eBags Launches Multiple Strategic Innovation Lab Initiatives

DENVER, Sept. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- eBags is quickening the pace of digital innovation by teaming with Iterate Studio, jointly creating a two-part Innovation Lab with resources positioned in Denver, Silicon Valley, India, and Ukraine. 

Recognized by retailers as an early pioneer of drop-ship (1999), customer product reviews (1999), and A/B split testing (2000), eBags' goal is to pioneer game-changing services by embracing the new digital frontier which includes mobile services and the Internet of Things (IoT).

"eBags' Innovation Lab consists of two elements," said Mike Edwards, eBags new CEO, who was most recently Staples' (NASDAQ: SPLS) EVP of Global Merchandising. "The first is a Rapid Test Center designed to improve the velocity and number of experiments conducted on eBags' websites each month. This workflow will speed up our absorption of unique digital tools that are proven to improve shopping for the 36 million people that visit our sites each year. The second is a Digital R&D Lab that will deliver IoT and business model enhancements for eBags."

Both Labs will leverage Iterate Studio and Iterate.ai. Iterate's team uncovers, curates, and validates emerging digital technologies from around the world. "Iterate Studio searches for technologies that can be applied immediately to enhance digital journeys – for shoppers and employees," said Brian Sathianathan, Iterate's Chief Digital Officer, an early new product leader involved in launching Apple's first iPhone. "As the digital leader in the bags and accessories market, eBags is proactively evaluating every digital touch point along the customer journey -- between transactions -- looking for unique IoT and mobile technologies born in places like MIT, Paris, and Silicon Valley.  Our goal is to help eBags maintain its leadership position."  

Edwards is transforming eBags from its pure play dot-com roots. "Every retailer is challenged to develop leaders who embrace change," Edwards added. "Companies and investors must actively harness innovation and smart risk taking, while taking a longer-term view toward transforming and winning. Traditional approaches no longer work.  We live in an ever-changing mobile world that quickly adjusts to revolutionary technologies and services like Nest, Snapchat, Uber and Airbnb. To succeed, a company's culture needs to place a high value on data, customer information, speed, and change."

About eBags
eBags.com is the leading online retailer of handbags, luggage, backpacks, business cases, and accessories. With over 23 million bags sold and more than 3 million unbiased customer reviews, eBags features over 60,000 products from 550 brands, including the eBags Brand, Michael Kors, kate spade new york, Fossil, Tumi, The North Face, JanSport, Herschel Supply Co., Vera Bradley, and Nike. For more information, please visit http://www.ebags.com/ or email Peter Cobb at [email protected].

About Iterate Studio
Located in Silicon Valley, Denver-Boulder, and NYC, Iterate Studio is a practitioner of Open Innovation in the digital space. Iterate discovers and curates emerging technologies, then implements proof-of-concept tests (a.k.a. proof-of-value tests) for its global client base. For large companies, this reduces time, costs and risks associated with analyzing and deploying innovative start-up technologies. For press inquiries please contact [email protected], follow Iterate on Twitter @IterateStudio or visit http://www.IterateStudio.com and http://www.Iterate.ai.

SOURCE eBags

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