Today, I want to share a real-world case study. This is not just a personal business story, but a journey of relentless effort. Founded in 2019, right after graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, the Boteevn project was a three-year journey where I poured all my passion into developing a minimalist fashion brand on Shopee Mall. The initial goal was to build a sustainable fashion store, and the final result exceeded all expectations: a total revenue of
14 billion VND and over 121,000 orders, with an average monthly revenue of 800 million VND.
Phase 1: Market Positioning & Foundation Building (2019 – 2020)
Every successful strategy begins with a deep understanding of the market. In this phase, I focused on laying a solid foundation.
- In-depth Market Research: I analyzed user behavior, surveyed market needs, and researched competitors on Shopee. The goal was to find a niche market with potential but not yet saturated. The results showed that minimalist, affordable fashion for students and working professionals was a viable option.
- Choosing the “Sales Funnel” Business Model: Instead of mass selling, I built a multi-layered product strategy to optimize revenue and profit.
- Lure Product: A plain t-shirt priced at 69k was used to attract initial traffic. This product had a low-profit margin but played a crucial role in increasing store visits, purchases, and the store’s credibility score.
- Core Product: Once customers were in the store, they were introduced to core products like trousers and shirts. These products brought in stable sales and sustained business operations.
- High-Profit Product: The bomber varsity jacket was positioned as an “upsell” product to maximize the profit margin for each order.
- Establishing the Initial Operational Process: I built the entire process myself from scratch: finding a production workshop, conceptualizing products, hiring designers, and setting up the packaging and shipping process. This ensured every step was strictly controlled, from product quality to the customer experience. Everything had to be perfect before reaching the customer’s hands.
Phase 2: Optimization & Growth Acceleration (2021)
With a solid foundation in place, this phase focused on optimizing performance and accelerating sales.
- SEO Optimization on Shopee: I conducted keyword research to optimize product titles, descriptions, and hashtags for each product. The goal was to increase the store’s visibility in Shopee’s organic search results, thereby boosting organic traffic.
- Investment in Marketing and Advertising:
- Internal Traffic Growth: I launched advertising campaigns on Shopee Ads, including Search Ads and Discovery Ads, to reach potential customers.
- External Traffic Growth: I used channels like Facebook Ads and TikTok to drive external traffic to the store, diversifying the customer base.
- Data Analysis & Conversion Optimization: I regularly monitored key metrics such as Conversion Rate, Bounce Rate, and Average Order Value (AOV). Based on the collected data, I adjusted product strategies, promotional campaigns, and the store’s interface to optimize the shopping experience and encourage customer action.
- The Peak Achievement: Thanks to a comprehensive optimization strategy, Boteevn achieved a memorable record: on June 6, 2021, the store received 3,000 orders and a revenue of 285 million VND in a single day, a testament to the power of a fine-tuned operational system.
Phase 3: Sustainable Operations & Expansion (2022)
In this final phase, the focus was on maintaining stable growth and preparing for bigger steps.
- Product Catalog Upgrade: Based on sales data and customer feedback, I continuously improved and added new products to ensure the catalog remained fresh and met market demands.
- Brand Image Building: I focused on building a professional and meticulous brand image, from product photos to the brand story. The goal was to build customer trust and loyalty and reduce reliance on promotional campaigns.
- Process Systematization: To ensure stability during scaling, I systematized processes from inventory management and order processing to customer care, making operations smoother and more efficient.
Lessons Learned
After three years, Boteevn not only brought in impressive numbers but also provided me with a significant income. I realized that:
- Attention to detail: From selecting suppliers and conceptualizing products to optimizing every description line on Shopee, every detail made a difference.
- Strategic thinking: Understanding the business model, knowing how to use metrics, and having a clear plan are key factors for success or failure.
- Adaptability: The online market is constantly changing. Being ready to learn, experiment, and change is a prerequisite for survival and growth.
- The journey of Boteevn is a testament to my belief: the ability to build a brand from scratch, strategic thinking, and persistence in operations are the most valuable assets of an e-commerce specialist. If you are also on this path, I hope the story of Boteevn will give you more motivation and a more realistic perspective.



