Every so often, we like to focus our attention on builders who are creating new and innovative things with our platform. This Spotlight is the first of its kind, as it focuses on a builder who has founded his own virtual clothing company, Kestrel. He has not only created a virtual store where you can browse his group’s clothing, but leveraged our in-game purchasing API to sell them on the spot. We talked with Kestrel founder FighterAce about his many accomplishments and his plans for the future of his emerging brand.
Only a few months ago, FighterAce noticed an increasing flow of requests from other users. They weren’t requests to party or join other games, nor were they requests to trade items. They were requests for clothing. Word had started to spread that if you were a builder who wanted a store full of clothing, FighterAce was the guy to do it. Before founding his very own brand, his work could be seen in several popular places—the super realistic ROBLOX recreations of Rome, Paris and Italy all feature clothing stores created by him. He became the go-to builder for in-game stores—though without the in-game purchasing API, they didn’t actually do anything.
Fast forward a few months, and FighterAce decided he’d strike out on his own, creating his very own clothing brand, Kestrel. The name stemmed from an American Eagle shirt FighterAce was wearing when he was searching for brand inspiration.
“I looked down and thought, ‘oh hey, a bird,’” he recalls. “It had taken me three days to get to that point.”
FighterAce goes on to tell me that once he had a name, the next couple steps were easy by comparison.
Kestrel store in Rome, Italia
“Once I had a name, I could make a group, which I did. So I made the first set of Kestrel clothing, put up a few ads, and it really took off.”
This made sharing his work intuitive. Group members receive updated every time FighterAce creates a new set of clothing. Though this might sound like a simple practice, it’s actually a somewhat tedious task. The process involves creating the clothes, getting their links, compiling them into a forum post in Clothing and Gear, then posting the post’s URL into Kestrel’s group description. FighterAce found himself with two out of three puzzle pieces: he had the scripting and building knowledge to create in-game stores, and the marketing chops and social networking skills needed to sell virtual clothing. Then came along our in-game purchasing API , which is when FighterAce realized he could complete the picture.
Using the new API, FighterAce, in conjunction with fellow builder Thatcoolguy14, built a store that not only showcases all the clothing FighterAce has made, but allows users to buy it in-game. Kestrel Home Store has since become the most intuitive in-game store we’ve seen on ROBLOX, allowing you to shop and buy to your heart’s content without ever having to leave the place. The entire process is so refreshingly streamlined. If you’re a part of the group, you’ve got options. When you see that FighterAce has updated his clothing lines, you can browse the items in the catalog, or visit the store and browse through new clothing the traditional way.
Once the store was built and functioning properly, FighterAce began looking for actual employees to populate it and assist customers in finding what they’re seeking. To find his candidates, he notified his group members that the Kestrel store was hiring. Applications flooded his inbox immediately.
“To start, you’ve got to ask to become an intern, and you’re trained internally by our supervisors in order to become a sales associate,” says FighterAce.
There were sales associates present almost every time I entered his store, and each of them was courteous, helpful and professional. The store itself is quite large, so it’s really helpful to have someone show you where specific clothing resides.
FighterAce also began talking with other ROBLOX clothing designers to see if they’d be interested in participating. Other designers have their own businesses to worry about, so FighterAce offered them a sweet chance for exposure:
“I was basically saying, you can either sell all your clothes yourself, or sell the templates to me for a price,” he explains. “And if you don’t want to sell me the templates, you can sell your finished clothes to me on your own private account, and I’ll feature designs I like in the store.”
This business model has provided FighterAce with a virtually unlimited supply of clothing designs. His store is the vessel that houses a constant influx of new clothing.
“I’m always focused on making more clothing, and trying to fulfill everything that customers ask of us. We need more space! If you want, I can give a sneak peak of the new store we’re building.”
I’ve been sworn to secrecy, but am allowed to tell you that it’s much bigger than the current store. FighterAce is working with builder sunwars2 on the new store, which should be available soon; but for now, if you’re looking to spruce up your look, talk fashion with other users, or just hang out in a fun and beautiful environment, we highly recommend checking out the Kestrel Home Store.