In the not-so-long-ago past, when fashion followers saw something they needed, they first faced a wait; a wait to find it in a store, a wait for production to catch up to the trend, and possibly, even a wait to see what the trend was. Today it has become increasingly difficult to get left behind by those on the leading edge of the industry.

Thanks to social media, consumers can immediately receive inspiration from the runway and then shop similar styles from newly emerging online retailers or local brick-and-mortar boutiques.

Revolve is among the most popular sites in this new landscape, carrying over 700 moderately priced labels and brands and offering two-to-three-day free shipping on any order. Their business model capitalized on millennials. Postcard-like Instagram posts of bloggers and social media influencers donning Revolve’s clothes during lavish vacations flood their feed. Their brand is attainable while being just slightly out of reach. It makes women want more than just the clothes, but rather the “Revolve Lifestyle” that comes with them.

Instagram has proved integral to their success. The social media platform has recently pushed efforts to facilitate retailer-consumer connections through their business profile feature. The feature works as a tier system, encouraging retailers to continuously grow their brand and following. All business profiles are initially given analytics tools to better understand their followers and engagement.

Once Instagram approves an account for the shopping feature, they are able to tag products in posts, linking consumers directly to the product on their website. After topping 10,000 followers or becoming a verified account, the “swipe-up” story feature is unlocked, allowing followers to be linked to sites when watching a story, rather than clicking a link in a bio.

“With boutiques, we have the luxury of providing a personal touch and level of intimacy.” -Katie Whitson

Most recently, on March 19, 2019, Instagram announced a new shopping feature that will allow in-app purchases. Consumers will be able to scroll their feed, see something they want to purchase, and right there and then, be able to “proceed to checkout.” No need to search the internet. Waiting is a thing of the past; instant-gratification is the future.

These innovations have already impacted the retail industry, leaving many to wonder what is next. Often there is a fear of brick-and-mortar stores becoming obsolete, but Katie Whitson, the owner of Blond Genius, a local boutique, reassures that consumers still need and want physical stores.

“With boutiques, we have the luxury of providing a personal touch and level of intimacy,” something Whitson says Revolve and similar stores are unable to achieve. “We know our customers on a personal level,” she says. “We are able to understand their lifestyle and assist them in finding pieces that suit that.”

Blond Genius, like many boutiques, may be confident in their in-store shopping experience, but that has not deterred them from adapting and becoming competitive with online-sellers. In Aug. 2018, Whitson hired Blond Genius’s first social media manager, Molly Kral.

On a typical day, Kral takes photographs of the store, new arrivals and outfit inspirations, uploads two or three uniformly-filtered posts to the feed, creates graphics and engaging material for stories, and replies to customer messages and comments.

“The branding for Blond Genius is just very clean and simple,” says Kral about creating content. “But, a big part of it is connecting with the customers and giving them inspiration.”

Every Sunday, Blond Genius posts a weekly fashion forecast to their story giving customers tailored outfit inspiration to the local weather. While Revolve creates demand through aspiration, Blond Genius creates a need based on reality.

“Customers, for example, will see maybe ‘Oh! It’s raining on Wednesday, and I don’t have a rain jacket’,” Kral says. “Blond Genius’s pink hooded rain jacket will stick in their mind, and the next day they will come in to buy it.”

Blond Genius is a much smaller store in comparison to Revolve, and while they might not be able to have the capacity to carry hundreds of brands and styles, they are able to have a curated inventory that will pair with any look.

“Yes, there are clear benefits to having a wide variety of clothing, that’s obvious,” Whitson says. “But, by having a smaller selection, it is less overwhelming. We focus on the idea of a capsule-wardrobe, pieces that every woman needs, will transition well through seasons, and have versatility when wearing them.”

Whitson and Kral view the store as their customers’ “closets.” From the feedback they receive on social media, they tailor how they buy for the store directly to what the consumer likes. The conversation Instagram has provided between small boutiques and their customers allows for a strengthened relationship, into what could be considered a co-dependency. It keeps customers coming back to maintain the relationship … and their wardrobe.

“At the end of the day, we are all using the same platform to reach customers, which is kind of cool to think about.” -Molly Kral

“At the end of the day, we are all using the same platform to reach customers, which is kind of cool to think about,” Kral says. “A huge company and a small boutique, in a small Mid-West town, are using the same social media platform to connect with people.”

The “Revolve Effect” pushes stores, no matter the size, to use social media as a competitive tool for retail. Instagram continues to create strategies that facilitate success. Yes, the fashion world is changing. What was once a closed-off industry is now a direct line of communication with customers.

Everyone now has access to live fashion week shows from their phones, the ability to give feedback on emerging trends and technology to directly purchase the latest fashions influencers are wearing.