The Gap also has plans to set up a UK transactional Web site but it wants to make the launch simultaneous in Germany, France and Japan. The project is expected to take off in the third quarter of this year. Other interesting e-tailers receiving lots of attention include IntoFashion, a sweet and stylish site offering hair accessories, jewellery, scarves, bags and clothes. Promising free postage in the UK and shipping within 24 hours, the site manages to appeal to both the fashion and the financial acumen of the style literati. Labels include Chantelle, Valisere and Huit.
Gift wrapping is free and the site gives advice to men trying to find the right style for a gift.
Brands include the likes of Thomas Pink, and the added value factor comes out in a service whereby visitors can arrange by e-mail for a Gieves and Hawkes tailor to make a trip to their office and measure them up for a bespoke suit. The site funnels visitors to our clients' Web sites, rather than the companies having to register themselves with search engines and waiting for people to come. Some have started taking orders within three days of their site going live. Most of its clients are currently marketing business to business, from fabrics through to garments, although Fashionweb is now starting to develop sites for e-commerce direct to consumers. Suppliers wishing to work with e-tailers need to surf the sites and approach potential customers with products and prices carefully tailored to reflect their online personality.