If you are good with graphics then a clothing business could be easy to start-up. You could target mass market with low-priced clothing or go for a designer niche and charge a higher price.
Customers must also feel that the store is attractive and comfortable to shop in. A store requires a long list of items that can help it reach its full potential, but only a few of these things are absolute essentials for a fledgling clothing store.
Steps for the business
- Decide on a name for your shop. Select something that reflects the level of service your clients can expect, the style of women’s clothing you offer, your personality or something stylish and simple to remember.
- Select your business structure. A sole proprietorship is the easiest and least expensive business structure to form and can be registered with an assumed name certificate at your county clerk’s office.
- Write a business plan that outlines where you plan to get inventory, how much startup capital you need, your target market and main competition and your projections for future revenue.
- Select your initial inventory from some of the many wholesalers, fashion warehouses, local designers or name brand design houses in your country Look into the cost and various benefits of importing your clothing from other countries.
- Select a location that boasts popular shops and restaurants, which will attract multiple people each day, or a location that offers a high volume of foot traffic during store hours. Your city’s official website most likely offers demographic data that breaks down the city’s sections by gender, education level, family status and more.
- Choose price points for your merchandise that are competitive with other boutiques in your city. If you choose to stock high-end clothes, then find a pricing structure that reflects the value or unique nature of your items.
- Purchase the fixtures, tables, chairs, counters, in-store signage and outdoor posters needed to complete your store and display your clothing and accessories.
- Determine your methods of ongoing marketing. Invest time and money in social media and website maintenance and purchase high-quality fliers or ads to distribute where your clientele will likely be, such as spas, salons and other non-competing clothing stores.
- Host an opening event with incentives such as giveaways, complimentary martinis and food, or coupons for premium items. Consider holding an informal fashion show of your clothes and accessories and inviting clients, local designers and other community members to attend.
Important things for a clothing store
Clothing Display Units
Clothes require racks, shelves and tables for proper display. Without these items, you’ll be selling from a huge pile of disorganized fabric in cardboard boxes.
Mirrors
Customers need to see what the clothing looks like on the body. Look for mirrors that show a true, flattering image of the body, You’ll need to purchase enough to furnish the fitting room, plus several for the selling floor. Don’t forget to buy smaller ones for the jewelry and hair accessories area, or floor mirrors for the shoe department.
Cash Register and Point-of-sale System
A professional cash register is essential in building trust between your business and customers. No one wants to see their hard-earned money go into a $10 metal lock box. Instead, they wish to see a receipt with the business’s name, address and phone number, all purchases and the return policy. Point-of-sale (POS) software furnishes this, plus keeps track of inventory, taxes and other accounting needs.
Counter
A counter gives the message that a customer has entered a store, not a flea market tent. The counter separates the customer from the staff and offers a place to wrap the goods, as well as storage for instructional binders, daily schedules and covering materials.
Packaging Materials
At the very minimum, a clothing store requires shopping bags. The higher the merchandise price point, the higher quality the packaging, so don’t skimp on bags. For an extra touch, purchase tissue paper for wrapping each piece, as well as stickers to hold the paper together.
Pricing Materials
Each garment must include a clear price that is solidly attached to the piece. When a price is missing, a customer assumes that it’ll be a hassle to buy the product, so customer will leave without purchasing. To price merchandise, buy a tagging gun, plastic tag attaches and tags.
Lighting
Lighting is crucial for a clothing store. The right lighting shows fabric colors and textile textures in the best way possible, and also creates a feeling of comfort or energy. The wrong lighting, on the other hand, creates a bargain-basement feel that lowers the perceived value of the clothing.
Clothing
The last, and most important piece, is the clothing itself. You have to stock the store with a range of styles, colors and sizes that fit the target demographic. Don’t worry about having every item when you start out; it’s more important to start with a smaller amount, then expand when there’s more interest and money.
