The Winners of The Blades Ecommerce Awards 2013

Most Unique Marketing Promotion

DirectFix.com

AX Micro Solutions, Inc., a.k.a. DirectFix, began in 1998 as PowerToThePalm.com, with a focus on showing ordinary people what the inside of the latest model Palm unit looked like, how to dis- and re-assemble it, and selling the parts to fix it. Today, DirectFix sells quality repair parts and accessories for iPhone, iPad, iPod and Android phones, as well as repair services for many units. In 2002, DirectFix became the first company to offer free how-to videos, with no purchase necessary. Offering their free, branded videos on YouTube put the DirectFix name in front of millions of people, and provided a gateway to other sites and blogs that have since embedded links to DirectFix’s quality videos. In addition to the traffic and sales that are driven to DirectFix.com, as a YouTube partner the company also earns profits on the revenue generated by its videos.

Best New Feature

Oliver + S

Started in 2007 by fashion designer Liesl Gibson, Oliver + S develops sewing patterns for contemporary children’s clothing.  They have been nominated for a Blades Award for TWO outstanding features: their responsive design framework, which provides shoppers with an optimized shopping experience across a variety of devices, and their paper doll “play” feature, a clever and FUN way to promote their brand and entertain their shoppers!

Best Use of Social Media

Squishable

Since 1997, Squishable Inc. has been on a mission to spread “Squishy joy” with their adorable plush toys. Over the course of the past decade, Squishable has grown from a two person, apartment-based operation, to having a presence in hundreds of stores nationwide. Squishable’s growth is due, in great part, to their approach to social media. Squishable utilizes a variety of social networks, including Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube, as well as their very own Squishable Hangout, where their fans can keep up with the latest happenings at Squishable. Most notable, however, is Squishable’s unique approach to Facebook . Not only does it provide a platform for advertising to their over 775,000 Facebook fans, it is also a powerful source for consumer market research, and has played an integral part in Squishable’s product development. By allowing their fans a voice in their products, from conception to prototype, Squishable has discovered a cost-effective way to ensure that their investments in new products are worthwhile.

Best Design

All American Clothing Co.

All American Clothing Co. produces high-quality jeans and apparel that are Made in USA Certified™.  AllAmericanClothing.com  has a clean, all-American look that is the perfect embodiment of the brand, and its advanced functionality and usability make for an easy and enjoyable shopping experience. Always seeking to improve their customers’ experience, All American Clothing Co. regularly updates the design and adds new features, which continue to be well-received by their customers.

Best New Website of 2012

ChicShave

The idea for ChicShave came to founder Dylan Curtis during a seemingly ordinary conversation with some of his girlfriends about the exorbitant cost and hassle of regularly buying premium razors and shaving cream from the drugstore.  ChicShave offers the solution – quality razors delivered to your door, every month, for less than the cost of purchasing comparable razors at your local drugstore.  The concept for the fun, retro look and functionality of ChicShave was created by Dylan and brought to life by a combination of efforts by Hayley Wulster (Designer), Miva Merchant’s Professional Services Department, and Kent Multer of Magic Metal Productions (recurring order feature).  ChicShave has successfully taken an everyday item, made it stylish, and designed a website that encompasses that theme from storefront through checkout.