2007
How to grow your clothing lines online store presence
Posted by: Fashion06 in Starting your own line |
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This article was inspired by one of our members who sent this email:
“Hi Fred, I’m in the process of learning how to start a line
and came across your website which really rocks.My question is that I’ve read
a lot about approaching store buyers but how does one go about
getting their garments on online boutiques? I’d assume it’s similar
to approaching a regular store but I wanted to get your expertise.
Thanks, Sara”
I wonder what it takes to be considered an expert??? Thanks anyway Sarah. I would have to say yes you do pretty much go about it the same way as getting into any other retail store front. There are probably different circumstances you will have to work with dealing with online retailers. I chose not to work with any online stores, because I talked to some of the retail accounts I worked with and I decided it was in my companies best interest for the way we were building our company at the time.
For example some online stores don’t actually handle shipping for your company or stock garments, they just place your brand in front of their customers eyes and help with processing payments. (Of course taking their cut of the money 
) Your clothing line handles the shipping and the returns. Some online stores actually work like store fronts and order wholesale and refill accordingly. Getting in touch with them is the same they attend trade shows, have emails, and phone contacts should be on the website as well.
The reason that convinced me to not make my clothing line available online to multiple retailers was mainly, because the risk of over saturating my brand (Trying to keep it exclusive) , but most of all the smaller retailers I worked with felt like I would be “Cutting their throat” (One of them actually said that!) by them not being able to compete with an online stores exposure and prices. Basically thinking someone might buy from the online store before them, because an online boutique has a broader customer base than most smaller retail stores.
What is some of you guys opinion on working with online retailers? Was it your first priority when deciding to sell? or will you hold off and stomp the pavement with the traditional retailers first?
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Fred
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April 15th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
From my experience in Australia, I’ve seen a lot of retailers treat online as the enemy. They have no online presence and they are not happy when you sell your product in their store and online.
That is slowly changing, and I know of a few Australian online boutiques now, but like you say, they see it as cutting their throats.
It’s important to me to be present online and I want to represent a new wave of clothing companies; not neccisarily fitting into all the moulds of what has come before me. I want to be present across global youth culture without million dollar advertising budgets and I don’t want geography to be something that effects my accessibility.
Online is what I know, and it is important to me. Conversely, I know that retailers can be powerful allies, and it is safer filling purchase orders than accumulating your own stock for unpredictable sales out of your own online store.
These are my personal policies for simultaneous online/offline retail presence:
1) Honour your Recommended Retail Price and don’t screw over the retailer by undercutting them.
2) Honour your release dates and don’t let any of your retailers get an unfair jump on the season.
3) Have both parties aware of your distribution strategy (online and off) so its not a nasty suprise for them
My concept is to develop that further with retailer-exclusives (achieved through limited edition goods), so that even if another retailer sells my label, their products are not directly competing.
April 16th, 2007 at 1:17 am
I would only sell to an online store that not only has a good reputation, but also has its place in your target markets community. And by”place”, i mean connectivity. Some online shops have faces with their companies. I mean, you actually know who’s running the show. I would only sell online at Karmaloop, Digital Gravel, or Cartel Goods. All the other online shops will just make your company look you will sell your clothes “Anywhere” and to “Anyone”. Retail stores don’t like the online guys, so this can hurt you as a start-up. You should master the art of getting into local and regional shops before you step foot into more advanced selling techiques. Also, you can hire clothing reps to do all the work for you. But before you contact the reps… Come with some FIRE !!! Let your clothing do the the talking.
-Hussel Premium
“what ever your Hussel, keep it Premium !!!!!!”
April 18th, 2007 at 7:13 am
Think you can start by having just one online store… and later start on the brick and mortar store.