These Genius Shopping Apps Are Here to Help You Shop Smarter
We were adding things to cart way before the pandemic hit, but when the coronavirus disrupted nearly all forms of in-person shopping, it triggered a boom in e-commerce. Boutiques with a once strong brick-and-mortar presence shifted into the digital realm, creators and entrepreneurs turned to Etsy and Shopify, and Instagram-first labels took digital window shopping to new levels (and followers). Even if you stayed loyal to mega-retailers like Nordstrom, Net-a-Porter, and Amazon, the endless scrolling through hundreds of products probably wasn’t the quarantine hobby you were expecting to pick up.
Cue a trio of platforms promising to make the online shopping experience more streamlined, personal, and effective at filling the void of mall nostalgia growing in our hearts—The Yes, From The Lobby, and FastAF. Each caters to different needs and shoppers, but at their core, these digital platforms have one unified goal: to find a way forward for the industry. Intrigued as we were, we tried each one to learn more about how they work and if they can actually help us navigate this new chapter in online shopping.
Founded by former Stitch Fix COO, Julie Bornstein and Google and Groupon alum Amit Aggarwal, The Yes is a hyper-personalized shopping app that uses an algorithm to give you product suggestions based on simple “yes” or “no” answers. Would you wear culottes? Maxi dresses? Ribbed knit tops? The more you tap, the more the algorithm learns about your taste and budget, annd the more curated your recommendations become. The Yes’ single-tap feature is fast and intuitive—imagine Instagram Explore with the same dopamine hit of swiping right on Tinder—and the platform lets you shop from over 150 brands ranging from mass retailers like Everlane, Zara, and Madewell to luxury designers like Khaite, Prada, and Ganni.
Fashion industry veteran and The Yes’ creative director, Taylor Tomasi Hill, says the app is more interactive, fun, and personal than anything else out there. “You see the stuff that is relevant for you. It becomes addictive. Plus the products you “yes” are automatically saved in your Yes list which you can share with friends, and you get notified when items go on sale or come back in stock.” Your feed ends up looking like your dream wardrobe, with product suggestions that are all in your size and new brands to widen your circle. Everything the app thinks isn’t “right for you” (meaning not your size or style) gets pushed to the bottom so you don’t have to bother with it.
