Online fashion retailer Net-a-Porter is planning to launch a printed magazine within the next 12 months, according to CEO Mark Sebba, speaking at the Business Leaders Network's Making it Mobile event.
"Traditional publishers always say that we are lucky for being born in a digital age and don't have a legacy of print. But we still see it as important. It isn't a secret that Net-a-Porter will be publishing a major fashion magazine within the next 12 months or so."
He explained that the organisation was very content focused and flagged the fact that despite being launched in 2000, it did not have a retailer in the business until around 2008. "One of us used to be a model and one of us used to be an accountant. Natalie [Massenet] approached the enterprise as a magazine editor. She observed early on that when fashion houses held their shows they had one collection for editors and one for the stores," said Sebba, adding that Massenet wanted to go to the editors' shows and sell those clothes online. "That is how Net-a-Porter started its life as a magazine that sold clothes."
Sebba explained that Net-a-Porter's focus had always been about enhancing content rather than leveraging its audience. As a result, Net-a-Porter's total audience is now around six million monthly visitors. This has allowed the company to move from simply selling clothes to also delivering advertising on its website and mobile apps. "Providing opportunities for advertising is very interesting," said Sebba.
Sebba showcased some of the ways that Net-a-Porter is bringing its brands to life. These include a gaming app launched to promote a Karl Lagerfeld collection, a Suit Yourself app that allows Mr Porter customers to build up different fashion looks and Mr Tux, an iPad magazine app.
Sebba explained: "Twelve years ago when Natalie launched Net-a-Porter, it wasn't so much about revolutionising shopping as revolutionising the magazine industry. It's about understanding the media side of commerce rather than just trying to move products. I don't want to denigrate [the retail] side in any way as it pays the rent, but advertising revenue increasingly pays the rent as well."
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