In a way, the New Power Girls came out of one of the most coveted categories on the internet: Online shopping.
It was early 2005, each of the four of us early stage founders of fashion/shopping related startups. It was at a time before open CMS platforms and $9 websites. Creating things for the internet cost in the thousands (and sometimes hundreds of thousands) versus minutes. Not many people did it, and certainly not many women. Everybody knew everybody, or of everybody. Much like today, there was a community, and within it a tiny subset of female founders, who were held together not just by the common thread of being in the same industry or being in the same category, but by being the few women in a then-predominantly male-dominated marketplace.
We worked together, we played together and we helped each other, whether it was partnering on initiatives to benefit both of our companies, sharing a valuable contact, or alerting each other to industry news and happenings.
And so, The New Power Girls were born.
Two of us sold, the remaining are still working it at the helm of their companies. In the years since, "online shopping" and fashion has more than boomed. It's one of the most coveted corners on the internet, now garnering the attention of even the largest of corporations, angel and venture funded startups, and of course, many, many entrepreneurs.
Just the same, women shoppers have also boomed and evolved. If you thought we were armed and dangerous offline in the past, you should see the way we shop now. There are more tools than ever, more information, more options - and most of all, more women who know precisely how to use it all to get the things they want at the price they want.
If there were opportunity (and challenges!) back in the early days, you can only imagine what kind of playing field it is today.
It was a topic that came up during conversations with the women (and men) behind the social shopping site ThisNext not long ago. ThisNext is an online spot where women can aggregate the products they find and like, comparison shop and ultimately execute on their ultimate fashion, home, beauty and other shopping purchase. It's offered in addition to editorial information and insight from a range of high profile, highly connected experts, editors and insidery types that have created the stylish worlds of celebrities and debutants. This kind of insight is often more coveted among women than from celebrities themselves. After all, shoppers know that most stars have stylists, home interior help, etc. to get their fabulous lives.
It's not a surprise that everybody's starting to notice, and that many are starting to at long last truly understand the way women shop, and most of all, how to make it easier than ever.
"Retailers are now starting to pay attention to what women really need: Price, affordability and ease," said the company's editorial director Mary Alice Haney as we chatted over email. "The success of Topshop, H&M, and Target shows this. We have less time to do more, with our careers, our kids and our relationships. Sites like ThisNext help women keep this organized."
It's certainly something most women can relate to. You no longer run to a single store to grab a black cardigan, but scout endless online shops and options, then compare offline, then hunt down the best price you can afford. More often than not this includes searching one of the niche fashion social networks for a discount code, or deals from retailers like Gilt Group or discount sites like Groupon. From here you consider all of your options and comparison shop, often with sites like ThisNext to help. From there, we've got a ton of information to help along the way -- from product reviews on sites, to editorial and more.
In other words, women engage and shop online very similar to how they always have in the offline world. They are cautious and smart about their purchases, know what they want, take the time to make sure they're finding the best item for their needs, at the best value they can afford, and relying on their friends, peers and outside sources to help them do it better, faster, and cost efficiently. All that has changed is a new platform, the internet, to make it easier, faster, and better. Want to tap into the minds of women shoppers online? Do just that!