Amazon: The New Hub For Independent Fashion Brands
Introduction
London is known for its fashionable residents. Many individuals travel from all over the world to glimpse the diverse trends on offer in the small boutique scattered across the Capital. Unfortunately, COVID-19 resulted in many shops being forced to close, and designers struggled to get their carefully crafted pieces in front of customers. Some small businesses survived, but many have sadly had to close down their bricks and mortar shops.
Luckily for these independent fashion brands, Amazon wants to support small business success by providing a special place to sell their pieces on their gigantic online marketplace. So as of Spring 2022, they launched Amazon Fashion’s Local Label Hub. This provides a ready-made digital store where small- and medium-sized fashion companies along with independent and local designers can sell their pieces to Amazon’s millions of customers.
How To Sell on Amazon
There does not appear to be a simple method to get listed as a seller on Amazon Fashion’s Local Label Hub, but not all hope is lost. If you make your designs by hand, it is possible to apply to become a seller with Amazon Handmade. You will first need to register a selling account and submit an Amazon Handmade application.
The Handmade section of Amazon is for artisans only – so it will separate your carefully created designs for mass-produced fashion items. Amazon Handmade is not available to everyone as the application process involves being able to prove a set of criteria:
- Products must be handmade by yourself or an employee;
- Your company has 20 employees or less;
- Being able to provide examples of your products;
- Send in photos of your workspace;
- Details of the hand-making process.
The above criteria make sure the items listed are handcrafted and not mass-produced. Once approved, you will receive some worthwhile benefits. For instance, Handmade sellers can create an Amazon shop and list items completely free of charge – the Professional selling plan usually costs £25 per month. However, there is a 12% referral fee for every sale (competitive with other online marketplaces like Etsy).
The Art of Amazon Success
Selling on Amazon can be lucrative and give your brand huge exposure. However, getting to the point where you can sit back and enjoy the payouts of your creativity can take some hard work and eComemmer expertise. If you do not have the time or energy to learn the art of Amazon SEO, it may be worth appointing an Amazon agency https://nuoptima.com to create and carry out your online marketing.
By leaving your Amazon Handmade account management to the experts, you can focus on where your expertise lies and enjoy being creative. It will also mean you can avoid those rookie mistakes and ensure your items are getting out in front of the highest number of potential customers possible.
If you are accustomed to having a physical shop location, the thought of packing up and sending items to customers can be a bit daunting. Especially if that Amazon agent is good at their job and you have multiple orders over one day. Some sellers choose to send their products directly to Amazon, so they can handle distribution. This service is known as Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) and will also result in getting an Amazon Prime badge next to your products.
The Takeaway
Amazon can provide independent fashion labels with a secure place to promote their brand and sell their beautifully crafted items. The attitude that Amazon is only for mass-produced products is dissipating and is rapidly becoming a hub for local artisans.
