Recently we’ve seen a spate of fashion startup companies make significant headway in the ecommerce sector, and it seems as if fashion is slowly digitizing, like pretty much every other artistic endeavor.

There are problems, however, for online fashion retails. According to Statista, customers are abandoning their online shopping carts in their droves. 15 percent put it down to a slow website, 25 percent say that it’s because navigation is too complicated, and 21 percent claim that they give up because the process takes too long.

Clearly doing something about checking out is important, and something that online fashion retailers are working on right now. But what else does it take to be fashionably successful this season? Take a look at these tips.

Tell Stories About Your Clothing

Pixabay

Telling stories is a good idea, from both a technology perspective, as well as a human one. It’s important from a technology perspective because of the fact that Google loves it when you have a lot of content on your website. Ecommerce sites with brief explanations and descriptions just don’t provide search engines with enough “meat” to determine whether your content is valuable or not. Thus, stories are good for making sure that your site rises up the rankings.

Telling stories is also important from a people perspective too. Writing things like “picture yourself in this fantastic suit at your next business engagement” is a lot more effective than “pinstripe men’s suit.”

Personalize Your Lineup

When people show up at an online clothing store, they want to be treated to something personalized that nobody else has got. It’s a good idea, therefore, to invest in screen printing software. This software enables you to print whatever graphics you like onto your clothes, making them original and unique. We’re not just talking printed tee-shirts here. We’re talking about jazzing up your entire line with exotic prints and styles that make your brand one-of-a-kind.

Partner With Great Businesses

Ecommerce sites have one big problem: getting the message out. It’s a good idea, therefore, to build links with influential websites and blogs within the fashion industry. Getting a spot on Vogue or some other similar website means that traffic will be diverted to your site. It’s also a great way of building “authority” backlinks - backlinks that Google considers to be high value, and therefore given a heavy weighting in its search algorithm.

Demonstrate Your Expertise In A Niche

Public Domain Pictures

We’re often told that it’s important for fashion retailers to “embody a lifestyle.” And by and large, it is. Your store has to appeal to a particular type of person who loves what you have on offer. This can be anything from a fashion store that deliberately targets the LGBT community to one that focuses on the very best slippers and socks. There has to be something in the brand that customers can connect with. They need to feel as if you are a part of their “in-group” in the sense that you, as a fashion outlet, reflect their values and their tastes.