CondeNet to launch women's fashion site
The Internet arm of publishing giant Conde Nast is launching a new fashion site for women this summer to be called Style.com.
Style.com will feature content as well as some e-commerce, said CondeNet director Sarah Chubb, in a statement. CondeNet also announced that Joan Feeney, who oversaw the launch of CondeNet's Epicurious.com and Swoon.com was named director of Style.com.
The brick-and-mortar magazine world is on an upswing, especially men's magazines, such as Maxim, Esquire and GQ. But as they push their content onto the Net, many are trying their hand at selling goods directly to readers. In the past, most magazines relied on selling advertising space.
How successful they've been doing that is still inconclusive, but IDC media e-commerce analyst Malcolm Maclachlan said that most consumers don't think of shopping when they want to read a magazine, and most shoppers don't think of logging onto a magazine site to shop.
"E-commerce sites have done a good job at getting consumers to think of them when they need something," Maclachlan said.
CondeNet said that Vogue.com would be a "key component of Style.com" but gave only a general and vague description about what the site offers.