Oz Startup takes on overseas fashion sites

Mark Freidin

6th Feb 2011

Australian startup Shopster.com.au Looks to Take on Overseas Fashion Sites with Designer Brands for Low Prices

As the Australian dollar hits parity with the U.S greenback and strengthens against most other currencies, consumers have been looking to buy everything from clothes to shoes to books online at discounts up to 70 percent lower than in Australian retail shops. Online newcomer Shopster.com.au has entered the fray to even the playing field.

After hearing complaints of designer duds costing 3 to 4 times more in department and specialty fashion stores than overseas, Shopster’s founders decided to cut out the fat and directly import famous brands, allowing them to charge less and offer a different variety than what is usually available in Australia.   While checking out the new site, famous brands like CK underwear, American Apparel basics and Ralph Lauren shirts and jeans for men and women can be found at up to 70% off the retail price.  Some of the prices on the site were actually even cheaper than overseas websites like Amazon or Overstock, even when shipping and freight were calculated.

In our interview with Alex Ruzenberg, Shopster’s sales manager, we were told they scour  the U.S, Europe and Asia for the best brands at the lowest prices and since they only sell online ‘’we don’t have to pay hundreds of thousands a year in rent, passing the savings directly to our customers’’.  He also encourages customers to come back often to the site as the range changes every few weeks with different styles, brands and sizes. “People should understand since we get our products at reduced prices and sell with lower margins, we may not always have the same style in a variety of sizes.  It’s kind of like a treasure hunt to find the best designer piece at the lowest price.  I’ve been told from some of our customers our prices are even cheaper than some no name clothes from Target.  They just need to check in often and look thoroughly to find those CK jeans or designer evening dress at the best price.  Also, since we just started we are slowly and surely increasing our inventory. We should have accessories, shoes and household products added sometime in 2011. To make it easy we urge customers to sign up to our e mail list and we’ll keep them updated”.

With free (overnight) shipping and exchanges (min 99$ purchase), savings of 30-70% or more off the retail price, and some of most famous brands in the world, we know we’ll be checking in often.