How Personal Shopping Is Giving Retailers Vital Customer Data

Personal shopping is becoming increasing popular and a key tool for retailers seeking to know more about how people shop. The trend is global and there is now a wave of new businesses seeking to take advantage of personal fashion advice. “H&M, for example, could produce a dress and not know why it’s not selling. The dress goes through various rounds of discounts and still remains in store without H&M understanding why. We can change that,” Sophia Matveeva, founder of the Style Counsel, told CNBC over the phone. Style Counsel, an iPhone app, provides fashion counseling to people who aren’t sure whether to buy a certain item or wear a particular outfit for a specific event. Basically, it’s personal shopping available on your iPhone. “Users themselves tell us why a certain product isn’t working. They’re the ones saying, ‘Oh it’s too revealing for work,'” Matveeva said, arguing that this data — helping retailers identify what is, and what’s not, working — is one of the biggest advantages of her business. Read more at CNBC.