We’ve read a lot recently about “multichannel” shopping experiences. Consumers will showroom on their phones, then make a purchase on the web. Or they’ll compare prices online, then buy products in stores. Merchants are trying to figure out way to keep consumers in a single stream, and to get them to commit to that “last mile” and actually make a purchase.
Dwell Media and AhaLife have partnered to create a particularly interesting solution to this multichannel conundrum: a “shoppable magazine.”
And what just is a shoppable magazine, you may ask? Think part-magazine, part-catalogue: an offering that does more than simply list prices, but that also encourages consumers to make purchases.
The Dwell+AhaLife shoppable magazine comes in print for or can be found on the web, and allows for a seamless commerce experience. If you’re reading the physical version, you can scan an item with your phone, using the Dwell+AhaLife app, and be immediately directed to AhaLife’s site, where a one-tap function allows them to make a purchase. The desktop version allows users to simply click on an item, where they are then presented with similar immediate purchasing capabilities.
As The eTail Blog notes, the shoppable magazine will reach about 280,000 subscribers, offers 77 home designs and is sponsored by MasterCard.
It’s a simple concept, and one we’ve seen before, but it is mysterious that other larger retailers haven’t caught on yet. The ease in transition from shopping to buying could help mitigate the showrooming phenomenon, and could help to build some brand loyalty as well.
What do you think? Would you be inclined to buy from a shoppable magazine? Let us know in the comments below.
And to read more about the Dwell+AhaLife magazine/catalogue, click here.
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