According to Hearst: From today (12 February), consumers can get even closer to their favourite magazine brands by purchasing from a carefully curated range of products chosen by their favourite magazine editors and shipped within 24 hours to their door. The new initiative offers a state of the art online shopping platform - The UK Edit - hosting a niche range of magazine branded stores published by Hearst Magazines UK.
This week will see the first of the stores launching from Hearst brands including Men’s Health and Digital Spy with more new stores coming on line throughout Spring 2013 from brands including Cosmopolitan, Handbag, & ELLE. More titles will be added to the portfolio through 2013.
Each store is independently created to reflect the look, tone, content and values of each individual magazine brand. Product and brand range is bespoke to each store covering health, beauty & grooming, accessories, home & garden, fitness, technology & entertainment.
Each month, as the Editor directs and selects the products and brands to review within their magazine and website, they will also select those to be stocked highlighted and promoted in the store.
All stores will benefit from The Hut Group’s award winning retail technology which offers market leading conversion tools, fulfilment, customer care & eCRM, with immediate access to thousands of existing and new premium and lifestyle brands.
Handpicked by Hearst Magazines UK, and powered by The Hut Group, this new partnership offers benefits to consumers and advertisers including:
• Shopping advice from the UK’s most trusted editors
• Instant ‘Click to buy’ shopping experience
• The most affluent online consumers
• Late shopping with next day delivery
• National & International Shipping
• Exclusive data and insight across media and shopping behaviour
Hearst Magazines UK, Chief Executive Arnaud de Puyfontaine says: “This exciting new shopping concept is part of Hearst Magazines UK‘s overall strategy to propel its digital agenda and develop new ways for its magazine brands to connect with audiences. Providing our audiences with a premium shopping experience based on the advice, trust and expertise of our Editors is a natural step for our brands, and The UK Edit fits perfectly into our growing stable of world-class magazine brands, digital editions, innovative apps, mobile platforms and premium websites.”
The Hut Group Divisional CEO Richard Chapple says: “This partnership brings a fantastic opportunity for both parties to drive incremental revenues by bringing our assets together. Hearst Magazines UK audiences will benefit from The Hut Group’s expanding portfolio of brands within multiple product categories, with market leading shopping and fulfilment options, while The Hut Group will enjoy increased traffic and volume, driving economies of scale which benefit the whole group. What excites me a great deal is the extra insight and data we’ll have as partners to understand shopping and decision making habits of the UK’s most affluent consumers.”
