{"id":6075,"date":"2013-09-06T15:38:23","date_gmt":"2013-09-06T22:38:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.yola.com\/blog\/?p=6075"},"modified":"2013-10-03T10:36:19","modified_gmt":"2013-10-03T17:36:19","slug":"make-your-own-website-apparel-and-accessory-stores","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yola.com\/blog\/make-your-own-website-apparel-and-accessory-stores\/","title":{"rendered":"Make Your Own Website: Apparel and Accessory Stores"},"content":{"rendered":"

So you were born a trendsetter, and if your parents had the ability to see exactly what your future had to hold, they would have named you Vogue. You\u2019ve never followed a fad, because in fact the fads follow you. You\u2019re a risk-taker in every sense of the word (or at least in regards to fashion), and if you were stranded with merely a pair of pumps, cut-off overalls and a turtleneck, within a week your new style would be hitting the runway with the name \u201cTurtle-all Chic.\u201d<\/p>\n

After years upon years of designing and styling yourself and others, you decide to try your hand in the world of professional fashion. You open up your own boutique to quickly realize that owning a business involves much more than just designing and styling. Your confidence, however, keeps you calm \u2013 you know once you get your name out there, your fashion sense will be demanded internationally. You are, after all, the Van Gogh of style.<\/p>\n

So what\u2019s the first step to take in putting your name on the map? A professional business needs more than just a social media presence and an Etsy page. You need a website. Fortunately enough, we have plenty of tips to give your budding beauty business, the website it needs.<\/p>\n

Online Store<\/strong>
\nExpand your reach from local to worldwide by opening an online store<\/a>. In addition to broadening your demographic, making your debut online<\/a> will also double as advertisement for your new collection.<\/p>\n

When designing your new Internet boutique, be sure to feature each of your beautiful pieces with their correlating size chart for convenience. This will cut out the hassle for customers and make for an easy sale. Also, if you offer free shipping, advertise it! Offering free shipping (even if only on orders over $100) encourages a customer to buy the product, and will in turn boost your business.<\/p>\n

The Pear Tree<\/a> does a great job of advertising their free worldwide shipping by including it in their online store as well as their \u201cPostage\u201d page.<\/p>\n

\"The
\nAbout page<\/strong>
\nAdding an \u201cAbout\u201d page to your website gives your boutique a personal touch while gaining credibility<\/a>. When building your \u201cAbout\u201d page, it\u2019s a great idea to add a little bit of your own history. Let your customers know who you are, what you\u2019ve accomplished, why you\u2019ve created your own line and the direction you see it going. Your readers will feel intrigued and more connected to the clothing<\/del> pieces of art<\/em> you\u2019ve dedicated your time to create.<\/p>\n

In the \u201cAbout\u201d page, The Pear Tree details why their boots are a step<\/em> above the rest.<\/p>\n

\"The
\nFAQ<\/strong>
\nA \u201cFrequently Asked Questions\u201d (FAQ) page is absolutely imperative to a store selling online apparel, as buying clothing without trying it on can be a difficult feat. Your customers will need to know the difference in sizes, what your apparel is made of, the quality of your clothing, and most importantly the return policy. Be sure to detail each of these topics, and don\u2019t be afraid to answer in a conversational tone \u2013 it\u2019ll give off the vibe that you\u2019re down to earth and care about your customer inquiries.<\/p>\n

The Pear Tree has a great writing voice in the FAQ\u2019s explaining that customers should have a long term relationship with their boots, and goes on to detail the steps to take in \u201ckeeping the romance alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The
\nContact<\/strong>
\nSince you will lack face-to-face time with your online viewers, keeping in contact with your customers is one of the most important aspects in maintaining your business. Make it easy for your followers to get in touch with you by adding contact forms to your site.\u00a0 Once you have gained a large online base of happy customers, don\u2019t be afraid to ask for online reviews<\/a> seeing as though statistics say<\/a> 72% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from real people.<\/p>\n

The Pear Tree created a cute and personable contact page by forming their comment box as a love letter. In addition, they brilliantly included a form for a mailing list to keep their customers up to date with their latest designs!<\/p>\n

\"The
\nWe have no worry that your online boutique will be booming in no time.\u00a0 Let us know in the comments how these tips work out for you!<\/p>\n

Check out our previous posts of the “Build Your Own Website” series:<\/p>\n