Macy’s opens online ambassador program to anyone
Macy’s has expanded its online Style Crew ambassador program from employee-only to include everyone from influencers to ordinary shoppers.
Macy’s Style Crew members use the retailer’s Video Storefronts platform to create personalized home pages for fashion, beauty and home goods on Macys.com and share shoppable videos and images across their social media channels. Linking back to product offers from Macy’s catalog, ambassadors earn a five percent commission when items are purchased through posts, plus awards for hitting sales milestones and other targets.
Officially launched in early 2018, the program currently has 3,300 employee participants.
“We are thrilled to expand Macy’s Style Crew to the broader fashion and beauty community,” said Marc Mastronardi, chief stores officer at Macy’s, in a statement. “Expanding our marquee e-commerce program will enable passionate content creators to grow their personal brands while providing Macy’s shoppers with a highly engaging online experience.”
Prominent influencers to regular customers can now join the program with no limits placed on the number of social followers. Macy’s approves applicants based on a screening process. Mr. Mastronardi told Glossy, “We obviously want to make sure that the content that is communicated also reflects our brand, even though it’s personalized and unique.”
Retailers have been ramping up their investments in digital engagement with shoppers still wary about visiting stores. Influencers are still seen as a way to connect with homebound consumers amid the pandemic. A study from social media marketing firm Socialbakers that came out in June found marketers continuing to follow a recent trend of using micro-influencers with smaller followings who are perceived as more authentic and less expensive than mega-influencers.
Macy’s expansion of its Style Crew program follows Google’s July launch of Shoploop, a video shopping platform, and Amazon’s addition of live streaming in June to its Amazon Influencer Program. Poshmark, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and number of startups, such as Popshop Live, also offer shoppable content via videos.
- Macy’s Expands Style Crew Ambassador Program to Fashionistas Nationwide – TVPage
- Macy’s Style Crew: Wear. Share. Earn. – Macy’s
- Macy’s doubles down on social commerce – Glossy
- Socialbakers Reports on the State of Influencer Marketing Effects of COVID-19 – Socialbakers
- Brands Turn to Microinfluencers, as Supers Struggle With Relatability – WWD
- Can influencers connect during a pandemic? – RetailWire
- Google breaks into mobile video shopping – RetailWire