How to get featured in regular shopping press: A PR guide for brands
Every eCommerce or product brand wants their products to appear in shopping sections and pages of magazines, newspapers and online lifestyle sites. Think Stylist’s ‘The Style List’, ELLE Decoration’s ‘Moodboard’ or OK! Loves.
Regular shopping features are all about curation and relevance. They don’t need to be “newsworthy,” but they must fit the publication’s audience. That could mean aligning with seasonal trends, tapping into editorial themes or offering products at the right price point.
These features appear regularly, so there are plenty of opportunities to pitch, but standing out requires the right approach.
Regular shopping features include gift guides, seasonal roundups, digital shopping galleries, and more. The beauty of these features is that they place your products in curated shopping edits, boosting visibility and building credibility with engaged readers.
Read on to discover how to get your brand noticed by the editors who create them.
Have the right assets in place
Your visuals and product info can make or break a pitch. Make sure you’ve got high-res cut-outs (on a white or transparent background, 300dpi, JPEG or PNG), clear pricing, and key product details ready to go. Editors get hundreds of emails every week, so keep your pitch short and to the point: what the product is, why it fits the feature, and any timely angle. Highlight what makes your product stand out so editors can see its potential instantly.
Find the right features
Don’t pitch every product everywhere. Look for features that fit your brand and products. Style lists, seasonal roundups, and gift guides all have different focuses, so tailor your pitch accordingly (our press database contains up-to-date contacts and feature details).
For example, a homeware or design brand might target ELLE Decoration’s Moodboard or House Beautiful’s This Month's Most Wanted. And a fashion accessories brand might pitch to HELLO! Fashion Monthly’s Wish List or the fashion pages of Sunday Times Style.
Hot tips for publication research:
Readly: Research consumer and lifestyle
Competitors and peers: Where have others had coverage
Newsagents: With publication audience, aesthetic and price point usually featured
ChatGPT: Sum up [publication name] in 3 words
Know the lead times and deadlines
Shopping features are often planned in advance. Long-lead titles like Red and GQ work months ahead, while dailies and online publications such as The i or Marie Claire run on shorter publish times. Check out our key dates for PR, marketing, and sales to stay on top of press lead times.
Think about readership and price point
Magazines have different readerships, aesthetics and ethos. Before pitching, make sure you understand what the publication is about. As Rachel Edwards, Style & Interiors Editor at Country Living and House Beautiful, says, understanding a publication’s audience helps you pitch the right product to the right magazine. Online can be broader, so if your product isn’t a perfect fit for print, try their digital outlets.
Include keywords
Editors use their inbox like Google. They might not reply straight away, but they’ll save relevant pitches for future features. Include keywords that clearly describe your product to make it easy to find. Such as ‘statement jewellery’, ‘sustainable bedding’ and ‘quirky Christmas gifts’.
Follow up politely
If you haven’t heard back in a week or so, it’s okay to send a short, polite follow-up. Forward the original email thread so the editor can see your previous pitch. Keep it brief and friendly – a gentle reminder can make a big difference.
Think beyond your bestseller
Your bestseller might seem like the obvious choice, but don’t stop there. Quirky, colourful, or problem-solving products can catch an editor’s eye just as much, sometimes even more. The unexpected sometimes gets the most attention.
As Stylist’s Deputy Editor and Photography Director, Tom Gormer, says:
“Think differently. Think quirkily.”
If Stylist receives 50 candle pitches, what makes yours worth opening? One pitch that caught Tom’s eye wasn’t a perfume; it was a hair fragrance.
Ask yourself: what makes your product unusual or memorable? Is it the story behind it, a surprising design detail, or a fresh take on something classic? The more distinctive it is, the more likely it is to be chosen.
Ready to get your products seen and boost visibility?
Getting featured in regular shopping edits is easier than you think. With the right assets, the right contacts and a clear sense of what each publication wants, your products can land on the coveted pages of magazines and newspapers.
Shopping editors are always looking for great products to feature, but if you’re not on their radar (or in their inboxes), you’re missing out on invaluable coverage.
Stay ahead of the curve?
Sign up to access our key dates for marketing, PR, and sales. You’ll get all the important themes, dates and seasonal opportunities so your brand is always on editors’ radars, and ready to pitch at the right time.
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