Melanie Becker, owner of Female for Life.
For online retailers, having the right product imagery is critical to help customers make the right selection and to help make more sales, as activewear retailer Female For Life can attest.
When Melanie Becker discovered how difficult it was to find activewear for plus-sized women, she took matters into her own hands. In 2009, she launched Female For Life, an online store offering feminine, flattering and comfortable fitness gear in sizes 6 to 24.
To create a healthy and supportive environment and to help women visualise how the garments will work for their body type, Becker uses models of all different sizes – a point of difference that is celebrated by her loyal customer base.
Business Lounge talked to Ms Becker about her business success and how using the right imagery for your target market can make all the difference.
Did you know?
Australia Post eParcel is available for retailers posting more than 1,000 parcels a year (approximately 20 parcels a week). You can also use the improved eParcel Returns service to manage any customer returns.
1. How did you come to establish Female For Life?
The initial idea to start Female For Life came from several personal experiences around how the fitness industry was not catering for everyday women. After having been fit and healthy most of my life,
I suffered work-related chronic neck pain and packed on the kilos.
I found myself in a position of being a size 14 but not being able to
buy from any mainstream sportswear shops. I was shocked and humiliated, and I decided that I was going to do something about it.
2. Did you have a background in fashion retail / health?
I have worked for many retailers around the world, including PUMA
in Germany, so I had a good, solid understanding of retail and its mechanics. However, online businesses are more about marketing than anything else, so for me, that’s where the biggest learning curve has been.
3. What kind of growth has Female For Life experienced?
We had to spend a lot on setting up various bits of infrastructure and expanding the brand to Europe in 2013, so it has been fairly tough. But I am expecting 100 per cent growth, so 2014 is going to be a fantastic year.
4. How have you promoted Female For Life?
I have done everything there is to do: expos, trade shows, online marketing, social media, printed ads, word of mouth referrals, Google AdWords! You need to try everything and see what does and doesn’t work – and then every so often, try the things that didn’t work before and see if it’s still the case. The online space is so dynamic, you need to keep an open mind and be flexible to change.
5. What are the most popular products or styles?
The plain blacks are always the most popular. In our bottoms, the Plain is Perfect styles are our bestseller and in our tops, Lovely & Loose.
Female For Life uses models of different sizes to give shoppers a clearer idea of how an item will fit.
6. The site is amazing, with a body shape selector, interesting size names and images of the items on models of different sizes. What do people most often comment on?
I think people love the inclusiveness of the brand. There is something for everyone, no matter your shape or stage in life. Women are very hard on themselves and the ability to have choice cannot be underestimated.
7. What led to the decision to use models of different sizes to display the clothes?
It was a clear brand decision. I wanted customers to be able to see that the gear can look good on everyone – you simply need to find the style that’s best suited for you. And again the message of inclusiveness was key.
8. Why is it so important to show a range of body shapes and sizes in this retail area?
Shopping online obviously has the issue of customers not being able to try items on beforehand. Giving them as much information as possible about whether a style will suit them is critical.
9. Does this help convert sales or reduce returns?
Definitely. The cost of returns for an online business is fairly steep, because you are essentially double-counting the cost of processing the items, so anything you can do to reduce returns is critical.
10. What customer feedback have you received?
The customer feedback is the best part about the business. I have received emails from all around Australia and the world – from mothers thanking me for providing sportswear so their daughters can exercise with their friends, to women who have never been able to find anything that fits them.
The predominant feedback we get is about the quality of the product and our customer service.
Useful tools and resources
Female For Life sells women’s activewear online, with sizes from 6 to 24.
Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.
The post Business success story: Female for Life appeared first on Australia Post Business Lounge | Be Inspired, Learn & Connect.