FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – First there was shopping at stores. Then the online shopping craze took the world by storm. Now, shopping is coming to social media.
Retailers have been taking advantage of sites like Facebook and Twitter for years. But in the last few months, it's been all about Instagram.
Smaller stores have caught onto the photo sharing trend and its helping to push traffic into their stores. But two Fort Lauderdale women put a different spin on the trend, by starting their store on social media, then opening up to the public!
Kelli Shelton and Natasha Gorsin are the co-owners and founders of Pretty Please Couture. The business started as a social media experiment to sell clothes to their friends and it caught on quick!
"There were times when we had girlfriends at a Miami Heat game and they'd get people coming up to them, 'We love what you're wearing where did you get this?' Then they'd call us and set up an appointment," Gorsin explained.
From there, they took to Facebook and Instagram, posting photos using hashtags like #outfitoftheday and selfies of one another to market their looks.
Their business became so popular, they decided to set up shop, literally! Pretty Please Boutique is now located on East Oakland Park Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale.
But even when its doors are closed, Pretty Please Boutique is always open online. The busy moms tailor their store hours to their schedules, but are never more than a few clicks away.
"If it wasn't for Facebook, we wouldn't be able to tell everybody when we're here, when we're available, and when the store is open," Shelton added.
Being social media savvy isn't just a way to bring in customers, it's also a way to save money.
"I think we're one of the only boutiques in Fort Lauderdale that hasn't necessarily paid a PR company, paid for advertising... we've done it all on our own," said Gorsin.
Pretty Please Boutique had a soft opening Wednesday night for VIP clients and will post hours on Facebook daily. The co-owners plan to continue posting outfits online, but they are often exclusive and limited so if you see something you like, you should contact them fast!
Prices typically range between $40-$80. Click here to find out more about Pretty Please Couture.