November 2001

WebClothes.com -- An E-Business Success Story

It stands for "E"ntrepreneur with a capital "E" ...

It's difficult enough to start a business. It is perhaps even more difficult to start a business that depends on a new technology to market and sell your products. Jim and Dee Anderson utilized the Internet to not only launch WebClothes.com in 1998, but to drive triple digit growth with a keen business acumen that resulted in the company being named a finalist for Ernst & Young's 2001 Entrepreneur of the Year award at a gala banquet held in Rochester, New York.

In the challenging world of E-Commerce, what's the secret to the company's success?

According to Dee, the answer is a combination of things. "We had the right product, the right business strategy, and the right combination of experience all at the right time to get started." The right product is the "Value Priced Store" appeal of WebClothes.com. Busy customers -- especially working moms short of time -- looking for brand selection, find the E-based convenience and affordable prices of WebClothes.com products extremely appealing. In addition, Jim and Dee's experience and background in E-Commerce business, retail apparel sales, and business marketing, provided the important foundation to develop the company's infrastructure. Approximately 25 employees handle operations that meet customer expectations on time, every time.

As WebClothes.com's sales volume increased, the company outgrew its original relationship with YAHOO! and needed to develop its own proprietary site that could provide both inventory and product controls, as well as the volume that customers wanted. To meet this need, the firm turned to the SBA and local lending institutions to secure the funding that would enable it to develop the technology it required. The rest, as they say, is history.

Dee is cautiously optimistic about future growth. "The national economic climate supports our value oriented customer base," she says. The firm's mastery of the E-Commerce platform provides the marketing and sales gateway. Management's sophisticated business savvy has provided the solid cornerstone for growth. And, if things stay on target, local shoppers may see a retail "brick and mortar" store this coming spring .... Just another step for an "E"xtremely savvy smart-growth company.