There's a Nerd For That - Farfetch, Instacart, and Connecting Shoppable Experiences

Oct 30, 2020

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We discuss digital shopping experiences, their experimental evolution, Instacart, CARLY brands, and more.

DIY used to have a connotation of poor quality or poor craftsmanship but today, it’s more indicative of participation.
Online marketplaces are booming with consumers and creators having more meaningful connections with items that could otherwise be more easily purchased.
Partnering with Gladly, we’ve created a new report: The New DIY: Creators, Crafts and Commerce.
“There is a cycle of inspiration that leads to education online, that leads to participation, which ultimately shapes the purchases that a person makes, which leads them back to inspire others into that same virtuous cycle.” - Phillip Jackson

Kendall Jenner just released a $23 toothpaste on StockX. StockX has pioneered a drop platform called DropX. StockX was part of our Nine by Nine report as a brand introducing a new type of luxury to a new consumer. Since our report, StockX has constantly been pushing into new categories.
Farfetch is moving into experimental shopping: partnering with Bambuser, they’re doing a six month trial to create more entertainment-focused digital commerce experiences.
Shopping online is less entertainment than shopping physically. Farfetch is piloting the change in online shopping to a more entertaining experience.
Immerss does live video shopping and trunk shows - both live streaming and pre-recording content, making online shopping a more entertaining experience.
Shoptalk was different this year, being online and being less content-driven: “To me, this was the most successful Shoptalk ever. Period. Hands down.” - Phillip Jackson

Instacart is launching a senior support service to help boomers (age 60+) create accounts and shop online.
Instacart is pivoting to doing a lot more than just groceries. They are also mentioned in our Nine by Nine report for their help in closing the gap with everyday brands and Amazon Prime.
There has been criticism of the bifurcation of the consumer during COVID-19 in which its been said that the upper class worked in their homes while the middle class became deliverers of consumer goods.
Regardless of controversy, Instacart has made these delivery methods more available and accessible to everyone. Instacart has a lead over retailers’s own efforts in deliveries even if they are an intermediary for the experience.
According to Instacart, there’s traffic of 2000 senior customers a day that specialists are spending 20% more account support time with on average.
Seniors represent a major growth potential for online retailers because (according to eMarketer) 62% of baby boomers will make at least one online purchase this year.
Aldi has made EBT available via Instacart. This is providing tech mobility and accessibility to those in different income classes.

On media becoming commerce: “By nature of being a new psychographic, stuff that tries to address the psychographic isn’t always going to land.” - Brian Lange
There’s a sense of self and importance of the self as a brand, which we refer to as the Existential Brand: “If you are a good brand that isn’t entirely self-focused, you actually create your identity through your community and your customers.” - Brian Lange
Thredup is a brand that is true to the digital shopping paradigm of heightening the real life experience via eCommerce: “If you look at in-store thrift[ing], there’s a different person who’s dropping off stuff than the person who shops there… [Thredup] is making a marketplace that you can participate in on both ends of the spectrum.” - Phillip Jackson