Design is a challenging profession, and most designers learn early on in their careers that there are two ways to do it. Some choose to take the entrepreneurial route and launch their own brand, electing to deal with the challenges of production, marketing, and eCommerce. Others decide to leverage the resources of big box brands and design strictly for another company, which often limits their creative control and scope. But, there are new trends in the industry that are beginning to blur the line between the role of designer and entrepreneur.
eCommerce is on the rise worldwide, and because the middle class is growing globally, online retailers can expect significant growth in the coming years. A recent study found that online sales increased by 7.5 percent between June 2015 and June 2016. That kind of growth indicates a shift in consumer thinking, something ideal for smaller brands. If a retail business can operate without opening a brick-and-mortar location, designers who have a product but lack the capital to purchase coveted shelf space have the chance to compete.
Here are four industry trends that will help designers who want to go the entrepreneurial route:
1. Designer empowerment
While online growth gives designers options for eCommerce, it does not necessarily solve all of the other problems that come with starting a brand. For example, designers work tirelessly to create designs their fans and customers will like, but the product itself will never get developed without a manufacturing partner to actually produce them. Brands like Etsy opened up the eCommerce world for designers but did little to help them with production and operations.
There are a growing number of companies trying to take that next step and provide platforms that solve logistical hurdles for entrepreneurial designers.
Ryan Kang, CEO of ROOY, a footwear creation and eCommerce platform, shares, “Many designers cannot afford high start up costs and do not know how to create the operational side of their business. Manufacturing platforms help to eliminate those costs by leveraging networks of manufacturers and by being able to make low minimum quantities.”
Marketing can also be a…