Selling clothes online in Kenya is a great way to start or grow an ecommerce business. With increasing internet and mobile penetration in the country, more Kenyans are shopping online for fashion.
The e-commerce industry in Kenya is projected to be worth over $2 billion by 2023, so there is huge potential for online retailers.
If you’re looking to sell clothes online in Kenya, this guide will walk you through the key steps to get started.
We’ll cover important factors like choosing an ecommerce platform, managing inventory and logistics, marketing your online fashion store, and building a brand that resonates with Kenyan online shoppers.
Whether you want to start a full-fledged ecommerce business or simply offload excess fashion inventory, selling clothes online can be a lucrative venture if done right.
Follow this guide to learn insider tips and strategies for launching and running a successful online fashion retail business in Kenya.
Choosing an E-commerce Platform
The first step to selling clothes online in Kenya is choosing an ecommerce platform to build your online store. Here are some of the most popular options to consider:
Shopify
Shopify is one of the leading ecommerce platforms worldwide. Some key benefits of using Shopify include:
- Professional themes and designs to create an attractive online storefront
- Built-in payment gateway integration for accepting payments
- Inventory management and order fulfillment features
- Marketing tools like email marketing and promo codes
- Support for selling on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram
Shopify has a monthly subscription fee starting at $29. However, you get a fully hosted platform with regular updates and great support. There are also many Shopify experts and developers in Kenya to help customize your store.
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WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a free, open-source ecommerce plugin for WordPress sites. As a WordPress extension, it offers these advantages:
- Lower cost option since WordPress is free
- Design flexibility as you can use any WordPress theme
- Add capabilities and features with plugins
- SEO-friendly being based on WordPress
- Local WordPress developers can help with setup and customization
The main downside is that WooCommerce requires more technical skill. You’ll need web hosting and domain registration and have comfort working with WordPress.
Squarespace
Squarespace offers beautiful, professional templates optimized for showcasing fashion products. Benefits of using Squarespace include:
- Gorgeous fashion-focused templates
- Easy drag and drop editor requiring no coding skills
- Built-in SEO and marketing features
- Secure hosting on Squarespace servers
- 24/7 customer support
Pricing starts at $12 per month for an online store. Overall, Squarespace is great for fashion retailers who want a stylish, minimal effort online store.
Self-Hosted (Magento, PrestaShop)
For full control and customization, a self-hosted open source e-commerce platform like Magento or PrestaShop is an option. The pros of this approach include:
- Complete flexibility and customization
- Full control over design and functionality
- Ability to scale and add advanced features
- Lower monthly costs than hosted platforms
Woocommerce can join this list as well. This is because you can actually download Woocommerce plugin and install onto your hosting.
The big drawback is that you need strong technical resources to install, configure, customize, secure, and maintain these platforms. They also have a steeper learning curve.
Marketplace vs Standalone Site
Another choice is between starting a standalone ecommerce site vs selling on an established marketplace like Jumia, Jiji or Kilimall.
Marketplaces allow you to tap into existing traffic rather than having to build an audience from scratch. However, they do charge commissions and fees. You’ll also have less control over brand building on a shared marketplace.
Overall, consider your technical capabilities, desire for customization, budget, and audience access when choosing the right ecommerce platform.
Read also: The Top 8 Best Platforms To Sell Online in Kenya
Managing Inventory and Logistics
For online fashion retail, good inventory management and logistics processes are essential. Here are some tips for Kenya:
Inventory Management
Use a centralized inventory management system to track products across various sales channels and warehouses in real time. This improves accuracy and minimizes overselling out-of-stock items.
Set appropriate safety stock levels to prevent running out of popular and high demand items. Factor in lead times and variability in demand.
Reduce carry costs by holding lower inventory levels. Use just-in-time procurement and work with suppliers who can replenish fast moving products quickly.
Segment inventory across fulfillment locations to optimize last mile delivery. Stock high turnover items near target markets.
Implement organization systems like barcoding and bin locations in warehouses for easy order picking and cycle counting.
Monitor inventory KPIs like turnover rate, weeks of supply, and stockout percentage to identify and correct issues.
Order Fulfillment
Offer multiple delivery options – regular, express, curbside pickup etc based on customer location. Integrate with local courier companies like G4S, DHL eCommerce, SENDY, and others.
Set up an efficient picking and packing process with barcoded order documents, packing stations, and procedure checklists. Invest in packing automation tools as volumes increase.
Integrate order management across sales channels for unified fulfillment from a central warehouse. Multi-channel syncing avoids overselling.
Provide detailed tracking information so customers can follow order status. Send email and SMS notifications when order is confirmed, shipped, out for delivery and delivered.
Offer hassle-free returns and exchanges. Provide pre-paid return shipping labels and convenient pickup/drop-off options.
Analyze costs and KPIs like delivery times, return rate, cost per shipment etc to streamline logistics.
With the boom in ecommerce, specialized third party logistics (3PL) providers can also manage warehousing and delivery for online sellers.
Customer Support
Have well-trained customer service staff to resolve pre-sales and post-sales queries via phone, email, chat etc in a timely manner.
Set SLAs for response time and resolution for different issues. Prioritize urgent matters.
Use helpdesk software to track, route and escalate customer queries to the right representatives. Add self-service options like FAQs, guides and forums.
Analyze common questions and complaints to improve business processes and update product listings/policies.
Send post-delivery surveys to get customer feedback on their ordering and delivery experience.
Getting logistics right is key to reducing costs, improving customer experience, and sustaining competitiveness as an online fashion retailer.
Marketing Your Online Fashion Store in Kenya
Effective digital marketing is crucial for driving traffic to your online fashion store in Kenya. Here are some proven tactics and channels to leverage:
SEO
- Optimize your ecommerce site and product pages for keywords like “online fashion Kenya”, “buy clothes online Nairobi” etc to improve organic rankings.
- Create targeted content like blog posts and guides to attract search traffic. Get links from relevant fashion and lifestyle sites to improve domain authority.
- Ensure site is mobile responsive and page speeds are fast as Google factors those for mobile rankings.
- Enhance product schema markup to help search engines understand your products better.
- Analyze search analytics and trends to refine your keywords and content.
Social Media Marketing
- Create profiles on major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Leverage both organic content and paid ads.
- Post engaging content like new arrivals, styling tips, brand stories etc. Use relevant hashtags.
- Run contests and sales promotions to grow followers and email lists. Offer exclusives for social media followers.
- Use influencer marketing by partnering with local fashion bloggers, models and celebrities. Gift products in exchange for posts, reviews etc.
- Create ads to reach wider audiences with your brand story and special offers. Retarget past site visitors across social platforms.
- Collaborate with micro-influencers in your niche. Provide affiliate coupons and promo codes for added sales.
Email Marketing
- Offer an incentive for visitors to join your email list like discounts or free shipping.
- Send personalized emails with new arrivals, promotions, and offers tailored to customer preferences.
- Use automation to trigger post-purchase review requests and cart abandonment reminders.
- Segment your list by customer attributes to send targeted emails. Identify your VIP shoppers.
- Monitor open, clickthrough and unsubscribe rates to refine your email campaigns.
Paid Search Ads
- Run Google Shopping campaigns to showcase products when users search for related items.
- Create search ads on Google and Bing for branded and generic keywords. Target by customer location.
- Set up remarketing ads to engage visitors who browsed your store but didn’t purchase.
- Use social media and display network ads to increase brand awareness with relevant audiences.
- Track ROI of paid ads by monitoring conversions. Adjust bids and targeting for optimal returns.
Retail Marketing
- Offer in-store pick up of online orders for added convenience.
- Use geo-targeted ads to drive foot traffic when customers are near your physical stores.
- Provide in-store scannable codes and product screens to facilitate further online purchases.
- Link online and offline loyalty programs for omnichannel rewards.
By leveraging diverse online and offline channels, you can drive greater awareness, traffic, and sales for your online fashion business in the Kenyan market.
Building Your Fashion Brand in Kenya
Building a distinctive brand is key to succeeding in online fashion retail. Here are some brand building tips:
Define Your Brand Identity
- Craft a unique brand story and mission statement that conveys your values and differentiates you in the market.
- Choose a brand name, logo and colors that communicate your desired image and appeal to your target audience.
- Establish branding guidelines to ensure visual identity consistency across channels.
Curate Your Product Collection
- Offer a thoughtfully curated collection with a clear style point of view rather than a random assortment of items.
- Release limited edition pieces or collaborations to add exclusivity.
- Develop key themes and seasonal narratives to drive interest and engagement.
Foster Brand Loyalty
- Create a seamless omnichannel experience so customers engage with one consistent brand online and in-store.
- Implement programs like VIP access and tiered rewards to recognize and retain high-value shoppers.
- Cultivate a distinct brand voice and tone in communications to form an emotional connection.
Collaborate with Influencers
- Identify influencers whose personal brand aligns with your products to create organic partnerships.
- Send PR packages with new collections for influencers to feature on their social media and blogs.
- Develop long term ambassador relationships for sustained exposure, not just one-off sponsored posts.
Market the Lifestyle
- Share aspirational high quality lifestyle imagery and stories to shape brand perception.
- Partner with bloggers, photographers etc to convey your brand lifestyle across different contexts.
- Repurpose user-generated and influencer content to make the lifestyle feel authentic and inclusive.
Analyze Metrics
- Track marketing metrics like reach and engagement to identify what brand content resonates best with your audience.
- Monitor sales trends to see which products and stories drive conversion.
- Survey customers periodically regarding brand perception and areas for improvement.
By obsessing over every touchpoint and interaction, online retailers can foster meaningful connections with Kenyan consumers and build fashion brands that stand out.
Key Takeaways
- Choose a suitable ecommerce platform based on your technical expertise, customization needs and budget constraints. Shopify, WooCommerce and Squarespace are great options.
- Implement robust inventory management processes and partner with local logistics providers to enable fast and reliable order fulfillment across Kenya.
- Leverage diverse digital marketing tactics on search, social media, email and paid channels to drive traffic to your online fashion store.
- Craft a compelling brand story and forge creative partnerships to develop an emotional connection with Kenyan fashion customers.
- Continuously analyze metrics and optimize to improve reach, engagement and sales for your online fashion business.
Selling clothes online profitably in Kenya requires the right tools,strategy and brand building. But the opportunity is ripe for fashion ecommerce success in the growing Kenyan market.