Have you ever stumbled across something you absolutely loved on Instagram? Did you leave a comment saying, “Where can I buy that?” or did you quickly switch screens from Instagram to search Google? Thankfully, just in time for the holiday season some of our favorite designers such as Michael Kors are adding more power to our fingertips by making their Instagram feeds entirely shoppable.
Over the past several years, Instagram has evolved from a tool that captures and shares your filtered moments with the world to a not-to-be-overlooked business app for visual marketing. It was only a matter of time before businesses addressed the “no clickable links†user frustration.
Michael Kors spoke to Harper’s Bazaar about the brand’s latest foray into the tech world, saying, “I’ve said it before, but we really do live in a selfie world,†says Michael Kors. “Everyone is on Instagram. It’s inspirational, aspirational, and now, with #InstaKors, it’s attainable. If fashion is a reflection of the world we live in, Instagram is the three-way mirror.â€
Here are a few apps worth exploring:
Michael Kors & #InstaKors: With 3.1 million fans on Instagram, Michael Kors has found a clever way to convert “likes†into paying customers. Here’s how it works: (1) Users sign up on MichaelKors.com with their e-mail address and Instagram handle; (2) Click to like a photo with the #InstaKors hashtag on the designer’s Instagram account; and (3) Users receive an e-mail with a direct link to buy the featured products.
LiketoKnow:It: An ingenious way for bloggers to include product links on their Instagram outfits; then send “likers†details to buy the products. Similar to #InstaKors, followers sign up at www.LIKEtoKNOW.it, “like” Instagram photos with www.liketk.it links and users get an e-mail with product details. Vogue magazine also embraced LiketoKnow:It: It is the first print magazine to make its Instagram feed shoppable. Once a particular item is purchased, Vogue receives a commission.
Marc Jacobs Beauty & #shopmjb: The Marc Jacobs Beauty brand built its own app to create an insta-shoppable experience for followers. Once users “heart†a post with the #shopmjb hashtag, they’ll receive an e-mail with purchase details.
#GetSpring: Spring is a separate mobile app but very much like Instagram for fashionable items plus a “buy” button. When users sign on to Spring, the experience is very similar–you can “follow†brands that you like and scroll through the feed to “love” items or to buy. Spring was designed to recreate the window-shopping feeling on your smartphone. Each brand controls its own “window,†and users can browse entire shoppable photo streams and easily make purchases. Users can also create a personalized stream of products they might want to buy at a later time. After you make your first purchase, your payment details are saved within the app so the next time you shop, it takes one simple “swipe†to complete the purchase.
Enjoy Insta-shopping!