Garmeo, Miami, will launch a new decorated-apparel service platform that will find customers for embroidery business owners free of cost.
The brainchild of Ricoma COO Henry Ma, Garmeo enables customers to create or upload a custom design using the platform’s design-it-yourself editor. Once an order is placed, Garmeo’s algorithm routes the order to the nearest embroidery vendor based on capability, availability and stock. Ma is founder and CEO of Garmeo, which will function as a separate company from Ricoma.
“Garmeo allows embroiderers to focus on what they’re good at: the craft,” says Ma. “Everything else is done for you.”
For embroidery business owners, the platform takes over their marketing and customer-acquisition costs, allowing them more time to focus on quality and growing their businesses through the platform’s built-in management features. Invoicing, inventory management, logistics and shipping are taken care of, according to the company.
“Most embroiderers rely on tools like social media or pure word of mouth to get business and, therefore, don’t have a robust website or editor to improve the consumer experience,” Ma says. “Those who do sell online usually buy software to manage orders and run a store, but still have to maintain the site while doing their own marketing.”
With Garmeo, there are no minimum-order restrictions, and customers also can send in their own blank garments to embroider and receive real embroidered proofs for an example of what the finished product will look like.
“We custom-built the entire experience to mimic exactly what we would like to see as customers,” Ma says.
The platform will officially launch on Jan. 18 at the Imprinted Sportswear Shows (ISS) event in Long Beach, Calif. Embroidery business owners can apply to become a vendor at booth 636, where Garmeo representatives will be available demonstrating the site’s functionality.
Embroiderers with all brands of equipment are welcome to apply, as long as their embroidery quality meets Garmeo’s standards. — D.S.