Raquel, Author at The Business of Fashion

How I Increased Traffic to My Online Boutique by 228% in 1 Week

Lately I’ve been doing a lot of testing with my online boutique.

In order for me to increase sales – I need to increase traffic to my site. (Duh, right?)

As I test different things with my online boutique – I want to share with you what works and what doesn’t work for me.

For starters, I don’t rely heavily on google keyword searches just because there is so much competition out there that, say for example someone searches for “Faux Leather Leggings” – hundreds of other websites are going to pop up in google before mine. I feel like keyword search is going to be something that I focus on later down the road once I establish myself a bit more.

At Little L.A., I offer those trendy, “in the moment” type pieces. I like finding what is trending right now by looking at Pinterest and seeing what types of colors, fashion, moods, etc. that people are in to at the moment. So, when I am getting ready to buy, I am able notice these trends in the clothes or accessories and purchase items that are in line with those trends.

While I was uploading some “New Arrivals” on Facebook, I saw an advertisement for Keep.com and it piqued my interest. I checked it out and saw it was similar to Pinterest and Wanelo.com and I decided to “keep” (or pin) all of my product from my online boutique.

What happened from there got me truly excited! As I was monitoring the stats for my boutique that week – my visitors went up by 228% and the orders started rolling in daily! To say that I was happy was an understatement. 🙂

Those type of moments give me the confidence to know that I am choosing the right product for my customer and if I can get my product in front of my target customer then the sales will happen!

In the online world, I think that is really important to stay on top of what’s happening and what is coming next. So, when I see a new website that I can load my product to, I jump on it. I think that there is a huge growing trend for “social” online shopping and I’m really excited to see the direction that it takes in the coming years.

If you still haven’t started your online boutique yet, I would highly recommend signing up with Shopify. They have their “Build-A-Business” competition going on right now which means it’s a great time for you to start and get in on the competition. A $50,000 incentive isn’t bad either!

Have you found any great “social” shopping sites lately?

Buying the Brands You Want For Your Boutique – Interview with a Sales Rep

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After my previous post on “How to Get the Brands You Want in Your Clothing Boutique”, I have received quite a few e-mails and questions on how exactly the buying process works.

Since I know quite a few people in different areas of the fashion industry, I thought that it would be helpful to interview my good friend Heather that is a Sales Rep at the California Market Center in Downtown Los Angeles for a children’s clothing line. I hope you find this interview helpful in the quest of opening your own boutique or store!

How long have you been working as a Sales Rep?

I have been a Sales Rep for 12 years.

What does a normal day at work look like for you?

This depends on the season, but usually I start my day off by checking my e-mail and responding to any customer inquiries. I also communicate with manufacturers (since we handle more than one brand in our showroom) about building their brand. I also will enter orders in our system after they are placed by our customers.
When customers come into the showroom, I will help them and if they are new to our showroom I will show them around, tell them about each line I have and then proceed to find out what they are looking for. We can write orders in the showroom or I give them my card and will follow up with them in a few days and write orders over the phone or through e-mail.

What shows would you recommend for first time Buyers to attend?

There are so many different shows for each area of the U.S. that I would recommend finding the show closest to where your store location will be. There are shows and markets in Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, Atlanta, and many more.

Are shows the best way for a new Buyer to find what lines they want to carry? Where else should they look?

Shows and markets are definitely the best way. Here in LA we have an event at the Cal Mart called local Tuesdays. It lets locals come in and shop in the showrooms and get free lunch, free parking, and a Starbucks gift card. It is something to entice people to come during the week since we are here and it can get kind of slow when there’s not a market or show going on.

What should a new Buyer say/write to a Sales Rep when contacting them for the first time?

Most new buyers will either call or come in to the showroom and can feel extremely lost if it is their first time. I would say they should somewhat have an idea of what sizes they want in their store and the retail price point for their store and then we Sales Reps can take it from there. We’re there to help!
In my opinion walking around the showrooms and “shows” is the best thing to do because you can see the actual samples and the quality of the merchandise you will be buying versus if you purchase just from online then you really have no idea what the quality of the brand will be.

What is the best way to contact a Sales Rep?

Either by calling, e-mail, or stopping by the showroom. For us you can find our contact information from the Cal Mart’s website or the LA Kids Market website. We are happy to have buyers come into the showroom or we can also e-mail them our showroom’s website so they can view the lines that we carry from there.

What information will you need from a new Buyer in order for them to purchase?

In general, you will need your business license number (tax ID number) and seller’s permit number for us to be able to set up a new account for you. You will either need a storefront or a store website. Some brands you must have a brick and mortar store to be able to purchase a particular line and not just an online store. Most lines have a minimum dollar amount that the buyer must meet and that varies depending on the line. All first orders require a credit card. Then after your first order you can get terms. If it is a new store you probably won’t get terms for a least a year and with good credit.

A lot of times when opening a new store, Sales Reps want to know what other lines you carry in your store before they approve you. Since it’s a new business and not yet open, how should I answer that question?

A reason why they ask this question is because if the store that is opening is close to or next to another store we want to be sure there isn’t overlapping lines. We also want to make sure that the store is legit to help protect the brand from being sold on the street corner. 🙂

Do you have any other advice or tips for a new Buyer opening their first store?

My best advice is to shop around and shop the market. There are so many brands and trade shows that it can be overwhelming. It is important to do your research!

5 First Steps to Start Your Online Boutique

Fashion and Technology with Poshmark

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When it comes to the business side of me, there’s two things to know – that I love fashion and I love technology. I’m quite the nerdy fashionista. So, when my girl friend told me about an app called Poshmark in November – I was beyond thrilled to check it out and I’ve been attending daily “Posh Parties” through my iPhone ever since!

Warning: Do not continue if you are trying to keep your shopping addiction in check!

What is Poshmark?

Poshmark is a free app available on iPhone or iPad that allows you to sell items from your closet and shop items from other women’s closets. You can often find great deals on gently used or new items that you’ve always wanted, but never wanted to pay full price for! Poshmark has three “Posh Parties” each day where you can share items from your closet or shop from other women’s closets. Sample parties in the past have been, “Marc Jacobs, Rebecca Minkoff & All Saints Party”, “Date Night Party”, and “Hot Handbags Party” – just to name a few.

What makes Poshmark so great?

For me, what makes Poshmark so great is the Poshmark community. I have only had great experiences with the ladies on Poshmark with whom I’ve bought from and sold to. I also attended a Poshmark meet up here in Los Angeles with my girl friend Winnie and had the opportunity to meet Poshmark’s CEO, Manish and Community Director, LyAnn – who happen to be some of the nicest people I’ve ever met! It was great to chat about Poshmark and meet a few new Poshmarkers as well over a glass of champagne.

How do I join Poshmark?

You can download the app for free on iPhone or iPad – or you can sign up directly from Poshmark’s website. (You will need the app to be able to sell items.) Here is a screen shot of what my profile looks like:

If you are already on Poshmark or are just signing up, please send me message and say “Hello”!

*I do have a few more invites available that I’m willing to share with you guys so you can get a $5 credit for your first purchase and I get a $5 credit too! Just use the code HNAAV when signing up. I only have a few left, so if it doesn’t work for you then it means someone else beat you to it! 😉

My Own Poshmark Closet Challenge:

So while I love fashion and shopping (online that is) – I absolutely cannot stand having a closet overflowing with clothes, shoes, and handbags! I am actually quite the minimalist believe it or not! I know, so ironic right? … The Minimalist Fashionista…. Even I can’t keep a straight face typing that! Ha! Anyway, it got me thinking – why don’t I get rid of almost everything in my closet on Poshmark and then every so often shop for a few new items. At the end of a season, when I’m done wearing the item I can sell it again on Poshmark to buy new items for the next season! That way I’m always recycling what I have and I only really end up spending the difference of what I bought the item for and what I end up selling it for. I already started the first round of cleaning out my closet so I’ll be posting it all in my Poshmark closet soon! Wish me luck and I’ll update you guys on how my plan of closet minimalism goes! 🙂

How to Get the Brands You Want in Your Clothing Boutique

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So, I wrote a previous post on the 5 First Steps to Opening Your Clothing Boutique. In Step 4, I talk a little bit about researching what brands you want to carry in your boutique.

Today, I’m going to go a little bit more in depth on how to contact the brands you want and what information they will need from you.

First things first, by this point you should have your Seller’s Permit and your Business License. The process of obtaining these vary state to state, so check on your own state’s government website for information. After you have your Seller’s Permit and Business License, make a list of brands that you would like to carry. Remember, you may not be able to get every brand that you want.

Depending on what type of boutique you are opening – for example – Junior’s clothing, Contemporary clothing, etc., will make the difference on how fast or easy it is to get certain brands.

If you choose to do Junior’s clothing, shoes, or accessories it will be fairly simple to acquire those junior brands that you want. Most junior brands I have worked with have only required me to provide my Seller’s Permit number, if even that.If you are in Los Angeles, a good place to start for Junior’s Clothing is the San Pedro Mart. The minimum to buy is usually 6 pieces for tops and dresses and 12 pieces for jeans or pants. Here, you will only need your Seller’s Permit number.

If you are more specific on what brands you want for Junior’s clothing, go to that brand’s website, find their wholesale contact information, and send them an e-mail or give them a call to set up an appointment to visit the showroom.

For example, I decide I want to carry the line Pretty Rebellious. I google “Pretty Rebellious” to find their website, click on Contact Information, and there I find the Sales Rep and L.A. and N.Y. Showroom contact information. And don’t worry if you are not in Los Angeles or New York where the showrooms are – once you get in contact with a Sales Rep, they can send you photos of their current line and you can place orders through e-mail.

Now, say you want to carry a more Contemporary brand like Seven For All Mankind. When you contact their Sales Rep, they will have you fill out a questionnaire and you will most likely have to provide pictures of your store (if your store is already open).

Here are the types of questions that they might ask:

How many years in have you been in business?
What is the size of your store?
What percentage of your store is Women’s?/Men’s?
What other denim brands are carried in your store?
What other clothing lines do you have in your store?
What stores in your area are considered competition for your store?

They will also have you fill out a credit application. Once they have reviewed all your information, they will either approve you and you can start ordering, or they can also deny your application.

There are also brands that you will not be able to carry at all. For example, the Kardashian Kollection was designed ONLY for Sears. It is not made available to anyone else to carry. You must go to Sears to buy that brand.

So, I hope that this post has been helpful and as always, leave me a comment if you have any other questions I didn’t answer. 🙂