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Flexing on Fabletics


(Fabletics)

 In 2018, almost any product - from toothbrushes to hot sauce - can come in the form of a subscription service. So a subscription service for women's workout apparel only makes sense. Enter Fabletics created by actress Kate Hudson.

(Fabletics)

A subscription service's website design and user experience is critical as this is where a customer will either begin a long - term relationship with a brand, or close the tab and move on. For a brand targeting young, digitally savvy women, the website is even more important. The first thing you see on the Fabletics website is a promotion: 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP Member. Scrolling further down the homepage, the purpose is clearly for a potential consumer to take a quiz on their workout preferences/routine as well as their style preferences. The quiz culminates with entering your email address and opening an account with Fabletics. There are two unique approaches Fabletics takes in this process that I think are effective:

  • The call to action is to take a quiz - not directly sign up. Consumers are wary of websites that immediately ask for your personal information so this approach seems thoughtful. Thanks to social media and Buzzfeed, consumers are accustomed to taking quick quizzes and actually enjoy the process of doing so (New York Post.) Other subscription services, like Stitch Fix, also ask customers to take a style quiz before signing up. 
  • At the end of the quiz, you are not asked for any payment information. Although you have created an account, you don't need to supply any payment information until you check out. This approach is smart as Fabletics will be able to hold potential consumer's data even if they do not make a purchase.

(Fabletics)


 Although Fabletics is a subscription service, the website looks and operates similarly to most apparel sites. Without signing up, you can browse through all items and even see their prices. The website definitely promotes browsing, and it easy to navigate between different product types (e.g. tanks to leggings page.)

The bottom of the home page features customer reviews. At first the reviews seem authentic as they are timestamped so the reviews seem recent. This gives the illusion that the reviews are coming in real time. However, all the reviews are 5 or 4 stars with brief, positive descriptions. It is unlikely that every single reviewer has only left positive reviews for the brand. I would recommend eliminating this portion of the website, and instead only feature reviews from influencers or influential media at the bottom of the home page. Consumers are smart enough to discern a fake review from a real review so showing only positive reviews can cause mistrust.

(Fabletics)

Overall, the website is clear and simple to use. It is easy to sign up as well as browse through the product offerings. The personality of the brand is evident - young, fit, and trendy. While the website design is pleasurable, it is missing innovative touches. For example, there is no use of video or animation. A simple way to incorporate video would be to show short workout videos featuring Fabletics apparel. While Kate Hudson is a major selling point for the brand, there are very few images of her wearing Fabletics clothing (other than the About page.)

The Fabletics website functions well on mobile as well. Navigating from page to page is seamless and all product images are scaled to fit a mobile screen. The initial subscription quiz also appeared perfectly on mobile, and the auto-fill boxes worked instantly. I think the mobile website would make it easy for any customer to sign up and learn more about the brand. It retains the same simplistic functionality and aesthetic as the regular website.

The Fabletics website is effective in that it is easy to use, showcases the brand's personality, and educates potential consumers on how the service works. It looks and feels like many other women's apparel websites. The website can be improved by incorporating more authentic user content, influencer content (which is available on Fabletics' social media pages), as well as short videos.
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Comments

  1. NalinOctober 7, 2018 at 4:33 PM

    Great review of Fabletics website.

    Do you think subscription services need to make a clearer case on why subscription is better than one-time purchase? With so many subscription services, there is a 'watch-out' factor in the consumer's mind. The 'Shop' or 'Skip' option attempts to address this. Do you think Fabletics needs to do more?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownOctober 9, 2018 at 10:29 AM

      Thanks! Yes I think so, subscription services need to be able to persuade consumers that they are saving money in the long - term as well. I think Fabletics is pretty upfront about the terms of the service but consumers will be wary that they only receive a credit if they forget to "shop or skip" that month. It would also be interesting to see how Fabletics reminds members to shop each month.

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