Navigate the waves of e-commerce brilliance with Northern Grip. In this interview, gain valuable insights into the journey that has propelled Northern Grip to the forefront of the online business world, uncovering the strategies that set them apart in the ever-evolving e-commerce landscape.
1. Can you introduce yourself and Northern Grip?
Hi, I am Beate, founder of NorthernGrip. At the moment we are a team of 10 – 15 people and we strive to offer a high quality, durable vintage clothing for those who are on the search for something beyond the often boring offer of the big retailers.
Vision of NorthernGrip team is to promote vintage as both an ethical choice and exciting fashion statement. Our aim is to bridge vintage with the present to help those in search for authentic style and a sustainable commerce.
2. How was Northern Grip born? How did you start?
I always had a soft spot for things with a “history” and have preferred “old” instead of “new”. At the same time I have a passion for fashion, art and sustainable living and wanted to create a universe for myself where I do no harm to others, myself or the environment. Opening a vintage shop was a logical choice I guess. I started to sell vintage clothing online 12 years ago and made a decision to make it my full time job 8 years ago, with a budget of 500 EUR, in my rental apartment together with my boyfriend (now husband). During those years we have evolved to a 250 square meter office, team of 10-15 and around 6000 vintage items for sale.
We sell vintage online on various platforms like Etsy, Ebay, ASOS Marketplace as well as wholesale and brick-and-mortar shops and opened our homepage www.NorthernGrip.com in 2020 to fuse all our vintage clothing shops and create a single platform for our customers.
3. What makes Northern Grip different? Can you explain your products with details?
Our priority is to offer the best from the past – iconic yet easy-to-wear garments that are compatible with modern day lifestyle and elevates our customers wardrobes with high quality craftsmanship, special details, finer materials and an element of nostalgia.
Vintage means at least 20 years old but that does not necessarily mean that it needs to be worn out, flawed or dusty. We work very hard to select only items that are as good as new and we wash, steam and repair (if necessary) every piece of clothing.
We do not jump on every trend but choose what is relevant for us and what could be worn for years to come, that’s what we mean when we say – iconic vintage. The best from every decade both in quality and looks. At the same time we want to offer our customers guilt-free shopping experience – when you want something “new” but do not want to harm the environment or exploit low-paid workers then vintage is a way to go. People in the NorthernGrip team all appreciate fashion, quality and sustainability so we strive to offer only what we believe in.
4. What reactions do you get from your clients? Do they love your products?
Because we are all very much into what we are doing, customer feedback is quite personal to us. We are really pleased when our customers write that they have found their new favourite garment, that shopping was easy and they had an overall “no-bullshit” experience, that service and quality has exceeded their expectations. I screenshot our customer feedback weekly and share it with the team – this is a way to remind us that all the work and love we put into NorthernGrip is seen and appreciated.
And many customers keep returning to us again and again – their loyalty is the best compliment there is.
Another thing that we hear from our customers is that our shipping speed is excellent. We use only private shipping carrier’s and have managed to get to the amazing delivery speed – 2- 7 days worldwide. Our overseas customers (USA, Canada, Australia) are often very surprised that their European package arrives in 2 – 7 days – especially during all Covid-19 restrictions and delivery delays. This is something we are very proud of.
5. What are the advantages of Northern Grip?
Among our carefully curated vintage garments everyone can find a match – whether from 60s, 70s and 80s men and women classics or something closer to home – 90s and Y2K. All these clothes represent a certain era of the past that can be merged with the present in creating unique styling combinations while keeping the carbon footprint in check.
But not only that. One of the aspects that is very important to us is relationships. Both in our office and with our customers. We value human connection and that is one of reasons why customer service is so important for us. All communication is handled with attention and care and we want to be easily approachable, honest, personal and natural.
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