With over 3 million customers each year, it’s no wonder if you’re thinking about selling on Not On The High Street.
As the number 1 curated marketplace in the UK, if you really believe that your products are special and unique, NOTHS could be the platform for you.
And selling on notonthehighstreet is a great opportunity to showcase those products to a wide audience and in turn, increase your sales. And as 70% of Partners have grown their business with the marketplace since 2016, the proof really is in the pudding!
So whether you want to become a Partner, or your application has been accepted and you want to know where to start, we spoke to the NOTHS team for their top tips for selling on notonthehighstreet:
Notonthehighstreet’s Top Tips for Sellers
1. Be Yourself
It sounds cheesy, we know, but being unique is the key to succeeding on NOTHS. Carefully chosen sellers are what makes this marketplace what it is and they really champion creativity.
Notonthehighstreet and their customers love unique stories and want to know the journey from you to your end product - because that’s what makes it different!
Make sure your voice comes through in your application and it’s a good idea to include images that show the creation process as well as the end product. Ask yourself: what have you got that Not On The High Street haven’t seen before?
Even if your product type isn’t niche, consider why your version of said product is better than the rest.
And if you’re already on NOTHS, shine a spotlight on that difference in your images and descriptions. It’s not only a great way to draw attention to you and your shop but it’s also handy for standing out among the competition.
2. Check Out the Competition
Although every Partner on notonthehighstreet is carefully chosen, there are over 5,000 Partners featured on the site.
Think about what you can learn from those who are already succeeding on NOTHS. Take a look at the most popular Partners’:
- Products - find similar products to your own and ask yourself if what you’re selling is the same high quality. How have their products been pictured and which aspects are they upselling?
- Prices - it can be difficult to price your products, especially if you’re selling across different marketplaces. Researching other listings already on NOTHS means you can price your products correctly. And don’t forget to factor in that Not On The High Street takes a 25% commission of every product sold.
- USPs - whether it’s offering product personalisation, free shipping or gift wrapping - what could you do to give your customers that extra incentive to choose you?
Market research is invaluable when running or starting a small business especially when selling on an already competitive marketplace, because your products will sit next to thousands of others. So really take your time learning from the best to create a NOTHS shop that is bound for success.
3. Perfect Your Product Pictures
You don’t have to have professionally taken photos but a theme that runs throughout notonthehighstreet is that Partners’ product pictures are all done very well, emphasising exactly how that product would fit into their customer’s lifestyle.
This goes without saying when selling on any platform, but as NOTHS is a curated marketplace, clear photography really is a must. And going one step further with your imagery is even better. Try to:
- Sell the lifestyle and tell a story
Your photos need to captivate your audience emotionally and creatively.
- Style your shoot
Think about the products your customers would have in their homes and try to show a real glimpse into the customer’s stylish lifestyle or to bring the occasion to life.
- Show your products in action
As well as wearing/using your product, if your model is actively doing something too, this can help create a lifestyle that people will want to buy into.
- Employ a shallow depth of field
This can create a sense of contrast by isolating your product from the background.
- Bring in people
Using a diverse range of models, such as body types, ages, ethnicities and abilities, can enhance emotional engagement with an image.
- Think about colour
Consider the colours of your backdrop or props which can be used to bring a richness to your shot and make it more eye-catching.
4. Make the Most of Social Media
If you’ve sent off your application, make sure your social media is finetuned so if NOTHS research your shop, they’ll see the best bits.
And if you’ve already been accepted, link your social media to your Not On The High Street shop.
Social media is where a lot of brands start making a name for themselves. It lets you showcase all the best bits of your products for free and build those important relationships with your customers. There’s also an opportunity on platforms like Twitter and Instagram to show a lot of yourself and so create a really personable brand, which can be important and memorable for customers.
If you tell a snippet of your story on NOTHS, delve deeper on social media. Let it be an extension of the experience your customers get when they click on your products on notonthehighstreet.
And don’t forget to tag @notonthehighstreet when promoting your products - if they reshare your post it’ll be shown to your exact target market!
5. Ask For Reviews
Even if it starts with family and friends, reviews are invaluable in building trust with customers.
If you’re in the application process, having reviews on your website will show NOTHS that your brand is established and, most importantly, highly praised. Every marketplace wants to bring in that positive customer feedback so if you can show that you have an abundance of happy customers to bring to the platform, you’ll be on your way to a successful NOTHS shop in no time.
And when your application is accepted, you should try and get some reviews on your notonthehighstreet page too.
When looking for more ways to incentivise your customers to shop, why not offer free shipping?
Parcel2Go are proud to work with notonthehighstreet to provide small sellers and creative entrepreneurs with cheap and reliable shipping options, ensuring your customers’ parcels arrive safely and on time.
To make shipping even easier, you can automate your NOTHS orders with our free and easy online shipping solution, Smart Send - have you tried it yet?
Find more helpful information on becoming a Notonthehighstreet Partner.