We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jamaica Booker a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Jamaica thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your business and how did you resolve those issues?
I actually started my business as a print-on-demand T-shirt Boutique and during the height of the pandemic my manufacturer was experiencing major shipping delays. I recall it taking over two months for them to ship out orders to my customers which in turn affected my business credibility. I literally had to cease all operations because I didn’t want to have anyone waiting that long for items they were expecting to receive in less of a time frame. So that ultimately led to no inventory, no sales, and no income. I really had to go back to the drawing board which led to me turning my business into an onhand inventory operation. In spite of the setback, I am glad that it occurred because I now have more control of my business branding and how I want to operate as a sole business owner.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?
I decided to start my e-commerce business from my initial love of shopping. I recall as a kid always going to the “stores” as my Grandmother would call them, with her every chance I got. I always knew if it was at a great price she would purchase clothing items for me. That has always been one of my favorite childhood memories. Shopping has always been a form of self-therapy for me. I wanted to create that same feeling for other women as it does for me. When I look good, I feel good, I believe all women should feel confident in their attire. Perfectly Unique Boutique was built to “Cultivate Confidence through fashion and style.” I aspire to continue building my brand with the concept of quality clothing at an affordable price point.
How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.
I sell my clothing on my own website built out using Shopify. I chose to go this route due to Shopify being probably one of the best Ecommerce hosting sites. It allows me to keep accurate track of my inventory, which is most definitely necessary when I am hosting local pop-up shops so that I don’t sell any inventory that I may no longer have in stock. I am also able to use their credit card reader for local purchasing as well. I also sell on Poshmark, but that is only when I am trying to sell low in-stock items or out-of-season items that are no longer selling on my site. The cons of selling on Poshmark most definitely are the seller fees associated so I only use them as a last resort so as to not cut too much into my profit.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
Honestly what has been the best source of new clients for me has been local pop-up shops/markets. I am solely online only with my boutique, so being able to connect face to face with women who have never heard of me or “Perfectly Unique Boutique,” are allowed the opportunity to be introduced to both at the same time. They are able to see the quality, look and feel of the clothing before purchasing for their fashion needs. Even if I make no sales at a local event I still get to collect email addresses for possible future purchase’s and direct people to connect with me on social media. Either way, it’s a win-win situation for me!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shopperfectlyunique.com/
- Instagram: Instagram.com/ShopPerfectlyUnique
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShopPerfectlyUnique/
- Twitter: twitter.com/shopperfectlyu
- Other: Email: [email protected] Pinterest: Pinterest.com/ShopPerfectlyUnique
Image Credits
Wynn Portraits