It was only a matter of time before brands figured out how to convert emotional connections on Pinterest into actual sales, and J.Crew is taking the lead by debuting its entire fall line exclusively on its Pinterest page.
This means the catalog is available to its 65,000 Pinterest followers and anyone else perusing through the platform. It also means this is the first place people can view the new designs, instead of J.Crew’s own website or a printed catalog.
It’s a smart move from J.Crew, the brand clearly knows where its audience is. And by getting its product out on Pinterest first, it can easily identify what the most popular items are going to be, since those pieces will become “aspirational” items desired by followers. Gauging an emotional reaction rather than just clicks on its website will be crucial for J.Crew’s marketing/advertising strategy moving forward, when it does start selling the items online.
However, putting the catalog on Pinterest won’t automatically translate into rapid sales, since you can’t buy directly from the site. At this point, you have to email or call J.Crew to order an item you like on the Pinterest display, which isn’t exactly frictionless online shopping. But when it comes to getting data from your core customers, Pinterest is a fantastic tool for retail marketers.
