We will tell you which online exhibition system is easy for small- and medium-sized BtoB apparel makers to work on, which system is beneficial to both the company and buyers, specific methods from preparation to holding the exhibition, and the hot online sales promotion tool, the “Instant Order Link”.
INDEX
Rapidly Spreading Apparel Makers’ Online Exhibitions
- The number of meetings with buyers has decreased.
- The number of new leads is slowing down.
Over the past couple of years, many BtoB apparel manufacturers have been affected by the measures taken to combat the spread of the new coronavirus, such as cancelling or postponing exhibitions, reducing the scale of exhibitions, and decreasing the number of visitors.
In the past, sales activities were conducted only after the customer actually saw and held the product in his/her hands, and negotiations and business talks were initiated. Apparel makers, both large and small, are trying to find new sales channels other than trade shows.
In particular, sales activities and marketing in the web domain, which had not been fully utilized until now, are being reevaluated, and the number of apparel makers holding or exhibiting at “online exhibitions” has increased rapidly.
In addition to apparel, the manufacturing industry, including the automobile industry, which is a good match for online exhibitions, and the retail industry, including the food and furniture industries, are shifting their exhibitions and trade fairs online and beginning to hold and exhibit at them in earnest.
While not allowing visitors to touch products or engage in face-to-face communication as in a real exhibition, online exhibition operations are attracting attention for their advantages such as location, time, travel restrictions, unaffected by weather, and experience value that can be covered by digital technology.
- Seeking online sales activities
- Can we expand our promotion at low cost?
For sales representatives of BtoB apparel manufacturers who want to increase contact with customers, increase order rates from existing buyers, and recover orders, and especially for small- and medium-sized companies that have difficulty investing budgets and internal resources, we will explain “what is the best online exhibition tool”. We will explain “What is the best online exhibition tool?
Types of Online Exhibitions
Online exhibitions are also called “web exhibitions” or “virtual exhibitions”.
It is a virtual space where customers, buyers, and visiting users view products and services online with images and videos, communicate with representatives via chat, and conduct business negotiations in real time.
Companies offering online exhibitions vary from event companies that host real joint exhibitions to IT companies that operate platforms and system companies that develop SaaS and core systems.
Online exhibition platforms can be divided into three main categories.
- Platform-based “Distribution/SNS Type”
- “3D/2D type”
- “Ordering system-integrated type” in which transaction operations from holding online exhibitions to order management can be completed with a single tool.
The above are the types of platforms available.
The following is an explanation of the features, costs, and order flow for each of these types.
Distribution/SNS Type
This is a “distribution and SNS type” online exhibition where promotions are developed by operating accounts established on YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter.
The main contents and roles of this type of exhibition are as follows
- Publication of fashion show videos
- Live distribution of new product introductions
- Digital catalog of images and videos posted
- Communication through comments on live streaming
- Archiving of collections
- Expansion of brand awareness
Live-streaming of an exhibition has a sense of realism and viewers’ enthusiasm is high, and business negotiations can be expected to be conducted in a fresh state. Publishing content through posts will also make it easier for viewers to spread the word if the content and quality are enjoyable for them.
In addition, the account should be actively operated on a regular basis to increase awareness and influence, and to acquire and maintain followers so that it can attract customers at the timing of new product launches and exhibitions.
It is also a good idea to open a dedicated account for exhibitions, separate from the brand’s official account, and make it available exclusively to buyers and customers.
Operating cost
Opening and using accounts such as YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter is free.
The use of the platforms themselves is easy to get started, and you will have no trouble operating them, as there are often staff using them and explanatory blogs and videos to help you out.
However, there is a cost involved in creative production, such as planning the videos to be posted, shooting the material, and editing.
If you can assign a staff member who is good at SNS operation, you can produce quality content at relatively low cost by posting user-oriented content such as UGC, but if you want to create full-fledged quality content, you will need to pay for a production team and outsourcing costs.
The process up until ordering
It will be difficult to receive orders from buyers on social networking sites because YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter do not have ordering and payment functions that suit BtoB apparel transactions. (Instagram has a shopping function, which allows for normal e-commerce (sales from product pages).
Distribution and SNS type online exhibitions are only a tool for brand awareness and PR, and a way to design a flow line from posted content or DM to Zoom or other video chat tools to lead to business meetings is possible.
[Distribution/SNS type] Can it be used as an online exhibition tool for apparel manufacturers?
YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter are more like BtoC platforms that are operated as part of marketing and promotions with the main focus on acquiring fans.
They do not have functions to manage order information or customer information, and back-office operations, including billing and payment management, are performed using external software and systems, making operations more complicated. It would be effective to combine the online exhibition tool with a real exhibition, a 3D/2D type, or a type that integrates an ordering system, rather than using only the distribution and SNS types.
3D/2D Type
Online exhibitions are 3DCG or 2D reproductions of actual stores or exhibition booths in a virtual space.
Online exhibitions can be held by a company’s own brand alone or as a joint online exhibition with multiple manufacturers and brands.
The advantages of holding this type of online exhibition are as follows
The ability to see products represented realistically in virtual booths
- Highly realistic and immersive experience using 3DCG and VR
- No limitation on the number of visitors, and can expect visitors from both inside and outside of Japan.
- Data can be utilized, such as the route traveled by participants, time spent, questionnaires, etc.
- The host company will be in charge of attracting visitors and management (joint online exhibition)
In contrast, there are two possible disadvantages.
- This 3D/2D type provides a simulated experience similar to that of a real exhibition, but CG and dynamic content can be burdensome to the communication environment, resulting in slow operation and viewing interruptions.
- It is also important to note that the number of participants depends on the level of recognition and PR of the host company, and that it is not possible to attract participants to a booth by calling out to them.
Operational cost
The biggest disadvantage of the 3D/2D type is the operational cost.
If you want to hold the event on your own special site, it will be a fairly large project, including the cost of full CG production, 360-degree panoramic camera for booths and products, system development costs, and system maintenance costs during the event period.
Exhibiting on a platform can also be an online exhibition costing several million or even more than 10 million yen, depending on the scale of the event and the services and functions offered.
A simple virtual booth can be exhibited at the same event for as little as several hundred thousand yen, but you will need to carefully consider whether it will fit your company’s image and products.
Process until ordering
Some platforms may not have a flow line to orders, order information management, or payment.
When considering which platform to exhibit on, make sure to check what kind of functions and services it offers, how you can communicate with participants, and how easy it is to use the platform from preparation to follow-up on the day of the event and after the event.
[3D/2D Type] Can it be used as an online exhibition tool for apparel manufacturers?
After all, it must be said that 3D/2D type online exhibitions are cost-prohibitive for small- and medium-sized apparel manufacturers.
Because of the high cost of exhibiting (several hundred thousand to several million yen), only companies with a limited budget can afford to exhibit, and the number of small- and medium-sized brands exhibiting is low.
In addition, while 3D/2D type joint online exhibitions have been held for various industries, the number of events for joint online exhibitions for BtoB apparel is still small, and future efforts are expected.
In-house 3D online exhibition
Organize an online exhibition of your brand by inviting customers and invited guests.
Joint 3D Online Exhibition
Avatars (visitors) move freely through the virtual space to visit brand booths.
Joint 2D online exhibition
An EC-type BtoB exhibition platform where multiple brands can exhibit, conduct business negotiations with buyers, and conduct transactions.
Integrated ordering system
It is a platform that combines an online exhibition with an order system, where buyers place orders from a rich digital catalog with a UI/UX similar to that of an e-commerce site.
Back-office SaaS (*) and sales management systems with online exhibition functions are options.
※SaaS (Software as a Service) = Applications and services used with a web browser through the Internet.
- One-stop service from online exhibition to order tally, slip creation, and delivery
- Low communication load, complete with a browser on a smartphone, PC, or tablet
- No need to set up a website for the exhibition
- Shorten lead time from order receipt to delivery
- Collections can be arranged according to buyers’ timing and needs
Although it is not possible to conduct business negotiations while holding products in one’s hands like at a real exhibition, it is possible to express the appeal of a brand through videos that convey the background of design, materials, and commitment to technology, as well as 360-degree images and high-resolution images with a high degree of reproducibility.
Operation costs
While package-type systems are expensive, with initial development costs in the millions and monthly maintenance costs in the tens or hundreds of thousands, SaaS requires no development costs, and all functions, from online exhibitions to order management to product management, are available for a monthly fee. SaaS is a service that allows you to use all functions from online exhibitions and order management to product management for a monthly fee.
SaaS usage fees vary from several thousand yen to several tens of thousands of yen, depending on the industry and functions supported. In the case of DEXTRE, a back-office SaaS specialized for BtoB apparel, the monthly fee is 20,000 yen.
※Some SaaS may require additional fees to expand functionality
▼Please also see related articles when you have time.
Order Process
The major difference between the distribution/SNS type, 3D/2D type, and integrated order system is the smartness of operations after receiving orders from buyers.
SaaS systems specialized for BtoB apparel offer user-friendly operability with functions suited to complicated exhibition operations and unique and complex transactions. For example, from trade show preparation to delivery, the following tasks and processes can be completed with a single tool
- Catalog creation
- Line sheet creation
- Buyer order placement
- Confirmation of order status
- Aggregate order information
- Inquiry with inventory status in inventory management
- Production management
- Picking list creation
- Issue and send vouchers
- Payment management
- Data output to external software such as Excel
The integrated ordering system, which links the online exhibition with the back office, enables an efficient and cost-effective workflow from order receipt to delivery.
Changes to order details that occur during the course of a transaction are also easy to make. A single correction in one place automatically corrects the related data and voucher, greatly reducing input errors such as transcription and mishearing.
Can I use an Integrated Ordering System for online exhibitions for apparel makers? Can I use it?
An online exhibition tool that fits the needs and work system of small- and medium-sized BtoB apparel manufacturers would be an integrated order system.
There are two reasons for this
- Optimized for BtoB transactions
- Inexpensive to implement and maintain
In the future, it is possible that distribution, SNS, and 3D/2D types will be able to provide a better exhibition experience for both buyers and brands as platforms evolve, but at present, online exhibition functions of back-office SaaS that are integrated with ordering systems, especially those that support apparel operations, are the easiest and most cost-effective tools for small- and medium-sized BtoB apparel manufacturers to start using. At present, the online exhibition functionality of a back-office SaaS that is integrated with an order system, especially for apparel operations, is the easiest and most cost-effective tool for small- and medium-sized BtoB apparel manufacturers to start using.
3 Online Exhibition Tools for Small and Mid-Size B-to-B Apparel Makers to Choose
Now, we would like to share with you three points that you should “keep in mind” when choosing which of the many online exhibition tools integrated with an order system to use.
1.High quality and variety of visuals
The quality of images and videos is very important for online exhibitions where you cannot see the products in person.
Skimping on the visual representation of your products will ruin your brand’s image and credibility.
Choose a tool that allows you to post large, beautiful, and plentiful (preferably unlimited) videos and images that are carefully composed, high-quality, and tell a story.
High-quality multi-step zoom function for clear rendering of fiber details
Apparel SaaS product page with video, 3D and 360° images
2. Multiple online exhibitions with different conditions can be held.
While it is basic to be able to create an exhibition for each season or collection, it is a good idea to select a tool that allows you to change the content for each buyer.
If the products you want to propose are different for different buyers, such as buyers with whom you have already done business, buyers who are doing business for the first time as invited guests, or buyers who have their own conditions and preferences for product lineups, it would be useful to be able to guide the exhibition with a digital catalog or collection created for each buyer.
Another function that is necessary for apparel makers with many clients is the ability to set multipliers, transaction terms, and payment terms for each buyer.
3. Supports overseas transactions
Online exhibitions, which can be held from any location, require tools that can accommodate not only distant buyers but also international buyers.
In particular, if the buyers with whom you do business are based in countries around the world, the ability to conduct transactions simultaneously in multiple languages and currencies is a prerequisite.
A tool that can provide detailed support, such as the ability to set languages, currencies, product information, prices, and transaction terms tailored to overseas buyers, will be very useful.
“Instant Order Link” a new form of transaction and ordering for BtoB apparel
“Instant Order Link” is a sales tool that is completed by simply creating a URL.
- This is one of the functions in the online exhibition tool integrated with the ordering system. Just by selecting the products you want to put together in a catalog from the product list and clicking a button, a URL is created and a web catalog is automatically created at the link.
- Even if you do not have an EC site, you can send the URL to an e-mail, LINE, or Zoom chat, and the recipient will link to the product page, the order will be completed, and the transaction will start. Buyers who place orders through the instant order link are automatically added to the buyers list.
- The URL has a password attached to it, so it is possible to make the URL visible only to those to whom you have given the password.
- It is also possible to create URLs in different languages and currencies for overseas buyers.
As apparel manufacturers develop their digital marketing, they could try the following sales channel expansion ideas, for example.
- Direct information on leading products and special order products
- Flexible transaction support for existing customers
- Transaction channels other than websites and online exhibitions
- Utilization for customer exclusive campaigns
If a brand has a BtoC product line, it can be posted on social networking timelines or used for influencer marketing. Another way is to use the auto-responder function of LINE’s official account to set up a flow that sends an instant order link, creating a channel where orders can be easily placed from a smartphone.
A “necessary tool” even after Corona is over.
After COVID which began in 2020, has changed the way goods and people move, trade, and work worldwide. As things come to a close, some things will return to normal, while others will continue in new forms.
Among them, industries and operations that have become more efficient through DX and have been able to increase productivity and create added value will not have the option of reverting, but will need to evolve further.
Small and medium-sized BtoB apparel manufacturers are no exception.
In fact, a manufacturer that uses DEXTRE, a comprehensive back-office tool specialized for apparel operations, for order management and online exhibitions has told us that sending “Instant Order Links” to buyers by e-mail and distributing them to related parties at events has led to orders and sales that are the same as those in the real world. We have received feedback that this has led to the same orders and sales as real exhibitions.
In addition to reducing exhibition costs, buyers also said that online exhibitions, which are easy to access, provide a wealth of information on each product, and are easy to read, have allowed them to spend more time carefully examining the products than real exhibitions.
The online exhibition has become a more efficient and valuable contact point for both manufacturers and buyers, and is a “necessary tool” even after Corona has passed.
In Closing
The situation surrounding apparel manufacturers has changed dramatically over the past couple of years.
It will take some time before they are able to hold real exhibitions on the previous scale.
In such an environment, many apparel makers have started taking on the challenge of online sales activities and sales channel expansion early on. Online exhibitions are evolving rapidly in response to rapidly growing needs. Platforms are not only SNS and SaaS, but also simple URL sales and VR and AR-based collection presentations are being created.
Corona has increased the amount of time and opportunity for the apparel industry, as well as the various companies and consumers affected, to take advantage of the online experience. It may be time for apparel makers to be bold in their approach, to see if there is potential online to grow their business and seize opportunities.
DEXTRE offers SaaS that packages online exhibitions and back-office operations such as order management for BtoB apparel makers. We support BtoB apparel makers who aim to improve their sales activities and operations across real and online from both system construction and practical aspects.
Please feel free to contact us to discuss how to start an online exhibition suited to your company, or how to introduce and operate a business system.