Taigan.com
Internet Gift Retailing Finalist
Meredith Schwartz -- Gifts and Dec, 8/21/2010 5:22:00 AM
Like New York's Fifth Avenue or Beverly Hills' Rodeo Drive, Taigan is an all-in-one-place destination for one-of-a-kind boutiques. But although all Taigan's retailers are real, brick-and-mortar stores, the only thing you need to drive to get there is your Web browser.
The site takes its unusual name from a sighthound from Kyrgyzstan, both because of its ability to make fabulous finds and because the creature is itself so rare and valuable, it can only be given as a gift. Taigan's finds are small stores who carry apparel, shoes and accessories, children's, home, art, gourmet food, jewelry and more.
"The home category is our strongest," Taigan vice president of marketing Gretchen Howell says. "Our vision is to promote and identify small retailers, to deliver great [customer] relationships for life to these [shops]," she says. "Last year, when we launched, we thought, they're going away by leaps and bounds. We want to do something to help them."
As a result, Taigan introduces not just the product but also the store to the consumer wherever possible. Each store also provides its own customer service. "The part of buying special items online that was missing is having somebody to tell you the story and help you," says Howell.
Not just any retailer can join Taigan: new applicants are vetted for a strong history of good business practices, including customer service and paying vendors. But most important is the merchandise mix. "How retailers put together their collections can be really inspired; these people are artists to us," Howell explains. Taigan does not worry about vendor overlap, since even from the same line, different retailers will select different items and present them in such a different assortment that there's very little duplication. Similarly, while the site presents a range of price points and geographical locations, that was more a happy accident than a goal. "We want just a great store," says Howell.
Although Taigan is focused on small retailers, Howell notes that a few stores have multiple locations. "We still consider them small stores; they have a single owner with a vision," she remarks.
Taigan was founded by Mary Catherine McClellan, who partnered with Mark McDonald to develop the business plan. Another crucial team member is creative director Julia Reed, who wrote for Newsweek and Vogue and now writes the site's own publication, Fetch, as well as helping to find new member shops.
Fetch isn't just product coverage: Reed writes about everything from books to cocktails. And of course, retail. "Most of the stores are owned by shopkeepers with great stories to tell and fabulous life experiences. We paint a picture of the stores, their owners and why they are great," says Reed. The site is also adding video. "Every shopping Web site I know is two-dimensional," says Reed. "These videos bring it all to life."
If that's not enough new content, the site expects participating stores to update weekly and adds new sources monthly. Members get special privileges such as the chance to pre-order or invitations to private events.
We would love your feedback!
-
The Gifted Retailer
Nov 28, 2011 -
The Gifted Retailer
Sep 21, 2011 -
Rebuilding Momentum
Feb 1, 2010 -
The Gifted Retailer
Jan 10, 2012 -
Pushing the Envelope
May 1, 2010
Featured Company
-
Brandwise Inc.
Brandwise serves a model - not just an industry - by integrating, automating, and optimizing the entire sales channel, from wholesale Suppliers to their Reps and the Retailers they service. In short, our software helps Reps and Suppliers sell more and create... more
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
