Great Outfit? Or Urban myth?

Urban Outfitters is a fun store to visit. The music is always upbeat and the fashion is always complemented by the quirky modern art and kitsch around it. Yet have Urban Outfitters successfully managed to translate this funky image online? An investigation of their website was undertaken this week to see...

1.    Navigability

Search classification

The search bar is located clearly on the homepage. I searched for ‘Black Top’, but unfortunately the results yielded were not very concise- it felt as if the bar hadn’t listened to what I’d said I was looking for and just threw a lot of items out there in response, hoping for the best. There were many black items and many tops, but only 4 out of the first 12 results were ‘black tops’, and none of these were in the top 5 listed. Random items were listed as results, like grey socks, which had no relevance to the search whatsoever. There were many pages of the same nature, and as a consumer, it seemed pointless shopping that way- it would be much quicker to search through all the tops.

Urban Outfitters make it possible to shop by Collections, Clothing, Shoes, Accessories, Boutique brands and Sale items. Each section has a sub-category in which the consumer can pinpoint exactly what they want. The Sale section is also divided into categories- not all just lumped together like some- which is helpful, especially as the brand is quite pricey and so sale items are popular. The collections also include newly arrived items, which compensates for the fact that you cannot shop via the latest trends.

However, despite the variation of items and categories, the viewer cannot narrow the search down further. For example, when clicking on ‘DRESSES’, the consumer has to view all dresses and cannot condense this by size, colour or style-such as “day dress” or “evening dress”. This is quite irritating as it will be time consuming to go through all the items.

Interactive viewing

Urban Outfitters offer four different viewing points for garments- front, back, side and close side. The clothes are presented on a model, which enables the consumer to see what it looks like on and how it should be worn. Also, if the item comes in different colours they can viewed instantly. Yet, there is no zoom button (but it is possible to see an enlarged version of the picture) and so no detailed view of the texture and fabric, which is an important feature as it would overcome not being able to feel the item.

2.    Atmospherics

Imagery

The homepage consists of a white background with black writing. It is simple, smart, and expensive looking. This is effective, but vibrant colours and quirky art work/ kitsch are an important aspect of Urban Outfitter’s brand image so it is not really that consistent.  It doesn’t say anything about the company on their website, but their Facebook states:

“Urban Outfitters is a global retailer with a boutique approach.

Does that sound like a contradiction? How about this: Urban Outfitters is the biggest small retailer in the world.

Still confused? That’s because we didn’t start Urban Outfitters to make sense on paper and we certainly never thought we’d be writing something like a brand bio.

Hell, we don’t even have a logo.”

This is funny and implies that the company are carefree, cool, and independent- they do their own thing and do not follow the crowd. This is reflected in Urban Outfitter’s clothes, which are top-end high street American design with a retro, fun and quirky appeal.

Lifestyle media.

Music: Urban Outfitters have 6 different music players (“LSTN #1” etc) on their website. The music is generally chilled-out and has a feel-good vibe to it. It is not distracting when browsing or completing tasks online, but is pleasant to have in the background.

http://www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/pages/projects/page/projects/

One aspect that is very unique to Urban Outfitters is the ability for consumers to download desktop wallpaper. There are many different pictures, most of which are quirky, and graffiti-like.

3.    Interactivity

Enticing communications

Consumers are able to get involved in Urban Outfitter’s website by writing reviews about clothes. This is an effective way of allowing consumers to interact with each other; consumers trust other people’s judgement as it is more personal and truthful than advertising. Consumers are also able to “Email a friend” an item that they may like. This is effective as it recreates the pleasures of shopping with a friend on a virtual platform.

Fashion inspiration

When viewing a product, Urban Outfitters also offer “MORE IDEAS”. For example, when viewing a pink vest top, a similar green top, a black skirt, a grey cardigan and a black dress are highlighted as add-ons. However, the black dress is not really relevant or similar to the item I have chosen to look at, so is rather random in this context.

Urban Outfitters send regular emails informing the consumer of new clothes that they have “JUST ADDED” to their collection. They have a Blog, which consists of pictures of their clothes with funny comments underneath. There are no style tips, but then Urban Outfitters pride themselves on being quirky and setting their own trends so fashion tips are not really appropriate. Yet they could improve this by having a page of “items they love” and “how to wear it”; mixing key pieces together to create outfits would be a good way forwards.

In sum, Urban Outfitters are successfully portraying their brand image online, through the emphasis on music and art. However, there are elements that could be improved, such as a more concise search options, videos and catwalks.