Officially launched this week alongside a funding announcement following several months of quietly-building buzz courtesy of press mentions in places such as WWD, Shoptiques is a new shopping site hoping to connect style fans with the kind of little boutiques you stumble upon and fall in love with — no matter your location.
A product of Silicon Valley’s Y Combinator (backer of many a name you’ll no doubt recognize, including AirBnB, Dropbox and Disqus, just to name a few), the company and its founder Olga Vidisheva aim to make those hard-to-find labels and hidden gems tucked away in independent boutiques around the country accessible to shoppers in a new way.
Instead of relying on retailers to supply product images – which has long been a stumbling block for independent store owners who lack the time or extra funds to produce the high-quality images today’s online shoppers have come to expect – the company sends out its own photographers to shoot merch. Along with curating apparel and accessories in a visually appealing way, Shoptiques also handles purchasing transactions and takes a cut for each sale.
More good news: in addition to offering small boutiques a way to get their products online in a visually-appealing, yet seemingly cost-effective way, the merchandise selection is one that, for the moment at least, is a welcome mix of versatile, contemporary pieces in on-trend silhouettes and edgier, more daring items that will no doubt hold appeal for shoppers seeking standout looks.
You’ll see five of our picks from the site above.
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