Plussize.com (http://www.plussize.com) launches today as the leading online shopping destination for the plus size woman. With patent pending technology, members enjoy a unique communication and shopping experience including exclusive savings from nationally-recognized retail partners. Sixty-five million American women wear a size 12 or larger, representing half of the female population. More than a third wear a size 16 or larger. Plussize.com is designed to empower this majority that for years has been considered only a "niche" market.
"We're thrilled to offer so much to plus size women! We've just launched, and we already have the Who's Who of plus size retailers on our site," says Supermodel and Plussize.com Co-founder Christine Alt. "There's no other place that brings together the best brands, interactive community features and vibrant content the way we do," adds Plussize.com Co-founder Jeff Recker.
Retail partners are excited about the possibilities: "At Liz Claiborne (NYSE:LIZ), our vision is to be where our consumers shop. Plussize.com is a great opportunity to bring unique Elisabeth fashions to the consumer in her home or workplace," said Brad Lenz, Vice President E-Commerce, Liz Claiborne Inc.
"We look at this as an opportunity to bring the Lands' End (NYSE:LE) brand to a market that might not be aware that we carry their clothes," says Terry Nelson, E-Commerce Marketing Manager, Lands' End.
Plussize.com provides a sense of belonging for its members, who want to feel proud of the way they look. "We've created tools that let our shoppers conduct research and share information. In fact, our users generate much of our content, from polls and message boards to member columns and inspirational stories," says Co-founder Charlie Mason.
"For too long plus size women have been ignored and pushed to the back of the store. Plussize.com addresses their needs directly by providing a welcoming community for women from around the world to share their joys and frustrations about being full figured in a 'thin-is-in' world. We applaud Plussize.com for developing an empowering convergence of commerce, information, camaraderie, and advocacy," says alight.com President Norman Weiss.
And Plussize.com is already demonstrating global potential. Ulla Popken is Europe's largest plus size retailer with over 300 locations and worldwide catalogue operations. According to Thomas Schneider, head of US Operations, "Working with Plussize.com will strengthen our US sales and increase our exposure by aligning our brand with the leading destination for the plus size consumer worldwide."
Other retailers featured on the site include Spiegel, Nordstrom, Newport News, Coldwater Creek and dozens more. Plus size clothing is now the fastest- growing segment of the apparel industry, according to research firm NPD Group.
About Plussize.com
Plussize.com ( www.plussize.com ) is the world's largest virtual shopping mall for the plus size woman. The company's technology combines selections from dozens of leading retailers into a single digital catalog, adding selection and convenience to a previously underserved market. The plus size apparel market is now a $30 billion industry, comprised of 65 million American women. Plussize.com is a member of Main Street Ventures located in the "Digital Rhine" district in Cincinnati, Ohio.
For more information, contact: Rachel Dawson,
[email protected] (513) 241-4410.
About Main Street Ventures
Main Street Ventures is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Technology Development Facilitator helping to establish Greater Cincinnati as a leading technology hub of the industrial Midwest. The Main Street Ventures initiative is to provide a central location and resource services for start-ups by providing free office space and numerous networking opportunities. Main Street Ventures is funded through corporate donations and a grant from the State of Ohio's Technology Action Fund (TAF).
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