5 Examples of Innovative Ecommerce Stores

Thinking of starting your own online store? Innovation is key for a successful startup, especially in ecommerce. The problem is, when there are so many people creating startups, it can be hard to come up with ideas which are truly innovative – everything’s already been done! But then, no idea is truly original, and modern innovations tend to actually be unexpected combinations of existing ideas. Perhaps reading about some of the most recent innovative ecommerce stores will give you some inspiration about what to do for your own store? Learn some lessons from these innovative startups and use them to fuel your own ideas…

1. Chubbies

On the surface, Chubbies may not look like anything special. They’re an online store that sells shorts — there are probably a thousand other websites out there doing the same thing. So what sets them apart? Well, it’s the way that they approach the content on their site. It’s a small thing, but they have a very distinctive writing style on every single page of their website. They’ve become very popular because of it, and it goes to show the value of spending time on engaging branded content.

Chubbies embrace the quirky and adventurous side of life, peppering their web copy with fun statements and mottoes like “We believe in the right your quads have to a life of freedom and sunshine”. Copy like this makes it clear to the user that there is a beating heart behind the brand — helping to create a real connection, and differentiate Chubbies from competitors with an interesting brand story.

Lesson — embrace personality and quirky statements — it can help jazz up your store and brand in no time at all. Personality will help you stand out in a sea of beige online stores and it will help you solidify your business into a legitimate brand sooner.

2. Goulet Pens

Sometimes going old-school can work in your favor, as Goulet Pens found. Their beautiful online store is filled with gorgeous ink pens and inks, taking us back to a time of handwritten letters and tender heartfelt correspondence…

This brand has made a name for itself due to the fact that their selection of products is enormously comprehensive. Not only do they offer just about any item of traditional stationery that somebody could ask for, but they’ve got detailed descriptions about how to use them too. Their comprehensive guides transport the user to a stationery universe, providing plenty of gift and product inspiration.

A great example of how love, care, and attention can help elevate a simple store to another level.

3. Everlane

Most businesses will offer a 10 or 20% off sale every few months and that will be when most people make their purchases. Generally, these discounted prices still bring in a profit for the businesses and often, the “standard” price is just inflated so that it can then be “reduced” and people think they’re getting a good deal. Everlane is very open about this approach and they condemn it, instead preferring to offer low prices on a permanent basis. This level of honesty is refreshing and it’s an attitude that has been appreciated by the customers.

Everlane are all about bringing the consumer closer to the product — literally lifting the lid on garment provenance and factories. With a really refreshing approach to fashion, Everlane seek customers who ask questions — a great ethos for an online brand.

4. Alphabet Bags

There’s always a demand for bags and Alphabet Bags stand out from the rest of the industry by offering bespoke design. People appreciate the opportunity to own personalized items and Alphabet Bags is able to offer a high quality, personalized selection of products. People can choose every aspect of their bag, including the material it’s made of, and how it’s all put together. This really does provide the customers with a level of control that a lot of ecommerce websites cannot offer, and it’s a great way to gamify the purchase process.

Always give customers the opportunity to personalize — it’s a big sales driver, especially during the gifting and holiday seasons.

5. SurfStitch

What was initially just a small time surfing business was quickly able to attract a large number of customers due to a dedicated content marketing campaign. It was obvious that this was a business run by people who genuinely knew and cared a lot about the products they were selling. With plenty of posts which provided customers with something good to read and a good reason to keep coming back the brand’s following quickly grew; it’s easy to see how they achieved success by building out an enthused community through content.

With the advent of online store builders and automated shipping, it’s quite possible for anybody to create an ecommerce site from scratch. But how many of these entrepreneurs are actually making worthwhile amounts of money? Success will only come to those who are actually offering something innovative — you can bet your bottom dollar that those innovators have their finger on the pulse and are clued up on what’s happening in ecommerce in terms of branding and innovation. Take your time and read up on ecommerce trends and developments to make sure that your online store has both mass appeal and longevity.

If you’re planning on creating your own ecommerce business, ask yourself whether you can offer your customers things which nobody else can. Which innovative ecommerce websites have impressed you, and what makes you strive for better?

Guest article written by: Patrick Foster: Ecommerce entrepreneur & advisor. Patrick Foster is a freelance writer and ecommerce expert and owner of popular ecommerce blog, Ecommercetips. Sharing his expertise through articles and being able to help startups is something he takes a great deal of satisfaction from.