Couture a la Cart launches online store

For the first time, Couture a la Cart will sell merchandise using an online platform instead of mobile pop-up shops all over campus.

The mobile boutique operated by students in faculty member Clair McClure’s retail entrepreneurship class features products – such as clothes, skin care products, and jewelry and accessories – from local Athens vendors and UGA students.

The online store launched Oct 9 and will be available until Oct 30. Customers will have the option to either pick up orders or have them shipped.

“It's a learning process to see how (the online store) is going to work,” said Bridget Helms, a senior fashion merchandising major. “Especially considering we can’t market it as we initially thought we could.”

For this semester, the 12 students set a goal to break even. They had to take on advertisement costs from the spring semester because the business was unable to move forward with planned pop-up store dates due to the pandemic.

Each student has their own role on a team – planning, management, merchandising or creative – to help run the business.

With an internship, you may only see one aspect of the business rather than learning how to run a business from beginning to end, Helms said.

“Even though each of us have our own roles, we’re getting to see the other parts as they work, too,” she said. “It’s helpful because even if you're not physically doing something, you’re seeing it and hearing about it.”

This class is normally only offered in the spring. If this semester goes well, the class will potentially be offered both semesters.

For updates, follow Couture a la Cart on Instagram.