GetMyCloset: Swap, Share and Sell Clothes Online

GetMyCloset is a recently launched site that enables users to share and swap their clothing, as well as sell both new and second-hand clothing and accessories. GetMyCloset was founded as a solution to the current shopping climate: we want to feel excited about our clothes, but have limited financial resources and are concerned about the environmental impact of creating, shipping, and packaging new clothes.

Says founder Raquel Ohana: "Going shopping with a friend on Oxford Street one Friday afternoon during the sales was so exiting. I saw myself heading home with bags full of new clothes at discount prices! Unfortunately, the magic shopping experience was neither as enjoyable nor as pleasant as I expected... Discounts and offers were uninteresting, especially in an economic downturn when clothes and accessories are considered ‘non-essential’ purchases. Therefore, we women are less likely to spend enough to renew our closets! Disappointed, I returned home bag-less. I then opened my closet... it was already FULL! This is a problem for most of us: we need space and cheap clothes! This is why I set up an online marketplace where fashionistas can - from the comfort of their home - swap the clothes they don’t feel like wearing anymore, and get something different, something original, something timeless, that someone else was tired of!"

To find individuals with similar tastes, users can join trend groups in categories such as 'Quirky Quintessential', 'Denim Addict', and 'Miss Avant-Garde.' Additionally, Ohana hopes that emerging designers will use GetMyCloset as a platform to sell their designs and expand their reach. And while the goal of GetMyCloset is to build an active community on the site, Ohana recognises the need to promote the site via existing social media channels. "Blogs, Webzines and Facebook are the new sources of inspiration for style, right up there with the best fashion press.," says Ohana. "We are trying to put ourselves out there by reaching out to the blogosphere, tweeting loudly, and showing all Facebook the best of customers' uploads!"

Latin Women Discuss Shopping Experiences Online

A recent Sophia Mind study of  women in the Mexico, Argentina and Brazil, and Latina women in the US, revealed that female social networking users in these countries are using the Web to comment about their purchase experiences. Although the figures varied by country, up to 66% of women are talking about their purchasing experiences online (Brazil). Across the board, women were more likely to make positive comments than negative ones.

However, bad comments were more likely to deter users from shopping than messages received from companies or brands. Unsurprisingly, Facebook and Twitter were the largest sources for friend recommendations. Women in both the US and Latin America claimed that they trust comments on social networks more than ads. 11% of Hispanic female social network users in the US strongly agreed with that statement,  48% agreed, and 25% were undecided. Latin women were most likely to trust the advice of social network connections when it came to electronics, and about half were open to recommendations for books and magazines, music, travel and films.

The activity of Latin women on social networks could create a huge opportunity for companies who are targeting Latin America and the Hispanic population in the US. Companies who invest in good customer service and provide their audience with the tools to share their experiences via social media could see a significant impact- one that could directly affect their bottom line.