1 18 23 20 8 10 79
Industry: Beauty + Health
2018 Rank: #1
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 1970
Sephora
Sephora, the French-founded chain that carries over 300 beauty brands (including its own award-winning line) came in at number one on the Index for the third year in a row. Online, Sephora consistently delivers flawless unified customer profiles across every channel. In store, the beauty retailer continues to push the envelope with on-brand events and innovative customer service — incorporating a ‘Color Up Close’ program for its staff this year, with daily virtual learning lessons on inclusion. Sephora also leads the pack on sustainability initiatives with its new ‘Clean at Sephora’ strategy for natural-based beauty products.
Why we love Sephora
Best-in-class mobile app with in-store, site and mobile connectivity
Tri-tiered, generous Beauty Insider program with free gifts at every turn
Triggered emails, like back in stock and abandoned cart messages, all offer deep personalization
Learn Why Sephora Ranked #1
2 21 18 18 8 12 77
Industry: Department + Marketplace
2018 Rank: #8
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1901
Nordstrom
Nordstrom, which first opened its doors in 1901, hasn’t abandoned its brick-and-mortar roots. While many brands on the Index are expediting store closures, the luxury department store will soon unveil a seven-story women’s store in Manhattan. The retailer, renowned for its white-glove service, evolved its digital offering in 2018, landing it six spots on the Index for intelligent homepage personalization, ‘we think you’ll love’ product recommendations and trending location-based style inspiration.
Why we love Nordstrom
Learn Why Nordstrom Ranked #2
3 19 22 19 3 10 73
Industry: Department + Marketplace
2018 Rank: #26
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 2009
Rent the Runway
Rent the Runway jumped 23 spots on the index this year for its approach to personalization. The brand that paved the way for rental e-commerce clothing, launched in 2009, is now valued at $1 billion. After securing a $125 million investment in March, Rent the Runway opened its fifth (and largest) physical location in San Francisco. The rent-to-wear brand has expanded its product offering, from high-end evening gowns to women’s office apparel and now to casualwear. RTR’s model has traditional retailers taking note — with brands like Express launching subscription-based services last year.
Why we love Rent the Runway
Social images provided by users complement in-depth clothing reviews
Most robust and intelligent customer profile settings on the Index
Editorial guides are comprehensive, full of style tips and on-brand curation
Learn Why Rent the Runway Ranked #3
4 18 21 16 6 7 68
Industry: Home
2018 Rank: n/a
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1978
The Home Depot
Whether you’re in the market for a new ceiling fan or a custom build out, over one million products, thousands of customer reviews, and hundreds of in-app videos await DIYers on Home Depot’s digital channels and 2,200+ stores. The big-box home improvement retailer has deeply invested in email personalization since our first Index in 2017 — scoring as high as Sephora this year in the category. The Home Depot uses both product and customer data to drive messaging across online and in-app channels, scoring it the number four spot on the Index and the only brand in its category to land among the top 25.
Why we love The Home Depot
Seamless product recommendations across every channel
Dynamic content for beginners and experts alike
‘Frequently bought together’ and ‘related products’ ensure that DIYers never miss an important item at checkout
Learn Why The Home Depot Ranked #4
5 15 22 14 8 8 67
Industry: Department + Marketplace
2018 Rank: #21
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1966
Best Buy
Best Buy leverages AI technology, both in-store and online, to ensure that customers never miss a beat, or an important accessory, on their orders. Its generous My Best Buy program rewards shoppers on all its platforms, while traditional services like The Geek Squad, offering tech and installation support, give the give the 53-year-old company a competitive advantage over e-marketplace retailers.
Why we love Best Buy
Learn Why Best Buy Ranked #5
5 18 13 19 10 7 67
Industry: Shoes
2018 Rank: #14
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1969
DSW
Last year we highlighted DSW’s push to increase its in-store services, and this year the shoe retailer has outfitted ‘nail bars’ in seven locations. DSW hopes the pedicure service will increase loyalty between the brand and its 26 million members. The retailer onboards shoppers with a robust personalization quiz, followed by collaborative and attribute-based product recommendations that circulate the homepage and consumers inboxes.
Why we love DSW
Learn Why DSW Ranked #5
7 12 20 20 8 6 66
Industry: Beauty + Health
2018 Rank: #57
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1990
Ulta
Ulta, the beauty empire with products ranging from drugstore favorites to luxury makeup, impressed us this year with an optimized recommendation engine and beauty preference center that blew other cosmetic brands away. With competition like Sephora, the brand upped its personalization offering with individualized skincare regimens, hair product input based on your preferences, and generous ‘Ultamate’ rewards. Ulta has a dedicated page, Sparked, to ‘ignite your curiosity’ of the brands they carry, with each post tailored to its loyal shopper profiles.
Why we love Ulta
Learn Why Ulta Ranked #7
7 15 14 18 7 12 66
Industry: Fashion + Apparel
2018 Rank: #3
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1970
Urban Outfitters
Consumers lined up to buy The Beatles cassette in the summer of 1964, the same way millennials flocked to Urban Outfitters to buy Taylor Swift’s cassette this summer. The lifestyle retailer might still be selling walkmans, but its digital strategy is anything but vintage. Coming in at number seven on the Index, the curation queen — Urban Outfitters — delivered an omnichannel experience with personalized emails, on-brand editorial, and a well-timed cadence to boast.
Why we love Urban Outfitters
Generous UO rewards program is the backbone of the brand’s omni-channel approach
4.9-rated app with highly-curated feed
Dynamic, customizable filters make searching a bohemian breeze
Learn Why Urban Outfitters Ranked #7
9 18 22 13 1 10 64
Industry: Home
2018 Rank: #42
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 2002
Wayfair
Digital-first furniture retailer Wayfair offers “zillions” of items, which are curated for customers with a mix of attribute-, behavior- and collaborative-based product recommendations. Wayfair goes beyond the basics, offering plenty of cool features, including home design experts, a mobile app that allows shoppers to visualize furniture in their homes with augmented reality, and
Wayfair Idea Boards (think Pinterest). The retailer offers a seamless shopping experience across every channel, which will soon extend offline. Wayfair just opened its first full-service brick-and-mortar store in Massachusetts.
Why we love Wayfair
Learn Why Wayfair Ranked #9
11 20 19 17 4 3 63
Industry: Department + Marketplace
2018 Rank: #36
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 2015
Thrive Market
Thrive Market, the natural food and organic e-grocer, launched a new personalization strategy at the beginning of the year — resulting in the most comprehensive onboarding quiz of any brand on the Index. As a result, the retailer reports an increase in returning users, less abandoned carts, and a rise in conversion rate. Hyper-personalized recommendations and intelligent shopping history make browsing Thrive Market as natural as its product offering.
Why we love Thrive Market
Generous and socially-conscious rewards program
Comprehensive onboarding quiz
Advanced product filters
Learn Why Thrive Market Ranked #11
12 23 18 14 4 3 62
Industry: Department + Marketplace
2018 Rank: #50
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 2013
Boxed
Boxed, the wholesale bulk-foods marketplace founded in 2013, jumped 38 spots on this year’s Index. Unlike other big-box retailers in its category, Boxed doesn’t charge a membership fee for its services, but it still offers shoppers the same carefully-curated pantry selection that they can seamlessly order and re-order online and on-the-go with the Boxed mobile app.
Why we love Boxed
Behavioral recommendations on email
Recommended for you section bridges categories
New Group Ordering feature allows customers to shop and receive product influences from friends, family, roommates and more (while saving on bundling)
Learn Why Boxed Ranked #12
13 20 16 10 1 14 61
Industry: Department + Marketplace
2018 Rank: n/a
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 2003
Revolve
Revolve Clothing, the fast-growing e-commerce retailer, will get you in a California state of mind with its editorially rich website, 4.9-star-rated app and enormous social following. The retailer makes high-fashion accessible with ‘complete the look’ and attribute-based product recommendations that feature over 500 brands, specially curated for each Revolve shopper.
Why we love Revolve
Ability to browse by brand, category, trending and curated products
Dashboard for recently viewed products and shopping history for easy re-ordering
High-quality editorial content that carries into on-brand messaging
Learn Why Revolve Ranked #13
14 20 17 14 6 3 60
Industry: Fashion + Apparel
2018 Rank: n/a
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 2011
Adore Me
Adore Me, founded in 2011, is revolutionizing lingerie with a subscription model. The ‘elite box’ allows customers to try on their stylist’s picks and send back what they don’t love, while the ‘shop your way’ option offers bra and underwear sets at $24. A comprehensive style quiz onboards new customers about their lifestyle, size, favorite color scheme and more, then follows up with highly personalized emails to find their next favorite box across seven categories — from swimwear to intimates.
Why we love Adore Me
Learn Why Adore Me Ranked #14
14 18 19 18 0 5 60
Industry: Home
2018 Rank: #57
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 2013
Chairish
Chairish, the digital marketplace for consignment furniture, homegoods and art, adds thousands of new location-based items each day for its 1.3 million monthly shoppers. Simple onboarding and browsing attribute-based item recommendations results in intelligently curated products sent straight to your inbox or the Chairish app. On the app, customers can use the augmented reality tool, View in Your Space, to make sure it’s the perfect addition to their home.
Why we love Chairish
4.9-rated mobile app makes it easy to bid on curated items
Personalized emails with thoughtful send times
Beautifully designed website complete with decorating guides and personalized content
Learn Why Chairish Ranked #14
14 12 18 20 6 4 60
Industry: Sporting + Outdoor
2018 Rank: #12
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1964
Nike
This year, the multinational corporation launched many new marketplace initiatives, including ‘Power’ interactive stores with Foot Locker and a subscription-based service for children under the age of 10 — to help parents pick the right size and ensure easy re-ordering as their children’s feet grow. The Nike app, one of the first on the app store, is a daily destination for brand loyalists and feels as unique as a personal-training sesh, complete with hyper-curated content and the entire Nike store at your fingertips.
Why we love Nike
Learn Why Nike Ranked #14
14 17 17 16 5 5 60
Industry: Department + Marketplace
2018 Rank: #15
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 2011
The RealReal
The RealReal shot up one spot on the list and continues to define the future of consignment shopping. The Real Real loyalists largely remain digital, with brick-and-mortar locations popping up in seven major cities, and interact with the brand through its intelligent recommendation engine, well-timed push notifications and highly curated emails.
Why we love The RealReal
Personalized homepages for each shopper
Top-notch preference center
High-quality editorial content
Learn Why The RealReal Ranked #14
18 18 15 13 5 7 58
Industry: Fashion + Apparel
2018 Rank: n/a
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 2006
Boohoo
Boohoo, the U.K. fashion retailer, targets digital shopper’s with attribute and collaborative-based recommendations informed by hot and trending items. The fast fashion powerhouse excels at personalized email content with a generous loyalty and referral program. The Lust List allows shoppers to engage with Boohoo on multiple channels to rate, star and like their favorites. And speaking of multiple channels, Boohoo was a pioneer of in-app visual search, allowing shoppers to upload pictures and find the closest match.
Why we love Boohoo
Visual search on the app
‘We think you’ll love’ and recently-viewed product recommendations on a simple dashboard
Warm onboarding emails with #doyourthing user-generated inspiration
‘Shop by fit’ tab to easily browse the right style for your body type
Learn Why Boohoo Ranked #18
18 18 20 15 0 5 58
Industry: Department + Marketplace
2018 Rank: #5
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1995
eBay
Ebay, the online marketplace to list or buy nearly anything, was conceived with personalization at its core. The brand’s product-suggestion strategy is informed by advanced algorithms that have amassed a following of 182 million active users and an endless curation of product options to explore.
Why we love eBay
Advanced welcome series that contains browsed items and collaborative-based ‘explore more’ options
Community of user content structured around each product with reviews, user-generated images and advice
Endless product reviews inform shoppers and promote trust in eBay’s marketplace
Learn Why eBay Ranked #18
18 21 21 0 6 10 58
Industry: Fashion + Apparel
2018 Rank: #8
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 2010
JustFab
JustFab revolutionized the way women shop trendy fashion in 2010 with its subscription-based model. Since then, the fast-growing digital retailer introduced a plus-size line and has focused on inclusivity campaigns that leverage the same near-perfect product recommendations on web and email. Customer onboarding features in-depth style quizzes and shoppers can subscribe for VIP perks to save money and receive styles they love each month.
Why we love JustFab
Learn Why JustFab Ranked #18
18 21 21 0 6 10 58
Industry: Fashion + Apparel
2018 Rank: #10
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 2010
ShoeDazzle
ShoeDazzle, part of TechStyle Fashion Group’s family of fashion brands, starts personalizing the experience for shoppers on day 1, onboarding new customers with a style quiz to discover which shoe is most ‘you’. From there, ShoeDazzle continues to personalize at every turn, delivering some of the most impressive email personalization evaluated on the Index.
Why we love ShoeDazzle
Learn Why ShoeDazzle Ranked #18
18 21 14 11 9 3 58
Industry: Beauty + Health
2018 Rank: n/a
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1977
The Vitamin Shoppe
Vitamin Shoppe impressed us this year and made it on the Index for stellar personalization across mobile, web and email. Customers are onboarded by providing health goals, allergies and dietary preferences, then the robust personalization engine recommends trending and attribute-based products that can be picked up at over 700 brick-and-mortar locations or managed on the VShoppe app.
Why we love The Vitamin Shoppe
Track Healthy Awards points and redeem savings as well as auto delivery subscriptions on the VShoppe app
Advanced filtering options to shop by category, brands or interests
Subject line personalization of email including abandoned and previously searched items
Learn Why The Vitamin Shoppe Ranked #18
23 21 20 0 6 10 57
Industry: Sporting + Outdoor
2018 Rank: #15
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 2013
Fabletics
Fabletics, the active lifestyle retailer for women, puts digital first — even in its 34 brick-and-mortar locations. Customers use in-store tablets to filter Fab items by color and size, while exploring styling tips and additional collaborative-based recommendations. The brand’s flexible VIP membership program offers special sales, generous reward points and personalized, expert content based on a member’s interests, workouts and body type.
Why we love Fabletics
Thorough onboarding quiz for customer’s size, color and exercise preferences
‘Shop the outfit’ and ‘you’ll also love’ product recommendations
‘We curated these just for you’ emails
Learn Why Fabletics Ranked #23
24 17 21 10 6 2 56
Industry: Luxury
2018 Rank: #29
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 1987
MATCHESFASHION
MATCHESFASHION, the 32-year-old luxury shopping brand, offers mens and womenswear from over 450 designers. Dynamic filters and a robust preference manager allow shoppers to set favorite designers, email frequency and product preferences. MATCHESFASHION’s ‘curator’ program allows subscribers to move through different levels, based on interaction with the brand, that result in a deeply personalized digital shopping experience.
Why we love MATCHESFASHION
Learn Why MATCHESFASHION Ranked #24
25 19 14 15 7 0 55
Industry: Department + Marketplace
2018 Rank: #22
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1986
Office Depot
Office Depot delivers personalized service at 1,400+ brick-and-mortar locations across the country and through its top tier digital properties. Dynamic filtering allows digital shoppers to browse an endless inventory of office supplies, while collaborative-based product suggestions make it easy to find what their looking for. ‘In-Store Mode’ on the app allows shoppers to check out on their phones, access special Rewards and even book appointments with technicians.
Why we love Office Depot
Collaborative-based product recommendations
Weekly Ad and generous rewards on the app
Powerful filtering formula online and ‘in-store mode’ for aisle information
Learn Why Office Depot Ranked #25
25 17 9 16 5 8 55
Industry: Fashion + Apparel
2018 Rank: #19
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 1980
PacSun
L.A.-inspired retailer, PacSun, has been showcasing its youthful clothing for nearly four decades. The company stays true to its on-brand message and continues to curate its coveted brands, like Kendall & Kylie, as well as collections from other big brands on our list.
Why we love PacSun
Exclusive offers through its elegant app
Shop the look on its California-cool Instagram account
Unified customer profile across all channels
“Complete the look” and “you may also like” recommendations
Learn Why PacSun Ranked #25
25 17 17 14 4 3 55
Industry: Department + Marketplace
2018 Rank: n/a
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1962
Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks Fifth Avenue, debuting on the Index this year, onboards shoppers with a quiz to pinpoint style, silhouette and color preferences, then makes collaborative-based product recommendations. The luxury department store extends its white glove service offering online using a robust search engine coupled with a digital personal shopper. Shoppers can then aggregate their curated product recommendations on a list to share with family and friends.
Why we love Saks Fifth Avenue
Dashboard for trending searches and recently-viewed items on the app
Collaborative-based product recommendations
Personalized style advice
Daily fashion inspiration from trending searches
Learn Why Saks Fifth Avenue Ranked #25
25 13 21 12 6 3 55
Industry: Department + Marketplace
2018 Rank: #3
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1962
Walmart
This year, the largest retailer in the world dropped from third to a tie for 25th on the Index. Retail technology is the foundation of Walmart’s incredible customer reviews and product recommendation engine, however other brands are catching up. As the retailer continues to grow, with subsidiaries like Jet.com and two acquisitions in 2019 that deal in AI and ecommerce, we’re excited to see what the future holds for Walmart and its personalization strategy.
Why we love Walmart
Learn Why Walmart Ranked #25
29 20 15 12 2 5 54
Industry: Beauty + Health
2018 Rank: n/a
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 1999
Bodybuilding.com
Bodybuilding.com makes your transformation its passion with a mobile app that enables shoppers to quickly reorder from the largest online supplement store in the world. Over 60 training programs, spanning from boxing to HIIT, are designed by fitness experts for beginners and experts alike. It begins with a robust onboarding process that informs collaborative-based recommendations based on your browsing behavior, spending activity and interests. The subscription-based workout plans can help members meet their goals in no time, whether it’s at the gym or in their living room.
Why we love Bodybuilding.com
29 21 10 9 8 6 54
Industry: Pets
2018 Rank: #24
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 1986
PetSmart
Petsmart is the one-stop shop for pet parents, offering in-store services like boarding, grooming, training and vet care. The well-equipped website acts as both an educational resource and a shopping experience rolled into one. Creating a pet profile means customers receive guides from the app and shop for the specific needs of their pet’s breed, size, fur type and even quirky traits. Customers can play the in-app game while they wait for their furry friend, earning stars that translate into coupons and major Pet Perks rewards.
Why we love PetSmart
Advanced product recs for your four-legged family member
Well-designed app with same-day pickup at over 1,500+ stores
Blog and pet parenting advice
Industry: Department + Marketplace
2018 Rank: n/a
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 2009
thredUP
thredUP, founded in San Francisco in 2009, is one of the largest online consignment and thrift store sites on the marketplace. Customers can customize preferences for over 35,000 brands with new items added every hour, including popular names from our Index like Lululemon and Anthropologie. Both J.C. Penney and Macy’s know second-hand clothing is the future of retail and teamed up with Thredup recently to join the ‘resale revolution’ — they’ll carry thredUP consignments in their brick-and-mortar locations. Navigating the website is as simple as setting your favorite brands and inputting your size on Thredup’s robust preference manager.
Why we love thredUP
Simple ‘Clean Out Kit’ with free shipping (if your clothes aren’t accepted Thredup donates them and $5 to charity).
Omnichannel onboarding process that learns your favorite designers and size preferences
Highly personalized homepage with nuanced collaborative and attribute-based recs
32 13 14 17 6 3 53
Industry: Beauty + Health
2018 Rank: #36
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 2011
Dollar Shave Club
Dollar Shave Club has evolved leaps and bounds since its inception in 2011 with the subscription-based razor. The Unilever subsidiary now sells over three dozen products to 4 million members and provides a-la-cart items on its gorgeously designed and personalized website. In July, the company launched the Get Ready campaign, featuring men of different races, ages, and identities getting ready in unique ways — Dollar Shave knows humor sells, and so does inclusion.
Why we love Dollar Shave Club
Helpful content in the form of its recently launched online magazine, MEL
Membership plans are easy to cancel and offer major product discounts
Elegant UX design
32 19 13 9 7 5 53
Industry: Shoes
2018 Rank: #62
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 1960
Famous Footwear
Famous Footwear, founded in 1960 and now part of the Caleres family of brands, has over 1,000 brick-and-mortar stores across the country, making it easy for customers to quickly locate their nearest location for in-store pickup of online orders — usually within two business hours! The ‘Just for You’ section of the homepage displays fabulous recommendations based on the customer’s preferences, while a generous welcome series provides email discounts based on those recs.
Why we love Famous Footwear
Ample Reward Cash for interacting with the brand and during your entire birthday month
Trend Shops features the hottest styles and designers based on your search history
Well-timed push notifications with exclusive in-app offers
32 17 13 10 5 8 53
Industry: Fashion + Apparel
2018 Rank: #50
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 1984
Forever 21
The fast-fashion brand, Forever 21, earns an estimated $4.4 billion in sales from its flawlessly designed app, website and over 600 brick-and-mortar locations. Attribute-based product recommendations organize the brand’s extensive jean, accessory and footwear inventories, while thoughtfully-timed push notifications and a ‘fit rating’ feature launched the retailer 17 spots ahead on this year’s Index.
Why we love Forever 21
32 16 18 15 2 2 53
Industry: Department + Marketplace
2018 Rank: #17
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 2000
Shopbop
Shopbop, launched in 2000, provides a highly-curated browsing experience. It onboards users by asking their preferences out of a library of 800+ designers. Daily lookbooks and easy account sharing with Amazon, its parent company, set this retailer apart from its competitors. Like Amazon, the recommendation engine is advanced and complete with styling how-tos as well as a ‘my hearts’ tab to keep track of everything you love.
Why we love Shopbop
Low inventory alerts on your hearted fashion picks (plus, Prime shipping benefits!)
Elegant sidebar to compare items across categories
Highly-curated browsing experience complete with attribute-based recommendations across mobile and web
36 9 21 11 7 4 52
Industry: Fashion + Apparel
2018 Rank: #90
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 1992
Anthropologie
Anthropologie offers a fresh feature to the typical digital offering with its ‘Custom Furniture Experience,’ an augmented reality tool on its 4.9-star app. The website boasts amazing social content with similar look recommendations from users as well as a preference manager that allows customers to program their sizes across different categories.
Why we love Anthropologie
36 13 18 13 2 6 52
Industry: Luxury
2018 Rank: n/a
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 2007
Farfetch
Farfetch, the marketplace for high-end and designer labels, brought home $345 million in revenue last year. The website onboards new customers with a favorite designer quiz to customize emails with attribute-based recommendations and personalized push notifications for mobile shoppers. Customer preferences fuel product recommendations across its web and mobile channels.
Why we love Farfetch
Fabulous ‘complete the look’ recommendations
Notifications for out of stock and preview items
‘The Daily’ blog and curated content
Same-day service for outfit deliveries (LA, NYC and Miami)
36 9 18 10 7 8 52
Industry: Fashion + Apparel
2018 Rank: #98
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1947
H&M
H&M, the beloved European fast-fashion retailer, jumped 61 spots on the Index this year with its innovative omnichannel offering. Digital services include uploading your own photos to find similar items on the app, which can recognize patterns, styles and colors to aggregate comparable in-store clothing. The site onboards users with extensive size, style and color preferences then follows up with a digital personal shopper to help customers navigate the store based on its recommendations and their favorited items.
Why we love H&M
36 9 17 17 6 3 52
Industry: Sporting + Outdoor
2018 Rank: #79
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1998
Lululemon
Founded in Vancouver B.C. in 1998, the first lululemon athletica store was inspired by its yoga studio setting. Today the app has a whopping 4.9 stars on the iOS app store. The ‘Sweat Collective’ is more than just a loyalty program and boasts access to in-store events, workout programs and the option to join its global yoga ambassador program for 20, 45 or 60-minute yoga classes.
Why we love Lululemon
36 8 19 12 7 6 52
Industry: Department + Marketplace
2018 Rank: #73
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 2000
Newegg
Newegg, founded in 2000, is among the largest electronic retailers in the world with over four million customer reviews. The brand knows how to customize its homepage for every type of user, whether they’re into programming, electronics or gaming — the Daily Deals section always includes a relevant item.
Why we love Newegg
Various notifications for Daily Deals with customizable cadence
Ability to set price alerts for specific items
Generous Egg points rewards program
36 14 13 14 5 6 52
Industry: Accessories + Jewelry
2018 Rank: n/a
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 2010
Warby Parker
Warby Parker invested deeply in an AI-powered personalization strategy to increase sales and nurture relationships with its customers. The brand has all the bells and whistles, like its augmented reality ‘Home Try-On’ program, meaning many customers never need to step into a brick-and-mortar location. The onboarding preference quiz narrows down the best options and then intelligent cadence, coupled with a deep understanding of the customer journey, sends well-timed nurture emails full of frames that’d look great on you. Oh, did we forget to mention? For every pair of glasses sold, Warby Parker distributes a pair to someone in need.
Why we love Warby Parker
42 21 14 9 3 4 51
Industry: Shoes
2018 Rank: n/a
Company Filing: Private
Founded: 1972
Aldo
Aldo’s lookbooks and style inspiration complement a personalized shopper profile, with in-store product availability and emails based on shoe size and browsed items. Aldo also recently announced that it will partner up with Rachel Zoe to debut women’s shoes, handbags and footwear for the designer — with loyalists lining up to preview the collection, which is set to debut in the spring.
Why we love Aldo
42 13 18 14 2 4 51
Industry: Department + Marketplace
2018 Rank: #65
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 2014
Jet.com
It’s been three years since Walmart acquired Jet.com and the brand recently announced the creation of a new retail marketing team, we’re excited to see what that means for Jet’s personalization offering. The big-box marketplace offers a seamless experience on all channels, making it easy to reorder with ‘smart-cart’ pricing, including deep discounts for bundling. The brand has expanded over the years to include fashion, beauty and home products in addition to its pantry supplies.
Why we love Jet.com
42 15 15 11 8 2 51
Industry: Home
2018 Rank: #33
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1946
Lowe’s
The home-improvement retailer, grossing $68.6 billion, has invested deeply in personalization. Lowe’s consistently performs across mobile, web and email with digital shopping features like annotated images, 360-degree product spins and helpful DIY advice both in-store and online. Location-based services allow customers to see top sellers in their area, providing contextually relevant and personalized collaborative-based recommendations.
Why we love Lowe’s
Intelligent aisle information and store hacks for every location
‘Quick List’ feature to add products or notes with annotations on the app
User-generated DIY and remodeling project recommendations
42 11 15 15 6 4 51
Industry: Department + Marketplace
2018 Rank: #65
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1946
Target
Target had a blowout quarter, with its stock hitting a record high in August. The brand is doing a great job at bridging the in-store and digital divide, despite many legacy physical retailers lagging behind on innovation. Target provides a seamless omnichannel shopping experience and its robust recommendation engine suggests products you didn’t even know you needed.
Why we love Target
Product recommendations based on your browsing history
Beacons engage in-store app users
“Customers ultimately bought” recommendations provide accurate products
46 13 11 15 4 7 50
Industry: Department + Marketplace
2018 Rank: #33
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1884
Marks & Spencer
Marks and Spencer, the publicly-traded U.K. retailer, recently announced a partnership with the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, to launch a workwear campaign for women. The mature brand, going on 136 years old, packs a personalized punch with its ‘just for you’ section, Sparks exclusive member club and search-and-find feature for in-store shopping.
Why we love Marks & Spencer
‘Why not try’ and other collaborative-based recommendations on the homepage
Unique email send times with personalized content
Virtual assistant helps you locate items on the app
48 8 15 12 10 4 49
Industry: Fashion + Apparel
2018 Rank: #6
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1977
American Eagle Outfitters
American Eagle knows its target Gen-Z demographic is on social, which is why the brand created a seamless omnichannel approach for customers to stay AEO Connected. Reviews and hashtags complement the brand’s digital-forward customer journey with Siri shortcuts and AE playlists built into the app for a fully on-brand shopping experience.
Why we love American Eagle Outfitters
48 12 12 9 8 8 49
Industry: Sporting + Outdoor
2018 Rank: #79
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1948
Dick’s Sporting Goods
Dick’s Sporting Goods offers customers highly-personalized content and items based on their hobby and sport preferences. The brand awards ScoreCard points for achieving activity goals that translate to deep discounts and rewards, personalized coupons and offers, as well as recommendations on all the gear customers need (and definitely want).
Why we love Dick’s Sporting Goods
Reward points integrate with fitness trackers like Garmin and Fitbit, translating to major savings for hitting your goals
‘You may also like’ collaborative product recommendations
‘Just for you’ curated section in emails with personalized send times
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Industry: Fashion + Apparel
2018 Rank: n/a
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1996
LOFT
Loft, a newcomer on the list, scored well for its UX and robust product recommendation engine. The brand features in-store pickup with text alerts at hundreds of brick-and-mortar locations across the country while its digital shopping experience onboards customers to set category preferences and communication frequency. The homepage pushes trending items and ‘ways to wear it’ collaborative-based recommendations.
Why we love LOFT
Generous ALL rewards program
Well-designed product filtering options
Well-timed email cadence
Robust preference center
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Industry: Fashion + Apparel
2018 Rank: #29
Company Filing: Public
Founded: 1892
Abercrombie & Fitch
Abercrombie & Fitch is one of the oldest brands on the list at 127 years old, but the American lifestyle retailer has effectively modernized its digital marketing channels. The homepage asks for a customer’s clothing and communication preferences right away, prompting well-timed emails and collaborative-based recommendations. The music channel on the app transports you inside the brick-and-mortar atmosphere, notorious for its fit ‘brand representative’ models and stylishly ripped denim.
Why we love Abercrombie & Fitch
‘There’s more to see’ product recommendations
Perk-filled A&F Club rewards program
Robust communication preference center informs digital customer experience
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