New shop window

The new shop window - (3G) Mobile phones

Net-a-Porter.com, the high-end online fashion retailer, persuaded shoppers to buy couture dresses and shoes on the Web. Now, it is betting they will buy luxury goods from their cellphones.

This week, Net-a-Porter.com released its iPhone application, the Net-App. Shoppers can browse new handbags, clothes and shoes; read the weekly fashion stories that editors publish on the Web site; and make purchases.

One-fifth of Net-a-Porter.com’s customers have an iPhone or iPod Touch, Ms. Loehnis said. “Our customers love to shop from their homes or offices, but we want our customers to be able to shop from a cab or while waiting in line and really maximize what little free time they have.”

Not sure how much fun it will be to buy 1000 $ shoes through the mobile . Would be certainly handy to manage purchase of essential goods and services through the mobile in the hours otherwise lost in commuting (in Mumbai ).

Whatever form it takes - the new shop window is here to stay.