{"id":166240,"date":"2020-04-27T09:34:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-27T09:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theindustry.fashion\/atterley-sales-up-200-as-it-launched-crowdfunding-campaign\/"},"modified":"2021-08-06T12:05:34","modified_gmt":"2021-08-06T12:05:34","slug":"atterley-sales-up-200-as-it-launched-crowdfunding-campaign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theindustry.fashion\/atterley-sales-up-200-as-it-launched-crowdfunding-campaign\/","title":{"rendered":"Atterley sales up 200% as it launched crowdfunding campaign"},"content":{"rendered":"
Atterley, the online fashion marketplace for independent retailers, has reported a 200% uptick in sales during the coronavirus lockdown<\/strong> and has launched a crowdfunding campaign.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The company, led by Edinburgh entrepreneur Mike Welch, is looking to raise \u00a3500,000 via its Crowdcube campaign.\u00a0<\/strong>It is planning to invest the money in improving its technology, adding to its team and expanding its operations internationally, including in the US.<\/p>\n So far the business has 250 fashion retailers worldwide represented on its site selling 2,000 brands<\/strong> and founder and chairman Welch said the marketplace model had been a lifeline for independent retailers during lockdown.<\/p>\n \"The beauty of our business model is that instead of operating out of warehouses with stockpiles, our boutique partners provide Atterley with stock and can operate with just one person<\/strong> in each store ensuring safe continuous trading while their doors remain closed to the public.<\/p>\n \"We're seeing customer growth on the back of the public wanting to support local boutiques during the pandemic<\/strong> and we've also seen a marked upswing in boutiques wanting to join the platform since the lockdown took hold,\" Welch said.<\/p>\n Sarah Murray<\/span>, owner of designer boutique Jane Davidson<\/span>\u00a0in Edinburgh<\/span>, said: \"During the current UK lockdown, Atterley provides an additional sales channel which provides boutiques like mine with welcome stability.<\/strong> I also like the\u00a0sense of community, being part of a collective with other independent retailers in the UK and worldwide.\"<\/p>\n Alongside the Crowdcube campaign Atterley is also in active conversation with VC investors.<\/p>\n The platform was launched in 2016 as a marketplace by Welch, who had sold his online tyre retail business Blackcircles to Michelin for $100 million<\/span> in 2014. <\/strong><\/p>\n It had previously been a multi-brand online boutique\u00a0set up by former Jigsaw designer\u00a0Katie Starmer-Smith, but despite backing from William Currie Group and former Tesco chief Sir Terry Leahy, it entered into administration in 2016. Welch bought it and relaunched using the Farfetch-style marketplace model.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":138275,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16042,10585,6,10494,12973],"tags":[10001,10621,10624,21,5978,13038],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n