Seller: Fashion Police
Name: Paula Bornman

Unlike the TV series of the same name, bidorbuy’s Fashion Police is not about pointing out style dos and don’ts. It’s all about dos.

Paula Bornman, the face behind our Fashion Police, says she did not have the TV show in mind when choosing the name for her business, though the association with the other Fashion Police does not hurt, because it makes an already catchy name easier to remember.

“My Fashion Police is about spotting latest fashion wear at awesome deals. The name emerged naturally from the business model I embraced”, explains Paula. “I am the ‘investigating officer’ in charge of bargain hunting. I source and shop on behalf of the online buyers, saving them the effort of going to the busy malls in search of nice products on sale.  I provide a convenience for consumers and help them to save, because I am able to supply good fashion articles at lower prices.”

Fashion Police mainly offers branded and latest fashion, in the styles that are best suited for women and men in their 20ies and 30ies. Paula says that, even though she sometimes procures stock on the basis of her own taste, she has to think outside the box in order to accommodate different tastes and preferences and live up to her motto: Let Fashion Police do the shopping for you.

The shopping part was how it all started for Paula:

“I am a bargain shopper, always on the lookout for good deals, especially in branded fashion wear. It follows that I was totally addicted to buying on BoB. I even introduced friends and colleagues to the site, and they in their turn couldn’t keep away once they joined.

“Since I am a typical shopaholic, I had to find a way to satisfy my shopping cravings without going bankrupt in the process.  In December 2010, I decided to put my bargain-hunting skills to a good use, and bidorbuy provided the perfect platform for me to exercise the three things that make me feel absolutely awesome:  shopping, making a good bargain, and sharing.

“I absolutely love every aspect about my bidorbuy venture. For the time being, it’s a part-time hobby. However, if my sales remain consistently as good as they currently are, I’d definitely consider doing it full time from home. That would be my ultimate goal and I’m definitely working towards it.”

Paula attributes the success of Fashion Police on bidorbuy to several factors:

“I treat each and every one of my buyers like she or he is the only buyer. I put a lot of initiative, effort, spare time and thinking in my products and listings, because I want my customers to feel like they walked into the best online fashion store. I was fortunate to have my products featured several times in the Deal of the Week, which really helped me to build an awesome customer base. I now have many repeat customers with whom I’ve built wonderful relationships. I have also created a Fashion Police page on Facebook, where buyers can join and get regular updates of new stock or upcoming deals, which direct them to my listings on BoB.”

True to her credo of sharing, Paula is happy to know that Fashion Police has become an inspiration for new sellers to join BoB. For them, she has this advice:

“Treat your customers the way you’d like to be treated. Always offer personal and prompt service.  Have patience and understanding and, most importantly, be sincere!  Stamp your products and listings with your own identity and initiative.  Love what you do, be passionate about it and it will only get better.

“Also, always sell quality products.  Having burned my fingers on an occasion or two, I now choose my vendors and products very carefully.  I’ve definitely learned to rather spend a wee bit more on quality stock.  The same applies to buyers: rather spend a few rand more on a product you’re familiar with, or on a reputable brand. That way, you know that you’ll receive something that will last for years, and not just months.”