A woman with a love for clothing and colours is poised to launch Bermuda's first completely online men's and women's store this Sunday.

Linda M. Franks, a full-time actuarial analyst at Centre Solutions (Bermuda) Ltd., got the idea to open FashionsOnlineBermuda.bm last summer.

"It was never my aim to be a store owner or run a business as such. I always wanted to become an accountant," Mrs. Franks said yesterday. However when she read a newspaper article last summer about a local retailer who was upset over a shortage of retail space in Hamilton, she said: "What is the problem, why can't they just go online?"

Mrs. Franks considered calling the retailer to suggest an online store since plenty of Bermudian already shop that way with overseas stores.

However, as a mother who spends a lot of money each month to outfit her 16-year-old and 20-year-old sons in designer wear, she thought: "Why don't I just open an online business? That way I can offer the public quality goods at reasonable prices and I can cut down on my expenses by buying wholesale."

At first she convinced herself that with her full-time job, she had no time to open the business but by January this year she had decided to go for it and hired Logic to design her website.

Her background as an actuarial analyst has helped her to understand the business side, determine what her costs will be and how to minimise those costs.

Her goal is to purchase unique and different pieces since Bermudian consumers can be "very discriminating".

"We're such a small Island. You always hear I don't want to get that because everyone else is going to have it so what I will be doing is bringing low quantities of various items," she said.

Before beginning to buy for the online store, she researched the trends by checking out fashion magazines and also speaking to young people including her sons.

Mrs. Franks says that the beauty of selling just online is that she has virtually no overhead. She is storing her merchandise in a spare room in her house and does not have to bear the costs of maintaining actual retail space or employing sales people. She says this allows her to offer her merchandise at same as or lower than US retail prices.

"The main aim for me starting this up was to offer my goods at a reasonable price. I don't agree with having to go to a store and paying about $300 for an outfit which consists of jeans and a T-shirt. It is ridiculous. So it is my aim to offer quality at or below us prices," she said. "I don't need any salespersons at all because what happens when you go online you are choosing what you want and you are doing the actual processing of the goods . The only labour issues that come up is the delivery by me which I'll be doing evenings."

Mrs. Franks has brought in merchandise to cater to females and males between their late teens and early 30's. Her stock includes colourful handbags as well as casual fashions.

Some are made for people with "more in the bottom, more in the hips, more in the thighs" while her Brazilian jeans are for young people who like to show off their figures. She also has an array of jewellery including a line of body jewellery that offers everything from nipple shields to body piercing adornments.

The online store is set up just like online shops overseas. It features a secure website ? she has a QuoVadis certificate ? offers a 30-day return policy and takes credit cards and debit cards.