Ecommerce Database Management for Success.
Yeah, I know the header for this post is not really very layercake-ish but after the online shopping experience I just had, it seemed appropriate. While flipping through the pages of a back issue of Glamour:
I saw this adorable blouse, let’s call it Exhibit A:
Cute, huh? So according to the article I can find this retro little gem of a blouse at an online store called Unique Vintage. And we’re off like a prom dress. After a few clicks we find our way around the store—more on the UI later—we find the blouse. How exciting is that? The magazine is at least a month or two old and the blouse is still in the store. Don’t get too excited, this is where the database management (or lack thereof) rears its ugly head. Look at this:
Do you see what I see? It’s sold out. Huh? I can’t even type Huh? enough times on this page to capture the lameness of this retail experience. This is a signature Macy’s.com move, but at least Macys.com doesn’t let you add the item to your cart and complete your purchase of said non-existent item that will never be produced again. Feel free to purchase it but just be aware that it will arrive in an invisible box and that it is constructed using only the finest quality organic air. And it comes with a refund to your credit card because it doesn’t exist. So today’s Database Management tip of the day is: Remove products that no longer exist from your active database. And if you feel you must leave the item on the site maybe because it’s so pretty and it got a lot of press, how ’bout flagging it as unsaleable so we don’t have any of those pesky credits to process.
UPDATE: I received a really nice comment from Katie, the owner of Unique Vintage clothing. She has removed the really cute unavailable blouse from the site. And even though my heart’s true desire was for Unique Vintage to wave its sparkly fashion wand and produce a few dozen more of that coveted blouse, I guess I’ll just have to walk away with a lesson learned. If you love something, go after it with passion and determination. Ah so true on so many levels. Like I mentioned in the post I totally understand leaving the item up for people to see, good press is hard to come by and it’s something to be proud of. Making it unsalable by not allowing it to be added to the cart just makes it easier for everyone and maybe putting it on the press page like some other stores do, instead of mixing it in with available inventory. The great thing about blogging, in my experience is that it opens lines of communication. Now let’s all get over to Unique Vintage and get our fashion on. If only Nordstrom was as responsive as Katie and could fix this website debacle of theirs.
If you’re in Southern California, you can visit the Unique Vintage flagship store at 2013. W Magnolia Blvd
Burbank, CA 915062013. Grand opening September 6th 2008!
