I have recently been in the market for a new messenger bag. Since my time has been limited, I decided I would browse online to see what brands I liked and where I could buy them. Don’t get my wrong, I love my Tumi, but it can be too large for my needs. I wanted something smaller and more casual. I prefer a designer bag (or at least “designed”), a good price (around $300 for a designer label –OUCH, I KNOW – and under $100 for a non-designer brand), highly functional and of good quality (it MUST last).
It’s been a couple of years since I shopped online. I remember it used to be easy to shop with sites full of functionality and images. I’d simply point, click and be done… but not anymore. I went through many sites and found very few that had decent stock, site functionality, product details or even an option buy them! I visited: Bloomingdales.com, LouisVuitton.com, Prada.com, Macys.com, Barneys.com, SaksFifthAvenue.com, JackSpade.com, ManhattanPortage.com, Bluefly.com, Gucci.com and Diesel.com.
Ability to see products:
Loser: Prada. Their website doesn’t even have a product list, merely a fashion image on their home page. I couldn’t even see the latest collection or where to find a store. It was definitely the worst site in my shopping tour.
Winner: Gucci. Their website had a complete selection of all of their products. However; I recommend they show more angles of the bags and what they look like inside.
Ability to purchase products:
Loser: Obviously Prada, but also Diesel. Diesel had images of their products but no shopping cart or prices.
Worst offender: Diesel. If you’re going to show your products, at least give a price and a way to buy them.
Winner: Manhattan Portage and Bluefly, clear shopping carts that seem to work. Since I didn’t complete my purchase, I can’t comment fully.
Functionality:
I was shocked to see poor functionality on almost every site. I wanted to see close ups as well as the insides of each bag. The only site to offer this option was ManhattanPortage.com.
The worst offenders: Everyone, but particularly Macy’s was the worst. I couldn’t even figure out how to narrow my search to only messenger bags.
Winner: Manhattan Portage.
Runner-up: Jack Spade, which gave a close view of the products’ details such as stitching, clasps and logo; unfortunately no close ups on the inside of the bag.
Selection:
When looking at these sites, I wanted a large variety of different bags. I’ve been to nearly all the brick and mortar retail shops and I know they have a large selections.
Worst offenders: Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Barney’s, Saks because they are all department stores that had only a piece of their goods available online.
Winners: Bluefly because of the great selection of Prada. However; they had no other brands. Manhattan Portage and Jack Spade both had a great selection of bags in various shapes, sizes and uses.
In the end the winners for best site are Manhattan Portage and Jack Spade. I’d like a bag that is more designed than Manhattan Portage so I might go for a Jack Spade but I will swing by Bloomingdale’s on my way home.
Posted by Serge Gurin on June 12, 2006 12:34 PM
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