked, particularly when speaking to young women. For some reason we are still stuck in the dark ages thinking that the only thing that motivates them are glossy images with loads of retouching and rail thin models. This kind of brand brings a realness to fashion. And it is NOT a dirty word.

Fashion is fun again. To young women who love the thrill of shopping (ahem), Modcloth is a fun, social space, where their voices are heard. Who needs that buyer? BE that buyer!

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Image via: Inc.com