This report is a critical analysis of Threadless’s corporate website to determine the effectiveness of the website to the company. (http://www.threadless.com),

[pic]

About Threadless.com

Threadless is a community-centered online apparel store run by skinnyCorp of Chicago, Illinois, since 2000. In line with its motto “nude no more”, Threadless provides affordable but yet quality t-shirts to its customers. Their mode of operation is as follows - members of the threadless community submit their designs online, after which the rest of the members of the community vote on these designs and eventually the best designs would be chosen, printed and sold on the website. The winning designers are rewarded with $2,000 cash and $500 gift certificate (which can be traded in for $200 cash).

Threadless holds the largest market share in the online apparel market but faces key competition from its competitors, which include Snorg tees and Busted tees. A more in depth comparison of their websites will be done later in the report.

Holistics

Threadless.com is a transactional website (2nd wave), it is a site where one can purchase merchandise. Threadless.com has characteristics of web 2.0. There is interaction and exchange by the users and the users create the designs for the clothes.

Business Model Classification

Threadless is a partial play website. Although it conducts online transactions, there is only physical fulfillment (Threadless sells physical products such as T-shirts). This is different from pure play websites that allows the consumers to purchase digital products.

Threadless has two online business models. Firstly, Threadless adopts a C2B model; it purchases designs from its consumers and reward them with monetary and other incentives. It is also a B2C online business. Threadless conducts retail transactions with its customers, selling its clothes and other merchandises.

The pricing for the products has a range of $5 up to $70, giving