Spring 2019 - 93

UZURI MOBILE BOUTIQUE
Uzuri Mobile Boutique has been on the move and selling
fashion and accessories since June 2018. Ebone Marlowe
opened this mobile portion of her business less than a year
ago, but she has been on the road expanding her business
ever since.
Marlowe sources merchandise through a variety of
sources (almost 100) in order to " curate and put together
an exclusive line for Uzuri. " The majority of vendors she
works with are based in the U.S., but a few are in China.
Uzuri Mobile offers jewelry, accessories, and clothing.
Marlowe said, " Right now, Uzuri's best-selling clothing
items are the " Shagging it Up " sweater jacket by Hayden
Los Angeles and our Disco Nights Sequin pants by
Valentine. Accessories are the perfect complement, and
her top sellers include Solange gold chain harness by
Nihao Jewelry and a variety of handbags, especially from
Nihao Jewelry and Joia Accessory.
Uzuri Mobile Boutique operates in Delaware, Maryland,
and Virginia and is expanding to include New York events
this year. Locations are important for sales according to
Marlowe. " I select my events and locations based on the
type of event it is, " she explained. " I consider multiple
factors before committing to an event: the number of people
who attend, weather, and how the event is promoted. "
Her advice to others in the profession: " Book as many
events as you can. People love to see a store on wheels,
which is half of the work. " Marlowe believes mobile
environments should be treated as seriously as brick-andmortar
stores, and suggests owners operate on-the-go
businesses similarly.
" You still need to know your customer base, which
translates what areas and events you should be doing, "
she said. " On days you don't have an event, it is still good
to ride around and get familiar with people for future
references. Remember, you can come to the customer, so
do just that! "
Uzuri Mobile Boutique is more than a store, it is an
example of how leveraging online marketing today is
Uzuri Mobile Boutique
Ebone Marlowe, owner
www.iamuzuri.com
@uzuriboutique
Photos courtesy of Uzuri Mobile Boutique
" You still need to know your customer base,
which translates what areas and events you
should be doing. On days you don't have an
event, it is still good to ride around and get
familiar with people for future references.
Remember, you can come to the customer,
so do just that! "
- Ebone Marlowe, owner of Uzuri
beneficial. Marlowe is committed to her marketing efforts
and to increasing her customer base. She utilizes Facebook
ads and said, " It helps me grow my fan base on the Uzuri
page so when I advertise my items, I am showing them to a
broader audience. " Marlowe also utilizes Shopify, Instagram,
Twitter, and Pinterest to reach and engage customers. She
will launch a YouTube channel this year as well.
She captures shoppers' attention by utilizing Wanelo, a
digital platform which offers over 55,000 stores on their
site and provides a method of searching for items and
following favorite stores. Marlowe leverages this site and
it's platform to reach the college-aged shopper. " I like to
create 'stories' on Wanelo. When you create a story, you
are able to explain your piece to them in a sense. This is
how my Solange chain became my biggest jewelry seller, "
she said.
Mobile retail sales are successful, but Marlowe provides
other services to gain even more recognition and followers.
" I conduct many pop-up events throughout the year
in various locations; I also do home parties as well, "
she shared. " I like to give my customers the ultimate,
exclusive experience. Pop-up events allow my customers
to touch the pieces, try them on, etc. " She knows creating
an experience helps them feel confident about spending
money with Uzuri.
GIFTSHOPMAG.COM 93
http://www.iamuzuri.com http://www.GIFTSHOPMAG.COM
Spring 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spring 2019
