Since the site being created and design for this brief is for a clothing brand research into how other sites/companies used their website to attract, appeal to the audience, target the intended market, spend more money than intended.
Overall the benefit of digital design is that the audience can interact with the site, they can easily click on buttons, search, find other options (sizes ect) and refined the search for clothes they want o get a more specializes output. Before designing the website style for this brief an analysation of the the effectiveness of the different feature on different clothing sites will allow the output to have the most suitable features/ideas.
Sites use a wide range of feature to allow the user to search, redefine, save, see similar items, see price ranges, see different size of images, see video of the products, see random products, see categories, see trends, scroll through, quick view, reviews, social media site links via hastags, blog links, recent searches and other examples . All these features are used by a range of sites in an aim to increase sales, sell different items and to appeal more to the target audeince, they are all part of the user interface of the websites therefore analysing which work and which don't will make sure the outcome for this website is the most effective. To see which work and which don't a range of people have been asked if they have benefits of a clothing website or any downfalls of a clothing website, this is to make sure that the website works for a range of people rather than just express my personal opinion.
feedback from the target market has given opinions on all different features of clothing websites, theses features have been analysed to assess if they are good or bad and put into this post under these headings, the good features should be considered for the website and things should be put in place to avoid the downsides
GOOD FEATURES
catwalk view (asos)
allows the audeince to see the garment on a model whilst they walk a catwalk
-cannot be edited as much a photo
-more accurate that a photo
-see how the product fall, flows when walking
-360 view of the product
related items (many sites)
allows the audience to similar products like the one they are looking at
-looks at searches and shows item like them
-gives more opinions
-shows related products the audience might like/encourages them to buy them
recent searches(many sites)
allows audience to go back on website after closing it to see items they look at, so they can see it if they lose the page/look at anything else on the site before deciding
quick view/scoll over view-
allows the audience to see the information/sizes available/colours of the item without losing their place on the previous search page
allows the user to select sizes, colour, brand ect of the product, refine their current results/item available so they can get rid of the options not suitable
sort by options
allows user to alter the pricing options, can see the cheapest or the most expensive opinions available (great for skint students), this is done on almost every site
360 view (Raybans/asos)
allows the audience to easier rotate the item and see a 360 view of the product, see all details and every side view, easy to use as rotates with the audience
saves items
allows the user to save items in their saved files for when they next use the website or when they can afford them, it allows them to stay there without having to buy them/lose the products details so they can easily go back on the items at the need time.
sizing guide
allows the user to see size conversion for international size guide or to see the websites sizing in inches/cm so how big the size in-comparison as every site has different sizing. VERY USEFUL FOR SHOES/MULTI GENDER CLOTHES
downside -complicated, opens a new page, not perosnalised
shows customer reviews of how they feel about the products, post pictures, rate and analyse the product so future buyers can see this before the purchase, star rating system is very easy to understand and use, averages out the reviews to give an overall rating
downside - items can be different for everyone
review sizing bar (topshop)
allows users to express the fitting of the garment via a bar chart, too small or true to fit or top big for the size as topshop will buy off different companies
as seen on me
allows bloggers/social media sites to link to the item to show future purchasers what people look like wearing it, how people have styled it, hows real life audience how used the product and how it looks
blog /magazine links
links to blog from the company as well as links to blog posts about the shop or its products, give a wider view of the shops and its brand style or ethics, link to events they run or jobs ect all in one place
sign up email
most companies use email to contact its existing customers or target audience, this will show the user once signed it discounts or offer or shows when sales are on. This gives he user more access to these offer or sales but also allows the site to advertise more via this media. Signing up to these offers can be annoying but can also save the audience money.
links to other social sites pages
the brand uses this so the audience can also view the social media sites of this brand via a logo button, the logo button takes the user to the social media site. This groups together the sites pages as well as gives the audience a way to follow or search these pages easily.
shop via trends
allows the user to search current trends for items or too explore current trends/themes
virtual fitting tool
https://econsultancy.com/blog/62710-asos-launches-new-virtual-fitting-tool-in-bid-to-reduce-returns/
allows the audience to type in their sizes to make sure everything they buy fits them, makes the website more personal and gives them a chance to compare items/sizes
options for vintage/ market place (asos and pop boutique)
asos and pop boutique both have different selections of clothes that are sold/made by independent sites, this has an option for these sites so the audeince are aware they're looking at vintage and when they're looking at new clothes.
store locator
allows the audience to see where their nearest store is, how far away it is, how to get there, if they can get their stuff delivered there to reduce postage cost.
outfit tags via instagram/item number on social media sites
allows the site or brand or anyone to tag the clothes in their images from where they are from, if this then included a products number its easily searchable on the site, inspires the audience to quickly find selected items from social media/adverts rather than having to search.
tag takes you to the page -
has product search number
inspire me(boohoo)
allows the audience to visit the site without a selected product in mind and find easily something they want, shows articles/blogs about the shop and its products, shows interviews ect expresses the brand style/ideas rather than just being a shopping site its gives more personality to the brand causes the audeince to engage more.
swipe (missguided app)
this allows the audience to mimic tinder style dating techniques but with items of clothes, random range of products come up and the audience can swipe yes/no, then add it to their bag, gives a fun aspect to shopping LINKS TO THE OTEHR APPS THE AUDIENCE IS AWARE OFF
shop by outfit(forever 21 app)
allow the audience to view outfits/images of the products uploaded to social media then select/links to the items so the user can by them. DOWNSIDE, only shows main product in the photograph, its more shop item from the image than the whole outfit.
over all list -
catwalk view
related items
recent searches
quick view/scoll over view
refine define searches
sort by options
360 view
saves items
sizing guide
reviews
review sizing bar
blog /magazine links
shop via trends
store locator
sign up email
links to social media
shop by outfit
outfit tags
options for vintage
swipe
inspire me
virtual fitting tool
goes back to main pages
when the user searches for an item, scrolls down all the options, then clicks on it, goes back and they're at the top of the list again, and have to search back to where they were.
limits amount of item on a page
when they can only have 20 items per page, and the suer have to search through a large mount of pages. constant scrolling is easier
allows for refined searches but doesn't work eliminates different version of the sizes
eg size 8 would remove small but they are the same size
when the shops has a variation of sizing types and clicking 8 removes all the small options that are the same size.
too much options (asos)
how can you look though 1000 items? its over whelming, too many options, confusing, feels like a specialised item needs to be looked for
no options for donating to charity
on none of the sites looked at for this brief there has been an option for donating to change charity even if the shops have charity boxes on their checkout in real life, there no option for this digitally
gender specified
all shops have male and female, theres no option for mixed gender or unisex which some items can be, making them only for one gender will put off the other gender buying them, reduces the market for coats/bags/shoes which can be worn by both genders easily. Also no option for clothes or people that don't define as one or the other of these options.
no vegan options
cannot shop for vegan only clothes or shoes, would have to search for these
clinical imagery
imagery where the models look sad/depressed or interested, with a plain white background or serious setting/badly edited imagery, shows the products looking cheap.
example-
hard to find imagery from shop photographical/promotional shoots
pop boutique have this page on their site called 'look book' its a collection of imagery taken in their products and around the shop but theres no link to the products, theres not option to see the clothes in the shoots or to even know what products they are.
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