Badge of Honor: Allen Edmonds

I’m always on the lookout for cool and unique features on ecommerce sites. So when a coworker told me about something he found on the website for Allen Edmonds, a retailer of men’s shoes, I was excited to showcase it on the blog. I like this feature so much, I’m even giving it a quick Badge of Honor. Take a look at what makes Allen Edmonds ecommerce stand out.

When I came to the site, I immediately wanted to check out the shoe selection. I navigated to the menu along the top of the page, moused over the Shoes section, and clicked on the WebGems category. Mainly because I had no idea what that meant and it sounded interesting. I figured out WebGems just means items that are only available online and not stocked in stores. The category contains the Strand style in four different colors of suede. Pretty great looking shoes!

I thought the green color was really unique, so I headed to the product page. There are several different product images available for shoppers to view various angles of the shoe. But one in particular really takes the cake. When I clicked the image that said “View with Pants,” a little pop-up window opened. Here, I could choose from a menu of fabric options to see what these shoes will look like with different types of pants. From jeans to pinstripes to a formal tux, you can get the whole range of styles here. How cool is that!

The “View with Pants” option is so great because it goes beyond the typical ecommerce offerings. This feature helps a shopper envision how the product will function in their own lives, taking it beyond just an image on a screen. When the customer is able to see that a particular pair will go great with their navy suit, then the shoes are as good as sold. I’m all about interactive features like this that enrich the ecommerce shopping experience and actually help people make purchasing decisions. Badge of Honor well earned, Allen Edmonds!