ShopTogether also lets visitors to ShopMattel.com view the most popular items on their site in real time.  The hottest items appear in a dynamic display with products moving in and out as the crowd’s favorites change. It serves as a great merchandising tool for Mattel, and a fun way of getting new gift ideas for the consumer.  You can view the application on Mattel’s site here.

Also, check out this article about the announcement from Reuters.  Stay tuned to our blog for more news.

We have been inundated with retailers just coming into the online game at what some would say is a crazy time. Contrary to what you may think, many seem actually motivated by the current economic condition. The employee talent on the market is awesome and not as expensive as two years ago, for one thing. Secondly, over the past nine months, many established online retailers have not invested heavily in their stores, marketing or brand efforts due to financial constraints and because very little in the way of new, “must-have” site technology or functionality has emerged.  All of this gives new entrants with little to no infrastructure “baggage” a leg up on innovation, and has gone a long way to level the playing field.

In this environment, what can you — whether you’re the new kid on the block or an internet vet — do to differentiate your brand?  I found an article published last week in MediaPost’s Marketing Daily that effectively shares “must have’s” from a marketing investment perspective. My favorite points (however the entire short article is worth reading) are:

1. “Create products and marketing that spark engagement and enjoyment.”
2. “Do something interesting, vital, alive, engaged, even risky. That is table stakes in this economy”

ShopTogether satisfies both these directives. Why not allow your online customers to bring friends along  with them to shop IN YOUR STORE?  What can be more “vital” or “alive” than friends socializing and shopping, with your brand as the backdrop for that interaction?  ShopTogether provides an opportunity for you to engage with your consumer and let them have a real in-store experience in your online store.   Fortunately, we can have you up and running within a couple weeks…plenty of time to differentiate your online brand, marketers!