We’re always keen to hear how iwocaPay works from end to end, which is why we reached out to head of Kingdom Fancy Dress, Arlene Coleville ­­– to understand the benefits of iwocaPay from the other side of the checkout.

We love talking to our clients about how iwocaPay is improving the way they sell to customers. From instant payouts to larger average order values, integrating iwocaPay has helped them go from strength to strength. But for us, success not only means happy suppliers but happy buyers too.

 Kingdom Fancy Dress is a family-run fancy dress shop based in Fife which has been selling costumes, wigs, and accessories to loyal customers since 2006. Arlene now runs the business entirely online – an efficient move made in 2015 to complement her warehouse business model. With shops on eBay and Amazon too, customers can discover Arlene’s dress-up delights pretty much anywhere online.  

Gaining more flexibility to cover quieter months

To keep her customers happy, Arlene has to keep her warehouse stocked up. She uses Rubies as one of her main three suppliers. Rubies has been working with us for the past few months, offering iwocaPay so buyers can spread the cost of their fancy dress purchases within a time frame that suits them.  For regular Rubies customer Arlene, this option has been a game changer. “I’ve never had the benefit of spreading the cost before. It’s so useful!”

Seasonality has a huge impact on the costume industry, meaning business is extremely busy around key calendar moments like World Book Day, Christmas, and Halloween, but can drop off at other points in the year. “If it’s been a quiet month, paying for a big order from one of our suppliers can be difficult. Now that Rubies is offering iwocaPay, we have time to pay it back”. 

Removing the stress of delays down  the cash flow chain using iwocaPay

The Kingdom Fancy Dress website isn’t the business’ only retail platform, so Arlene, like many online business owners, has to wrestle with streams of income from multiple sources. While selling on other sites like Amazon and eBay is useful for diversifying your audience, the difference in payment policies can prove stressful to manage. “Amazon holds onto the money from our sales for two weeks after a customer has made a purchase. During that time, I still have to pay for other business expenses, like stock, to keep my warehouse filled with all the products my customers want to buy. I’ll often get a bill through before Amazon releases the money.”

With iwocaPay, Arlene can keep her business ticking along by breaking down the cost of a large supply order into more affordable payments. 

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“iwocaPay gives me time to pay it back, and more importantly, breaks it down into smaller payments that I can repay in three installments. Not having to pay thousands of pounds in one go is hugely beneficial to my business.”

Simple, seamless checkouts without the lengthy applications that support customer needs

Customers can check out with iwocaPay in as little as three clicks – a far cry from traditional trade credit options, some of which require multiple application forms that can take weeks to approve. Simplifying the process is a real passion point for our team, and speaking to buyers like Arlene shows us just how impactful our system can be. “I sometimes suffer from anxiety, which can be triggered by things I don’t understand or are difficult to use”, she explains. “I find iwocaPay very easy to navigate, so for me, that’s a big plus. It’s so straightforward and just makes everything feel simplified.”

“When you get to the end of a month that’s been a bit quieter, the option to spread the cost and break it down into smaller payments as opposed to one big lump sum is so useful.”

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“I just wish more suppliers used you! It would make life a lot easier” Arlene laughs, although it’s clear she means every word. While Rubies is now offering iwocaPay, not all of Arlene’s suppliers have finance options available. She’s keen to get the word out to other suppliers, and fellow trade customers too. “I hope other suppliers start offering this option soon. It’s a very good concept – I know a lot of people in this industry would be interested in using it”. 

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If you’ve been inspired by Arlene’s story, and would like to learn more about spreading the cost of your purchases with iwocaPay’s simple, streamlined payment experience, reach out to our team today.

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