In fall of 2018, Justin Hruska, former GQ writer Jake Woolf, and DONDA-affiliated designer Nate Brown launched SEAM, a mobile marketplace directly aggregating everything a brand has to offer on its existing e-commerce site. It essentially cuts out the middle man (retailers), allowing customers to curate their own shopping experience by following the brands they like and directly shopping full collections from brands.
To start off the new year, SEAM aims to establish themselves as a legit player in the retail space by adding new business strategies including a rewards program that gives customers new incentives and benefits from shopping on the app. The universal rewards program allows customers to earn points each time they make a purchase on the site. For each dollar they spend, they earn one point. 10 points equals $1. For example, shoppers that spend $1000 gain 1000 points, which converts to $100. Save it, or spend it on your next potential in-app purchase. The choice is yours. Users can also recieve 250 points from referring friends.
There are also three level tiers for customers to unlock. Reach gold member status by spending over $1000, and gain an additional 1000 points. Hit the $10,000 mark to earn the Platinum level, which also earns shoppers 2 points per dollar spent, free two day shipping on all SEAM products, and the ability to apply unlimited reward points to products. Lastly, the top tier of customers will earn black card status granting them access to special events including free concert tickets, sporting events, and more.
"If you spend enough money you'll be able to get essentially our entire product line for a very low price, if not for free, if you have enough points, Jake Woolf reveals to us. "Then at a certain status you'll be able to use unlimited points, where some of the lower tiers like the standard one or the gold status might have some restriction on how many points you can apply, there might be a cap on it, but once you reach platinum and black status, then you'll be able to use unlimited points towards our private label items, you'll technically be able to get them for free if you want."
This rewards program, along with their "Daily Drops", where SEAM gives away a product on the app every single day, are just more ways the sight is innovating retail. SEAM doesn't wan't just be known as a rising tech company, but a premium fashion label as well.
In addition to its growing list of partners, which they aim to increase to sixty overall by the end of 2019, SEAM also carries its own in-house product. With the launch of the app, the company released a small selection of hoodies in blue, light gray, charcoal, and red for $110. They also had a small run of tie-dyed hoodies. While there are no plans to expand more into the physical space as of now, SEAM will continue to offer more private label products online.
SEAM is on track to debut two entirely new private label items every month, alongside brand collaborations. To start off, the company is releasing a collection of sweatpants, sweatshirts, and a coach jacket next month. Take a closer look at the items in the gallery above.
"Our intent is to essentially have a stable of basic items that will always be in stock, but as we progress, we're going to be releasing about two private label items a month, Woolf continues. "Those items are going to not just obviously sweat pants, sweatshirts, but more cut and sew pieces and additionally we're going to be collaborating with various people on times every month. So we hope that one item will probably be an in house sort of private label drop, and the other will be a collaboration every month."
Justin Hruska adds, "It gives us the chance to show our consumers that one, we're not just your average tech company, and two we're not just your average store. We actually care about fashion. We do not only function at a premium level and have premium brands on the site, but our personal products are also going to be of that quality as well."
Mixing their premium quality products with their new rewards program provides shoppers with instant and long-term rewards every time they shop. That seamless strategy along with the ability to curate your own shopping experience provides a great incentive to buy your favorite brands unlike any other retail space.
Download SEAM on the Apple App Store, available now.
