Wouldn’t it be great if there was a platform that could help you create a beautiful yet functional online store to ultimately grow your fashion business?
Step forward, Shopify.
Ideal for fashion startups and e-commerce beginners alike, there are currently over 800,000 stores set up on Shopify worldwide which generate $100 billion worth of sales.
Whether you’re just in the process of establishing your fashion business or already have a basic store with Shopify and want to make substantial improvements, we’ve got you covered. Read on to learn how you can utilize the platform to take your website to the next level.
1. Pick the Perfect Theme
Firstly, Shopify has over 70 themes to choose from that are easy to use and responsive whether you’re using a laptop, tablet, or mobile device.
Most of these themes have been specifically designed by well-known graphic design agencies, such as Pixel Union, Clearleft, and Happy Clog, to attract and draw in customers using eye-catching visuals and layouts.
And the good news? A lot of these themes are either completely free to use or super affordable with the basic or premium Shopify plan. Win-win.
Pro Tip: Choose a colour palette and imagery according to your brand’s positioning and what will appeal to your target audience the most. For instance, if you’re a luxury fashion brand targeting women, try pastel colors and whimsical imagery to attract an aspirational audience.
2. Experiment with Different Features
You can also increase your sales and ROI with Shopify’s abundance of free and premium features.
The following are some of our favorites for fashion stores, in particular.
- Unlimited products: Are you a bespoke boutique or a mass-produced retailer? Either way, you can advertise as many items as you like without any restrictions.
- Various sales channels: Will you sell strictly through your online store or via social media? Both choices are available with Shopify and you can also track your progress.
- Point of Sale options: Will your products be available offline as well as online via a pop-up store or physical location? If so, the POS app conveniently allows you to process orders in person.
- Manual order creation: Do you want the option of taking orders over the phone or through email? You can create new orders manually from your Shopify dashboard and then send your customer an email confirmation.
- Numerous languages: Do you have customers based in different locations around the globe? You can translate your online store into 50+ languages to cater for everybody.
- Adjustable shipping costs: Do you have different shipping charges? You can customize how much you’ll charge for shipping in line with certain variants, like package weight and customer location.
- Abandoned cart recovery: Do you have a lot of product interest but struggle to make tangible sales? Shopify will send out emails to customers who have left your store without checking out, in the hope that they will complete the process at a later date.
Pro Tip: To encourage customers to make a purchase if they’re lingering on your website or have abandoned their cart, consider using Shopify’s discount codes or free shipping functions for optimum results.
For example, major fashion retailers hold end-of-season sales twice a year where they will offer up to 60% off old season items to make room for new season items. They also typically offer free shipping all year round if your order exceeds a certain amount.
3. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Finally, be a part of Shopify’s thriving community by participating in the platform’s many discussion forums for fashion business owners and consumers alike.
Struggling to get your fashion business off the ground? Not to worry – you can visit the Ecommerce University where you’ll find webinars, ebooks, and other resources that teach you all about selling items online.
Moreover, Shopify’s dedicated support team is always on hand to help. They provide 24/7 email and live chat services to answer any questions you might have during setup.
Pro Tip: Take advantage of Shopify’s approved network of professionals with exceptional knowledge and expertise in website development, photography or marketing to make up for the skills that you lack and maximise your store’s success.
Evolving Your Fashion Store with Shopify
It goes without saying that Shopify allows you to create a beautiful yet functional online store in mere minutes. However, the best thing about the service is how they’re constantly striving for improvement.
In addition to developing more themes and apps on a daily basis, the team at Shopify works around the clock to ensure your fashion store is always online through their 99.98% uptime and 24/7 monitoring. This allows you to dedicate your time to actually running your store and utilizing the platform’s advanced features to make it stand out from the crowd.
