Re-launched Style Compare aims for 1m monthly users this year

StyleCompare.co.uk has re-launched in the UK, and has ambitions to achieve one million unique monthly users by the end of 2011. Aggregating more than 45 retailers, 1,500 labels and 120,000 products – from fast-paced high street fashion, to luxury items from top designers – Style Compare helps customers find clothing, footwear and accessories with ultra-specific search tools. New signings which will appear this month include high street giant New Look, streetwear favourite Superdry, multi-channel leader John Lewis and luxury retailer Net-a-Porter, and there are plans to work with more independent designers in the future.

The concept initially launched in its beta testing stage in 2009, and currently has 150,000 unique users per month. The new fully-functional site went live last week. Three entrepreneurs – Jonny Challenger, Jake Gilbaro and John Nolan – spotted a gap in the market for a reliable fashion destination that would enable customers to compare products, and search according to the exact desired garment style. “By displaying products from a range of different fashion retailers, all in one place, we are giving customers a much greater choice than typical fashion websites,” said co-founder and managing director, Jonny Challenger.

Style Compare has introduced a ‘mega menu’ and new categorisation making it easier to shop. The new website also boast faster browsing and search, having reduced the average page speed from 4.6 seconds to 1.9 seconds per load. The website has been built using a bespoke in-house system and claims to work differently to how people currently experience price comparison. Challenger added: “Fashion comparison on this scale is still in its infancy in the UK but we predict that it will really take off this year. As customers’ tastes develop and become more sophisticated it is important that as an online shopping site we react and offer them a service that truly meets their needs. We’ll see more personalised levels of shopping in 2011 and we have plans to accommodate this too. We’ve huge ambitions for StyleCompare.co.uk and aim to have 1 million monthly users by the end of the year.”

While the major brands let users filter their choices by colour and brand, Style Compare supports filtering by garment type, style, fit and material. So rather than just having a page for dresses, there will be a page for maxi dresses, silk dresses, strapless dresses and hundreds of other varieties.

Style Compare attracts customers with voucher codes and special offers, and has a strategy of aligning its offer according to feedback from our customers. “If that means terminating a relationship with a brand that doesn’t satisfy our customers, we’ll do it,” said Challenger. The business is funded by its three co-founders with no external investment. Retailers pay a commission on each sale completed through the site.

Retailers include All Saints, Debenhams, House of Fraser, ASOS, MyWardrobe, Boden and Urban Outfitters, while new labels on the site include Vivienne Westwood, Donna Karen, Paul Smith, D&G, Mulberry and Diesel – as well as thousands of others.