Regal Gentleman was formed because of the passion of owners Josh Blackburn and Liam Jennings in male grooming and the brands that exist within the market. Whilst visiting salons, speaking to key industry figures and our target market; a gap in the market was spotted for an online male grooming retailer that puts all these products in one place and aims to give males the best possible customer experience. Regal Gentleman aims to make a positive difference to males lives and to the industry itself, in a sector which is ready to explode. We see no reason why the male industry won’t continue to grow and challenge the female industry. There are many high quality products that are relatively unknown to the wider market and we want to provide a place where all of these products can be seen, bought and advice can be shared to ensure that men are getting the best out of a grooming routine. In turn helping to create a one stop location for male grooming and to make the modern day busy gentleman’s life that little bit easier.
Regal Gentleman aims to be the market leader in the retailing of male grooming products. We would like to expand internationally, with distribution and products ranges specific to each country. We aim to become the market leader by providing a diverse range of products, in different areas of male grooming whilst also keeping up with new trends (e.g. beards) and seeking out new brands to constantly update our range. Regal Gentleman wants to change the male grooming market for good and change the way that grooming in general is perceived. Men should be proud to look good and share their routines and product choices with others, just as women do. Possibly our most important vision, we want to be well renowned for our excellent customer service and the community that we create online.
Regal Gentleman sourced products through hours of market research and trying the products ourselves and ask friends and family to try also. We deal with the brands of the products when ordering.
How did you earn your first sales? Which channels are now generating the most traffic and sales for you?
We aim to use our knowledge of social media to really engage with our customers and by providing them a personal experience. One of our advertisement strategies is to use celebrity endorsements. We send celebrities and those who match the style of a 'Regal Gentleman' products for them to try and once they have used these and are happy they post pictures and a message to our site over social media.
We did this with 'Calum Best' on a beard shampoo and that was our first sale and is also currently our best selling product.
We pride ourselves on our social media and are now looking at integrating apps like snapchat and vine in order to reach a new audience.
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?
The Shopify apps we current use are:
Product reviews
Email marketing
Bulk discounts
Order printer
Linkcious
Email template creator
We aim to give the best delivery and fulfilment possible . We send our packages first class if they order over 34.99 and then provide the customer with a tracking number and the delivery supplier so they can keep track themselves. All of our shipments are done through proof of delivery so we can ensure our customers pure transparency.
What are your top recommendations for new ecommerce entrepreneurs?
Make it personal - Be open to your customers, show your customers who you are and what you represent. We are doing business in a time where social media is very strong and the key word is 'SOCIAL' ... Use social media to not only sell your products but trying to engage in conversation! Building a customers trust can go a long way.
Take on a lot of experiments - Don't be afraid to try out new things with your business. Try and do as many experiments as you can (this can range from social media competitions to innovative loyalty schemes) find the ones that work really well and do them 100 more times.
Customer Service - I know this is very obvious but sometimes common things are not common practise. Put your customer at the heart of everything you do. Engage with them as much as you can and make them feel part of a community/family rather than just a customer who gives you money.
The first 20 people you get in will determine the success of your business - Be very selective of who you hire into your company. You want to try and build up a great ethos so when those people start to hire they will once again hire the right people. Your employees are your front door, these are the people your customers will first see when dealing with your business.
Innovate - We will leave you with a quote from Charles Darwin "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one who is most adaptable to change"