When you are going to set up an eCommerce, looking at your competition is a very important point. You have to do some research to know what you're up against, what they sell, how they do it and what you can offer differently. In the fashion sector, One of those stores to "keep an eye on" is Privalia.
Do you know what this store sells? And why is it so important? Below we have investigated so that you know what you are facing if this online store is your competition. Shall we start?
What is Privalia
Privalia is an eCommerce dedicated to the fashion sector. One of the greats. And buying clothes, something that we didn't like at first, now doesn't matter to us. And who says clothes, says footwear.
Privalia began its journey in 2006. It was founded by two entrepreneurs from Barcelona, José Manuel Villanueva and Lucas Carné. And although at first it did not stand out much, two years later, in 2008, and until 2011, things changed and it was one of the most important websites in fashion.
In fact, they tried to expand their business (which at first was based only on discounts, offers...) but it didn't work for them. However, In 2016, a large company such as Vente Privee set its sights on Privalia and he bought it (it was a sale for 500 million euros, which at the time was a lot of money).
The founders remained at Privalia until 2018, being replaced by a man, Fabio Bonfá who had been at Vente Privee since 2012 and had experience as a manager.
Why Privalia is the place to find the best brands at the best price
If we have to analyze Privalia, the headline we have given to the article could well be the perfect summary of this eCommerce.
Its star product is power sell clothing brands at affordable prices, or at least more discounted than what you find elsewhere. And this company knew how to convince those big fashion brands, not only to sell online, but to do so through Privalia and at slightly cheaper prices than normal.
Currently, brands such as Swarovski, Nike, Adidas, El Ganso, Adolfo Dominguez, Desigual or Agatha Ruiz de la Prada They are present in the store, along with many other brands depending on the section you choose.
How Privalia sells
If you have never entered Privalia before or have tried to buy, we tell you that it is very easy to do so. But you must analyze a little what they sell and how they sell it.
To begin with, It has a minimalist and very direct design, that is going to highlight what it sells, which is fashion. Thus, from the very beginning they show you their main categories such as fashion, beauty, home, footwear, leisure, children's, sports, travel and gourmet. And in each of them you will find different products of clothing, technology, travel, shoes, decoration, toys, furniture...
Below it highlights some brands or premium areas of brands and little else. It does not seek to fill the main page with tons of options, but rather to give you a clean and clear design with which you can see, at a glance, everything it offers you and decide on what took you there.
As for the products, as we have told you before, it sells brands, yes, but with a small "fine print": their seasons. The normal thing is that In Privalia you only find clothes from the previous season, not the current one. This is the reason why you can offer up to 70% discount and why you can buy much cheaper.
If you add to that that, on many occasions, Shipping costs are low, and since shipping corresponds to each seller, it works quite well.
In addition to having a space for big brands, it also seems that you can try to convince them to make room for you. In reality there is no form to be a seller like on Aliexpress or Amazon; But you can contact them if you have a brand to see if you might be interested in a collaboration.
Strengths and weaknesses of Privalia
Could it be that Privalia is a strong eCommerce that is difficult to take down? Is a business that is going to start now in the fashion sector going to be able to compete with this store? Well, the truth is that, if you thoroughly analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the brand, it may be.
You see, let's start with the strengths, that is, what Privalia does well and why it has so many clients at the end of the month. And the answer is clear: sells brand name clothes at cheap prices. Who doesn't want Nike sneakers at 20 euros instead of 200? And who doesn't want a Swarovski figurine from 150 euros to only 60? Well, that is an important differentiation.
Another strong point is Their shipping costs, which are quite economical, even more so if we add the fact that they can even be free. This means that a new eCommerce may have difficulty taking care of the shipping costs at first because they would not make a profit.
Now, does Privalia have no weaknesses? Well the truth is that yes. AND You only have to browse the Internet a little to find a lot of dissatisfaction with customer service. You can have a great business, but if you don't take care of your customers, they end up leaving as soon as they are convinced of something better. And that's where your business can attack. Offering personalized, direct attention that, above all, helps improve purchase satisfaction, will always be better.
Another weakness is the type of product it sells. Yes, we know that it is a strength in itself because it sells branded clothes at cheap prices. But branded clothing from previous seasons. And many people may not feel comfortable with that. Because, if the trend that year is to wear purple, and you wear orange, clashing a little...
Therefore, turning it around to turn it into a strength of an eCommerce could be offering branded clothing from the same season at prices that are somewhat more affordable for the pockets (perhaps at first obtaining less profits but making the business known).
What there is no doubt is that Privalia is one of the online stores where you find brands at cheap prices. But as a business there is a lot that can be improved and benefit you in yours. Had you analyzed it this way?