A new retail model has been pioneered by Ogilvy & Mather Hong Kong that is set to transform shopping behaviour beyond recognition.

‘Shop Elsewhere’ – a unique shopping referral platform and  collaborative movement that encourages independent fashion designers to recommend other’s products that compliment their own. Shoppers browsing in one designer’s store can scan the QR code on an item to gain access www.ShopElsewhere.net where they will find recommendations for other designers’ products that have been pre-selected to match.

To purchase a recommended product, customers are directed to the designer’s store via Google Maps. The platform assists shoppers in putting together complete outfits, from clothes and shoes to handbags and accessories. Free to use and can be accessed via any mobile application with a QR reader.

What started in Hong Kong will soon be expanding across Asia. The platform will be taken to new markets in the hope that the movement will have widespread implications for many of it’s stakeholders – the fashion designers, retailers, shoppers and the media.

Shop Elsewhere gives independent fashion designers a competitive edge against mass retailers and luxury brands. It allows start-ups to develop their business and build their network. As such, it tackles the practice of “showrooming” – where shoppers use physical stores to examine products before buying them online – by keeping shoppers offline. This will revolutionise the shopping experience by mimicking a personal stylist. It is hoped that it will open up new a channel for the creative input of fashion icons and key opinion leaders, who can recommend or endorse style combinations.

via ibbonline