Website Closers® presents an eCommerce Brand that has, for over 23 years, polished their operations and carved themselves a valued spot in the Samurai Gear and Accessories niche. They distribute traditionally crafted, fully functional, and customized reproduction samurai armor, clothing, and accessories worldwide, providing enthusiasts with quality samurai products outside of Japan. Their 100+ products have attracted a diverse audience, which includes display/collection buyers, martial artists, LARPers, cosplayers, and historical reenactment enthusiasts.
The brand doesn’t just cater to individual customers, however. Their customizable reproductions of classic and historic samurai armor have given them a growing client base across various industries worldwide, with their products being featured in museums, restaurants, interior design, and even in movies and television shows due to samurai armor being popular in Hollywood. While this has served as a strong source of advertising for the brand, one of their largest traffic generators has been their glowing word-of-mouth testimonials among fans of samurai armor everywhere.
Another factor behind their excellent sales has been their dedication to authenticity and quality craftsmanship. They have worked closely with their supplier network to provide the best possible products to the wide range of clients across industries and applications that they serve. Their dedication to the craft has paid off in the form of a 70% Repeat Customer Rate- a rare statistic for many eCommerce brands- and an Average Order Value (AOV) of $680.
The company has been able to tap into a lucrative market through their specialized SKUs, which are sold exclusively under their brand name. As most of their products are custom-made-to-order and designed to the customer’s specifications, they have had a minimal need to stock inventory, saving them time and money on warehousing. Though most of their sales are DTC, a rising 10% of their profits are generated through their wholesale and retail clients.
Business Broker Takeaway
1. Improved Productivity. The brand was recently able to double their production capacity after their main supplier finished constructing their new facility. In the past, the company dealt with possible delays during peak sales times for their made-to-order products, which their manufacturer’s new 6,000-square-foot factory, automated machinery, and additional production manager and workers will help to avoid going forward. Their production capabilities have doubled, allowing the brand to meet orders faster and release new SKUs.
2. Diverse Catalog. The nature of the brand’s niche means they face little competition as they continue to expand, putting them in the position of being the leading global distributor for customizable and traditionally crafted samurai armor and clothing. Their high-quality products are so well-regarded around the world that they have been featured in recent shows like Shogun on Hulu and Age of Samurai-Battle for Japan on Netlfix, giving them an unparalleled portfolio that keeps more curious consumers looking into the brand as time goes by.
3. Growth Opportunities. Their supplier’s new facilities have allowed the brand to both meet a higher number of orders and begin rolling out additional SKUs. These new products include an expansion of Chinese and Korean-style armor, a print-on-demand t-shirt line, and new digital artwork that aligns with the mockups their customers have purchased in the past. The brand has also started research on the introduction of new synthetic armor, which very few of their rivals offer. A buyer could easily scale the brand by continuing to build on their product catalog, and by expanding their social media marketing campaigns to draw attention to their new and old SKUs alike.
The Company
Since June of 2001, the brand has spent over 2 decades refining their samurai-centric product portfolio for the best possible results. Their products’ customizability has been a major draw for many of their customers, which they complement with additional accessories and services to help them distinguish themselves from traditional Japanese manufacturers. They have incorporated a highly competitive pricing strategy that lets them stay ahead of the few rivals they have in their niche and keep their customers coming back for more.
The brand also maintains exclusive distribution contracts with their suppliers, which prevent them from selling the company’s products to anyone else. 99% of their products are DropShipped by their suppliers directly to their customers, avoiding the need for expensive warehousing and inventory costs. Their sales tend to be consistent throughout the year. The brand requires little to no inventory outside of stocking a few small items in the US for fast and easy shipping. They order new inventory every 3 months.
Operations and Marketing
The brand’s daily operations are managed by a private services firm, with current ownership being responsible for a mere 10% of the workload. Their key responsibilities consist of direct marketing and sales.
As the samurai armor community is incredibly tight knit, the positive reputation that the brand has cultivated for themselves has proven to be one of their most valuable assets. Their customers often encourage their friends and peers to purchase from the company, which, in turn, leads to more sales and even more glowing referrals. Their average client is typically a man between the ages of 22 and 62 with finances to spare on this hobby.
They have bolstered their flow of organic traffic through an SEO program on their website and active social media accounts that improve customer engagement. Their Facebook account now has a remarkable 31,000+ followers, while their Instagram has over 7,500. They also regularly engage with multiple Facebook fans and community pages that are relevant to their key audience. The brand posts stories every day and videos every week to promote their products and strengthen their bond with their customer base. Their combined marketing strategies bring in an average of 17,000+ unique visitors to their website every month.
Conclusion
This deal’s new owner can look forward to a leading position in a thriving niche, steady recurring revenue, and a loyal customer base that’s ripe for future upsells and cross-sells. Their improved production capacity has put them in a great position to expand their catalog and continue growing, and with no serious inventory costs, an ambitious entrepreneur can work to quickly expand the company and their operations.
WebsiteClosers® presents an SBA-Prequalified Sleepwear brand that currently generates sales as a Direct-to-Consumer brand via 2 eCommerce channels, it’s branded...
