Selling Online: A Must for all Fashion Brands

These days people practically buy anything online: from shoes and clothes to household related items, even cars and homes. But, surprisingly, not all selling merchandise have taken easily to the online road. While some have been pioneers, others have taken the ‘wait and see’ approach. However, this route rapidly became a dead-end last year, when the first lockdown was announced, and customers could not go to physical stores anymore. For those without an online store, a rapid rethink was required, and while many succeeded in adapting to a new business model other got left behind.

In this article, we will look at the key elements all fashion designers need to offer their clients online…

The Base: A website that never shuts down

The customer chooses the shop, not the other way around. He is guided by certain opinions and reviews, experiences, and standards. The customer can be critical and expects the best service possible when buying the desired goods, even online. This is the reason why the fashion stores need to find the best ways to connect to their customers and search for ways to attract and convince them to purchase from their online collection. And how can they do that? Building the best platform possible, an online shop, that represents the brand, the quality and the services offered should be the first important step.

It may seem strange to mention this in 2021 but the truth is that some website hosting providers are still no functioning one hundred percent. Choosing a reliable provider that is known and with a proven reputation of quality, is the only way to go about your presence online. This visibility is the most precious element you have, your shop window in front of your customers. If they try to access your website and find error pages, or it is slow to load with ropey functionality, chances are quite high that they will not come back again.

Provide your customers with a ‘Home’ Dressing Room

Getting someone to buy an item from your website is only the first step. You have to view the buying process the same way as a customer in store. The client starts by looking around the room for the clothes he/she wishes for the most. On the internet that translates itself by placing the items inside their virtual basket. At this point the next logical step in the real world is to go and try them on, a deciding factor before buying. However, since this is not yet possible online your customers have to move directly to the payment process. They will do so without worries if they are guaranteed that they can send back the clothes, free of charge, if they don’t like them or if they just don’t fit. Just as if they were going into the dressing room in the back of your store, to try them on. If you do not provide a simple and effective returns service be assured you will loose a good proportion of your sales and your customers will prefer to shop elsewhere.

Payment Solutions

According to your customer base you may sell more through services like Visa and MasterCard, even PayPal. But no matter who your crowd is, you need to offer them at least two options, as a minimal choice for payment. Cash not being available make sure you do not miss a sale simply because you could not accept another payment method.

Altogether, if you want your business to grow and prosper, be aware of new developments and make sure you are always one step ahead. Follow technical e-commerce trends and try to find creative solutions in line with your USP to keep your customers happy and loyal.