A type of business that is easily picked up by savvy youths and adults alike is the operation of an online/social media fashion boutique.
This is different from the regular physical shops filled with apparel and diverse fashion accessories. This business is a mobile shop with no accessories at hand but images of diverse apparel and fashion accessories being displayed on the owner’s / handler’s social media feed like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and most, especially, WhatsApp.
It is pertinent to note that some businesses have grown from the online display of their goods to having physical shops employing personnel to handle the buying and selling process.
Interestingly, a look at this online business model of operation shows that sometimes the youth who engage in this business may not have the capital to acquire all the fashion apparel they are showcasing but have a business relationship with store owners and they know the prices of goods, thereby, marketing the wares on their behalf mostly on their WhatsApp Status.
Hence, interested buyers who viewed can then initiate a message and then strike a business transaction.
However, the seller must show a level of integrity to build a loyal customer base. It is worth noting, this type of business creates employment for people in the logistics or freight services as well.
Most of the time, the goods purchased are weigh-bills to the owners. In this chain, both the middlemen get a financial token from a business if the person who showcases the goods earlier on has no funds to start a business, he/she negotiates the prizes of goods with the potential buyer.
In a chat with an online fashion boutique operator, Motunrayo Jones ‘Witty Wears’ she explained that, “I buy some of my goods from Lagos market, especially lady wears while the accessories are imported from China and Turkiye. The goods are stored at home but on arrival, they are all displayed on my WhatsApp status and those who are interested will always reach out and transfer whatever we agreed on.”
She added that, it is sometimes tedious due to the traffic situation in Lagos because “I take orders and at times there is limited time to supply the goods to the customer. It is good to have a rider (logistics service) who can help to swiftly dispatch these goods.”
While stressing the good side of the business, she said: “you are not paying any landlord for a physical shop because if a seller has a customer for goods, one can go to the main market and get the goods from the main seller or if you have bought the goods being showcased, you can just send it to the buyer.
“Therefore, we could say a physical shop will require payment of rent and other monthly dues as a business. It is non-negotiable that the advantage of a walk-in store gives the business a recognisable place where customers can walk in and shop for their goods.
The fashion business is not just the only one exploring this medium as most businesses ranging from agricultural produce, food, electronics, and hardware product, among others, seize this opportunity to reach their target audience.
Niche:
Carve a niche by knowing the target audience to sell to. And also, the quality of products they can afford.
Business Viability.
The business is viable for anyone interested in exploring this medium as it is important to identify the market to source the goods as well.
Profitability
This is said to be a profitable venture as gathered from people involved in this type of business space.
While it depends on the quality of the goods being displayed and the network built over time playing a part in this, with determination and resilience, the seller can make a couple of hundreds of thousands of Naira or even a million Naira in a year.
We’ve got the edge. Get real-time reports, breaking scoops, and exclusive angles delivered straight to your phone. Don’t settle for stale news. Join LEADERSHIP NEWS on WhatsApp for 24/7 updates →
Join Our WhatsApp Channel
