STEVE INSKEEP, host:
Clothing companies are hoping to boost sales by harnessing a new Internet trend called fashion hauling. It's based on a simple desire by people to tell other people what they just bought: Hey, check it out. What a great deal. You should see my shirt.
Only now people are recording their shopping hauls on video and uploading them on YouTube. It's sort of like starring in your own personal QVC channel.
Some of these shoppers are turning into minor celebrities, as Elisabeth Harrison from member station WRNI reports.
Ms. AUDREY MCCLELLAND: This is exactly - I hope these are on sale.
ELISABETH HARRISON: Audrey McClelland is in her element, hunting for a bargain at Old Navy. She selects a pair of fleece pants with blue and green stripes, on sale for $8.
Ms. MCCLELLAND: I always go into the store with at least a mindset of what I'm looking for. And today it's all about the pajamas.
HARRISON: McClelland left a career in fashion to raise four young sons. When she gets home from her shopping trip, she will make a video about what she bought and post it on her blog momgenerations.com - and on YouTube.
(Soundbite of video)
Ms. MCCLELLAND: I went to Old Navy today. This is a fashion hauling video from Old Navy. Henry(ph), you want to help me?
Unidentified Child: Yes.
Ms. MCCLELLAND: Okay, come here.
HARRISON: McClelland is a shopping hauler.
Kate Rose of Google says it's one of the fastest growing trends on YouTube.
Ms. KATE ROSE (Google): Searches for the term shopping haul, at least as of November of this year, were up 150 percent. As far as the number of videos, the last count that we had was a little over 200,000 haul videos, so there are a lot of people that are getting involved to do this.
Ms. BLAIR FOWLER: Hey, everyone. O-M-G double-H-K-P. I don't know what that means. I just made it up, but...
HARRISON: That's Blair Fowler, a teenager from Tennessee, who along with her older sister Elle is an icon of fashion hauling. In this video, she sits on bed framed in medium close-up and shows off a new dress.
Ms. FOWLER: And it's black, it's scoop neck, and it has this really cute beaded design. But it's just a simple black dress and I got this because it's going to be good, especially with the holidays coming around ex-specially(ph), I know it's especially I was raised to say ex-specially, so that's what I'm going to say.
HARRISON: Believe it or not, this video has gotten nearly a million views in just a few months on YouTube. Numbers like that caught the attention of "Good Morning America," and recently there has even been talk of a reality TV show. Apparel chains like Forever 21 and TJ Maxx have also taken notice, offering gift cards, video contests and other incentives to the Fowler sisters and other haulers.
Professor ELAINE NOTARANTONIO (Bryant University School of Business): Consumer engagement is sort of the new hot strategy among marketers.
HARRISON: Elaine Notarantonio is a professor of marketing at the Bryant University School of Business. She says there's no doubt hauling can help companies generate buzz, but there can be a downside if haulers are perceived as being in the company's pockets.
Prof. NOTARANTONIO: Companies who do this, who provide gift cards or free merchandise to haulers, need to be aware of the potential downfall and what it could do to their image. It could jeopardize their image.
Ms. MCCLELLAND: So I went to Macy's and I got these Nine West boots. These were originally - let me see these were about $200. I got them for $59.
HARRISON: Blogger Audrey McClelland insists that she is true to her own opinions in her hauling videos, which focus on fashion advice for budget conscious moms. But she has used her videos and her blog to land paid spokesperson gigs for Tide and Staples. She also writes for the websites of Lifetime and TJ Maxx. When her husband was laid off in September, she hired him to work for her.
For NPR News, I'm Elisabeth Harrison in Providence.