How does showcaze.co.uk work?

Showcaze eBoutiques provide an online facility for high calibre independent and emerging fashion designers (or their agents) to market, showcase and sell their products.

It provides a high visibility, high impact, interaction between buyers and sellers by promoting their brand through eBoutiques.

For the buyers of fashionware, there is no longer any need to remember individual website addresses, or sifting through pages of search engine results.

Since new eBoutiques and products are continuously being added to showcaze.co.uk you can also keep up with the latest fashion trends through regular visits to this site.

What is an eBoutique?

An eBoutique is an online (on the Web) boutique. The showcaze.co.uk site provides a very easy to use facility that allows an eBoutique to be quickly set-up by non-technical (and even novice) users.

However, should it become necessary, professional help and support is only an email away. Showcaze is also happy to assist fashion designers who might prefer to have the eBoutique set up for them, by using our own design/graphic professionals.

Who should I contact for additional information on Showcaze?

To contact Showcaze, simply send us your request via the online form on the Contact Us page.

We will normally respond to you within 48 hours of receipt of your query.

What are the benefits of the Showcaze eBoutique?

The eBoutique facility makes it possible for buyers to easily locate fashion designers just by searching for items of their interest.

Since it provides the optimal combination of features and functionality between a website and an e-Shop (e-Commerce), fashion designers can also use the eBoutique to increase export trade and to test new market opportunities prior to a full-scale investment in a website or e-Commerce project.

How do I visit eBoutiques?

One of the cool features of Showcaze is that you can use the View Gallery page to customise your gallery to display the only the items that interest you.

You have three options, either:
1. Use keyword(s) to search for items from ALL eBoutiques, or
2. Select products by category from ALL eBoutiques, or

How do I buy on Showcaze?

To buy an item on Showcaze, you can either visit the eBoutique and use the contact details given there. Alternatively, if the Seller has enabled the eCommerce feature you can place your order by clicking on the Buy It button.Otherwise, if the Seller is only using the showcasing feature then clicking on the Buy It button will allow you use the online query form.

Please note that the final agreement on the sale and delivery of goods is strictly between the buyer and the designer. Showcaze has no involvement in this process. Being middleman-free is partly the reason why eBoutique customers enjoy commission FREE sales.

Is Showcaze for me?

If you are a fashion designer looking to market and promote your brand or label then Showcaze is definitely a place for you.

Showcaze caters for the online marketing needs of fashion designers, individual artists, and suppliers of fashionware.

The built-in e-Commerce option allows you to upgrade to full online retailing, with a choice of payment gateways. Please contact us for further details or refer to our PRO Optional Services Guide for more details.

Many of our eBoutique customers are also engaged in retail, wholesale, import, or export activities.

How do I sign-up for an eBoutique?

Opening an eBoutique is easy:

(a) From the home page, click on 'SIGN UP' page link.

(b) Complete and submit the short form on the 'Sign Up for eBoutique' page.
Here, you will be able to select your account username and password, and specify a valid email address.

(c) You will receive confirmation of your eBoutique registration by email, together with concise instructions on how to set-up and activate in three easy steps.

(d) You may also start work on your eBoutique immediately after completing Step (b) above.

Note: An online user guide is available to registered eBoutique account holders. This is a very useful resource for learning how to set-up your eBoutique.

How much does it cost to sign-up for an eBoutique account?

It's FREE to sign up for an eBoutique account. Your subscription only starts when your request for activation is approved by Showcaze.

How much does it cost to rent my eBoutique?

There are two types of eBoutiques available, depending on the number of products that you need to display:

Invogue eBoutique
The larger 'Invogue' version permits up to 50 products. It's rental fee is £18.00 per calendar month.

Smart eBoutique
The smaller 'Smart' version is for designers who only need to display up to 12 products at any given time. The rental fee is just £9.00 per calendar month.

How is the rental subscription for my eBoutique collected?

The rental subscription is payable in advance, at the beginning of each rental period.

The quickest way to pay your rental subscription is by logging into your Showcaze account and using the 'Activate & Renew Subscription' section in your eBoutique Manager. This allows you to make payments securely via PayPal.

On certain occasions, such as when a customer opts for our professional eBoutique set-up service (see PRO Option), then we request payment for these services in advance. We may also accept other forms of payment, by a separate arrangement.

How long is the normal rental period?

The normal rental period for a Showcaze eBoutique is 12 months. This is renewable on an annual 'pay as you go' basis. The rental fee is payable at the beginning of each period.

See this FAQ item for longer rental periods.

When do I get a web-link for my eBoutique homepage?

As soon as you activate your eBoutique, you will be advised the web-link to your eBoutique homepage.

The web-link has the form: mybrand.showcaze.co.uk

You may, if you so wish, use this link to refer your existing customers/mailing list, PR agents, friends and colleagues directly to your eBoutique.

How many products can I have in my eBoutique?

Currently, there are two types of eBoutiques available on Showcaze.

Invogue eBoutique
The larger 'Invogue' eBoutique permits up to 50 products.

Smart eBoutique
The smaller 'Smart' version is for designers who only need to display up to 12 products at any given time.

Please note that the search facility on Showcaze is the main method for locating products. This allows multiple eBoutiques (or even separate Collections or labels) to be set-up by the same owner.

I'm located outside of the UK, can I open an eBoutique?

Yes, you would be most welcome to join our growing community of international fashion designers.

Whilst Showcaze is based in London, UK, it is marketed internationally.

But I already have a website! How can I benefit from an eBoutique?

Even if you already have a website a Showcaze eBoutique may still benefit your business by increasing your exposure to potential buyers.

You can specify your contact details, and your own website and email address within your eBoutique profile.

Also, the online enquiry form allows prospective buyers to contact the eBoutique owner directly, without any intervention from Showcaze.

What if I need assistance in setting up my eBoutique?

Showcaze is happy to assist designers with setting up their eBoutiques, under our outsourcing option PRO (professional set-up).

For a one-off charge Showcaze will set-up your eBoutique on your behalf. Please click here to read our PRO Optional Services Guide for more details.

You can request the PRO service at any time from us. Simply send us your request via the online form on the Contact Us page.

We will contact you within 48 hours of the receipt your request to discuss your requirements in detail and make the necessary arrangements for you to supply us your eBoutique details and the graphical images of the products that you would like to add to the gallery.

I have forgotten my password, what should I do?

Don't worry! Simply go to the Log In page and follow the instructions below the 'Log In' button.

You can also change your password in the Profile section of your eBoutique Manager.

Can I change my account username?

No. For security reasons it is not possible to change your account username.

However, on certain occasions we may undertake this for you by special request. However, we will need additional form of verification from you at the time of processing your request.

Are there any limits on how often I can update my eBoutique?

No. There are no restrictions or limits on how often you can update your eBoutique.

Please note that updates to your products, business overview and profile are subject to a quality assurance review by Showcaze, which may take up to 48 hours. During this time the new changes will not appear in the public gallery.

What if I require additional features?

As part of the ongoing development and enhancement of the Showcaze facility, we regularly solicit comments and suggestions from customers and industry sources. These are incorporated into our long-term product and service offering development plans.

We appreciate customer feedback. If you have a suggestion regarding a particular feature (e.g. additional product categories) then please use the Contact Us form to let us know. And we will consider you request in the light of our future development plans.

The showcaze.co.uk website utilises the current state-of-the-art technology platform. This not only ensures the future stability of our service, but also saves money for our eBoutique customers since they no longer have to make their own investments in new Web technology.

Can I arrange a longer rental period?

Yes, you certainly can!

Whilst we believe that the 12-monthly arrangement provides the optimal level of flexibility for our customers, we are happy to arrange longer rental periods, and offer discounts on longer rental periods. Please contact us for more information.

What about the small print?

There are a few points you should note regarding the use of the showcaze.co.uk eBoutique facility:

(a) Showcaze reserves the right to modify the terms and conditions relating to the use of this facility. However, where these conditions have a material impact on our customers, we will inform them of the changes at least 30 days in advance, using their eBoutique account email.

(b) If a customer fails to renew their subscription then Showcaze may decide to suspend the eBoutique. We would normally send an an email reminder. However, it is the customer's own responsibility to maintain their subscription, to ensure that their eBoutique continues to remain active. Showcaze will not engage in any further dialogue in this respect.

(c) Any product images and descriptions, including the eBoutique profile and contact details remain the intellectual property of the eBoutique customer, and the customer remains responsible at all times for ensuring the accuracy, suitability, and compliance with the appropriate trade regulations.

(d) Privacy of customer information: By registering for an eBoutique the customer agrees that all information contained in the eBoutique is for public disclosure. The customer's information relating to the eBoutique subscription and eCommerce(if applicable) will remain confidential at all times.

(e) Dormant Accounts:
An eBoutique account that is opened but not activated is termed a Dormant Account. Where an account remains dormant for 30 days after the date it was first opened, it will be deleted. The account user will then need to re-apply for a new account.

(f) Designers must be over 18 years of age to rent an eBoutique; otherwise Showcaze must first receive a written consent from a parent or legal guarantor.