The Future of Online Retailing?

Hello,

as promised in my last post, I will tell you a little bit more about the company I am interning with now. The concept is based around the idea that online shopping, though it has increased, cannot fulfil the consumers' needs of touching and trying on physical products before making a decision to buy. Therefore the founders developed a concept of setting up a showroom with sample pieces, that can be tried on and then ordered in the showroom directly or from home through an online shop. 

This means that the product goes directly from the brand's warehouse to the consumer and (hopefully) eliminates returns due to the possibility of testing the product in store. This concept is not only applicable to fashion but especially when it comes to clothing, trying on and feeling the fabric are very important factors that online shopping is lacking. 

To test this concept, a 4-week pop-up was set up and so far the customers reacted surprisingly relaxed when they were told, that the items are not to be taken home directly. The wait for a product was not a big issue for anyone and most customers ordered in the showroom directly, instead of doing so at home later on. It is very interesting to learn about all the different aspects that have to be considered when setting up a business like this, from formulating contracts with brands to managing orders to handling returns and complaints. There are so many little details that can cause big problems later on, so everything has to be done carefully and constant negotiation as well as throwbacks are on the daily order. 

As it is a start-up and we are only three people, I feel like I have quite a lot of responsibility as there is so much work that has to be done. To save money, of course the goal is to do as much as we can ourselves or make use of contacts in the industry/ with relevant skills. Therefore my advice to everyone is: network! We have heard it so many times, but it does really help if you have friends that can help you with starting a company/ project etc. This means, most importantly, people you can actually rely on lend you their skills for free. So far, I think this start-up has achieved a lot through its network but of course you will also be let down by some of your contacts or you have to be patient with getting what you want from them. It is important to stay positive though, believe in your idea and focus on what you have rather than what you don't! 

xoxo