In today’s digital era, online marketplaces have revolutionized the way we buy and sell goods, including clothing. There seems to be new apparel marketplaces every day: Depop, thredup, Poshmark, Grailed, and eBay, among many others. However, Amazon stands out as a dominant force in the ecommerce industry, providing unparalleled opportunities for entrepreneurs looking to expand their market. Read on and get selling clothes on Amazon!
Why choose Amazon over other marketplaces?
With so many options, why is Amazon atop the list? In fact, the fashion category on Amazon has witnessed remarkable growth over the years. In 2020, clothing and accessories sales on Amazon amounted to $41.22 billion, marking a significant increase of 15% compared to the previous year.
Amazon has experienced this extensive growth because of several factors unique to their marketplace. Four of the most noteworthy include:
- Vast Customer Base: With over 300 million active users and a global reach, Amazon offers an enormous customer base that is unrivaled by most other marketplaces. This vast audience increases the chances of reaching potential buyers and maximizing sales for clothing sellers.
- Credibility and Trust: Amazon’s reputation as a trusted online retailer ensures that customers feel confident making purchases. Shoppers are more likely to buy clothes from a platform they trust, giving sellers an advantage in building their brand and establishing credibility. This includes the over 200 million Prime members using the marketplace. With perks like free two-day shipping and exclusive deals, they are more likely to return to Amazon to make purchases — especially with brands who have earned their trust.
- Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA): Amazon’s FBA program allows sellers to store their inventory in Amazon’s fulfillment centers. This means Amazon handles the storage, packaging, and shipping of products, saving sellers time and effort. FBA also provides access to Amazon Prime customers, enhancing the chances of generating sales.
- Optimized for Mobile: Amazon’s mobile app plays a crucial role in the success of clothing sales. As of 2021, 80% of Amazon customers accessed the platform through mobile devices. This means that customers can view, save, or buy right from their phone when they’re thinking about the item, lessening the time between desire and purchase and increasing your likelihood of sales.
Best Practices for Selling Clothes on Amazon
With Amazon’s saturated marketplace, you need to work smart to stay ahead of your competition. Techniques and strategies are ever-evolving, but we have some timeless best practices to help you reach your potential selling clothes on Amazon right away.
The most important: have high-quality product listings. These are how potential customers are going to find you, how you can show off your products’ strengths and differentiators, and how you will make or break the sale. Since fashion is a visual medium, it’s critical that you create detailed, compelling product listings. Include high-resolution images that properly show the color, style, angles, and any other details that matter to your audience. Add relevant keywords and accurate descriptions so customers can find you and be compelled to buy from you.
Keep your pricing competitive. With affordably-focused apparel sites like SHEIN, consumers can get the looks they like without breaking the bank. Your pricing should depend on the type of clothing and audience you are attracting. Keeping your costs competitive with others in your space can keep other sellers from stealing your market space. As a bonus, you can always use Amazon’s dynamic pricing tools to adjust prices in response to market fluctuations and trends.
When showing off your brand story, lifestyle appeal, or uniqueness of your line, Enhanced Brand Content (EBC) is your friend. EBC is a premium content feature that helps you show off your product through improved image and text placements on Amazon. Going further, using display and search ads can help you reach a wider audience with a little extra capital input.
Encourage word-of-mouth sales with customer reviews and feedback. Positive social proof encourages people to buy and increases trust in your brand. This is especially helpful for consumers who want a fitting-room experience online. Additionally, address negative feedback promptly and professionally to maintain a positive reputation.
Lastly, always keep improving. If you’re selling clothes on Amazon, there is always a new way to improve your performance. You can look at your competition and see what they’re doing to capture new customers or how they’re running their ads. You can optimize your listings, update keywords, analyze data, and more. Whatever you’re looking to do, do it better with Flywheel 2.0. Our industry-leading AI optimization tool pulls data from multiple marketplaces, optimizes your listings every hour, presents data about your competition, and offers keyword recommendations. Don’t just believe us, experience the power today with a free trial.