In 2004 I recognised a gap in the market to supply affordable digital accessories to the UK market enabling me to launch a true e-commerce business. This gap gave me the opportunity to use all of my marketing expertise to launch my own business and I went on to become the founder and managing director of a first to market online retail store selling digital accessories. This is where a truly learned how to be commercial, through continual research and analysis I was able to organically grow my business through clever marketing strategies to achieve turnover 500k within 2 years.
In order to stay relevant and successfully I had to continually develop the brand identity, e-commerce website, and all online marketing – digital marketing, social media, Google AdWords and SEO. We sold on multi sales channels internationally via an online store, Amazon, eBay, and Rakuten. eBay spent a week at my offices following and learning our process as a case study as we were one of their top selling shops.
Not only did we sell internationally but with imported good worldwide, trading largely with China and Hong Kong using a number of different currencies and banking facilities.
Our unique proposition was to provide quality items at a reasonable price delivered next day if ordered before 12 pm. In order to achieve this, we had to develop and manage significant, robust and efficient fulfillment process.
In order to stay profitable budgets, cash flow and profit margins had to be managed cleverly along with the analysis of business results to forecast and inform marketing strategies.