Social Shopping Web sites

The sites we researched and found to be innovative are Kaboodle and Stylehive.

Stylehive is more innovative because it integrates elements of MySpace with the interactive concepts of social shopping found in Kaboodle. The main purpose of the site is to allow users to share with others things they found to be fashionable. Stylehive users can personalize their profiles, blog about fashion, and establish their own communities. Like Twitter, users can choose to “follow” others and comment on their profiles.

In Kaboodle users make tons of lists, and if they're social oriented (hot scarves in 2008) then others can use them. Otherwise, you just end up with a hyperlinked shopping list. Kaboodle attempts to foster such a network by creating a leaderboard-type arrangement, called an “A-list,” where the most active Kaboodlers are featured and, as an incentive, given “exclusive deals and discounts!” The first-added tag rewards people for making good finds, and encourages people to be innovative. Users can start a blog based on various themes such as shopping for prom dresses.

Bad points: Users have to add the “Kaboodle” button onto their browser, so they can’t necessarily “kaboodle” everywhere.