Not long ago, we discovered LilShoppa.com from a tweet on what they thought were the hottest Prada motorcycle boots, which they discovered on beso. We took some time to sit down with Michelle, the founder of LilShoppa.com, to learn about their unique service for international shoppers. LilShoppa.com is a personal shopping and mail forwarding service for international customers who want to make online purchases from retailers that don’t ship internationally or don’t accept international credit cards.
Using the service is very straightforward: international shoppers can either place their orders themselves and have the merchandise shipped to LilShoppa’s U.S. address, or they can have LilShoppa.com place an order for them. They charge 15% of the merchandise costs plus shipping.
When we asked Michelle where she got the idea for this service, and we learned that it’s the classic case of her having identified an unmet market need. Michelle shared that, after moving to the States from Australia, many of her friends and family members would ask her to make purchases on their behalves at U.S. stores and websites and then have her mail them the goods. The draw for these shoppers was that they now had “access” to the U.S. market. The benefit went beyond overcoming the international shipping limitations; in many cases, the goods they had Michelle forward to them cost considerably more in their home country.
Michelle soon realized that this was a service she could offer to a broader market of international shoppers, which she brings to them through her website. Through word-of-mouth and press, LilShoppa.com now serves hundreds of customers each month in countries all over the world. Buyers from Australia, the U.K., Singapore, Malaysia, Romania, and Greece rely on LilShoppa.com for access to high-end products from premium brands likes Christian Dior, YSL, Christian Louboutin, Gucci and more.
Recently, she shipped a Christian Dior Babe Python Frame handbag to a very satisfied customer in Malaysia.
Christian Dior Python Babe Frame Handbag
A customer from Australia is now cherishing her Yves Saint Laurent Evening clutch that they would otherwise be without were it not for LilShoppa. And, she says that buyers in Japan love their Christian Louboutin shoes.
Christian Louboutin Mini Peep Toe Pump
So, international shoppers rejoice: the abundance of U.S. retail shopping options is no further away than your Swarovski mouse.
