Ecommerce and digital fashion skills have topped the list of small business requirements in the UK in the past 6 months, as well as wider interest in business expansion and survival on a global level.
Recent findings from leading freelance marketplace Fiverr show that the fastest growing searches for freelance services in the UK over the last six months have centred around fashion and clothing design.
• Fashion Designer, 125% increase
• Clothing Design; 116% increase
• Etsy; 109% increase
In line, global data of millions of searches on Fiverr’s platform reveal fashion and retail online businesses are booming. Drop-shipping is the most requested skill by businesses across the globe, followed by Shopify promotion.
• Dropshipping; 319%
• Shopify Promotion; 247%
• Youtube Editing; 231%
• Front End Web Developer; 205%
• Product Mockup; 186%
This index highlights the variety of different services that small businesses feel will help them succeed in a digital-first world. The list, backed by Fiverr search data, reveals that many businesses in the UK are searching for tools and services that allow them to tap into different markets and audiences.
Peggy de Lange, Vice President of International Expansion at Fiverr comments: “This data is not surprising given how the fashion industry has transformed during Covid-19. In person retail experiences are less desirable to the average consumer when it’s so easy to shop online safely. This shift has been advantageous to small independent fashion brands who are under less pressure to be sold by retailers, or wedded to fashion calendars. Many people have used lockdowns as an opportunity to turn a passion into a business or side hustle and the growth of platforms like Instagram and TikTok have become an increasingly effective way of promoting yourself and a hotbed of inspiration for budding entrepreneurs.”
Fiverr’s Small Business Needs Index analyzes data from the millions of searches across the global platform to identify business services that have seen the largest increases. This growth data therein has the unique ability to predict the products, platforms and tools that small businesses are looking for to help support future success.
2020 has without a doubt been a difficult time for small businesses around the world, as the COVID-19 pandemic has forced worldwide stay-at-home orders and subsequent business shutdowns. On top of the usual challenges small businesses face of adapting to changing customer needs, it’s clear that over the past six months many have had to adhere to in-person closures and figure out how to successfully move their businesses online. With that in mind, the top ten fastest growing searches on a global scale over the previous six months include:
• Dropshipping; 319%
• Shopify Promotion; 247%
• Youtube Editing; 231%
• Front End Web Developer; 205%
• Product Mockup; 186%
• Facebook Promotion; 174%
• Social Media Design; 158%
• App Development; 133%
• Brand Name; 85%
• Customer Service; 85%
Fiverr’s Small Business Needs Index also reveals the top three needs for businesses across the globe, specifically Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Portugal, the U.K., and the U.S. A more detailed breakdown is viewable here.