If you think that original web programming is just for directors and actors trying to make it in Hollywoodland, remember it’s anyone’s game. Shopflick has launched its first series, The Hall Of Style with Davida Hall. Perhaps this interactive shopping is a more ideal way to monetize your web series. Shopflick, which feels like a more hip online take on QVC, calls its site an “entertaining shopping experience on the web for indie-inspired goods.” With each product you can watch videos of the designers, click on multiple photos and read feedback and comments from other users. The site offers high-end fashion to rising trends.
I would never consider myself the Carrie Bradshaw type, but after watching the introductory episode Hot High Heals I wanted to immediately max out my credit card (break those 2009 goals) and start shopping (snipers take her out!). It was fun (gasp!) to look at the items and hear what the designers had to say about them, not something you could achieve in a retail store. Not only that, they had original products that you won’t find an every mallrat wearing, the KidViskous line had me at first click. But with Davida Hall hosting the show, you know you are getting credible stylistic counsel. We caught up with the CEO of Shopfilck, David Grant.
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Tubefilter: The Hall of Style was described as ‘fast and opinionated guide to finding, wearing and buying the best new products, designers and trends’ do you have anything to add on to that?
David Grant: We are trying to give (shoppers) context around the purchases they may be interested in making, and really it’s the job of our site to bring that to you. We are not just a place where you look at pictures. You can actually find out all about who is making things, what trends are emerging, and know that experts like Davida Hall, who really knows a lot about fashion and is very connected, is really out there looking for what’s best. Every show she is going to find things that she will put in the Hall of Style that she thinks are interesting stories, good values, and can help you make a statement about being an individual in your fashion.
Tubefilter: Can you tell us more about the site Shopflick?
Grant: It’s a place where you can get a video experience to learn more about products and see how things look and feel, rather then just a place where you look at a lot of pictures, or read some copy and try to make a decision about what you are interested in, we really get into the designer, who this person is, what they are thinking about, and really sharing the quality of the items. So you can see how other people wear them, see how they look, you get a lot more engagement in things. It’s not as good as being in the store perhaps, or talking to the designer in person, but it’s the next best thing.
Tubefilter: The show was labeled ‘entertainment/editorial & commerce/shopping’, I love this concept, it is instant gratification and interaction for the user, what has been your viewer response so far?
Grant: Very few people are dropping (out of the videos), although I think future episodes will be about 3 minutes, people appear to be engaged all the way through. There is a lot of exploration of the products. I think it’s because you are really hearing about them from people who know what they are talking about and who have interesting things to say.
Tubefilter: I really like your show, it’s really fun!
Grant: Thanks. We are going to approach everything with a good sense of reality and humor. The whole area of shopping and trends really should be enjoyment, and we should add to your enjoyment. And they way that you do that is by having fun with it, but making sure that we give you absolutely useful information, also that you know that people that are talking to you know what they are talking about, so we have done our homework.
Tubefilter: Do you think the show is for Fashionistas, or can it be for someone who doesn’t know much about fashion but likes to shop?
Grant: It’s intended to be broad based; enjoyable by anybody that is interested in fashion at all. It’s anti-hi-brow or anti-exclusive. We really want to open up this world to as many people as we can. I think it’s enjoyable on any level.
Tubefilter: Davida Hall is the host of The Hall Of Style and Shopflick’s Editorial Director, she seems to be a great match, what does she bring to the table ?
Grant: She is in charge of our content and she herself is a real expert. She’s young, she’s 28, she’s a University of Berkley graduate who immediately went into the fashion world, and she’s worked for Gap, Halston, Hautelook, and British Vogue. She also has a real earthy personal sensibility, she likes deals, and she likes to find interesting things and combinations, so I think she is a really good voice for us in general and for the show.
Tubefilter: The show has a high production value, who is producing the show?
Grant: We produce the show entirely in house, I have a fairly long background in television myself, I have a really talented crew who are reapply passionate about what they do.
Tubefilter: How often will the episodes be airing?
Grant: We are going to do them twice month, and consider going weekly.
Tubefilter: What are some things that viewers can look forward to in upcoming episodes?
Grant: First of all viewers can expect very relevant topics, very accessible, the next episode coming up is on handbags, they can expect humor in every episode, some celebrities, the next episode the Kardashian’s will all be on. In each show, Davida and the guest will make selections of things that will go into the Hall Of Style that will be products, items and fashion trends that we really believe in. That is the sort of hook of the show or the consistent element.
I think viewers are going to get a consistent high-end experience, but I think the most important thing to me is the host of the show is not a “host” who is just hired, she is the real deal. She is our Editorial Director, she is who is appears to be. One of the places on the web that I see is slightly troubling fashion imitate television, is you just hire a host, someone who looks good, you pay them and they say what you write for them, we really don’t believe in that. This really is a show and all of our shows will be using people who really know what they are talking and have done their homework, so that you are getting a real experience not just watching a paid host talking to you.
Tubefilter: I agree, you can tell the difference in her delivery.
Grant: I would definitely air on the side that some of these less polished “professional hosts” are a waste of time to read someone else words. Davida write the show and researches the show. Courtney Lowe, who’s on the first episode, is our Merchandise Manager, extremely knowledgeable about fashion. You are really getting someone in the demo who is living what they are talking about, who are professionals and really know the subject matter.
