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How To Start a Successful Online Clothing Store

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Responding on business e-mail. Beautiful young African woman working using computer and smiling while standing in workshop

For over a generation, brick-and-mortar retail has been giving way to digital alternatives. The fact that there are fewer office workers toiling in downtowns since the pandemic has only accelerated this trend.

Shopping for clothes, which many people prefer in person, has expanded online due to return policies that let customers send back those tight turtlenecks and itchy sweaters.

Consumers can buy apparel from the comfort of their homes, while at the same time, the growth of platforms built to help e-commerce newbies sell their wares has spurred a wave of opportunities for would-be entrepreneurs.

Starting a digital boutique lines up with the existing passions of many side hustlers. With the proper brand identity, social media presence, and marketing strategies, selling clothes online can be a rewarding venture.

Finding a Fashion Niche

The first step in setting up a clothing store is finding a niche. Everything will follow from that decision, including the name of the brand. Once the niche is selected, you’ll need to pick a domain name through a site like GoDaddy and register the business in your jurisdiction.

It’s best to pick a niche you’re passionate about, but if that aligns differently from market realities, be sure to pick one that many other people are passionate about.

“If you are working with a modest budget, picking a small niche is essential for starting out,” says Manuel Dreesmann, owner of premium leather goods merchant Atelier Madre. “To analyze trends and competitors, look for tools like Ahrefs and Semrush to see behind the curtains.”

There is a wealth of in-demand directions to pursue, from athleisure wear to children’s outfits or vintage t-shirts. The key is to do market research on what people are searching for and buying before investing time and money.

Sourcing Clothing and Apparel

There are various ways to source fashion products; the right choice will depend on the business model. Keep in mind shipping times, and get samples whenever you can. Some of the more common business models include the following:

Dropshipping

It’s possible to source clothes from wholesalers and run an online shop without original products. This method is less creatively satisfying but among the simplest ways to get started, as there is no need to keep inventory.

Print-On-Demand

Some clothing brands source from an outside service that manufactures the products only when an order arrives. The downside is the service providers charge a significant premium, leaving smaller margins for the brand owner.

Private Label

This model is for people who want to source wholesale items and then apply their logos or modifications. While cheaper than print-on-demand, it’s necessary to keep bulk inventory.

Cut-And-Sew

This is the route for anyone who would prefer to source materials and do the rest themselves. Of course, this is equal to playing the game on the hardest settings, but it could be worth it for motivated designers.

The fashion industry is notoriously plagued with labor and environmental issues, so it’s crucial to do your own research when sourcing items to ensure you’re following ethical practices.

“We produce our own products to ensure maximum ethical transparency,” says Dreesmann. “But we would always suggest choosing suppliers you have the means to visit on a frequent basis by yourself. Certificates are good, but seeing things in real life is really different.”

Photographing Fashion Inventory

In a traditional department store, elegant window displays can play a role in bringing in customers. The same holds online; compelling photography can be the difference between a sale and no sale.

Maximillian Nestler, who co-manages the clothing store Jutta Nestler, advises inquiring if suppliers can provide high-quality images. When that’s not possible, he suggests using a simple setup with a white wall and a smartphone camera: “Interestingly, less-than-perfect shots resonate more with customers, possibly because they can better relate to these images.”

Sally Samuels, head designer at Savile Row Company, recommends showing different angles: “Capture front, back, and side shots of each garment to provide a comprehensive view for potential buyers.”

She says it’s best to use a coherent style and color scheme throughout the advertising material, highlighting unique features, patterns, and textures that make the clothing special. She adds that using models can help people to see the clothes in action.

“Remember, your product images are the closest your customers can get to your clothing before making a purchase,” she emphasizes.

Managing an Online Platform To Sell Clothes

Once you’ve settled on a domain name, it’s time to get the store up and running. It will usually make sense to use a simple and established website builder, such as Wix, Squarespace, or Shopify. Some platforms like Magento or WooCommerce offer more customization but may have a slightly steeper learning curve.

“If you’re starting from scratch,” says Nestler, “simple and user-friendly platforms like Shopify or WordPress are ideal. They allow for easy modification and updates, which saves you from hiring external assistance.

When building the site, make sure its theme matches the brand identity. Craft succinct and SEO-driven product descriptions to go with the photos, and start a store blog to document progress and broadcast promotions.

It’s key to examine the site on a range of devices to ensure functionality for all customers. When everything is ready, run a few test shipments before the launch.

Fashion Marketing and SEO

Running an online clothing business requires a firm grasp of digital marketing techniques. Most of these strategies are the same across industries and can be adapted or mixed and matched.

Optimizing for search results by using the right keywords found on Ahrefs and Semrush is essential for any approach, regardless of other tactics.

“Dedicate time to refining your product pages, ensuring they adhere to standard SEO practices such as image file naming, alt tags, H1 and H2 titles, and meta tags,” according to Dreesmann. “Strive to optimize each product page to a level where it could potentially serve as an effective landing page because Google may direct traffic to these pages.” 

It may also make sense to run paid ads through Google or Meta, though only once the seller has some familiarity with the target market. It’s possible to waste a lot of money very quickly with ads. Focusing on building up a brand’s social media with lots of content before launch may be a better move at the outset.  

“We recommend adopting a strategic approach towards ads. Utilize them as tools for customer insights, message testing, and channel assessment,” Dreesmann adds. “Alternatively, ensure your website is fully optimized to convert incoming traffic before investing heavily in advertising. Without such measures in place, your ad spend could potentially yield minimal returns.”

Some sites lean heavily into affiliate marketing techniques, meaning other sites promote products in exchange for sales commissions.

“It’s imperative to cultivate naturally obtained backlinks through effective public relations outreach and by listing your website on relevant online directories,” Dreesman explains. “This strategy not only enhances your visibility but also contributes significantly to your overall SEO performance.”

Another popular approach is to solicit email addresses with a discount offer and then run email campaigns through a service like Mailchimp. Other tools like Upfluence connect brands with influencers who will sell their products. It’s even possible to reach out to reporters by answering queries on sites like Help a Reporter Out (HARO) or SourceBottle.

“The visual appeal of fashion lends itself to platforms like Instagram,” says Nestler. “We found that videos convert better than photos. They allow us to showcase our expertise and provide background information, replicating the in-store experience.” 

“It’s essential to stay motivated, even when you don’t see immediate results,” he continues. “The initial stages of your online store are a perfect opportunity to experiment, find your style, and understand what resonates with your audience. Persistence, adaptation, and continuous improvement are the keys to long-term success.”


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Adobe Highlights Rising Visual Trends in 2024 Creative Trends Report

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Adobe Highlights Rising Visual Trends in 2024 Creative Trends Report

Looking for creative inspiration for your 2024 strategic planning?

This will help. Today, Adobe has published its annual Creative Trends Report, which incorporates insights from Adobe’s 30 million+ Creative Cloud users, in order to determine rising visual styles of interest, which look set to resonate with audiences in the new year.

Based on its research, the Adobe team has established four creative trends that are worthy of note:

  • Calming Rhythms – Fluid and flowing forms that soothe the senses and support emotional balance
  • Wonder and Joy – Visuals that inspire a sense of awe, joy, and enchantment
  • Dynamic Dimensions – Where all dimensions and types of content seamlessly merge
  • The New Nostalgia – Contemporary interpretations of vintage styles

Adobe’s 22-page report, which you can download here (with email sign-up), provides more insight into each of these trends, along with various examples, and data that explains why they’re set to gain more momentum.

There are handy notes and insights for each, which help to illustrate how to use them in your process.

Adobe 2024 Creative Trends Report

Interestingly, a lot of the images used by Adobe in the report look like they’ve been created by generative AI. I don’t know that they have, but it is worth noting the composition in this regard, as another potential means to tap into these trends.

Adobe 2024 Creative Trends Report

The report provides some interesting perspective on rising visual trends, which could help in your planning. Maybe one of these resonates especially well with your branding, or aligns with what your target audience has been sharing.

Either way, some additional, data-backed considerations, which could be helpful in your process.

You can download Adobe’s “2024 Creative Trends Report” here.

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Elon Musk’s X and Amazon discuss potential collaboration

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Elon Musk’s X and Amazon discuss potential collaboration

In a significant development in the social media industry, Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, is reportedly engaging in preliminary discussions …

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Threads Looks Set to be Made Available to European Users Next Week

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Threads Looks Set to be Made Available to European Users Next Week

Good news with EU social media fans, with Threads looking set for a December 14th launch in the region, just in time to capitalize on holiday engagement.

As reported by The Verge, EU Instagram users can now access a countdown timer at www.threads.net, which seemingly indicates the exact time for the upcoming EU launch. Meta hasn’t made any official announcement, but the countdown clock is only visible to European users, while EU users can also search ‘ticket’ in the Instagram app to find a digital invitation to Threads.

Which replicates the original Threads launch back in July, which included similar Easter eggs and indicators pointing to the launch date (like the above).

The EU launch of Threads has been delayed by evolving EU data privacy regulations, which, due to the timing of the implementation of these new rules, has put additional development burden on the Threads team to ensure compliance with the new parameters. Amid the initial Threads launch, Instagram (and Threads) chief Adam Mosseri said that it could take “many months” for Threads to reach EU users due to these additional complications.

But we have since seen indicators that Threads is coming.

Last month, The Wall Street Journal reported that Meta had an established plan to launch Threads to EU users in December, while app researchers have found various references to an upcoming “Threads EU Launch” in the app’s code.

Threads EU launch

Given the various strands of evidence, it does indeed seem likely that European users will get access to the app next week. And again, with social media usage increasing during the holiday break, that would also provide the best opportunity for Meta to capitalize on its opportunities.

Which are seemingly on the rise. As more people turn away from Elon Musk’s X project, largely due to Musk’s own divisive commentary, they’re seeking a real-time social alternative, and for many Threads is already filling that void.

That’s especially true for journalists, a common target of Musk’s attacks, who are now establishing new networks within the Threads ecosphere. And while live sports engagement remains high on X, Threads is also making a push to win over more sports communities, even placing ads courtside during the new NBA in-season tournament showcase in Las Vegas.

Threads NBA ad

That’s seemingly prompting more sports fans to post in the app, which will expand again with the arrival of potentially millions more users in the EU region.

So how many more users can Threads expect to gain as a result of its European expansion?

Based on Meta’s EU disclosure data on active users, Instagram currently serves some 259 million monthly active users in Europe.

Instagram’s total, official user count is 1 billion MAU, while Threads now has over 100 million monthly users. So presumably, around a tenth of active IG users are also signing up to the app, which would mean that, at a rough estimate, we’re set to see around 25.9 million new Threads users incoming, if/when Threads is launched in the EU region.

Which is probably not as many as you might expect, but this is based on rough estimates, as Instagram reportedly has more than a billion actives now, and we don’t know the exact, current user counts of either app.

But either way, it will expand the conversation in the app, and enable more people to take part, which has its own expanded benefits. And with around 60 million X users also in the region, that could see a number of them looking to make the switch.

Which is the real aim here. Meta has created Threads as the X alternative, aiming to scoop up former Twitter cast-offs who are unhappy with Elon’s changes at the app. In order to do that, Threads needs to be available in all regions where X users may be looking to jump ship, so its EU expansion is another critical step in this respect.

It’ll be interesting to see what Threads user numbers rise to over the holiday period, and whether it can indeed become a genuine rival for X in total active engagement.

We’ll keep you updated on any official announcement on the Threads EU launch.



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