holla!
been receiving loads of emails from readers although we're inactive at the moment.
here's one that we would like to share with u guys =)
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Dear Fashion Truth,
Before proceeding, I really wish to thank you in advance for helping me to post this message up. If, in the event that you find it irrelevant, do notify me in case you do not wish to have in on your blog. =)
I understand that it's really not easy being...you. Doing price comparisons are bound to ruffle a few feathers here and there, and sellers who cannot accept this will always try to justify, defend and offer explanations for their actions.
To sellers,
Price comparisons have exist since time immemorial. In world of competitive marketing, no one is exempted. Turn the pages of the newspapers, do you see how different brands compare their prices against competitors? That's is even more obvious, and for the whole nation to see.
So instead of emailing the webmistresses with harassing or demanding requests, I suggest that you revise your marketing strategy. Perhaps you can endeavor to stand out from other blogshops offering the same dress. For example, offer dresses that are not seen in other blogshops. You can do this buy not buying from the same supplier that supplies clothes to every Tom, Dick and Harry shop out there. If you've been in the business for some time, I'm sure you can roughly guess which blogshop orders from which supplier...I mean, for example, the denim ruffled skirt with zipper is seen everywhere.
Another method is: Learn from the Singaporean blogshops. Have you seen Bonitochico? Lyla Rose? Agneselle? I am frankly amazed at the clothes they offer to their customers. Though they claim that their clothes are handpicked from overseas (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand), which roughly translates into the same suppliers most Malaysian blogshop owners rely on, how is it that their clothes are so much better in terms of design and quality? You wouldn't see many Sg Wang-ish kimonos in those shops, or clinchers that can be bought from the Taman Connaught pasar malam.
The best part is, some of them even manufacture their own clothes.
The bottomline is, instead of complaining, please do channel your ideas towards improving your blogshops. If your design is unique, your customer service is good, I see no reason why girls like myself should fuss about higher prices.
Cheers, and all the best to you!
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from FT :
will provide a more detailed update soon.
thanks!
Strong statement indeed, coming from someone who strikes one as rather ignorant of how the Malaysian fashion apparel industry works.
1.Have you ever wondered why everyone here are forced to sell the same things? Go look into the duties imposed on imported goods. Majority of the fashion blogstore owners you find here are starting small with minimal capital, they hardly have the means to travel to different countries to source for your rare and one off designs. What other choice do they have besides going to the local wholesale suppliers, even though most of them stock the same designs and will tell you they are the only ones carrying them? Even if you are willing to go to neighboring countries to get radically designed items, when you enter back to Malaysia, the risk of being taxed when caught hand-carrying commercial products is always there. Naturally, the seller will have to incorporate the overhead cost into the selling price, when this happens, buyers will complain it costs too much and buy other cheaper alternatives. With this kind of factors, how many local sellers are willing or can afford to take the risk?
2.Do you know how much it costs to manufacture your own line of clothing? Are you assuming there are no talented local designers in Malaysia who wants to come out with the clothing line? Go check out the manufacturing cost for garments locally. If it is cost effective, more local designers would be doing it already, don’t you think? Then there’s the question of support for local designs. Unfortunately, many local buyers still have that overseas products are better and would rather pay the same price for an imported piece than a locally produced piece. Also,do you know that many brand owners get stocks of mass manufactured garments then stick their own label on it and pass it off as their own creation? As a consumer, you will be ooh-ing and aah-ing at these people thinking how original/creative they are just because you have not seen the designs elsewhere, YET.
3. Singapore may be a smaller country, but buying power there is much higher than here. Ever wondered why many international brands enter Sporean markets instead of ours? Uniqlo, hello? Sporeans also have an advantage in currency exchange as well, ever thought of that? For them import duties of goods from certain countries eventhough in USD, is still affordable. The same goods will cost us more due to our weak currency and high import duties. The suppliers Malaysian blogshop owners rely on do NOT get their stocks from Taiwan, Hong Kong or Bangkok. They are from China, that is why everything looks the same. And you can’t blame them. Cos importing from countries other than China is simply a lot higher. Singaporean blogshop owners can afford to do that. And they are selling to Singaporeans who can afford the selling price. Better quality in terms of design = cost more duh!
4. Marketing strategy is not changing one’s product. Marketing means how to sell a product. If you work in a retail company, and you are the marketing manager, your job is to think of ways to sell the product whatever it turns out to be. Not go to the buyer and ask the fella to buy something else for the company to sell and you to market. sigh Get your terms right please.
Your blanket statement has offended alot of local people who strive hard to make a living doing small businesses. Think hard and do your research before speaking next time.
Wardrobe 69: Why are you talking about insecurity issues here? Are we in highschool talking about your relationship with your bf? In business there is only profitability. Lowering your price in hope that shoppers will choose your store and not others is a marketing strategy called hard-selling yea :) Earning less RM5 or RM10 just cos your overhead is low since you don't need to actually buy the stock first but attracting double the numbers of savvy shoppers..not bad. But there will be sellers out there who is willing to earn lesser than you and soon no one will stand to profit from this type of business and eventually no one will want to do it. Also, I fail to see how you can agree with the writer of this letter considering the fact that you too are selling mass manufactured in China garments copied from Korean designs which is probably on consignment basis from local wholesale suppliers? I am guessing the comment was so people would click on your link?
I totally agree with this blog post. If there are so many shops selling the same item, what do you do? Find an interesting way to sell your items rather than blaming others.
There's no necessity to travel the globe to get good designs or unique outfits, you can sell the same items as other blog shops, provided you just have a little creativity on how to promote or sell your items.
For example, when you update your shop perhaps you can say "buyers who purchase updated items within 2 days will receive 10% discount".
I am not a seller but a buyer, and I am aware that I can save a whole lot more if I purchase the same items in malls rather than purchasing online; but I continue to shop online with certain shops simply because their service is SUPERB! I have no regrets spending double the amount when I see the very same outfit in a mall selling for half the price I purchased because the service makes me feel like it's worth the money spent.
Aside from that, I have also shop at online stores that has interesting promotions.
Yes, there may be a lot of rules and expenses you have to think about as sellers, but don't blame other sellers or the government or the country or even buyers because your business is not running well. Ask yourself how you can improve your own business with what you have. Others may be able to afford to travel or sell items at lower prices, but that don't matter. What matters is you and how you can succeed with what little you have.
Thanks for justifying and defending the blogshops. But do note that the complaint isn't on blogshops in general, but those who offer common goods at high prices and yet are adamant that their prices shouldn't be compared.
Alright, so we've had the explanations. But more importantly, is what SHOULD BE DONE. ;-)
Since the suggestions given were absurd and naive, we're now looking forward to better ideas by you, on what blogshop owners should do instead of harping on price comparisons! =]
Both buyers and sellers will benefit from your brilliance....hope to hear from you soon!
Mellissa: You agree with the blogpost eventhough I have refuted almost all it's suggestion? Perhaps your level of comprehension is really that low or you left your glasses at home? The facts I have laid out in my first comment are not to 'blame' anyone. They were said to prove the author's blanket statement wrong. What you have proposed are marketing techniques which should be applied by savvy blogshop owners.You contradicted your first paragraph with the second one by the way. Though I doubt you would get what I mean. Granted your suggestions do make more sense than the author's, yet I fail to see how anyone could credit what one could only deem as the mentioning the obvious.
Dream: Not defending any blogshops, merely sharing my knowledge of the predicaments faced by our fashion apparel industry and why this blogpost's suggestions are offensive to a certain degree.
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