C.O. Bigelow Merges Old-world Charm With Digital Advances

  Bigelow’s new site.  In its 180-year history, C.O. Bigelow has become legendary for its ability to tell brand stories. But faced with how to parlay the Greenwich Village mainstay’s appeal into a wider audience, Bigelow’s president Ian Ginsberg knew he had to merge the old-world charm of the store with the digital world. “We’re a historical retailer competing in a modern world and we’re an indie retailer competing against giants,” Ginsberg said. The reality is, his store faces challenges of foot traffic, even in Manhattan. “Many shoppers go to Amazon first,” said Ginsberg, who acknowledged his store must vie with e-commerce behemoths who can offer value and loyalty programs. “It can be hard to compete.” Undaunted, Bigelow just launched a totally rebuilt web site, one of the most powerful tools in his arsenal, Ginsberg said. The site promotes products Ginsberg has personally hand-picked in his travels as well as company-distributed brands like Proraso, Marvis, Carthusia and Gülsha. “A lot of people know us as a brand, but they don’t know us as a store; and a lot know the store who follow us on social, but don’t know about the story behind us and the brands,” said Ginsberg, who added the retailer’s edge is

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