There has been quite a number of articles like this one in the national newspapers recently, and the theme is clear- online boutiques are becoming a factor as they continue to make in-roads offline.

So instead of weekend bazaars and the occasional flea markets, they are now given more permanent physical presence.  As it says in the opening line, the critical implication here is that a physical presence is required to overcome the issues of customers not being able to touch and feel items online.

From The Star: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/8/21/central/6067431&sec=central

Online boutiques take on real world

By YIP YOKE TENG
teng@thestar.com.my
Photos by UU BAN

Shopping online for apparel is fast gaining popularity but there are some who remain sceptical since they cannot see or feel the items.
This is one reason why operators of online boutiques would sometimes sell items at weekend bazaars so potential customers can have a look at the merchandise that was posted on the Internet.
OB Couture at Tropicana City Mall brings the idea up a notch by offering a space for online boutique operators to display their goods and for customers to get them off the rack, in the comfort and convenience of a shopping mall.
Another plus point is shoppers do not need to wait for the weekends to nab their purchases.

Offline presence: Matthew Tang believes his store concept will work in Malaysia.

“The concept was started in Taiwan and Singapore, we believe shopping enthusiasts and online boutique operators here will find it useful.
“There are about 1,500 online boutiques in Malaysia, we can offer them our services,” said co-founder Matthew Tang.
The space in OB Couture is divided into 75 slots, each can have 30 hangers to display the apparel as well as a cabinet to store stock. Each slot is leased from RM11 a day.
“We want to reach out to not only the operators of online boutiques, but also fashion designers, fashion graduates and aspiring entrepreneurs,” he added.
Vendors only need to send their merchandise over while the boutique handles the rest — tagging, ironing, selling and replenishing the items among others — and send them a sales report every 10 days.

Embelishments: Accessories are also part of the offerings at OB Couture.

 

The three-month-old boutique is equipped with fitting rooms, a feature much appreciated by online shoppers.
“Prices of the merchandise are all set by vendors so they can have a sense of individuality.
“Some vendors were worried that putting the merchandise together would mean more competition, in fact it would create a synergy that brings the business to a big scale.
“This platform enables them to run their boutiques both online and offline even when they do not have a sizable capital at the moment and we complement their operations with promotions and advertisements,” Tang added.
OB Couture is located at Lot L1-35, First Floor, Tropicana City Mall, Jalan SS20/27, Petaling Jaya. Tang can be reached at 017-202 2710.