You're scrolling through social media, trying to find that perfect outfit that'll catch your attention, but nothing seems to pop out at you. You've nearly given up your search, until you find something that does make you stop and smile. It's TrendBrew, the newest way to shop online. It's a "social commerce platform," says co-founder Priyanka Nathani. "TrendBrew is a combination of social networks and commerce sites. With TrendBrew, anyone can be a trendsetter."
Basically, it acts as both a social media platform and a way for you to shop! You get rewards called BrewPoints whenever you purchase anything. These BrewPoints accumulate over time, which then gives you access to prizes for shopping. It's a win-win situation. Best of all, the shopping part itself is more personalized to each user. See something you like, but you'd prefer a different price? Not to worry! You have access to this feature that lets you "wish" for the item at a certain price, and soon enough, the retailer will send you a personalized offer around the amount you wished for.
Here's a video to explain it even more.
According to Nathani, the company's journey has been quite the adventure, and it wasn't always easy. It's fun to watch the company grow, but she says that the exciting moments for the company are still yet to come. "We recently looked at out reports... the highest number of people were visiting retailers like Amazon, Kohl's and Macy's. The big break hasn't come yet, but it would be when we partner with a networking blogger and lots of people talk about it," she explained.
Although Nathani joined when the company was a few months old, she recounts the changes TrendBrew has been through. From just being a loyalty program at first, it soon became a way for consumers to reach out directly to retailers, making shopping a lot more fun.
I personally love that part of the model, because normal online shopping involves a few clicks, and it's done. Now that TrendBrew incorporates a social media feed, the process is also a passage to building your way up into becoming an influence to others in retail. By just shopping through TrendBrew, you go from just someone who has a passion for retail to an "influencer" who sways other people's fashion choices.
"As TrendBrew evolved, we pivoted the model. We needed influencers on board, and we had lots of features we added for the shoppers," Nathani said.
TrendBrew intern Namrata Kella addressed that the company was a calling to millennials everywhere, considering the platform was something these people were used to.
"Trendbrew's mission is to cater to the online shopping market and provide a more personal dialogue between the consumers and the retailers. It's really unique how Trendbrew aims to have a social media commerce site. Everyone loves shopping, and everyone loves talking about it, so why not combine the two? The ideal market is the millennials because they are the ones that are most likely to buy the items listed and tell all their friends about it. It's really a way of keeping people updated with the trends, all while earning loyalty points for doing so!" Kella said.
As for the future? Nathani says they have a plan that will cater to more than just retail lovers.
"What we have in mind for the future: it's not just going to be an eCommerce site. We are planning on having categories, like entertainment and food. For example, food bloggers and customers can come, and based on recommendations, they can go to certain restaurants."
So with TrendBrew, anyone can become a retail influencer by either buying items and building a profile or by selling items and gaining demand. You have the power to be the voice for others in the fashion industry, and all it takes is to TrendBrew.
To keep up with TrendBrew updates, check out their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube channel!