The principle of “buy low, sell high” is a crucial business concept. Clothing retail is no exception. Wholesale is the best option for starting a clothing store. You can get the goods at the lowest prices, add your markup and sell them to make a profit. Once you locate the best places to buy wholesale, it is easy.
Do your business and legal work first
Before starting a clothing store, you’ll have to ensure you can legally operate a business in your locality. You must secure all the necessary permits and licenses to run your clothing business. You might need a city and state business license to open your door. Insurance for your business is crucial because it will protect you in case of a problem.
Consider finding a suitable location for your business. It is optional to open the store in a posh area. However, the store and the building should be welcoming and clean for your customers. Marketing materials and a marketing plan will also be needed so that people are waiting outside your store when it opens.
Decide Your Clothing Niche
Who is your target audience? What type of clothing do you plan to sell? Are you interested in specializing in women’s, children’s, or the tween/teen market? You don’t need to choose a niche. Just look around and see what markets are underserved. It would be best if you then tried to fill this niche.
If there are few options for large and tall male teens, opening a clothing shop that targets this group would fill this niche. There may be no high-end fashion boutiques or formal stores for young women or teen girls. You can determine the type of business to open by analyzing your market. You can also open a mall kiosk or store your merchandise online and sell it on sites like eBay.
Find Wholesalers Online
After creating your legal structure and business plan, it’s time to start working with wholesalers. In retail, relationships are essential. You’ll need to spend time and money finding wholesalers you can work with closely.
Find Wholesalers
You can find wholesalers of clothing in a few different ways. You can find wholesalers by searching for websites of companies that sell multiple brands. You can also visit the website of the clothing brand that you want to sell. You will find wholesale information at the top and bottom of most websites. However, you should not expect to get too much information about qualifications, minimum order quantities, pricing, or terms. Use the website instead to contact the wholesaler or brand.
Contacting Wholesalers
You can apply for a wholesaler account online but may also be asked to call or email the representative. While the application process is usually straightforward, some wholesalers may need help to qualify for a reseller account, especially if your business is new.
This proof will include a copy of your business license, your resale permit, and, in some cases, copies of invoices from other wholesale accounts you already have. You will need to provide proof of your legitimacy. This can include a copy of your business license or resale certificate and, in some cases, copies of invoices you have received from wholesale accounts. Ask the wholesaler about their terms. This includes pricing rules and credit terms.
Developing Supplier Relationships
To succeed in business, you must build strong relationships with wholesalers. If you have a good relationship with your wholesale representative, you can enjoy preferential pricing, exclusive access to popular merchandise, and flexible payment terms. Respect your rep’s time. Pay invoices on time and talk to your representative before a minor issue becomes a significant problem.
Additional Inventory Options
You can also develop your inventory by:
Attend trade shows in your industry. You can interact with representatives and inspect merchandise samples before placing an order.
Purchase inventory from businesses closing or selling off merchandise at the end of a season. These items may not be trendy, but they can still represent a significant profit center for your company. You’ll find that your customers appreciate a great deal, and you can offer more merchandise.
Work with a jobber who specializes in liquidation. Liquidation firms buy unsold products from department stores and catalog retailers, bundle them together into lots, and sell the lots to resellers. You won’t be able to select each item, but you can still get brand-new clothing at pennies on a dollar. Some liquidators provide a manifest to see precisely what’s in each lot before purchasing it. You can order directly from the websites of many liquidators.
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