Would you like an iPod with those shoes?

Zappos.com's new user interface

(Credit: Zappos.com)

Sometime in the next few weeks, shoe e-tailer Zappos.com will launch a new interface that lets consumers buy lipstick and MP3 players along with Birkenstocks and Nikes.

The company is preparing to do a soft launch of the new, cleaner look to around 1,000 customers before deciding on a formal plan, CEO Tony Hsieh said. "Frankly I'm kind of surprised that what we put on sells, how our customers find it. The new site is built for easier navigation and searching, with multiple categories in mind," he said.

The site design changes, along with the expansion into categories including small electronics and cookware, highlight the core of the company's mind-set: find out what the customer wants, and find the best way to deliver it.

(Find out if the strategy is working in a full report on News.com.)