A Saint John-based entrepreneur is looking to successfully marry online shopping without losing the traditional storefront experience.
Kelly Lawson is CEO of “Ella the App”–a way for women in centres across the country to buy and sell fashion they own themselves online.
Lawson came to realize that the nature of this business is that usually you want to try something on before you buy it, which she says can be a bit awkward.
“They’d have to coordinate their schedules, drive across town, meet at a gas station or a coffee shop, try things on in the washroom and try things on in the parking lots and their cars,” Lawson said. “It really kind of felt ‘back alley’ for a lot of people.”
What started out as an online venture will soon be a storefront operation, marking what some are calling a “clicks and mortar” initiative.
Lawson says “Ella the Shop,” which will have its first location in Saint John, will eliminate the need to meet up to buy or sell an item.
“You’re going to drop the item off here to us and we’ll take care of connecting the buyer with the item, having them try it on in our fitting rooms and the transactional piece.”
The store will also have a retail element, including vintage luxury items by big names like Louis Vuitton and Chanel.
The organization representing Saint John’s business community is all in on the innovative approach.
“At one time, there was the proliferation of the online component, where there was a fear that it would erode some of the more face-to-face and retail-type establishments,” said David Duplisea, general manager of the Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce. “This business model shows that those two can coexist together very nicely and leverage the strengths off one another.”
“Ella the Shop” is due to open later in September.
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