Following in the footsteps of companies we've covered that let consumers customize their own sneakers and baby shoes, Sydney-based online shoe retailer Shoes of Prey is directing the design-your-own trend towards stylish, custom-made women's shoes.

Launched in October, Shoes of Prey's simple, online design tool puts bespoke shoes just a few clicks away for women wanting to design their dream shoes and have them hand-crafted to match their requirements. Customers choose the style, heel type, heel height, adornments and colours, and select from raw materials including calf skin, snake skin, fish skin, silk and more, which makes for a near infinite number of possible combinations.

Prices range from AUD 195 for ballet flats to AUD 300 for 4½-inch heels. International shipping is available, and the shoes take about six weeks to arrive. The service is backed by a generous returns policy which guarantees that if the shoes don't fit, Shoes of Prey will remake them until they do; and if the customer doesn't like the design, they can send the shoes back for a full refund or have a new design made for them free of charge.

Retailers—is this a model to be hot on the heels of? Shoes of Prey welcomes contact from merchants who are interested in offering the design-your-own shoes tool under their own brand. (Related: One-of-a-kind shoe art — High-heeled shoes, designed by the crowds.)

Website: www.shoesofprey.com
Contact: mike@shoesofprey.com

Spotted by: Ngaire Stevens

Back in October we covered nAscent Art, which aims to bring original art into the realm of affordability for gift-giving purposes. Another effort that's similar in spirit is Eye Buy Art, a newly launched Canadian firm that seeks to make art less intimidating and more affordable for everyday consumers.

Eye Buy Art is a carefully curated online art gallery that represents an array of emerging photographers from Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. The site releases a new image every week, each from an artist among those deemed important by a high profile jury of professionals in the field. Limited edition photographs of the works represented are offered for sale through Eye Buy Art at prices starting at USD 25 for an 8-by-10 print; consumers who have signed up for the site's newsletter get first crack at them before they go public. Artists earn 50 percent from each sale; in addition, Eye Buy Art donates 10 percent to the Flash Forward Festival, its sister organization focusing on promoting the future of photography. All prints come with an edition card signifying the work's authenticity.

The site explains: “We think art is for everyone and we aim to make buying art easy, friendly, and affordable. Our name reflects our navigation – look, buy, and learn about art – and we hope to inspire new and existing collectors to buy art from these enthusiastic young artists at a pivotal time in their career.”

There are, of course, other like-minded sites out there—most notable, perhaps, is Jen Bekman's 20x200—but it's a growing field, and one that could do with a few more international or niche players. Care to be one of them...?

Website: www.eyebuyart.com
Contact: info@eyebuyart.com

In this era of mass-customisation, consumers increasingly expect to be able to get exactly what they want, when they want it. Since discontinued products sometimes fall on that list, we're starting to see manufacturers make such goods available once again. Lush was one example we wrote about back in 2008, and now Body Shop has launched an effort along very similar lines.

Through its new Originals line, eco-minded beauty purveyor Body Shop—now part of L'Oréal—has brought back a collection of best-sellers from its early days. Starting in October, classics such as Dewberry Shower gel, Banana Shampoo and Carrot Moisturiser—all popular during the 1980s, and frequently requested since then—have been made available once again. To celebrate the products' return, Body Shop is holding a promotion whereby consumers who vote for their favourite product in the line by Jan. 31 can win a year's supply of it, or 12 bottles. Consumers can also request that additional products be brought back; those with enough demand will be added to the Originals line. A YouTube video explains the new campaign.

Lesson to be learned? Just as consumers can help design and refine new products, so they can tell you when an old product has the potential for new life. Rather than always scrambling for something new, your next success may lie in the annals of time. :-)

Website: www.thebodyshop.com/_en/_ww/beauty-lounge/originals/originals.aspx
Contact: www.thebodyshop.com/_en/_ww/services/contactus.aspx

Spotted by: Cas Stevenson

Convincing consumers to recycle their old electronics is challenging enough in its own right, but when it comes to sex toys, the potential embarrassment could be virtually prohibitive. Aiming to keep the devices it sells out of landfills, UK retailer LoveHoney encourages customers to send them back for recycling at the end of their useful life in exchange for a generous discount on a new, updated version.

Back in 2007 the EU began requiring that consumers dispose of waste electrical equipment properly. Soon afterwards, LoveHoney launched Rabbit Amnesty, its own program for recycling its popular Rabbit vibrators. Now, owners of the devices can send their outdated or overused vibrators to the company and receive a half-price Rabbit vibrator from the LoveHoney range. The second-hand toys are then delivered to a designated collection facility, where they are recycled and treated in an ecologically sound manner. LoveHoney also donates GBP 1 to The World Land Trust for each Rabbit that gets sent back.

How to turn lemons into lemonade? Use them to create a competitive advantage that increases future sales and sets your company apart. Then take a long, slow sip of sweet success! ;-) (Related: An ATM for recycling consumer electronics — Retailers recycle customers' used clothes — 'Sex map' reveals erotic-spending trends by city.)

Website: www.lovehoney.co.uk/rabbit-amnesty
Contact: www.lovehoney.co.uk/help/contact-us

Spotted by: Susan Johnston

Timing is everything, as a wise Greek poet once said, and in few areas is that more true than pop-up retail. Case in point: Recognizing that many consumers are particularly focused on fitness at the start of a new year, Gap has transformed its rotating New York City concept store into a workout haven for a month.

Through a partnership with fitness chain Crunch, Gap's temporary Fitness Lab at 680 5th Ave. now features workout attire from its new GapBody Sport collection along with demonstrations by Crunch personal trainers, discounts and opportunities to win free stuff. Shoppers at the store, which will remain open through Feb. 7, can win free Crunch guest passes, for example; in addition, each day one lucky winner is chosen to receive a free, year-long, all-access Crunch membership. Existing Crunch members, meanwhile, can enter to win a USD 500 Gap gift card, Racked reported.

Far from fading away, the longstanding pop-up retail concept seems to just be getting stronger—both for major brands and for minipreneurs—and timely tie-ins stand to make its impact even greater. An example worth emulating for pop-ups the world over! (Related: Appealing to gravanity of smokers who plan to quit — A public incentive to stick to one's goals — Fitness class by Reebok and Cirque du Soleil.)

Website: www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=250293389784
Contact: www.gapinc.com/public/About/abt_contact.shtml

Spotted by: Racked via Judy McRae