The fashion industry is incredibly competitive but these days there are many more ways to be successful. You can start by looking to the internet.
How to start your own online fashion e-commerce site
The world of fashion remains one of the most competitive and cut-throat industries around. It’s an industry that remunerates its interns with next to nothing and has little in terms of regulations when it comes to working with freelancers. In terms of pursuing studies in fashion design, most students enjoy the course work, however, many have succumbed to disgruntled notions once setting foot in the real world of fashion, citing a large degree of unreadiness. This type of splash of cold water in the face is not exclusive to the fashion industry. Education often lacks the ability to equip its students with the challenges and perils of real life. However, the fashion industry is also one that’s here to stay and one that flourishes from creativity and the injection of fresh new talent. Plus, thanks in large part to the internet, the landscape has changed tremendously. Online tools have made it easier to fund, market, sell and ship fashion items and quite frankly, that’s good news for everyone.
How to secure funding
Let’s face it, no one’s just going to hand you money and let you build your fashion empire. That requires a firm business plan with the help of a solid financial planner and a bank that sees the feasibility of your dream. Alternatively you could explore venture capitalism, one of the most prominent driving forces in the fashion industry these days. It’s important to note however that not all VC’s are singing from the same hymn page, so do your homework. Find a venture capitalist whose portfolio of success includes the fashion industry. This can lead to a mutually symbiotic relationship with the VC advising you accordingly and you harnessing your talents for great financial returns. Some of today’s top performing fashion stocks were born from the relationships forged between a designer and venture capitalist, so don’t write this option off.
Staring your own website
Nowadays it’s a lot easier to setup a website than it was 10+ years ago. The net is filled with easy-to-use website applications that can allow the laymen to setup shop in cyberspace. In the past you would have needed to procure the expensive services of a developer and while this option remains popular, there are loads of inexpensive alternatives. Domain sellers like Go Daddy rent out online real estate for very little and often provide website building apps like WordPress for an extra fee. And that’s just one way to go about it; there are also cheaper website apps, in some cases free ones, that allow for you to build sites that look impressive and offer impressive loading times for both mobile and PC users. The point is that these days making your own website is no longer prohibitively expensive. Combine this with your fashion social media profiles on Facebook and Instagram, and you’ve got platform from which to ship your goods.
Oh, and you will also want to ensure you have a strong internet connection - something these satellite internet providers can offer - to ensure you and your business can say connected come what may.
You can be the middleman
The beauty about the online world is that it has bestowed us all with the tools required to go about things in more ways than one. For instance, even if you’re not a fashion designer, you can still sell fashion items and various stylish accessories. Your love and passion for fashion shouldn’t die just because you’re not a designer or because you can’t find your way around a sewing machine. You could be a middleman. How, you might ask? By using an online method of sales known as dropshipping. Dropshipping is a low start-up capital way to sell items online. You can showcase a slew of fashion items on your website and not be burdened with an actual inventory. This is because with dropshipping you simply showcase the items and once the customer orders something, you put through that order to the actual stockist who then handles the rest of the order, shipping included, while you receive your cut of the sale.
