Move fast to meet the needs of your market – and find a whole new one

As Beginning Boutique’s revenue from fast fashion slowed, they followed the market into a new – and very different – sector.

Beginning Boutique is a fast-fashion etailer that Gen Z and millennials know as the place to go for up-to-the-minute party wear and street style. “Our customers are all around the world and they love us because we try to put them first in everything we do,” says Sarah Timmerman, founder and CEO of the Queensland-based business. “We do things a little bit differently and we make sure that we’re pushing boundaries when it comes to fashion online.”

But with COVID-19 restrictions severely limiting social events and Beginning Boutique’s sales declining rapidly, Timmerman needed a Plan B. Inspired by her sister, a doctor, telling her that there was a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) in Australia, she set to work. “We could see there was a need in the market and through our trusted suppliers, we were able to bring in the PPE very quickly,” she explains.

Within two weeks, Timmerman had launched AU Medic Supply – a retail site selling face masks, face shields, gloves and hand sanitiser – which now supplies medical professionals, businesses and individual shoppers.

On Beginning Boutique’s site, Timmerman is selling more fashion-focused cotton face masks. “Once we figured out how to make sure we were still relevant to our customer, we were excited,” she says.

Timmerman’s relationship with Australia Post was vital to the quick pivot, including working out a solution for shipping large bottles of hand sanitiser. “I’ve worked with Australia Post for more than 12 years and it’s been a great relationship,” she says. “They’re like an extension of Beginning Boutique and I value their customer focus because my customers don’t distinguish between the two of us.”

As party wear comes back out of the closet and demand for PPE continues, Timmerman is grateful to have Australia Post by her side for both her businesses. “They’re always very conscious of what’s going on in the market and keep us in the loop,” she says.

“Online retailers have to stay innovative. Make sure that you are staying in touch with your customer, understand what it is your business is doing and if it’s what your customers want. That is the key to success.”