We are living in the age of the internet. In fact, we are fully submerged in playing out our lives online. Step-by-step, meal after meal, picture of a cat after picture of a cat. We do everything online. To some, it still remains a little strange that our highstreets exist the way they do. That is down to the fact that as humans we love experiences, and shopping brings us happiness. Who remembers Woolworths? No online store can replicate the feeling of that place. Operating the way we do has meant that competition is fierce, and success is more difficult than in years gone by. So when it comes to clothing eCommerce, there’s no shock that you have to be way ahead of the game to flourish.
As more shoppers are turning to the ease and flexibility of shopping online, fashion is the sector that’s dominating our minds and pockets. The necessity of being able to order an outfit the night before we are due to go out seems like a win-win. But also, being able to shop from the bath with a glass of wine in hand, that’s a win, right? Whilst walking the dog in the park, also a win. eCommerce is on a constant streak of wins, it’s the Floyd Mayweather of the internet. And if you want your fashion brand to be the champion of your sector, you’re going to need eCommerce on your side.
Why eCommerce?
If the way we live hasn’t enticed you enough, maybe the figures will. It’s estimated that over 700B US Dollars will be spent in the clothing eCommerce sector in 2022. Let’s be honest, as a business, you wouldn’t need the biggest slice of that pie to be deemed a success. So it’s a yes from us for eCommerce. So now let’s take a look at how to go about it.
Know your model
This blog is looking specifically at why and how to use eCommerce to drive those much-needed sales. Your business model should already have been taken care of, but don’t worry if not. If not head to this blog before you read on
Creating your online store
You want to bring a slice of that Woolworth’s nostalgia but you want all of the sleekness of Topshop. So here is where it all gets complicated but fun! The first step is your domain name, choose and buy this when you first formulate your idea, being left with a domain that isn’t relevant to your business or products isn’t ideal.
Next, you will have to choose your clothing eCommerce platform. There are many options, with Shopify and WordPress being two of the most well-known.
Why Shopify?
Honestly, a lot comes down to the preference of the designer, but in our experience, the themes available within Shopify can be flexed to fit a whole plethora of fashion businesses. The online store integration is fantastic and cross-selling on Facebook and Instagram is a fairly simple process. Which means that if you opt to manage and maintain your site yourself, Shopify makes doing this much easier than most other hosts.
The Launch
So, we’ve built you a site that stands out from the crowd. Now it’s all about the launch. There are a number of factors and steps you will need to have accounted for, otherwise, you will find yourself chasing your tail down the line.
Strategy
Are you going to push-out discount codes? Run a promotion? Market to leads that already exist? Your launch strategy can be flexed in lots of different ways, largely dependent on how you see your brand succeeding in the sector and how willing you are to get your hands dirty. If you’re confident you could even do a Facebook live video.
Advertising and analytics
Make sure your Google Ads and Analytics accounts are set up prior to launch. It saves leg work in the long run which means more time to focus on driving sales!
Socials
As you probably know, social media makes the world go round. Therefore, failing to set up your accounts leaves you with a lack of reach. People will head to social media to find out about your brand if they find nothing you may lose their trust and potentially their order.
Driving traffic
Ok, so we are here. We have everything in place now it’s time to find those shoppers and bring them to your store. In eCommerce, it’s essential to remember that your adverts are the taxis that drive your potential customers and put them in front of your products. Having slick running adverts and optimised marketing campaigns is an absolute must for any clothing brand, especially one that’s purely reliant on eCommerce sales.
We are a creative agency who specialise in everything from branding, marketing and web design. We don’t like to blow our own virtual trumpet, but when it comes to building an immersive business package, we are stand-out. With numerous websites we have created for you to look through, why not get in touch with our team. From branding, web design or digital marketing; if you want to find out more about the type of work Create8 can create for you, get in touch today, we can’t wait to hear from you.
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