What a great concept!  When I think of clothing that’s made to measure I think of men’s tailored suits or women’s couture gowns.  I don’t typically think about a functional, beautiful item of clothing for my own personal use.  I do now, however. 

Last year, I was wandering around the West Hollywood/3^rd Street area and came across a beautiful boutique.  I walked in and was taken with all of the beautiful fabrics and designs hanging from the racks.  While there were many dresses, sweaters and tops to choose from, each item hung neatly from a rack and nothing was cramped or crowded.  The sales floor was open and spacious and the accessories were carefully chosen and displayed in tasteful, functional cases.  If you’ve ever studied retail merchandising, you’ll understand why I was so blown away by this store.  If not, let me summarize…the art of retailing is more like a science.  You need to know how best to display your products to their full advantage.  Your customers need to walk into your store and flow easily and naturally through the entire space.  They should be able to see your products in a logical way without having to dig through racks or piles of clothing.  And best of all, they need to be able to see themselves in your products and, if you’re selling accessories as well, how best to accessorize their outfits. 

I wandered through the store and the sales clerk let me take my time before asking me if I had ever been to this store before.  When I replied “No,” she said something like “let me explain our concept to you…” “OK,” I thought…”what’s your concept?”  She informed me that the tops and dresses were available in a variety of fabrics, so if I found one I liked but they didn’t have my size or the fabric I wanted, one could be made for me within a short period.  If you read this blog, you know me… I’m a fan of anyone who is producing locally, so of course I was excited by the idea.  Now I just had to find a dress or two.  I found several, tried them on and found one I really liked.  It was a bit too long, but the sales clerk mentioned that they would have it altered for me.  Great customer service, I thought, but actually the store is called “Masse Made to Measure” so it is actually part of their concept.  Needless to say, I bought the dress.

Here’s the thing, every time I’ve been out shopping for a dress, I always come back to Melissa Masse and Masse Made to Measure.  Why?  Because I’m not someone who can buy a dress off the rack and expect it to fit me perfectly.  I’m petite and find dresses in the Petite section don’t always fit the way they should and dresses in the Regular section are always too long.  Now I get a dress that’s custom fit to my body.  Better yet, I might find a silhouette I like but in a print or color that’s not my taste.  Now I can pick the fabric or color I want.  Yes, I know I’m going to pay a bit more, but I’m more than happy to do so.  I’m supporting a local business that is manufacturing locally and employing skilled workers in the garment industry.  It’s a win-win prospect, if you ask me.

The last time I was in the store, Melissa Masse was there as well.  I was happy to meet her and have a chance to find out more about her and how she came up with the concept for her store.  “When my friends complained that they couldn’t find anything in the stores that they liked, or more importantly, anything that fit them properly, I realized that they couldn’t be the only customers who felt that way.” I couldn’t agree with her more.  

Trying to figure out your next steps in the apparel industry?  Check out our upcoming seminars or come by during Textile Week September 27 – 29 for free seminars, networking and more.  Fashion Business, Inc. is located at the California Market Center 110 East 9^th Street, Suite C786, Los Angeles, CA 90079

Jill Mazur is an independent apparel business and technology consultant working with Fashion Business, Incorporated.  Email:  jill@fashionbizinc.org

This week’s blog is written by FBI member Susan Denoo, Director of Staffing Services at Onward Search

Lets face it….it appears as though every brand or company these days has an “online” presence.  In many cases, companies have chosen to exclusively maintain an online site or store as a cost containment measure to transact business.  The real question is are they /you “optimizing” the/your investment to realize the greatest return

The value of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to modern day business is immeasurable. Keyword enhanced content and carefully structured websites make it possible for customers to find the products and services they need when using major search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo and MSN. SEO professionals are highly sought after to improve a website’s search relevancy because it ultimately leads to more traffic. This provides unmatched return on investment for businesses who seek to reach more customers online. The SEO professional and SEO jobs remain one of the hottest and fastest growing segments because companies recognize how vital SEO is to their success and continually seek talented professionals to help them reach their goals.

A recent study demonstrated that over 95% of search engine traffic for the observed companies came from the first page of results. More evidence shows that only 32% of users click through on the second page of results and a mere 7% click through on page three. Herein lies the value SEO professionals bring to the table. Their goal is to expertly optimize a website’s content and structure so it appears on the first page of search engine results for specific keywords. Alternatively, if a first page rank isn’t achievable SEO’s make the website’s search result as appealing as possible to target users who explore beyond the first page. A properly executed SEO strategy is a mixture of art and science and these professionals are shaping the way companies and consumers interact online.

If your website isn’t optimized to land you on the first page of results, if your not reaching enough customers, not generating significant sales growth and not producing unmatched return on investment, then it’s time to reach out to a SEO specialist for advice.  The future of your business depends on it!

As Director of Staffing at Onward SearchLA, I am  continually on the cutting edge of staffing digital marketing professionals. I understand the value of a fully optimized website.  Be watching for more valuable information in the coming months on how you can enhance your brand and ROI through a well executed online marketing strategy.

Susan Denoo

Director of Staffing

ONWARD SEARCHLA

310-568-9283

A big thanks to everyone who attended FBI’s Meet the Resource Members event on July 28,2010.  If you’ve ever read this blog before, then you know I’m a HUGE fan of networking.  Really! And FBI networking events are a great opportunity for those in the fashion industry, or those who want to get into the fashion industry, to make connections and meet a lot of talented, knowledgeable people. 

Due to traffic, I didn’t arrive until after 6:00 p.m. so I missed a number of people I would have enjoyed meeting.  However, since this was a Meet the Resource Members event, it was the perfect chance to meet new resources and find out about their products and services.  Each resource had a table with their marketing materials and a display of their products or services.  This gave our attendees the chance to meet with each resource one on one, or just mingle with other members and catch up on industry news. 

Frances, Erin and Egle were hard at work making the evening a great success.  I, selfishly, had a chance to catch up with Resource Members Staci Riordan of Fox Rothschild, LLc - author of one of my favorite blogs, ”Fashion Law” as well as new resource members Nouvolution and Visual 2000 - both are ERP software for the apparel industry and both are great additions to FBI’s Resources. 

I also had a chance to catch up with the hardest working woman in the apparel industry - and that’s saying a lot, because I’d like to think of myself as pretty hard working, but I have no idea when Arlene Battishill ever sleeps.  Don’t believe me?  Check out her Twitter feed for LA Scooter Girls.  Her Go Go Gear and Scooter Girls products have gone from 0 - 60 in the blink of an eye, and it just keeps growing.  When she asked me if I had a few hours to come over and help pick orders, I don’t think she was joking.  OK, Arlene, let me know what day to come by and I’ll pick, pack and ship for you.  Seriously. 

Another one of our members, Korena Ellis, needs to be the next 0 - 60 success story from FBI.  She has a unique idea, with great designs and an inspirational story.  Her curent line consists of jewelry, made from lost wax casting, which gives each one of her pieces a hand made look and feel and sets it apart from many other brands.  Her designs are empowerment pieces and are meant to create personal inspiration in the wearer while also creating a fashion statement.   The designs are unique and will translate very well from jewelry to apparel - screen printed tees are a natural next step, but the symbols work well as prints, on hats, as logos and more. 

What Korena needs now is a business partner, someone who can help take her ideas and products to the next level.  In any situation like this, it requires an investment of time, energy, effort and probably some money.  If you, or someone you know, is looking for the opportunity to get involved with a growing brand and has the business acumen to merchandise and market a brand like this, get in touch with me or contact Korena directly. 

I actually connected Korena with Arlene in the hopes that Arlene had a few words of wisdom to get Korena to the next level.  Then again, I know what Arlene went through to get to the next level and I don’t know if taking that same path will lead to the success of Scooter Girls.  So network, if you’re out there and listening, do you have any ideas for Korena?  I know we’d all be interested.

Don’t forget…come by the Sourcing at MAGIC seminars August 16 - 19. FBI will be presenting 4 seminars and you’ll want to attend them all! 

Jill Mazur is an apparel industry consultant with Fashion Business, Inc.  email:  jill@fashionbizinc.org

So you want to be in the fashion industry?  You’ve gone to school, you’re on top of the latest trends, or, at the very least you’ve seen every episode of “Project Runway” and you’re ready for the big time.  Not so fast…While most designers fresh out of school would like to have their very own couture line it’s not going to happen day one.  Nor should it.  You may have the design, draping and pattern making skills to create a fantastic line, but you also need the practical skills and business knowledge you can only gain by working for a variety of companies and a variety of people. 

How do you get your foot in the door?  Where should you start looking for the kind of work that might lead you to your dream job?  Yes, it’s cliche, but start at the beginning.  You may be a talented artist or designer, but you might need to start out as a design assistant.  Cutting swatches and creating color boards may be a tedious job, but it’s how most people get started.  Look for openings at some of the bigger companies in your area.  They’re usually a great place to start and a talented design assistant can move up quickly.  Are your skills more technical or merchandising related?  Look for assistant positions in pattern making, technical design or merchandising.  Again, focus on larger companies. Smaller companies are looking for someone with an existing skill set, they don’t have time to train you.  The larger companies usually do. 

Can’t get a job with a brand name label?  Look for private label manufacturers.  It may have less “Brand recognition” but the job functions and opportunities are the same.  Or, think about companies that are apparel and footwear companies, but maybe not what you’d traditionally think of as “Fashion.”  Uniforms are a big business, and much more stable than fashion brands.  Lifestyle brands focus on one or more types of activities such as golf, swimming, skiing, surfing or more.  Orange County, CA has a much larger base of lifestyle brands that Los Angeles, the fashion capital of California. 

Maybe this is taking you away from your ultimate goal of having your own couture line?  Probably not.  Where do you think Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan and more got their start?  All of them benefited from a hands-on fashion industry education by working for other companies before starting their own. 

The biggest mistake you can make…Don’t go into an interview expecting them to offer you a head designer or merchandiser position.  Be prepared to show samples of your work, if relevant to the job.  Talk about what you can bring to the job.  If you don’t have work experience, talk about your enthusiasm, your desire to learn, your desire to work for this particular company.  Most interviewers know that someone interviewing for an assistant position won’t have much experience so they want to know who you are and why you will benefit the company, not the other way around. 

Finally, What do when you get the job?  Make yourself invaluable.  Don’t be the person who shows up late, or worse - hung over, to the office.  Be on time, be presentable. Do things you swore you’d never do like get your boss coffee.  Most important, be a sponge, soak up everything you can.  Ask questions, take notes, be prepared and get your work done.  Establish yourself as an asset to your company and to your boss and, when the time is right, ask for an opportunity to do more. 

Looking to learn more, come by our FBI networking event Wednesday, July 28 at the California Market Center - 110 East 9th Street, Suite C786, Los Angeles, CA  90079, meet professionals in the Fashion Industry and start networking your way into a new job. 

Jill Mazur is an apparel industry consultant with Fashion Business, Inc.  email:  jill@fashionbizinc.org

What is Your Sourcing Strategy?

How many of you have a sourcing strategy?  How many of you have taken a long, hard look at your suppliers, your vendors, your manufacturers and asked yourself these questions:  “What will my supply chain look like in a year?”  “Can I expect to get the same margins I’m getting now with the same sourcing strategy?”  “How can I improve my delivery times and keep my costs low?” “How do I mitigate my risks?”  More questions spring to mind, but you get the idea. 

Think about your current supply chain.  Where are you getting most of your goods?  Is it all from one country?  Is it from one or two vendors at most?  Would your business survive if those vendors increased their prices by 1/3? 

Pick up any newspaper and take a good look at the business and news sections.  This week’s Wall Street Journal article titled “U. S. Retailers Turning Their Gaze Beyond China” sums up what many other articles are saying:  with rising labor costs in China, and with Chinese factory workers striking for higher wages, the days of inexpensive, quality products from China may be coming to an end.  So what are these retailers planning for their sourcing strategy?  Well, finding other, more affordable labor markets is key.  India, Cambodia, Vietnam and other Asian sources for one thing.  Africa is starting to develop a talented labor pool as well.  There is always Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America.  And, hey…what about the U. S.? 

I know, you don’t want to spread the work around too much.  You need to concentrate your products and keep your manufacturers working.  I agree.  However, if I were getting all of my product from China, I would start TODAY to find quality, reliable resources in other markets and build on those relationships.  Yes, I know…how do you find those quality, reliable resources?  Start with the Sourcing at MAGIC event.  Not planning on attending in August?  It might be too late if you think you can wait until February’s Sourcing at MAGIC event.  

Just like fashion, the world of sourcing is constantly changing and evolving.  Everyone is trying to play the same game.  Get the best quality goods for the lowest prices with the fastest turn times.  Being a leader in the apparel industry means finding those trends and responding quickly.  The same goes for your sourcing strategy.  Responding quickly is the key. 

Come see us at the Sourcing at MAGIC event.  FBI will be presenting seminars on a number of topics.  Can’t wait to see you there!

Jill Mazur is an independent apparel business and technology consultant working with Fashion Business, Incorporated.  Email:  jill@fashionbizinc.org

Recently, FBI sent out a survey to our members and non-members alike.  We wanted your feedback on how FBI serves the fashion industry and what we can do to improve our offerings to you and the fashion community in general. You were not shy in your responses and we thank you for your input.  We’re always looking for ways to improve our services and, with this feedback, we have our jobs cut out for ourselves.

127 members and non-members responded to our membership survey.  Some of the respondents in the “Other” category included students, freelance pattern makers and people looking to get started in the fashion industry.  We received responses from Los Angeles, the Bay Area, New York, Arizona, Kentucky, Nevada, Missouri, Ohio, Utah, Wyoming, South Carolina, Maryland, Florida, Washington, Michigan, Oregon and a few from Jolly old England.

 Following  are the survey responses to each question asked along with selected comments.

 “What are the biggest challenges currently facing your business?” 

Comments included:  “assisting students to secure employment,” “shortage of jobs and internships,” “understanding production and how to source locally,” “product development,” “the economy,” “sourcing fabrics” and “getting funding.”

“Which FBI services do you currently take advantage of?” 

Several respondents “would like to see classes offered in the Bay Area.”  Other comments included:  “would like more on-line training,” “would like to take the walking tour,” “would like more social events,” “want to find out more about the consultants,” “would like to participate in the fashion show.” 

We need to take advantage of putting more seminars and classes either on-line as a download or as a Webinar, if at all possible.  With so many people outside of the LA/SF area participating in this survey, the only opportunity most people have to come in to the FBI office is during market, and they’re usually too busy to attend classes or seminars. 

“Which Seminars do you most frequently take?” 

Many of the respondents have yet to take a class or a seminar, whether it’s due to location or the fact that some of them aren’t members,  approximately 30 percent  said they haven’t taken a seminar. 

 “What other types of services, seminars, classes, Fashion events, or networking opportunities would you like FBI to present?” 

Responses include:  “trend and color seminars,” “home furnishing/fashions,” “planning for business growth,” “PLEASE OFFER CLASSES IN SF, especially Photoshop and Illustrator,” “sales and marketing - for established businesses, not just startups,” “classes in NY,” “create online FBI community so members can get to know one another, even if it’s just virtual,” “sourcing and manufacturing in the US,” “developing products for plus-size/mature markets,” “sourcing, sourcing, sourcing,” “operations,” “finding sales reps,” “how to work with retail buyers, how to meet retail buyers,” “finance,” “understanding computer systems,” “online marketing,” “ecommerce - how to set up an online store,” “utilizing social media,” “mixers with famous designers and sales reps.”

“Please let us know how frequently you would like to receive our emails” 

It appears as though we’re on target with the number of emails we send.  Certain things like sign-ups for fashion shows should be sent out well in advance so people can have enough time to prepare.

 “In what ways has the Fashion Business, Inc. helped your career and/or business?” 

Comments included: “the book “Fashion for Profit” was the best investment I’ve made in my business,” and various other comments about how beneficial the book has been,  “I took the AIMS certification course,” “It’s great to know there’s an organization out there helping people like me get into the business,” “…has exposed me to areas in the business that school never did. I have a merchandising & design degree from Cal. State Northridge and I was never taught the things I have learned through FBI.”

“How would you rate your overall membership experience with us?” 

Comments from our members included:  “Computers in lab weren’t working properly when I took a class there,” “not a lot of programs or classes available in SF,” “every time I call with a question or send an email everyone is so helpful and friendly,” “thank you for your services and advice to the small business owner,” “would like more classes during weekends or evenings or webinars or on-line - I can’t attend during the work day,” “would like to see more networking events and seminars.”

Interestingly, we received the most comments from non-members.  Many people are on our email lists through workshops, events, etc.  They felt compelled to participate in the survey if only to voice that they’d like to see more workshops and classes in their local areas.  Other comments included the fact that our memberships were “too expensive” as were our seminars.  Again, these were coming from non-members.

If you have any comments, ideas, etc. please feel free to email us at info@fashionbizinc.org or stop by and see us at the California Market Center in Los Angeles, suite C786.

Jill Mazur is an independent apparel business and technology consultant working with Fashion Business, Incorporated.  Email:  jill@fashionbizinc.org

The other day I had an interesting conversation with the owner of an apparel company.  The subject of budgets and plans came up.  Or, maybe I should say, I brought up the subject of budgets and plans and asked him how he was planning and budgeting.  His response was “Well, I kind of come up with my budget for the year and forget about it until next year when I have to plan it all over again.”  Talk about lost opportunities!  So I asked him what he used to create a sales plan.  His response was “Well, I kind of have a number in my head and that’s what I use.”  Then I asked him if he communicates this sales plan to his sales and merchandising team.  His response was “Not really.  The design and merchandising team builds the line and the sales team sells it.”  Oh, dear. 

I’ve known this guy for a long time and he does relatively well in his market space.  His sales volume is between 12 – 15 million, so he’s not really in the Big Leagues, but he has a great opportunity here to get much greater control and understanding of his business than I think he realizes.  No business is too small to take advantage of this relatively simple function called “Planning.”

Step one:  Start with a budget.  Be realistic about what you need for your operating costs, salaries, overhead, insurances, rent, materials, etc.  If you have never built a budget like this, take a few hours to meet with your accountant – What!?!?  No Accountant?!?!?  Seriously?  O.K. start the process by working with an accountant to build a financial plan.  You really need this, more than I can tell you in a blog.  In order to truly understand your business all the way down to the gross margin level, you need a financial plan.  You need to know your expenses in order to understand how to cost your products and how to determine your true gross margin after all is said and done. 

Step two:  Build a financial plan based on what you think your company will be able to sell and be realistic!  If you’re a 5 million dollar company this year, don’t expect to hit 20 million next year.  Analyze this year’s sales versus last year’s sales.  Have you added customers or lost customers?  Have you added market share or lost market share?  Now think about what next year’s realistic goal should be.  Are you looking to add product categories?  Will that open new doors for you?  Or are you expecting to do about the same as last year.  Neither of these is the wrong answer, by the way,  you just need to know how to plan.

Step three:  Work with your sales team to create a sales plan.  How can they plan to meet your sales goals?  What do they need to do?  Continue business as usual? Open 10 new accounts each at a dollar volume of 20,000 per account?  Let them know what you’d LIKE to see and have them come back to you with what they see.  Oh, and perhaps you can tie some of their compensation to meeting the sales goals you both establish?  This way, they’re just as invested in the business as you are.

Step four:  Work with the design and merchandising team to develop a merchandising plan that meets the needs of the sales team.  If sales thinks they can sell the heck out of dresses but pants and skirts are trending down and your designers are only designing pants and skirts, maybe you need to stop and review everything before moving forward.  The goal of a merchandising plan is to give the design team an understanding of what types of product, categories and price points they should be building to meet the needs of the customers. 

By tying the merchandising plan to the sales plan and the sales plan to the financial plan, you start to see how the business works toward a common goal – profitability.  Everyone likes to be profitable, no?  Now, when it comes to planning for the next year, you’ll know what your expenses are, you’ll know what your gross margins are and you can start thinking about what the next steps for your business should be.  Raises, anyone?  New office space?  Better computer systems?  At least now you’ll know if you can afford any or all of that. 

Looking for accounting or financial planning help?  Check out the FBI’s list of consultants and financial services. 

What information are you giving the people in your network about yourself and your activities and what are you doing to build your network?  Why do I keep blogging about this? Because, it’s that important.  Keeping your network up-to-date with your activities, job situation, etc. is one of the most important things you can do for your career.  If you’re not on LinkedIn yet, better get started right away. It’s free, and it’s one of the best investments you can make in yourself. 

Go grab a glass of milk and a cookie – I have a story for you with a very happy ending.  Who doesn’t like a happy ending, especially in this economy – and it all has to do with networking.   A client of mine was in a pretty desperate situation – her production manager gave notice right before their busiest season ever.  While it may still be an employer’s market out there and hundreds of resumes for every available position, it’s not always easy to find the right candidate for the job.  

Think about this…have you ever gone to DSW in search of a pair of shoes, only to come home with one or more boxes of shoes, none of which was exactly what you were looking for but still suits your needs?  I usually walk out of DSW with a major headache and no shoes to show for it, but I digress.  Anyway, my client felt like she was shopping for shoes at DSW – plenty to choose from, but not exactly what she’s looking for. 

I racked my brain to see if I could find anyone in my network for her, but there was no one off the top of my head that seemed like the right person for the job.  I asked around and got some recommendations, but again, not the right person for the job.  The thing about your network, especially when job hunting, is quality, not quantity.   The more you know – professionally - about your colleagues the better off you all are.  It’s not just the skills you, or they, currently have, but your past skills, your interests, your activities and more.  Make sure your profile is up to date and includes these things as well as your work history. 

Back to the story – I was looking through my weekly LinkedIn update – the email I receive with updates from my network on all of the items mentioned above – new jobs, updated positions or skills, activities, reading lists and more.  I came across the name of an old colleague of mine and decided to click on her profile to find out what she had been up to.  Turns out, she was looking for work.  I was only familiar with the work we had done together, but by looking at her profile, I realized she had many of the skills my client wanted.   I quickly sent an email and just as quickly received a response.  She came in that day for an interview and left with a job!  A JOB!!  Both she and the client, hopefully, have their happy ending.  It didn’t hurt that I knew her personally and could vouch for some of her work experience and her management style, but she got the job on her on skills and merits. 

So what are you waiting for?  Go out and update your network today.  You may have a job by tomorrow!

Jill Mazur is an independent apparel business and technology consultant working with Fashion Business, Incorporated.  Email:  jill@fashionbizinc.org

With friends and family in from out of town this past week, it’s been a bit challenging to keep up on the weekly blog.  My apologies for being a few days late.  Along with the friends and family have been many opportunities for dinner table conversations on a wide range of topics - in my family, baseball is chief among them.  However, this is a fashion blog, not a sports blog, so I’ll steer clear of the Dodgers and their chances for World Series greatness this year.  (Go Dodgers!) 

An interesting discussion came up last night.  One which never fails to irk me, as a fashion industry professional - counterfeit products.   I’m not talking about “knockoffs” or products “inspired by” a designer original.  I’m talking about actual trademark-infringing, counterfeit products.  Check out these blogs: Fashion Law by Staci Riordan and Fashionista’s Adventures in Copyright on the “knockoff” debate for further discussion. 

I generally like to enjoy my holiday meals without delving into controversial topics - you know, politics, religion, health care reform, etc.  I had even decided to politely hold my tongue when the topic of buying a “knockoff purse” came up.  All I did was make a correction to the statement - “That’s not a knockoff purse, it’s a counterfeit purse.”  And the floodgates opened!  If you have to ask me what the difference is, I’m going to give you an earful.  Or, a pageful, as evidenced by this blog.  If the product you purchased has the same brand name label as the original from which is was copied, that’s a counterfeit product.  Even if the product you purchased has a slightly altered name -”Prado” versus “Prada”- but the exact same design details, it can be considered counterfeit. 

This quote from Tim Trainer, president of the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition in Washington, D.C.  says it all “Counterfeiters trade off the backs of legitimate brands. They let the real brands pay for the marketing, advertising, develop the designs, and then they profit off of it.” Think about all of the time, money, effort and energy it takes to develop a new style for your brand-name label.  Think about how excited you are when your style takes off and is seen in magazines and on the arms or legs of a celebrity.  Now think about how upset you’d be to realize your style has been copied by one or more counterfeiters and is being sold through back door retailers and illegal channels.  What happens to your sales?  Your profits? What money do you use to develop your next great design?  Many people don’t realize when they’re buying a fake product they’re putting legitimate designers out of business.  They’re looking for a bargain; they want the latest and greatest styles but don’t want to have to pay retail prices. 

Even worse, in my opinion, is the fact that many counterfeit products can actually cause damage or injury to the person buying them.  Maybe your new “Prado” purse isn’t going to be the source of many injuries, but has it been tested for lead content?  Was formaldehyde used in the manufacturing process?  What about those “Channel” sunglasses you just bought?  Do you think the manufacturer thoughtfully used UV filtering or polarized lenses?  I sincerely doubt it.  What about those new “Reebook” trainers you took for a run?  Do you really think they’re using the same technology and support as a real pair of Reeboks?  There’s no way to hold anyone accountable for counterfeit products. 

How about this for a bit of advice?  If you don’t buy counterfeit products, the market for these goods will start to dry up.  Legitimate designers will be able to sell their products to consumers willing to pay legitimate prices and maybe we’ll all start making a profit? If you have questions regarding copyrights or trademarks, contact one our legal experts at Fashion Business, Inc. for legal advice.

Jill Mazur is an independent apparel business and technology expert working with Fashion Business, Incorporated.  Email:  jill@fashionbizinc.org

1.       Study and learn what others are doing

Ecommerce is constantly changing and it is important as a new merchant when you enter this filed you learn as much learn as much as possible and then to keep up to speed with the changes.  Fortunately, there are many great resources available online — all you need to do is find the time to read them all!  One great place to start is CNET – You don’t need to be a technical expert to run a successful online store, but you do need to have a little understanding of how online stores work.   CNET also carries the latest technology news. 

Also, look at other online stores so when you select a vendor you can tell them some of your favorite stores and what you like and don’t like about how they work.

2.       Plan carefully and be realistic

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when starting out is to assume that on the Internet normal business rules to not apply.  You need to have a business and marketing plan.  You need to be realistic about the time and money it will take to build your business.   You need to figure out the number of visits you think you will receive and the percentage of visitors who will make a purchase.  Always remember to focus on your customer.

3.       Choose your shopping cart carefully

Another mistake people make is to choose a shopping cart that only meets their current needs not their future ones.  If you create a plan that defines plans for now and in the future you need to incorporate this into your shopping cart.   Of course the technology changes frequently but you need to be realistic in planning for 18 to 24 month ahead.

4.        Selecting a vendor to build your store

There are a lot of vendors out there who say they can build your store and promote your store for you.  This is why it is important to do some research ahead of time to have some technical understanding and you are not overwhelmed by the vendor.  If you no other people who have an online store ask for a recommendation.  If you see a website you like contact them and ask who has built the site for them.  If you find a vendor you like on your own make sure you check their references.  You want to make sure this person gets the work done on time and is available if there is a problem.  You need to determine if this person is going to host the site for you or do you find your own hosting company.   If you want to update products on your store by yourself you need to make sure you can learn to do it and it should be easy.  Check to see if maintenance is included in your fees.   Many of these vendors have packages but you need to determine what is included in the package.

5.        Make sure your site is designed well and has good functionality

The principles of web design are just as important for an online store as other websites.    Keep the site simple and the graphics small.  The fundamentals for web design include having good, clear navigation.  The navigation should either be on the top of the page or on the left hand side of the page.   An important thing to remember is that people might enter your store for many directions (not just your homepage) so make sure all of the pages have the navigation or links to the homepage.    Look at other ecommerce site for the locations on the shopping cart and other vital information.   Users are used to have these elements in the same location so it is a good idea to keep them there.

6.       Accept credit cards

While there are many methods of paying online, the main one is credit cards.  It is vital to accept credit cards on your site if you want to maximize sales.  Remember from your customer’s point of view, the most important issues are privacy and security.

7.        Having postage information upfront

The longer you wait in the order processing, the more anxious potential customer get.  The more anxious they get the more they are likely to abandon their shopping cart and the sale.  Try to have this information upfront so there are no surprises before checkout.

8.        Promote your store

There are many ways to attract visitors to your site, some are free and some cost money.  Some free ways to promote your online store are submitting to search engines, soliciting links from other sites, and posting information to bloggers and other newsgroups.  Some paid methods include search engine advertising (keywords), banner ads, doing public relations and advertising in other paid media.  Make sure you know your customers and figure out the best way to reach them.  Your website vendor might also offer some services which you might want to review.

9.        Listen to your customers

The most important data you will receive is feedback from your customers.  You must reply to inquiries, complaints, etc. in a timely manner.  Your response will determine if people will come back to your site.  

10.      Analyze your data

It can’t be stressed how important it is to have an analytics package as part of your store.  The Internet is great because you can take so much information but you need to have analytics package so you can get to this information quickly and easily.   You need to gather the data, analyze the data, make required changes, test the changes and gather data.  Some of the data you should look at are the path customers are taking through your store and the pages they are buying from.  You also want to know how they come to your site.  If is from a search engine, what keyword or phrases did you use to get to you.