Online fashion marketplace Atterley.com has experienced a sales increase of over 200 per cent during the COVID-19 lockdown against the same period in 2019. Atterley, which is used by over 250 independent boutiques to reach customers worldwide, has around 2,800 brands live on the site and has one of the highest Trustpilot ratings in the sector at 4.7. Atterley was founded in 2016 by Michael Welch OBE, who sold online tyre retail business to Michelin for $100 million in 2014.
Atterley’s founder and chairman Mike Welch said: “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 in each store ensuring safe continuous trading while their doors remain closed to the public. We’re seeing customer growth on the back of the public wanting to support local boutiques during the pandemic and we’ve also seen a marked upswing in boutiques wanting to join the platform since the lockdown took hold.”
Sarah Murray, owner of designer boutique Jane Davidson in Edinburgh, said: “During the current UK lockdown, Atterley provides an additional sales channel which provides boutiques like mine with welcome stability. I also like the sense of community, being part of a collective with other independent retailers in the UK and worldwide.”
Atterley launched a Crowdcube campaign today, targeting a minimum £500,000 to support the further development of its marketplace technology for boutiques and grow its presence in overseas regions including the US. Mike Welch added: “The retail world will change forever post COVID-19 and retailers will be forced to adapt to fast-changing consumer buying trends. Our investment plan is focused on ensuring that Atterley and our partner boutiques are long-term winners as the market evolves. Market conditions are going to increasingly suit industry players like Atterley and we can see a situation where there is less competition when the current shakedown stabilises.”
