Luxe Lowdown: Tony Sites Begin to Invite Buyer Reviews
More than a decade after book and electronics retailers embraced online customer reviews, the most elite stores in the U.S. are opening their websites—and the brands they sell—to the slings and arrows of public opinion.
At the end of the month, Saks.com, the online arm of Saks Fifth Avenue, will unveil a five-star review system where customers can express their opinions on products ranging from $1,700 Jimmy Choo bags to $7 Kiehl’s lip balm. Macy’s Inc.’s Bloomingdale’s division and Neiman Marcus added their own versions of reviews recently, following the lead of Nordstrom, which began offering them last fall.
The changes are being driven by the need to beef up online sales, and a realization among luxury retailers that customers want the ability to take shopping advice from their peers.
