Photo by Rosely Vue Photography

Pop up shops have been a growing trend in the last few years in retail. It’s a great way to sell merchandise in a quick amount of time in a temporary setting, typically in a brick and mortar space. The timed shopping experience of a pop-up shop encourages a swift customer connection because once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Bao Xiong, the creator of BXNCO, started her pop-up shop online. Using her do-it-yourself attitude, she created an online store dedicated to selling apparel and accessories that connect to her Hmong culture.

It’s rooted in tradition but takes modern fashion trends to make unique clothing that connects to her customers. With having an online store, she was able to increase her sales by more than 400% in less than six months. We were fortunate to get to speak with Bao to learn about her shop, how she's designed her business, why she picked Zibster to build her online store, and how she uses social media to connect with her community to drive her sales. 

Thank you for speaking with us today. Can you tell us more about yourself and your business?

Bao Xiong: I was born and raised in California and never left until I married my husband and moved to Georgia, which is where we live now. Before creating a website and designing shirts, I started out as a digital modern calligrapher in 2016. 

So you were self-taught?

BX: I started out as a calligrapher and looked up to a lot of the calligrapher influencers on Instagram, and just thought to myself that if they can do it, I can do it too. 

When did your business BXNCO come to fruition?

BX: I did some wedding decors and home decors for a while but wanted a niche that would separate me from what is already out there. That’s why the business's mission became to create Hmong inspired language apparel which people would not be shy to wear.

That’s where BXNCO came from. I sometimes cannot believe that this is MY company even if there is only me at the moment running the business. 

BXNCO "HLUB KOJ TUS KHEEJ" (Love Yourself)

What influenced you to make Hmong inspired apparel?

BX: My mother has influenced me as an apparel creator. She has made and sold traditional Hmong apparel for men and women for years. Seeing what she does, one does not realize how hard another person works until you do it. But the excitement, joy, and fulfillment of completing the design and seeing it come to life, is another thing you get to experience. So now I get to feel what she feels which is an accomplishment and fulfilling.

When did you decide to move from selling directly to customers to having an online store?

BX: I was getting questions from customers whether I have an online shop or not, first as a calligrapher. I told myself that it is honestly such a small business at the time and it was not necessarily needed. 

I was also afraid of creating a website; it was unknown to me, and finally, I thought, I taught myself calligraphy, I taught myself to use a sewing machine, how hard can it be to set up a website? 

And that is where Zibster came into play! I remember my husband’s relative telling me I should start a website and they can help me get started – that was 3 years ago, and I finally reached out to Zibster in late 2019 and that completely changed how I operate and connect with my customers online. 

How did you come up with the virtual pop-up shop?

BX: My virtual shop is essentially an online store for the clothes that I design. I do a lot of series, meaning I create a couple of new pieces, announce it to my customers, set a date to when it launches, and when my online store will be open usually only for a week for purchases and then I close it for the next series. 

My website is so simple and user friendly, even for me as the creator. I think the reason it brings people back is the ease of navigating the website, the unique pieces that I offer, and how easy it is to communicate with me.

So the items you sell are in small quantities, is this by choice?

BX: Yes! It is by choice. I just did a launch back in March that did really well and realized I wasn’t going to be able to embroider all these sweaters by myself and send them out in a timely manner. Being efficient with my time and considering my customer's wait time, I wanted to meet my customers and my own expectations for myself. 

So to get the products out in a timely manner, as a one-woman team, I have to limit the quantities. Of course, these items will not ever be in stock, but I do make sure everything is created with quality and that I’m also shipping items effectively. 

How do you use social media to market your store?

BX: I love connecting with my customers on Instagram. Another thing I really enjoy is taking and editing photos. I enjoy posting what’s new, what’s coming, and what to look out for on Instagram and occasionally on Facebook, and directing them to my website. 

Is this your primary business?

BX: I currently have a full-time job until 6 PM each day. Afterward, I go straight to putting my attention to my small business and my customers. 

How do you keep people interested in coming back for more?

BX: I hope that I keep them interested. I’ve been getting some sweet comments from my customers — how they’re excited to receive their items and how much they love their items — so that’s been encouraging.

I like to keep them updated and I’m always thinking of something new to create. They do not know this yet, but my birthday is in August and I have something super special planned for it! I’m so excited about it, I can’t even keep it a secret.

“I was also afraid of creating a website; it was unknown to me, and finally I thought, I taught myself calligraphy, I taught myself to use a sewing machine, how hard can it be to set up a website?”  - Bao Xiong

Were you using any other website platform before you found Zibster?

BX: I opened an account with Shopify and it was a little too complex for me. I liked all of the options that were given, but as a new small business, I really wanted something that was easy and user-friendly, and also something that would be easy for my customers to navigate. 

What challenges led you to look for a different online store platform?

BX: Shipping was extremely difficult for me to understand in the beginning with other platforms, along with design space and adding products. Another was the monthly payment for services especially as a small business with inconsistent revenue on a monthly basis. I realized I can do the same thing with Zibster and pay half the cost. 

What led you to choose Zibster to rebuild your website?

Definitely the cost and having Zibster customer support who was willing to come alongside me to help create and design my website for me in the beginning. I am a curious person and I like to know how something works, so I took it upon myself to learn and their support was always available to help answer any questions that I had.  

What was getting started with Zibster like?

BX: Super easy. I blinked and my website was created, my logo was created, my about-me was created, my products were up and live. It was so easy; I cannot think of a time where I felt like I wanted to give up on my website because it was too difficult for me to understand. 

As a DIYer, why is it important to be able to do all your website updates yourself?

BX: DIYers love to create, love to switch things up, so it was important for me to learn and know how to navigate my own website so I can make changes as I see fit as I grow my business.  

What would you tell other young entrepreneurs when getting started?

BX: One of my favorite quotes is by Zig Ziglar: “You don’t have to be great to start, but you can start somewhere and be great.” 

We can look at other people’s success and forget that some people worked hard to get there. Some people researched, stayed up all night, studied, did a ton of trials and errors behind the scenes before they showed us the final product or thing.

Do you know how many sweaters I had to throw away to get the right tension on my sewing machine, the right thread, the right hoop? That all came from failing and learning. You cannot be afraid to fail because failing gives you another opportunity to try it again, and to do it better.

What’s next for BXNCO?

BX: So many things! But I’m taking it day by day. If you check out my website it says that it’s currently closed until August, but that is only because I am brainstorming and creating for my special birthday launch. I would love to open a brick and mortar shop one day and extend from there. 

Bao’s entrepreneurship helped her grow her business online. From simply seeing what others have done, she was able to apply it to her own business. She went from direct selling customer orders to running an online shop. And in less than 6 months, she’s grown her sales by over 400% by having an online storefront.

Creating an online store is easy with Zibster. You get all the tools you need backed by our customer support. Want to get started? Follow this link or give us a call at 1.844.353.3412 today.