Small Business Spotlight: Blackleaf.com
We're introducing a new regular spot to the PayPal UK blog. PayPal has enabled tens of thousands of small businesses to sell both online and offline, and every couple of months we'll be nominating one of our most successful UK businesses for our Small Business Spotlight award. We'll be finding out how they bring in new customers, drive growth, and make the most of new technology. If you think you've got what it takes and want to tell your story on our blog drop us a line on Twitter or Facebook
Our first Small Business Spotlight goes to online retailer, Blackleaf.com, which has been selling extreme sports clothing and equipment online in the UK since 1999 from its base in Lancashire. Blackleaf.com prides itself on being the UK online specialists for Etnies skate shoes, Converse skate shoes, and DC shoes. They also stock Roxy Bags and Clothes, Carhartt Clothing, Volcom Snowboard Clothes, Element Clothing and Reef Flip Flops amongst other skate clothing and footwear. The company stock is live and updated in real-time - so if you can find it on the website it can be yours.
We (PPUK) caught up with the Director of its parent company, Internet Fusion Ltd., Ian Bristow (IB) on selling products consumers love, the importance of logistics and embracing mobile commerce.
PPUK: Take us back to the beginning - how did it all start?
IB: It was in the local pub a couple of months after finishing University that some friends and I first decided to get into online retailing. We saw an advert on the wall for a motorised scooter and were sure it would sell. We started small, selling just a couple of scooters a week at first. This gradually grew and as we expanded into other products, the orders started rolling in. It took us six years to take the plunge, give up our day jobs and focus on the business full time. Internet Fusion Group now has 23 sites and employs 26 people. Blackleaf.com is one of our largest sites, with multi-million pound revenue per year.
PPUK: What is your number one business priority for Blackleaf.com?
IB: It's the bottom line. We found out early on that you can easily get trapped selling items you don't make any money on. Too many people think you can make a fast buck online, but actually making e-tailing into a business is completely different to selling a few personal items.
PPUK: So what's your secret to success?
IB: A big part has been down to choosing products we are passionate about. As an action sports enthusiast, I am just as likely to be out surfing the waves as I am the web. It means that the products I sell are the products I love and want as a consumer, and that means I understand my customers and provide them with what they want.
In addition, having reliable logistics in place is just as important as having a great website and products. We focused on making our warehousing and dispatch as efficient as possible and made changes so it's more streamlined, with fewer overheads and a better return on investment. This allowed us to go from strength to strength as customers have a fantastic experience from the minute they browse our website to the moment they receive their product.
PPUK: Any tips for other online businesses?
IB: Yes - don't think online is the end. As soon as we noticed that more and more web traffic was coming from mobile devices, we got involved in mobile commerce. In the first three months since launching the mobile site, Blackleaf.com's year-on-year mobile sales have grown by 146%.
Consumers today are always connected - they browse and shop whenever they have a spare moment. Having a mobile-optimised site which is easy to use has been an important part of our development and growth. Mobile visitors now spend the same length of time on the site, but it's a better experience - they can browse, compare and buy easily and seamlessly from their phones and tablets.
Visit blackleaf.com here
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Imogen Howart