Digital Operative Does Fashion Digital New York

October 11, 2013 By BJ Cook,

This Week I was in New York City for Fashion Digital. DO has gone to Fashion Digital before in Los Angeles, but this was the first Fashion Digital we have attended in the "Big Apple." As one of the sponsors of the event DO had a booth set up in the networking area. Along with having a booth, I sat through all of the sessions, live tweeting and collecting as much knowledge and information on eCommerce as humanly possible. Here are just a few things that I learned from the different panels and speakers:

Keynote Speaker: Craig Leavitt, CEO of Kate Spade New York

He touched on 3D printing and most importantly how people in their 20s live online. In order to be a competitor in the industry, you have to grow with the changes and be at the forefront of what is happening. In order to be a competitor and be successful, you have to "Think differently and Challenge your Superiors"

Panel: Customer Acquisition

This was my favorite panel session at FDNY. For many reasons..... Did you know?!? 30% of all eCommerce searches are done via mobile and of that 30%, 70% of searches are done on an iOS platform. This statistic is not surprising, I can't tell you the last time I (or my roommates) used a computer to shop online, we typically do it from our cell phones, and we all have iPhones. You should always think about the cost at which you are willing to lose your margin in order to gain a specific client. Moreover, "you shouldn't have a specific CPA goal, you should base it on each client." This is very true - sometimes you will have to lose a little more of your margin, to build your portfolio and make a relationship. But, hopefully it will be worth it.

Panel: Social Media

Social Media is huge right now, "You should be in the forums (platforms) in which your customers want to interact." If your consumers are on yelp and instagram - that's where you should be as well. There is no point in posting for the hell of posting. But, you should be interacting with your consumers if they are trying to interact through these platforms. On social media it's a way to be a game changer, you should "Listen to your user and their passion, understand your user and create a social solution." Any feedback is great feedback, never ignore consumers who are placing negative comments on your Facebook or your Twitter. Use this as a place to rise above and take your services to the next level.

Speaker: Ben Pressley, Magento

Ben Pressley mostly discussed Magento as a platform and why it is important to make sure you are using a platform which makes the shopping process seamless since "58% of consumers use phones as part of the shopping process." He also stated that you should "Understand customers before you get started and understand who you are targeting and why."

Speaker: Uri Minkoff CEO of Rebecca Minkoff

The main point of Uris's talk was to know what separates you and makes you different from everyone else in the industry. The Rebecca Minkoff Brand, just like DO is very passionate about what they do....we both want to be industry leaders and be great. We both work for companies where creative ideas are not only welcomed but, strongly encouraged. My favorite quote from Uri Minkoff - "Talent over genius.....find people who are just as passionate as you - to work with you and for you." His point was, education isn't everything.....but the heart you put into it is!

Panel: Mobile Customers

This panel spent most of the time discussing responsive web design vs. adaptive. Because of the way the younger generations are shopping not only in stores, but on computers they are also shopping on iPads and tablets and their smart phones - because of this "Millennials are changing the way mobile is being used in fashion eCommerce." Staying ahead of the curve is what matters with mobile customers and in the eCommerce industry. Those are just a few of the things we learned at Fashion digital New York - Follow us on twitter @digitaloperativ and see our tweets from all the sessions at Fashion Digital. If you didn't have a chance to attend or missed speaking with us, please feel free to drop us a line or visit our website. We want to help you take your brand to the next level and "Be Visible, Be Smart, Be Scalable"