Can This Get Any Worse?

[urbanmale]

Loads of visitors but no/few sales since August I know there's an economic melt down occuring but for sales to suddenly drop off of a cliff seems odd. I've checked last Septembers sales which were pretty good considering the site was younger and there was less stock available, is everyone in the same boat or is it just me ie. something wrong with the site?

Steve

[NetConneXions]

whats the URL and what efforts have you made to attract visitors? As you know, attracting visitors has to be an ongoing job. Not saying you havnt tried, just would like to know what you have done.

[urbanmale]

Hi,
The URL is urbanmaleclothing.com there's a link on the profile. I get between 2 - 300 visitors per day but they've stopped spending money all of a sudden.

Steve

[NetConneXions]

Hi,
The URL is urbanmaleclothing.com there's a link on the profile. I get between 2 - 300 visitors per day but they've stopped spending money all of a sudden.

Steve


Long shot, but make a test purchase to see nothing is wrong there? Also check your google analytics to see how many are unique.

tbh i would expect online sales not to dive as much as retail stores in this current recession.

[willitbe]

Update the site, create a new design, stay on top of the blog(Apr2008), testimonials look weak....
Get more products in each section, or limit the amount of sections.

Young males need cool, edgy sites...Yours isn't in that Category.

I like some of the stuff but when i see a hoodie only available in small, i would run a mile. Get current stuff in all sizes, create a need to grab it while you can mentality.

You have got to stay ahead in clothing and that includes the look of the site....

[quikshop]

Hi Steve,

Its not just your shop, we've insights into several online markets and most are seeing a drop in sales, even those that do 6-figure annual sales.

We are in the height of the economic storm, our advice would be to start preparing for the peak shopping period now deciding on seasonal website design changes and product offers, loss-leaders and other incentives to help covert visitors.

In years gone by you could happily start ramping up sales from around mid-October and enjoy the ride through to the end of February.

We expect this years peak shopping period to run from around 21st November through to no later than mid-January.

[SteveGibson]

Long shot, but make a test purchase to see nothing is wrong there? Also check your google analytics to see how many are unique.


Correct advice.

Assuming you're getting your traffic from targeted sources - and assuming this drop off in sales is statistically significant - then you need to check the site is working properly.

If there isn't a problem with the site, then it's probably down to either:

(a) limited stock

and/or

(b) external sources - i.e. the economy and/or increased competition and/or changing fashion.

Steve

[orlok]

I agree that the site could benefit from an edgier look (the left hand menus are more Foster Brothers than Urban).

Also, remove any categories that have no stock - clicking on a category and seeing the message "There are no products to list in this category." is a real turn-off (e.g. Polos)

[urbanmale]

Hi,
Many thanks for all the very constructive comments, much appreciated. I have checked the functionality of the site from my own computer and from and internet cafe and all seems to work OK.

I didn't design the site myself and although I agree that it needs to be edgier I have to work with what I have for now since it will cost to update the site, ironically the site has improved in the ranking recently but up until then the cash flow hadn't and now the economy has turned so a "catch 22" situation I'm facing. Limited stock is down to limited cash flow (my only choice now is to build organically as loans are nigh on impossible to get these days)

I've addressed the issue of the empty Polo's category didn't realise I'd forgotten to crosslink to there, the hoodie is the end of a range that has sold out so and oddment maybe I should have a "sale" category and stick it in there.

Testimonials are difficult to get as it's quite complicated for buyers to do although I've have quite a few via email and phone, so was thinking of getting rid of that and adding a newsletter signup with an "enter competition" banner above as an incentive to signup. I think reviews are good for media products but you rarely see them on sites for clothing.

quikshop,
Some very good tips there although I have to say I'm thinking of cancelling a Christmas/Winter stock order next week, maybe panicking but the whole thing is a bit scary. Keep watching the news to see if they approve that US bail out package otherwise I think we're all doomed.

Steve

[orlok]

Hi Steve

Have you considered opening an eBay shop? We have a range of Goth clothing accessories on eBay, as we feel that eBay users are the right target market for this type of product, and they do sell pretty well (we have just become a Powerseller after about a year of selling on eBay).

You'll hear all sorts of moans about fees etc., but we treat it partly as a form of advertising/exposure (and are making money from it). We also send a voucher for our own site with every package, so get customers coming across to our site all the time.

Best of luck, and don't get too disheartened - sales will inevitably pick up over Christmas, even if the peak period is shorter this year.

Pete

[Eagle]

We are in the height of the economic storm...Do you not think it hasn't even started yet? I get the feeling it's going to get a lot worse. :(

[urbanmale]

Hi Pete,

I had an ebay shop for many years that's where I got my start up cash from, so far I've not borrowed any money. I was selling the alternative stuff but wanted a change of direction to clothing that I knew more about and that I'd wear myself, they say sell what you know and I couldn't get excited about the alternative stuff.

I read a lot of complaints on the business message board on ebay and the way it comes across is scary, buyer DSR blackmail, suspensions, lack of exposure, there not a single ebay showing for men's clothing above me on Google so I guess that says something. At least on my website I have control and the costs are pretty much fixed, it's just frustrating that I've got so far and hit a road block.

I've added a sale category now and stuck all the oddments in there, I have no idea why I haven't done it before because I had sale mixed in with new stock.

Steve

[orlok]

Steve - one suggestion. Include a link (clickable) to your site in your forum signature. Having as many links to your site as possible can't hurt, and may even bring in some traffic/sales!

[urbanmale]

You can only do that if you're a fully paid up member I think.

Steve

[orlok]

Very true. I saw you had a lot of posts, but forgot that bit.

Can I suggest that you look at Eagle's link above (in red) - this forum will allow links, I believe.

[quikshop]

Do you not think it hasn't even started yet? I get the feeling it's going to get a lot worse. :(

I expect the economic storm to rage well into next year, our economy will start bottoming out half way through 2010.

That's all assuming the Americans don't plunge their economy into a 1930's style depression as democratic capitalism crumbles :D

There are a lot of analysts claiming that we'll start seeing a recovery as early as late next year, I suspect those claims are more vested interest than cool calcuation :cool:

Having said all that our eCommerce business (http://www.internetretailer.biz) is continuing to grow and we know that plenty of those using our service are doing very well. The Internet is the last hedge against the financial meltdown.

[frockery]

You can only do that if you're a fully paid up member I think.
Steve

Well worth paying the subs for that reason alone, I would say.

My business had a couple of deathly quiet weeks over the summer, but things are definitely picking up again.

All the people I know in retail are finding customers noticeably more cautious with their spending in the present economic climate, but online operations will generally weather the hard times better than B&M shops where overheads can be crippling.

I'm sure it's just a blip and your orders will pick up again, especially with the silly season approaching. Maybe try a bit of proactive PR if you can find a suitable angle? (e.g. running a comp, making an in-kind donation to charity or something)

Good luck and hang on in there. :)