Go Ask Alice.com
Posted by Jim | August 9, 2009 | No Comments
Long the domain of book and music retailers, online shopping hasn’t really caught on with the toilet paper and laundry detergent crowd. Alice.com, a new site that lets the manufacturers of many popular consumer packaged goods sell directly to customers, hopes to change that.
Manufacturers have been feeling the profit-pinch lately, both from recession-weary consumers and giant “middle man” retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target, eager to save shelf space for store brands.
Launched as a public beta in June (and named after the beloved housekeeper in The Brady Bunch
- Free shipping on every order – some planning is required, as there is a six product minimum per order, but this is a must-have feature in my book
- Clipless manufacturer coupons – competitive prices without the time spent clipping coupons
- Recommended products and reorder alerts – if you’re like me and never remember to buy the Charmin until you’re down to the last roll, this can be a life saver
- Multiple shopping options – shop by room, sort by the best deal, stick with your favorite brands or pick from a large selection of green products
- Convenient way to track spending – charts and graphs help you visualize spending trends, analyze coupon savings and refine your budget
- Interaction with online community – the “neighborhood” adds a social media twist to the site where members can create profiles, share tips with other members and provide feedback to the company. There’s also a growing following on facebook and twitter (@alice).
I’ve placed one order of typical household items and was very impressed with the convenience. It took maybe 15 minutes to complete my order, which arrived via UPS in two days. The potential time savings of being able to stock up on necessities in your free time should make this a very popular option for busy parents and professionals. Prices were much cheaper than other online retailers, and slightly cheaper in total compared to my local Target.
With the selection, savings and free shipping, I could see the site as a great way to send “care packages” to college students away from home or to aging parents, who may not be able to get to the store very often.
If only Alice could help do my laundry.
What features would make you more inclined to buy household goods online?
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