With the widespread use of the World Wide Web, many businesses saw an enormous opportunity in trying to sell their products
or services online. However, clothing companies seem to be divided on whether being able to sell things on the web is an
opportunity or more trouble then it is worth. Many web sites reflect both of these attitudes. Some see the web as a
semi-interactive catalog; at least in the sense that people can pick what item of clothing they want to look at. And pretty
much leave it at that. Others companies want their web site to make their store, or clothing line, come alive so that people
can get an accurate feel not only for what their clothes look like, but also what kind of person buys them. Between the
ambitious and the indifferent, many clothing web sites fall somewhere in between, with varying degrees of success.
Visual Appeal and Effectiveness Some sites barrage you with a wide variety of bright colors, whereas others stick to
indistinguishable neutrals. The preference in between is a sharp looking site, with a nice contrast, that is neither
startling nor boring. When shopping in an actual store people don’t want their senses to go into overload, but they don’t
want to fall asleep either; web sites should reflect such an attitude. A site should also try to fill up the screen so that
people do not have to squint, but things should be in a certain proportion so that they aren’t too big and require a lot
scrolling. Also, the media in which the clothes are displayed should be clear and distinct: it is hard to know what you are
really buying when all you see is a fuzzy picture (this is one of the reasons that people are apprehensive about buying
clothes online).
Information Design and Navigation Depending on the size of the company, their site may have an enormous number of
items, or they may only have a select few. If you can’t tell how big the site is just by taking a quick look at it, this
may indicate trouble. Regardless of size, you should be able to determine how to find what you are looking for just by
looking at the first page. When you have to click through six different pages to get to the one that you are actually looking
for it can get very agitating. In order to be able to find what you are looking for it is important for the information to be
organized well. If the different categories of clothing that the site offers are written in very small print at the bottom of
the page, they can be very hard to find. Your eye should be drawn to what is important on the page, not the Flash movie that
keeps playing on a loop and is immaterial to actually buying something on the site. It should be equally easy for the person
who knows exactly what they are looking for and the person who is browsing to get where they want to go. The interface should
also be appropriate for the audience. A clothing store that is targeted towards teenagers should not used muted colors and go
for a subdued theme, anymore than a line targeted towards middle-aged men should use garish colors and go for a ‘funky’ theme.
Content By the fact that they are trying to sell you something, not provide information, most clothing web sites do
not contain a whole lot of content. And there is nothing wrong with that.However, content like the costs of different methods
of shipping, size charts, what material the clothing is made of and fabric care are extremely helpful in getting a fuller
picture of what you are buying. A really effective clothing website will take advantage of the uniqueness of web medium.
If a web site looks like a catalog that got scanned and put online, then it really is not much of a web site. Also, sites
that try to do too much with the media available end up overdoing it, especially with videos or looping Flash clips that
are much more style than substance (and are more annoying than helpful).
Technology Considering the purpose of clothing web sites, they do not necessarily have to be cutting edge in terms of
technology, but being current helps. For example, if an item you have selected is not in stock, you should be alerted to this
as you try to put in your virtual shopping cart, not when you are checking out. Also, some clothing sites allow you to
register with them, whichsort alerts the company to your presence on the web site. For some sites giving them your email
address means nothing more than receiving a confirmation of your order, but for others ‘signing in’ when gettingon the page
provides a mini-record of your relationship with the site. Some even allow you create a ‘wish list,’ so you can mark items
that you like that you either aren’t sure about or just can’t buy at the moment, or lets you send it to friends as a hint.
Really active sites alert you to online sales, or that a new line is coming soon.
Armani Exchange | The Web Site
Armani Exchange has an interesting dichotomy in terms of its web site’s effectiveness. In many ways it is visually
stimulating and interesting, and makes a fairly good use of technology, but in other ways the site is somewhat strange.
could have been a boring mixture of grays, blues, black, and white, the contrast between the colors makes the site striking.
The viewing window is small, and the text is relatively small. Although the contrast between the colors of the text and the
background make it readable, you still have to be close the screen to actually read it. The pictures of the clothes are
pretty clear, and you are able to zoom in on ‘details’ of the clothing to get a more specific idea of the intricacies of the
piece. You are also able to zoom in on the colors that the article of clothing comes in. Unfortunately, you cannot see the
article of clothing in a different color than the one that is pictured. You just have to look at the enlarged swatch of color
and use your imagination.
The site is pretty easy to navigate through as all categories are clearly labeled, and once you are looking within a
subcategory, the other subcategories, as well categories, are still visible. The interface is very well designed considering
the audience that the company is targeting: 18-24 year old fashion fiends. Also, once you are in a sub category, the main
categories are across the top, except the actual names of the categories aren’t printed, but pictures that represent the
category run along the top of the screen. For example, instead of just putting the text of ‘my a|x log-in’ there is a picture
of a head that has A|X printed on it. Because it is different looking, it kind of impels you to click on them, even if you
do not necessarily want to look at that section. This site used to be very busy with constantly scrolling pictures of the
other clothing pieces in the sub-category that you viewing. Fortunately, that has changed, while there are small pictures
(lined up from top to bottom of the viewing window, beside the actual clothing piece) they no longer automatically scroll,
and it gives you a sense of what one piece looks like next to another. And since there are so few items in each sub-category,
you have to click once, at most, to see the rest of the items. This interface definitely encourages browsing. While the text
may sort of be small, your eyes still are drawn to where they are supposed to go. The only strange thing is that when after
entering the URL, you get a normal sized window that has a black and white picture going across the screen, then a
significantly smaller window pops up and that is the actual window that you ‘shop’ in.
This site was surprisingly good in terms of its content. Under every item there were links to size charts, product detail,
and ‘more info,’ which tells you the fabric it is made of and how to care for the piece. In addition to these links, there
was also a link to related styles, which show other pieces that they think would look good with the one that you are
currently looking at. What is good about that is that you can choose whether to look at the related styles, whereas many
other sites put the related styles under the product you are looking at, almost pushing the product on you. What is also
good about the content of the site is that on the first page under the shop option, you have the choice to view their
selected looks, which displays several complete outfits, which they consider to be the looks of the season. Of course, you
can click on any item of the outfit and view its individual details and view it in a new window.
Armani Exchange’s web site used to be overloaded with cutting edge technologies, to the point where almost everything moved
or expanded when you rolled over it with your cursor, or it just did it continuously. Thankfully, the site is more pared down.
The constantly scrolling is gone clothing, but still remaining is site music. The music is pretty much the same kind of
music that the play in Armani Exchange stores, but you can choose to turn it off (without having to turn off the sound on
your computer) which is a web bonus if you like the clothes at Armani Exchange but hate the blaring music they play there.
They only list items they have in stock, and of those, they only list the sizes that are in stock, so at the very least you
know if they have it or not before deciding to get it. Also, you can track your item’s shipping status online. The site does
encourage you to register with them. When registered with them, they email you to notify you of sales, and to remind you
about new season items, and you often get a code to enter that will give you 20% off anything you buy of the new season items.
Also, for every dollar you spend while shopping on the site, you get a bonus point, for every 500 bonus points you get a $50
gift certificate. They even pick clothes tailored to your style, after you answer a survey on your clothing tastes. This site
can only be effectively used on a computer with a high speed connection; even with a T1 connection, it took a while for some
things to load.
This site is a really good example of how to make web site to sell clothes that goes beyond selling the clothes. You get a
level of detail and opinion somewhat close to what you could get in a store, but you still have to ease of doing it on your
time. However, for such a well designed site some things about it were very strange. The window that you do the shopping in
is oddly small. Maybe they thought the interface would not look as good in a larger window, but having such a small window
that does not allow a toolbar can make for a frustrating experience. Also, you could not get an enlarged view of the entire
piece, just details of the piece like what the pockets or the stitching looks like, or get an alternate view of the piece,
like what the back of it looks like. The makers of the site have the right idea; they really just need to expand on it a bit
more.
J.Crew | The Web Site
J.Crew is a line that is known for its laid back, but refined styles. It is no surprise that their web site takes on a
similar look. The site is easy to use and labeled quite well, but is almost as if the site is too laid back, in addition to
being painfully plain. While simple in look, it does provide enough technology to please the e-consumer.
The pictures on this web site are very crisp and clear. Each one can be enlarged to get a better look at the piece’s detail.
The colors are very distinct and distinguishable; you won’t confuse navy blue with black. The pictures of the clothes
provide all of the color on the web site. The background is white, and all the text or lines are grey or black. Everything
is very easily readable; however the site is very boring to look at to say the least. Even the text is boring Verdana. It is
true that J.Crew catalogs and their stores are not known for being especially colorful, they certainly come alive more than
the web site does.
The web site is easy to navigate through and you do not have to stare at the page for a long time to figure out how to get
where you are going. All of the main categories (men, women, shoes, etc.) are listed in capital letters across the top of the
screen. Once you click on one of the main categories, all of the sub-categories are listed on that main category page. There
are even categories for the sub-categories, which is very useful if you only want to look at Merino wool sweaters and not
all the sweaters. What is also effective is that Petites/Tall/Big & Tall, in addition to clearance items, are listed as sub-
categories so that the person who is looking for any of these items does not have to go through every section to find them.
There is a search engine in case someone cannot find what they are looking for in the increasingly detailed sub-categories.
The interface is not very impressive, since all it consists of is grey lines of varying thickness and opacity. It really
does not encourage people to browse the site beyond what they are looking for. Overall the site design is pretty straight-
forward and does not include anything unnecessary.
This site does not have as much content as you would expect. Each piece is briefly described, and it is indicated what they
are made of and whether they are machine washable or if they are hand washed or dry clean only. There is a size chart link
next to the area where you select your size, but it was very small and easy to miss. But there is still a large size chart
link that is always at the bottom of the screen. Also along the bottom of the screen are links to information on shipping
options, returns, as well as a contact us option if you have any questions or problems. Unlike other sites that show you
their picks for the season, J.Crew instead separately displays their top sellers and what’s currently on sale.
J.Crew is not too heavy on the technology, but still enough to please the average shopper. For example, you can look at every
item regular sized, or enlarged, in every color that it comes in. Also, you can look at all the items in a given sub-
category (even a sub-sub category) at the same time, to compare and contrast items, and to save time not clicking on
something that is not what you though it was. The site does not list items that are no longer in stock, but it does still
list sizes or colors that are not. At the very least, as soon as you put an item that is not in stock into your shopping
cart they do tell you in is not in stock and show you what colors are in stock in the size you want, and if something is
backordered you are notified and given an estimated date of availability. You are encouraged to register for the site.
The benefits provided include notices of online sales, and even getting to shop for sale or clearance items before the
general public gets to. You can also track the status of your order.
J.Crew has a low key web site that provides the potential buyer with a good idea of what they are considering buying. The
site is not exactly exciting, but J.Crew is not exactly an exciting clothing store to go into, or catalog to look through.
Be that as it may, it is still no excuse for a web site to have so much plain space and to only use black, white, and grey.
People that already want to buy something are going to buy it, but for someone who is not sure what they want, they need
something more inviting to encourage them to look around. Given the fact that J.Crew’s more recent lines have gotten more
modern and included bold colors, there just does not seem to be a good reason that the site is still so plain and
aesthetically boring.
The Gap | The Web Site
For a web site that offers so many different things, there are so many things that just are not right about it. There are
five main categories: men, women, maternity, kids, and baby. However, there is no such thing as a sub-category on this site.
Considering that the Gap was one of the first clothing stores to go online, it is a surprise that it is still somewhat
ineffective at this point.
The look of the website is pretty sharp and modern looking. Like the other two web sites, the main colors are fairly subdued,
but in the mix with black, white, navy blue and grey, is some bright blue text, and even some red. All of the text is very
easy to read, and there is enough contrast between the text and its background color. A lot of the decorative pictures on
the site are black and white, which is provides a nice next to the color. However, all of the pictures of the actual items
are in color. The pictures have a high resolution and their details are easy to see. Due to the large amount of pictures,
there is a lot of scrolling involved in browsing this site.
This site is somewhat easy to navigate through, as all the links are clearly labeled, but its design is suspect to say the
least. If you click on women, the sweaters, you will get to women’s sweaters. But instead of there being any sort of sub-
categories you can click on, all of the women’s sweaters are pictured, with their name and price listed under them. If I only
want to look at cardigans, or wool sweaters, I am going to pretty irritated that I have to look at 3 pages before hand. The
only other choice you are given is to view all, which requires waiting for all the pictures of clothes you don’t want to
look at to load. On a computer with a high-speed connection, not a problem, if you still have a dial-up connection you are
going to be waiting. Clothing for people who are petite or tall is not separated from anything else, nor is indicated whether
certain things come in petite or tall lengths. This is somewhat strange considering that the Gap is one of the few stores
that carry pants for women in five different lengths. The sale/clearance portion of the site is truly the hardest to find
your way through. The only category specified is women’s sale or men’s sale. Then you have the choice of going through all
ten pages or look at over 100 items at once. Once you click on an item, the barely specific sub-categories have their items
listed under them. You cannot look at the sub-category alone, but at the very least, you can just click on the items in the
category that you want. The best part about the design of the site is the interface. It is based mostly in white and
different shades of blue, but there is a nice contrast between the colors, and the text works well with the design. The
interface is modern, but not confusing, like the navigation of the site.
The content of the site has always been one is its strong points. It has always included what the piece is made of, and how
to care for it, in addition to putting a very visible link to the size charts next to the area where you select the size you
want. What may be the most useful section on the entire site is the ‘jean finder,’ which shows you the jeans they have in
the style that you prefer. Once you find them, you can look at the jeans from the front, side, and back, and can look at all
the colors that a certain style comes in (and look at just that style).
The technology added to this site is both much improved, and cumbersome. It used to be that you could just see the piece in
the color that they displayed it in, and look at the tiny color swatches, and you could not even enlarge the picture to see
details. Now you can look at items in every color that they come in, and enlarge them, which really does help with detail.
However, you cannot look at clearance items in any color other than the one that they come in. Also, jeans are displayed
separately so you cannot compare and contrast the colors easily unless you use the ‘jean finder.’ Also, the designers of the
site thought it helpful to allow someone to buy the same item in up to 3 different colors/sizes. Honestly, I can’t imagine
that someone really needs to buy the same shirt in three different colors that often, or when they do, that it was really
that difficult to just order it three separate times. If you are only buying one of something, you have to scroll all the way
down to the bottom of the page to click on ‘add to shopping bag.’ What might have been a more clever would be to have a
button that says ‘want more than one size or color?’ so you could chose it if you needed it. The site uses too many pictures,
which can really be problematic for someone who does not have a high-speed connection. Also, items that are not in stock are
displayed. But once you get to the check out you are notified whether something is in stock or not. If you register with the
web site, which they really only encourage you to do once you check out, there are some benefits. You do get email
notifications of sales, and notified when they have new items. They allow you to have wish list that you can look at, or send
to friends and family.
This web site is disappointing because for all the improvements it made, it changed things that worked just fine. It seems
like this site was made to encourage browsing, maybe even impulse buying, by showing you things that you aren’t necessarily
looking for. However, people that are frustrated by being bombarded by too many pictures and not being able to find what they
want are more likely to just shop elsewhere; another stores web site is just a click away.
A store’s web site should not only show what clothing the company has to offer, but also be a reflection of the company’s
reputation and image. A store web site provides more convenience and interactive information: you can shop whenever you
want to, and you get the information you need. You do not have to cater the store’s shopping hours, and you can instantly
find out more than a catalog can tell you, like whether the item is in stock, and what else it goes with.
The web does have a lot to offer in terms of media, for e-commerce sites, particularly ones that sell clothes, it is
important to know that in terms of media usage, sometimes less is more. A video that shows you how to tie a complicated
belt can be helpful. But videos that are really just of people modeling really have no place on such sites.
What is important is to put the focus on the product, and to let no facet of the product be totally unknown or indeterminable
. People have to know what things really look, what the details look like, what it looks like it different colors, what it
looks like from different angles, what sizes it comes in, the dimensions of the sizes, how its cut, how it fits. You cannot
try an item on, hold it up, or even touch it before buying it online, but in order to be effective a customer has to feel
that they practically did. The products have to come alive for the person who is looking at them, or the advantage of
convenience is gained at the cost of shopping blind.