Introduce your business and tell us your story: How did you decide on what to sell, and how did you source your products?
bumbrella was inspired by a black dress on a hot, sunny day. Imagine my surprise realizing my dress was completely (see-through) transparent in the sunlight…and at a funeral, no less! Before bumbrella, the only options were outdated “granny slips” or uncomfortable shapewear, neither of which I found especially appealing. I wanted the comfort of a well-fitting panty with the convenience of an attached, body-skimming slip, that wouldn’t twist, turn, bunch and ride up. More importantly, I wanted a solution to address the growing physical and psychological health issues associated with the overuse of tight undergarments. After searching the market without any luck, I designed this easy-to-wear pantyslip…a practical wardrobe staple for today’s modern woman!
I worked with a product developer in NYC to design this patent-pending women's undergarment. We sourced a small overseas manufacturer to produce our inventory.
How did you earn your first sales? Which channels are now generating the most traffic and sales for you?
Social media has played a very important role in our marketing plan. We spread the word about his new product via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google Plus. Once a new customer tries bumbrella, they love it and tell their girlfriends, sisters, mothers or daughters to try it, too! Facebook continues to bring new customers daily. We are also quickly building a strong wholesale business.
Tell us about the back-end of your business. What tools and apps do you use to run your store? How do you handle shipping and fulfillment?
We love Locksmith for securing our wholesale area. Online ordering has been simple for our retail partners thanks to the security we have with the Locksmith app. We have an independent shipping and fulfillment company out of Upstate New York. They are small enough to give us the very best customer service, and experienced to make our business run smoothly. They ship product the same day and order comes in with 100% accuracy!
What are your top recommendations for new store owners?
I have learned I can always count on the Shopify staff for support. As a new business owner, you are learning new aspects of the business daily. I have called in for help countless times and have always been greeted with helpful assistance by the Shopify employees. No question is a bad question. The people at Shopify are here to help...so never worry about asking for help when you need to! I have saved myself a lot of unnecessary wasted time by taking this approach!