Zappos!
I’m so excited I might not be able to get all this out intelligently.
So I just spent $1,100 on shoes at Zappos, my favorite place for size 12 shoes. (No, I am not a tranny.) “But ANP,” you ask, “weren’t you trying to be good and save up for the sparkly blue metallic leather Longchamp bag?” Well, yes, but;
- I can’t find blue on the damned Longchamp website; was only ever able to find it in-store
- I know that I’ll be returning at least half the shoes
- I really need 4″ Stuart Weitzman stilettos and I need them NOW
So I buy all these shoes and I get a daughter window telling me that Zappos sent an update to my Facebook profile.
“What?” I think, pulse racing with excitement. “Could it be that there’s a product manager out there who thinks just like me?!”
Sure enough, I check my Facebook profile and a little alert announces my recent $285 shoe purchase. Naturally, the first thing I think is, “Shit! Why did they have to include my work shoe in my profile? Why not show off the hot $250 numbers?”
Zappos has brilliantly exploited social media in a way that I’ve been dreaming about for at least a year.
- Facebook members get to show off their consumerism
- Zappos gets free advertising
- Everybunny happy
See also: part of my whitepaper (note to self: upload the rest; duh).
This reminds me of a credit card product idea I’d had over a year ago while at The Bank:
- Make a purchase; The Bank dumps affiliate-embedded SKUs to you
- You select the SKUs you want to brag about and publish them on your blog or on a social media widget
Related: affiliate network + social network widget; “Sin Tax” credit card
Good heavens; to see that a company out there is doing EXACTLY what I wish companies would do …
Wow. You know what? It just occurred to me. I think I may have to tax deduct $1,100 worth of shoes now. You know. In the name of business and all.
–
Things I want to know:
- Does the Zappos magic happen for all shoe purchases, or just for purchases > $N?
- If so, what is $N?
- How much incremental revenue has this thing given them?
- Who built it for them?
- Why are they so AWESOME?
Too much excitement. I need to rest my head. All this online marketing — or maybe it’s just the salt from the KFC I just had — is making me dizzy.
now if only their site design wasn’t so tragic.
Counterpoint: tragic site design only highlights how BADASS the shoes are!
Userflow works, so who cares if cornflower blue abounds –
Discuss!
:)
Other quick-moving, ear-to-the-ground, finger-on-the-pulse-of-the-Net-addicted sites do this too. Try going to sign up for iWon, and the same thing will happen.
This happens when you use the site, and you’re signed in to Facebook at the same time. It’s all done with smoke and mirrors on the back end.
Your SKU-bragging is right on. I’ve been trying to summon Veblen with the catchphrase CONSPICUOUS CURATION for a while. Feel free trying to drop it into conversation.
I find it a little creepy. Why don’t they just send you a washable tattoo with the shoes for you to stamp on your forehead? Ick.