I always seem to get my best ideas while running ... or shopping ... or running to shop. Today Matt and I went to Borders to stock up on books. When we got home I did a quick Amazon search and found all of the books, including shipping, for less than 1/3 the price. We went to return the books and I embarrassidly told the guy at the counter that I had succumb to online shopping for deals instead of in-store. At first I felt bad - recession aside, online business continues to push every mom 'n pop and now big box store out of business. Then I remembered when Borders first hit the scene - I don't remember them helping the mom 'n pops much ... OK, maybe I'm buying into the message from "You've Got Mail" here but I don't see big stores helping the little ones much.
When I went out for a quick run (quick because the heat in SD is a shock to the system and my feet now have blisters from toe to heal) my mind wandered to shopping. First I thought about the Amazon business model - very smart. Then I thought of Netflix who seem to be pushing all the video stores out with their video rental memberships. Of course my mind moved to fashion - Beg Borrow or Steal, an online designer purse membership store.
Then my mind jumped (as it often does on runs) to all the events I have for the season - the ballet, Black and White ball, parties, NYE festivities, etc. When thinking of events I thought of what to wear - I'd like Gucci with Jimmy but I don't think that's in the cards this year. Can't afford those goods new and don't want to pay retail or used and then have to go through the burden of reselling.
In a flash (a painful one - the blister popped) it came to me - "My Best Friends Closet" - a store where people can get "memberships" to borrow designer clothes.
Do you think this would work?
An online eStore - let's call it FaaS (Fashion as a Service for all those techies out this with a yearning for style like myself) - where people could get memberships for $30-75/month. The membership would cover rental of up to 2 items of clothes (or shoes) at a time - similar to Netflix. When you return the goods, you can rent more.
Eventually if the eStore took off, there could be "Closet" presences in big cities like San Francisco (where I happen to live), Vail (where Lisa happens to live), etc. People could go to the "Closet" to check out clothes OR browse online and goods they like from other "Closets" could be shipped to their local one.
How would this work? Well of course in this downturn stores like Saks, Niemens, Barney's, etc. are looking for new sales venues - they may just want to put their overstock goods in the virtual community for checking out. And of course Amazon would want a piece as they're always innovating - they could manage the shipping logistics and insurance. Oh, and don't forget all the small boutiques - something doesn't sell, no worries! Rent it.
Now, I'm throwing this idea to the world but I am indeed thinking of pursuing it. One of my thousand thoughts. If someone does rip off the idea and run, well then I'll be the first member. For free of course ;o)
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