Many guys put shopping for clothes just slightly higher on their
list of things to avoid than a root canal. Still, modern mores do require
the male of the species to be dressed and there's plenty of research to suggest
that what a man wears can affect how he is perceived by others. So where
does the shopping adverse and fashion-challenged male go for help? The answer
is Trunk Club, a new, easy-to-use online personal shopping service.
According to the website, men join Trunk Club and go through
a 15-minute video interview from their computer at work or home with
their own personal clothing expert. From there the expert goes out and finds
appropriate clothing, which is delivered for free to the member's door. If
anything does not work for a member, he simply returns the clothing to Trunk
Club, also with free shipping. The company charges full retail for its
clothing and no other fees are paid by members.
The Trunk Club, located in Bend, Oregon, was founded by Joanna Van Vleck. The original plan, according to TechCrunch, was for Ms. Van Vleck to open retail outlets across the country where men could visit for their personal shopping. An angel investor in the venture backed out and Ms. Van Vleck, a personal stylist, turned to the web-based model.
As to reasons why men join the Trunk Club, one member wrote, "I've been living and working in Miami for about seven years and have suffered the style consequences. Matching everything, despite the occasion, to a pair of good looking jeans is dogma here, and more often than not, it works well and looks good... I'm moving to NY soon and I'd like to find clothes (and shoes!) that aren't in every store, things that look classic, professional, elegant, casual, and distinguished... I'll be in a totally new and exciting environment and need the wardrobe to match."
Discussion Questions: Is there a market for the Trunk Club? Do you see the potential for web video services like Trunk Club opening up in other categories to help consumers make purchasing decisions?