Question

Topic: Strategy

Pre Order System

Posted by Anonymous on 2/2/2009 at 3:21 PM ET 125 Points
Hi

We are looking at introducing a pre order system on our web site as we know the demand is there for the products that we sell, we just want to be able to order more quantities and have half sold before they arrive.

Does anyone have any experience of this?

Best software to use for delayed payment?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Brad
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by kieran.donahue on 2/2/2009 at 3:58 PM Accepted
    Brad -

    Let me see if I understand this correctly - I checked out your profile because I had no idea what type of business you were in as your question did not state. I see you run a retail store and site in the UK. My question is - you want to pre sell items before they come to the store? Wouldn't your customers simply want them shipped to them if they are shopping you online? Perhaps I am not understanding your business model fully.

    Pre-purchase prior to arrival at a location tends to work best for places a person will need to go i.e. hotel. In my experience with pre-purchase you offer them the opportunity to purchase or receive for free amenities and experience enhancers - it works great in the hotel biz because you actually have to be there at the hotel for some reason or another. It allows for incremental revenue and upsell potential.

    I am not sure how it could work for you - but of course I am not clear on your biz model.
  • Posted on 2/2/2009 at 5:14 PM Author
    Hi Kieran

    i run the web site of the business and the way we work is once a garment has been designed, then sampled and the order confirmed it is then sent to one of our manufacturers for production.

    The thing is we work in a fast fashion industry where being ahead of the trends and the high street is what sets us aside from our competition, but the turn around time for manufacturing can be around two weeks. but if we know a garment will sell well and it will be delivered within this time scale why not feature it on the site and build up the anticipation. and let our customer feel like they are ahead of the trends by being the first to order. I know it may sound like i am contradicting myself by saying put items on two week pre order to be ahead of the fashion, but that is what i meant by selling our good before they have arrived so they are delivered and shipped out to customers the same day. rather than increase our orders miss the trend boom then having a large number of garments in our warehouse waiting for customer to buy them.

    Think of play.com as an example they have a new release whether CD or DVD they order vast quantities then put it on pre sale so as it is delivered they have 100's of customers eagerly waiting for there new CD/DVD or Video Game to arrive to be ahead of there friends.

    This is the kind of thing i mean.

    Thanks

    Brad















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