So you’ve decided you want a career in fashion but you’re not sure which way to go. Traditionally there were a few options: you could opt to be a personal stylist, a fashion photographer, or a fashion designer, all of which require extensive training and schooling. However, another option has been made available in recent years. Starting an ecommerce store – that is, an online store – is one of the newest ways of turning your passion for fashion into a career. While it might seem like a breeze, it’s not quite as easy as one might think. However, with a little foresight and preparation, there are a number of things you can do to make the launch of your ecommerce site go more smoothly.
Look at your competitors
One of the best ways to get a feel of what people are after is to look at what your competition is doing. In terms of ecommerce this would mean looking at other online fashion sites that are doing well. Pay particular attention to the layout and the colour scheme as these are what attract customers. For example, a website such as Peter Hahn is sleek, svelte and refined and makes it very easy to find what you’re looking for. While it’s not a good idea to copy, finding inspiration and crafting them into your own ideas will go a long way to helping you find what works.
Focus on the user
Since the customer is everything when it comes to any sort of retail – both off- and online – designing your ecommerce site around the customer and the customer experience is vital. One disadvantage of existing and selling solely online is the lack of tactile sensation that customers are able to get from traditional brick-and-mortar stores. They’re able to touch clothes, feel the way fabric lays against their skin and physically try garments on. To compensate for this, you’ll have to ensure that your products are described adequately, and shown from all angles with high quality photographs. Since you’re relying solely on visual cues, you’ll have to up your game to ensure that your products are as aesthetically pleasing as possible to appeal to the customer browsing for clothes. You’ll also have to ensure that using your site is easy and navigating it is effortless.
Optimise for SEO
While the internet might seem infinite, it’s actually somewhat crowded with other stores vying for the attention of customers the same as you. To make yourself seen and heard in this veritable sea of competition, you’ll have to optimise your website for SEO. This means having the most relevant content to match the overall thematic quality of your page, linking to other authoritative sites (and getting them to link to you) and ensuring that your site performs well. Ensuring that your site is built according to current SEO principals will mean you gain a higher ranking on Google, and therefore people will be able to find you a lot easier.