StyleWatch's Electro-Shop Therapy

Question: Now that consumerism has gone the way of the company 401(k) match, do magazines about shopping still have any relevance? Time Inc.’s People StyleWatch thinks they do, especially for its target: women in their 20s. The title has expanded an editorial feature that allows readers to send text messages to get more information on and buy products displayed in the magazine’s editorial pages. With the new application, the title hopes to glean information about readers’ likes and dislikes, while assuring advertisers that, yes, people are still shopping.