Seller Blog
Advice, help and support for ASOS Marketplace sellers.
Do’s & Dont's for a successful Marketplace Boutique.
Every seller wants to know ‘the secret’ to having a successful boutique, but the truth is, there isn’t a secret as such, just a few points you have to master in order to keep those orders coming. I've rounded up some of the most important things to bear in mind for your boutique.
1. Do - Know Your Customer
I encourage every seller and potential seller to do their research when it comes to selling online. Selling online provides a global market, so the type of customer will no doubt be different to the customer you may have seen at a local market, pop-up shop or those that have visited your bricks and mortar store. There are so many great ways of selling online (Marketplace being the best, obvs!), so it is vital that the platform you choose for your brand is best suited to the customer you believe shops your products. The Marketplace customer is a young 20-something who loves fashion, music, technology and loves to find something unique. Is this your target customer?
2. Do - Focus On Great Photography
The photography style is really important to the look and feel of Marketplace and is what sets us apart from other similar platforms. Product has to be shot in a ‘real’ way – inside or outside, but always in natural daylight and on a model. Sounds easy, right? Well, it is, but there are important things to consider in order for your photography to get to that enviable 'That's awesome!' level. Great styling, a suitable/interesting location and flattering lighting are all crucial.
The pictures for your collection should be coherent and well suited to your brand. Selecting a model that represents your brand identity is also something to think about.
Utilise your thumbnails - remember, your potential customer can’t feel your product so it is really important that your photography shows them all the details they would look for if they were shopping in store.
3. Do - Keep It Fresh & Keep ‘Em Coming
As an up and coming indie label you may only launch with 10 – 16 items in your 1st season & this is perfectly fine. However, I do think it makes sense for sellers to keep customers wanting more by doing exclusives during the season and teasing them with developments being made for the season to come. Vintage sellers are better placed to release new stock throughout the season, and we've seen that the 'drip drip' upload effect can be beneficial for your listings.
If you have loads of products to list don’t list them all in one go, but phase them over a few weeks so you often have some presence in ‘New in’. The more products you have on site, the more likely you are to make a sale.
4. Don't - Forget Customer Service
Once those orders start pouring in remember that the ‘Customer is King’. Keep them updated on the status of their order and remember to package it perfectly – maybe even include a little treat if you’re feeling generous. Feedback is really important in a brand building a great reputation, so always endeavour to keep your customers happy by replying to them in a timely, pleasant manner and offering to go that extra mile if necessary. Including an incentive to leave feedback in the order package has been a proven way to increase the chances of a customer leaving a rating. In the event that you are left negative feedback by a customer we advise that you put on your business cap & message the customer asking if there is anything you can do to resolve any issues they may have. Customers are able to change feedback, so once this issue is resolved and the customer feels inclined to, they can change their feedback by going into My marketplace > Purchases and then under Actions > ‘Reconsider Feedback’. People really do appreciate a seller trying to help and more often than not they will reconsider their feedback.
5. Do - Be Social
As if you weren’t already aware, social media has basically taken over the world. Twitter and Facebook provide a great outlet for sellers to communicate with customers, run promotions and reiterate the brand identity through pictures, videos, etc. If you haven’t already, it is well worth checking out Pinterest too. Pinterest is a pinboard-style social photo sharing website that allows users to create and manage theme-based image collections. It is a great way to tell your brand story through images, engage with your existing customers as well as a finding a new audience and gaining referral traffic back to your Marketplace collection.
Online selling can be a tricky business, so it's important that sellers give their boutique attention and really work on it. Even if the orders don't flood in instantly, give yourself time to improve your products and promote your boutique and you'll always reap the benefits.
Happy Selling!
