Bluefly's Live Celebrity Initiative Could Make the Site Buzzworthy -- at Least for a While
Even if you're not a fashion-obsessed shopper, you might know Bluefly (BFLY) from its TV ads featuring comely women serving sushi or going through airport security nude because they've got nothing to wear. Now the cheeky New York based e-tailer of discount designer duds is trying to drum up some viral buzz by offering live celebrity videos on its site to stay ahead of its stylish competitors. It's part of a larger social media effort that may put some wind beneath Bluefly's wings -- at least in the short term.
Bluefly's been something of a pioneer in fashion e-commerce, bursting on the scene in 1998, before many brands, or apparel retailers, had embraced the Web. Now, the virtual mall is crammed with storefronts touting deep discounts on covetable goods. The most recent (and successful) bear the exclusivity of invitation-only memberships and the thrill of limited-time-only deals on drool-worthy designs such as Gilt Groupe and Rue La La, not to mention TheOutnet, Natalie Massenet's uber-successful discount e-purveyor of all things haute.
To stay ahead, Bluefly strayed off the Web. The aforementioned TV commercials were one strategy (still in heavy rotation it seems) which the company launched in 2006. Another was to partner with the perennially popular Project Runway in 2007 and again this year. Bluefly provided the "accessories wall" for the show. Even with the live "accessories cam," the shoes and bags took forgettable turns on the runway, but Tim Gunn's consistent reminders to the contestants to "use the items wisely," did much to keep Bluefly's name on viewers' minds. The partnership also allowed Bluefly exclusive rights to sell the winner's collection.
Grasping for further exclusivity, Bluefly launched "Closet Confessions" in April featuring short films in which celebrity stylistas such as Nicky Hilton and Christian Siriano (former winner of Project Runway) paw through their crowded racks and produce the good, bad, and ugly of their personal collections.
Then, Bluefly further hybridized the push by allowing users to post their own closet confessions and wrapped the whole thing with a contest to win cash or prizes. Cool, but not terribly ahead of the curve, given the glut of fashion blogs and online communities that encourage users to post pics and videos of themselves wearing favorite outfits (think the recent debut of Sonsi.com).
Bluefly's now moving to incorporate live celebrity interviews so shoppers can interact in real-time. This strategy could have some traction in terms of traffic as users "tune in" to dish fashion with the trendsetters. However, what works for the likes of Home Shopping Network and QVC -- which often sell thousands of units in mere minutes -- may not play as well online. Let's just hope Bluefly's Web site can handle the increase in traffic and transactions that would come along with a carefully selected celebrity endorsement.
Video via Bluefly.com Related: