E-Commerce Excellence: 4 Ways Albert Wang Made PatPat A Household Name In Baby Wear

For parents, one of the biggest concerns of raising children is finding quality clothing for them to wear. It's estimated that parents spend an average of $779 on clothes during the first year of their baby's life, and these costs remain consistent throughout childhood. Finding the right blend of quality, affordability and practicality is key — though this isn't always easy.

With this in mind, I recently spoke with Albert Wang, co-founder and CEO of PatPat, a designer of kids and baby clothes that has made quite the name for itself in the e-commerce world. As Wang's insights reveal, a targeted focus on the niche's needs and interests have been critical in helping PatPat become a household name.

1. Blending Practicality and Style

"One thing that definitely sets PatPat apart is that we were founded by two dads, rather than moms," Wang says. "We approached the children's clothing market with a unique perspective — combining an academic and Silicon Valley mindset to address what we saw as a significant gap. At the time, there weren't enough options that balanced practicality and style. We wanted to create clothes that were not only durable and versatile, but also cute and fun for kids and babies."

As Wang notes, children and babies put a lot of wear and tear on their clothing — play clothes often only last one year because of how active children can be. Standing out in a relatively crowded market required ensuring that the clothing itself was designed in a way that would stand up to the active play that it would experience day in and day out. And of course, the convenience of e-commerce also became an important element, given the founders' tech-oriented background.

2. Licensing

A key element of PatPat's growth can be attributed to its focus on licensed character apparel.

"We have over 61 license partners that we've partnered with for our clothing," Wang says. "For kids and parents, licensed characters are often highly appealing for clothes, especially when it comes from their favorite brands. We've been fortunate enough to partner with big brands like Disney, Barbie, Harry Potter, Paw Patrol and other popular characters, which we've incorporated into a wide variety of clothing designs. These characters are fun and appealing, and with the right design, they are an instant draw for parents looking for clothing their kids will like."

PatPat's experience is in line with retail trends as a whole, in which customers generally engage with licensed products more than standard retail. Making licensing a key pillar of its offerings has been an instrumental part of the company's growth.

3. Focus On Affordability

As noted earlier, clothing can be quite costly for parents of young children — especially given how quickly babies and toddlers can grow out of their clothing. With that in mind, PatPat has made affordability a point of emphasis across its product lines.

"Being a parent of young kids can be hard financially," Wang notes. "Fun, high-quality clothing shouldn't have to break the bank. That's why we try to keep our standard prices low and offer generous sales that make it easy for families to find clothing their kids will love at a price they can afford. Kids often want to express themselves through clothing, and we want to make sure that finances won't be a barrier in allowing them to do that."

Examples of this can be easily seen while browning the company's website. As part of its Black Friday sales, examples of clothing sales included a toddler Minnie Mouse dress for just over $10 and matching Christmas pajama outfits for just $8.

4. Distinct Product Lines

While licensed characters and matching outfits have been a key driver behind PatPat's growth, Wang also highlights some of the company's more innovative product lines as an important element as well.

"Our Silicon Valley ethos means we're always looking for ways to innovate," he says. "That's why we've developed a few unique clothing lines of our own, such as our anti-slip floor socks for babies, our Go-Glow line, which has illuminating, glow in the dark elements and our Go-Neat line that is water repellent and stain resistant. These product offerings have played an important role in helping us further establish our brand and showcase the product innovation we have to offer for parents."

The company has expanded its offerings significantly over time, with a lineup that includes matching pajamas, shirts, dresses, rompers and jumpsuits, jeans, leggings and even swimwear. Such a robust lineup has helped PatPat become a one stop shop for many families in search of affordable and stylish clothing for their children.

A Growing Force In Children's Clothing

As the example of Albert Wang and PatPat illustrate, there is ample room for success in selling children's and baby clothing through e-commerce. To date, the company has sold its products in over 100 countries to over 23 million customers.

With a clearly defined design philosophy and a strong lineup of core products, the brand has been able to appeal to parents through its marketing message and affordable pricing. This is a winning model for other brands to follow in their own e-commerce endeavors, regardless of their niche.

Image Credit: PatPat

This post was authored by an external contributor and does not represent Benzinga's opinions and has not been edited for content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.