Boutique

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

10 Sites to Sell More and Boost Boutique Sales in 2025

It’s the new year, a time when boutique owners are reviewing last year’s revenue and planning new strategies for 2025. Since the economic outlook and new shopping trends are key to sales strategies, we will take a look at how they are shaping up.  First, let’s take a look at the macro economy and then the specific online clothing market to get an idea of the economic landscape, or the health of the consumer’s pocket.   While price inflation in 2024 impacted consumer pocketbooks and discretionary spending, retail sales actually exceeded forecasts as the U.S economy grew 2.3%. And Fannie Mae analysts just adjusted their economic forecast up to 2.0% growth for 2025, slightly down from 2024 as the graph shows below:                                                         Let's now look at how the online clothing market compares to overall economic growth. The U.S. apparel market generated $358 billion this year with ecommerce accounting for $145 billion (40.5%) of total apparel revenue. And from 2018 to 2023, ecommerce sales rose by 70%. This graph shows the multi-year revenue numbers:           What does this mean for you? If you have a boutique with an online presence or if you're considering creating an online boutique, you are heading in the right direction. And today a plethora of tools exist to help source your boutique, such as Bloom Wholesale who offers trendy women's apparel or fashion dropship suppliers like Bloom Dropship, Salehoo, Modily, and Spockett.     If you are just getting started, drop shipping is an easy way to sell apparel without having to purchase, store or manage inventory. You only pay for what you sell, and the drop shipper sources all the products and does the shipping. But sourcing a boutique is just one aspect of the boutique business. Achieving sales success has more to do with understanding how consumers shop and where they shop. So, let’s look at some stats on online shopping trends:  Between 2025 to 2030, experts predict an 8% CAGR for fashion e-commerce  Social media influences 32% of Americans in the clothing they purchase  Women’s apparel accounts for 68.5% of all e-commerce clothing revenue    80.7% of fashion e-commerce site traffic is from consumers using mobile devices  The jaw dropping facts are this: 80% of all fashion e-commerce traffic comes from mobile devices and 32% of Americans say social media influenced the purchase of the clothes in their closet. This graph shows mobile shopping percentages by retail category: Live Shopping Sites   Social ecommerce is the next great disruptor in the retail industry. A study from Aftership found that 34% of US consumers aged 18-34 make purchases through live shopping each week and this trend will be a key driver in the 2025 retail landscape and beyond.   What’s behind the explosion in social commerce? Free sites such as Facebook Live currently dominate social commerce. The platform saw 67.8 million buyers in 2024 while Instagram is predicted to see 45.3 million buyers. TikTok is predicted to see 35.8 million.  This interactive approach helps to build trust, drive sales and reach a wide audience. It is worth pointing out that while Facebook and Instagram offer lives for free, they do not guarantee viewers. Many boutiques combine free and paid sites to optimize sales, such as using Channelize along with TikTok live events. Regardless, live shopping is a growing trend you can adopt to enhance your online presence.    Toward that goal, below are top 10 live shopping platforms for apparel:  1. Videeo  Videeo offers personalized video and claims to boost customer engagement by 250%. It offers a mobile app wizard for iOS and Android devices and integrates with Shopify.  2. Skeepers  Skeepers offers the ability to host thousands of shopping parties and utilize social media to attract new customers. It also integrates with the #1 ecommerce platform, Shopify.  3. GoLive  GoLive combines livestream shopping with artificial intelligence and real-time analytics. Some of the brands that they have partnered with include Guess, Samsung, and LG.   3. Bambuser  Bambuser is focused on interactive live video streaming. According to their website, their average add-to-cart is 31%, while its chat engagement is 24%. split screen.  4. Amazon Live  Amazon Live is a free streaming app and available for U.S. sellers registered in the Amazon Brand Registry. It does require 3rd party apps to integrate with Shopify.  5. Facebook Live Shopping  Facebook offers new Live features on its Facebook Page to connect with your audience and sell items. It does require 3rd party apps to integrate into your Shopify store.  6. TikTok Shop  TikTok Shop blends live stream with eCommerce for a dynamic shopping experience and to reach younger, social media-savvy consumers. It does require 3rd party apps to integrate your Amazon and Shopify stores.  7. TalkShopLive  TalkShopLive offers live stream & home shopping with a built-in buying experience. With the TSL Seller iOS app, you can go live via your desktop and it integrates with Shopify.  8. Popshop Live  Popshop Live has an app for Android and iOS devices and includes an intuitive seller dashboard and producer tool for livestream and it integrates with Shopify.  9. Channelize  Channelize is great for hosting five events or less per month to an audience no bigger than 50. They integrate with Shopify and offer a basic free plan for live shopping.  10. Confer With  Confer has a basic free plan but aims to offer you the features to link a high-value customer with one of your reps or a virtual appointment. It integrates with Shopify.  Live Shopping is growing fast with a variety of options to help online boutiques expand their audience reach by tapping into large numbers of ecommerce shoppers. But it's not just live shopping that is trending. Online marketplaces are also driving online sales.  Top Marketplace Sites  Online marketplaces can offer online boutique a way to expand business. Marketplaces have become a platform to reach more audiences in the shortest possible time and maximize conversion and sales.  If you are a fashion retailer selling through your online website and looking to generate more revenue, online fashion marketplaces can be a great option to grow your sales. The biggest benefit of online marketplaces is convenience. No matter which platform you use to start your e-commerce journey, you don’t have to get out of your comfort zone.   From starting, organizing, and managing to delivery, everything can be done from anywhere you live or even if you shift. Not only can you access it, but also you get client support in case of an emergency.  Here are the top 6 online fashion marketplaces:  1. Amazon Fashion Marketplace  2. Etsy Fashion Marketplace   3. Walmart Fashion Marketplace  4. Facebook Fashion Marketplace  5. Poshmark  6. ASOS Marketplace  In summary, the ways in which consumers shop online is always evolving. Live shopping and online marketplaces are gaining speed and giving online boutiques an opportunity to expand their customer base and grow sales. Integrating these shopping trends and sites into your sales strategies will be paramount to success, as is building loyalty and repeat purchases with personalized shopping and incentives.  Growing U.S. ecommerce numbers support that online boutiques are heading in the right direction and while 2025 will have some inflation trade winds, leveraging TikTok and other sites to tap into growing Gen Z online purchases is a real opportunity. Livestream sales reached $50 billion in 2023 and are estimated to grow by 36% in the next three years. Add it all up and it’s time to jump on board! 

Boutique Blog – by Krystal W

5 Best Boutique USA Clothing Sites in 2024

Finding the best boutique clothing USA sites is one of the most crucial things for boutique stores. We have handpicked the top places to buy from for high profit.

Boutique Blog – by Krystal W

Five Tips to Increase Profit Margins with Accessories

JA major factor in running a fashion boutique is having a profit margin strategy. It should come as no surprise that to build a successful and profitable store, margins are key. A rule of thumb for profit margin is a 2x markup over the wholesale cost of your apparel, but that’s not always easy to maintain consistently. Accessories are expected to be one of the healthiest segments in fashion sales by 2025 and make up 12.3% of consumer purchases. Jewelry is expected to make up a whopping 20.9%! Consumers are attracted to accessories for a variety of reasons. For one, a new statement necklace or seasonal scarf is less likely to break your bank than a pair of designer jeans. Smart retailers use the versatility of accessories to increase their total store sales, so this blog discusses five tips on creating a recipe for selling success in your store. 1.      Use Social Media and Shoppable Content Social media plays an integral role in selling accessories. That’s hardly surprising given the role of our smartphones in our daily lives. Some 62% of consumers watch videos to learn about a product before they buy. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram also drive sales and allow shoppers to visualize the product on a real person. But social media is no longer a place for shoppers to just learn about new fashion trends; it’s also a place for shoppers to buy as they learn, through in-app, integrated shopping experiences. This shortens the line between influencer product promotion and an actual purchase, right inside the apps where customers are already engaged, such as Instagram, TikTok Shop, Meta, buyable pins on Pinterest and more.  2.      Offering Something for Everyone No one knows your customers better than you, so aim to please when it comes to offering customers what they want and need. Stocking classic accessories like cubic zirconia earring studs or black satchels can help keep accessory sales steady. However, trendy pieces each season are important for most merchants to reach their sales goals Some analysts have predicted a surge in consumer spending, particularly in luxury and high value items. More expensive jewelry and handbags could be the money maker for your store in 2025 and beyond. So, variety is vital here, as you want to offer items that will keep your customers engaged. Aim to provide enough assortment that customers look forward to returning again and again, always curious as to what they will discover next. 3.      Merchandise Accessories With Sales in Mind Many merchants overlook the value of a sales-driven merchandising strategy. One way you can do this is to include accessories in all store displays. Layer clothing with accessories both on hangers and on mannequins to create outfit displays that inspire your customers – encouraging them to buy accessories along with their planned apparel purchases. Another way to incorporate more accessories into your store is to display them within easy-to-reach, easy-to-touch locations. If you have an online store only, you can still apply these tips by styling your apparel products with the accessories you carry and offer.  4.      Boosting Impulse Purchases Accessories are often impulse buys. When a customer is shopping for clothing, they may also grab a matching pair of earrings, a stylish bag, or a trendy hat. Adding impulse items to your store creates an environment where customers feel encouraged to purchase more than just the items they initially intended. These small add-ons can substantially increase your total sales volume. Moreover, accessories are generally easy to display, making them perfect for in-store as well as placements and styling on your online store that prompt quick decisions from customers. 5.      Price Fashion Accessories to Sell Start by buying inventory that lowers your price point, meaning purchase fashion accessories at a price that yields high margins. According to experts, there is no set rule for pricing boutique merchandise, but most small retailers use a 50% markup strategy. This is the standard, which means that the wholesale cost of an item is doubled. For example, if you’ve purchased a wholesale bag for $25, you can sell it at retail cost of $50.  Using a variety of vendors can also help you gain higher markups – including vendors with wholesale price points of less than $2, $3 and even $5. The best part, however, is that you can retail these items for 400% percent or more! With margins like this, your sales are bound to soar. Take into consideration overhead expenses such as wages and rent, the quality of the merchandise, and what your competitors are charging.  Convinced, but not sure where to start? You can google “accessory wholesalers,” and a countless number of resources will be at your fingertips. But a personal favorite or ours is Faire, who offers a wide variety of quality, women’s accessories and jewelry. You can also opt for in-person fashion shows like Dallas Apparel, Magic and Off-Price. For a full list of our top picks, check out the blog Top Fashion Shows.     In the fast-paced world of retail, finding the right wholesale accessories can be the key to boosting sales and staying ahead of the competition. Whether you run a boutique, an online store, or a specialty shop, purchasing accessories in bulk offers a cost-effective way to maximize profits while providing customers with in-demand products. So don't delay, jump in, have fun, and don't forget to research trends!