1 January 2007: Blogs rule consumer dollar in
Why Time Magazine got it wrong: 2007 will be Year of the Blog
Although Time Magazine awarded 2006 Person of the Year to bloggers, with hindsight this may turn out to be a year too early. For while some believe blogging has transformed the media through citizen journalism and “user-created content”, so far this concept is barely recognised outside the ranks of journalists and newspaper editors.
The real power of blogging is yet to show itself, and it will be in the realm of consumer behaviour. In particular, where shoppers choose to spend their hard-earned dollars. And 2007 is the year this new wave of blogging will break.
Recently a wave of Australian shopping and fashion blogs has attracted thousands of regular readers to share gift ideas, tip-offs about upcoming sales, and stories of their shopping triumphs.
One Australian writer who has witnessed the rise of the shopping blog first-hand is Sara Goldstein, Editor of The Bargain Queen (www.thebargainqueen.com), Australia’s leading blog for independent shopping ideas and advice.
“Consumers are turning to blogs to cut-through all the sales talk. Because we’re local writers, you get an honest assessment of a product’s advantages and shortcomings from people who have used it in their home,” said Sara.
Goldstein says her success is part of a wider trend. “Fashion and shopping will be the two hottest topics for blogs this year. There weren’t many when I started, but I see new ones popping up every day now.”
As a professional software designer, Goldstein had known about blogs for years, but was personally turned off by the subject matter. “Until recently, most bloggers were writing about politics and technology. I get enough of both at work, so I wasn’t interested in reading about them in my leisure time as well. This year, blogs have become a lot more interesting to me — and a lot of other women as well.”
Goldstein started The Bargain Queen in February 2006, initially as a hobby, and was amazed by the reception from information-hungry shoppers.
“I thought that running The Bargain Queen would be a fun way to learn about blogging, but it attracted a much bigger audience than I expected. I didn’t take it very seriously at first — I posted when I felt like it and didn’t bother to promote it at all — but it’s become so popular that I now treat it as a profession.”
According to hit-parade website Technorati.com, The Bargain Queen is Australia’s #1 shopping blog and has already made it into the top 0.1% of all blogs worldwide.
“I never expected so many people to take an interest in finding their shopping tips online,” said Sara.
More shopping secrets are at www.thebargainqueen.com
Queries, comments, photographs and interviews
The Bargain Queen
Sara Goldstein
Editor
0403 391 820
Who is The Bargain Queen?
Sydneysider Sara Goldstein first made a name for herself as a design professional in interactive multimedia and web design. She has applied her skills to create The Bargain Queen, based on good style, good living and good money management. Her aim is to demystify the secrets of looking good on a budget. It also helps that at various times in her life, Sara has had to make every dollar stretch as far as it could go.
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