Opening & Operating a Retail Store / Boutique (Brick & Mortar or On-Line)

[annabel_lee]

You should be able to write your own sizes for most. Usually cheaper tshirts come in packs.

In general, small sizes do better. Based upon my experience, fashionistas are very sensistive to their weight so they are usually very fit and petite.

The styles usually also could determine which sizes to order. For example, most bigger women will not buy a short mini or a thinner girls will not usually go for oversized styles - too much fabric usually so the person gets lost in them.

Also your geographically location makes a difference. According to the sales staff, southern states usually order bigger sizes.

 

[Meg]

^
I think it depends. Because larger sizes sell out quickly (ie size 10 and 12) so why don't people stock more? And loads of size 10 and 12 girls wear mini's because they want to take the focus from where they may be heavier to a great body part (ie their legs). And so why don't retailers want to capitalize on this? I would also disagree that petite girls steer away from baggy items. If you look around la garconne for example, you'll see a lot of interesting oversized clothing (ie Zucca, ACNE, APC, etc). So it definitely depends on your clientele and seeing what sizes sell out and what don't. People who buy designer clothing come in all sizes.

 

[annabel_lee]

^^true but my best clients are size 0s and 2s. ***Edited*** i noticed the size 0/2(Edited) girls are willing to spend more money on clothes. larger sizes i carry usually sell only when it goes on sale.

i guess it's partly because i am in l.a. ??? ***Edited***

 

[BetteT]

I agree ... I think it is partly because you are in L.A. ... and possibly on the west side, where all the industry types are. Even in Los Angeles, it's different in different areas ... the East Side vs. the West Side vs. the Valley vs. the Inland Empire and so on.

That is exactly why each retailer needs to research and figure out what their market is, what will sell and what sizes will need to be in stock. It will be radically different in DesMoines than in L.A. or N.Y.

 

[gius]

On the topic of ^"market research"
I think one way to do research would be to sell a bunch of items in different sizes and see which sell more in a specific location? And maybe seasons will also affect the sales.

I took a little introductory business class, and they were suggesting also walking around the area to see which colours are popular, etc. but I'm not sure how this would work with sizes; and I find it a little weird to ask a boutique which sizes sell more there... They might think it suspicious

 

[blackrose]

I'm glad I found this thread. I'll be opening an online shop soon. I've started building it. I have 7 years experience in web development, it's only logical I open an online shop but mine will only local to cater to local residents.

Tips and advice from those who have shops online or offline are very much welcome.

 

[Meg]

I don't think it's necessarily weird to ask local owners what sizes sell more, esp. if you know them well. If you don't know them, you could just say it's for a fashion class you are taking. At the end of the day, it's just about being a saavy business person and noting what sells and what doesn't and altering your purchases to that and of course, accurately predicting what will sell and what doesn't. I would imagine in LA the average dress size of a woman (or even West Hollywood versus Bel-Air versus East Side) would be quite different from, as Bette mentioned, Des Moines.

 

[kimberwyn]

I have an online shop and my biggest selling size is a size Small, meaning most of my customers are a size 2 or size 4. We brought in a line that runs higher (up to 12 or 14) and it totally tanked, lol, but it also isnt a well known brand. I ship all over the country and around the world too.

But when I worked in retail at Express the average size was a size 8 (Im in a small town and people here are definitely bigger than, say, LA).

orang3leaves, here are two things to keep in mind - most brands require that you purchase 4 pieces for style minimum. And if you're dealing with the type of labels that I deal with, most lines go up to a size 8 and sometimes a 12. So I would recommend thinking about your budget and how much space you'll have first to decide how much you can carry, and then break it down to how many pieces per style. Like some others said, if you can carry a style in each size that will tell you a lot.

I'm glad I found this thread. I'll be opening an online shop soon. I've started building it. I have 7 years experience in web development, it's only logical I open an online shop but mine will only local to cater to local residents.

Tips and advice from those who have shops online or offline are very much welcome.

Anything specific that you want to know? I can try and help.

 

[Ester]

Branded shoes store

Hi...i hope someone can help me with this question....
Me and my mom wanna open our own shoes store, especially branded shoes i.e Louboutin, Blahnik, Miu2, pedro garcia, etc.
I just wondering how can get those all shoes?
should i go to the store?and just buy a bunch of those shoes?
Or should i go to the trade fair?

Sorry for this silly question.
I hope someone can help me.

 

[ElectricAlyce]

If you were to go to their store, buy shoes and sell them again it would be both illegal and you'd have to sell them reaaally expensive to cover the costs of running a store Contact them directly and ask for a wholesale-deal and if they can send you a catalouge. Then you order what you want in the quantity you want and in the sizes you want and then resell them for as much as you think you can sell them for. It takes a lot of planning, setting up budgets for costs and planned income, and capital to start with (either a loan or if you got some money to spare). Is this an onlinestore or a real botique?

Best of luck

 

[kimberwyn]

^Yeah, what she said. If you're running any type of store with merchandise you need to buy whole sale. And you'll also need a whole sale/resellers license to do this (among other licenses).

Ask corporate how to get in touch with the showroom or the sales rep. Then ask the sales rep for a linesheet and be sure to ask them about their minimums and what not (which are usually very very high for brand names like that)... and then come back and tell me what the minimums are for Loubouton, lol.

Hope that helps!

 

[Ester]

If you were to go to their store, buy shoes and sell them again it would be both illegal and you'd have to sell them reaaally expensive to cover the costs of running a store Contact them directly and ask for a wholesale-deal and if they can send you a catalouge. Then you order what you want in the quantity you want and in the sizes you want and then resell them for as much as you think you can sell them for. It takes a lot of planning, setting up budgets for costs and planned income, and capital to start with (either a loan or if you got some money to spare). Is this an onlinestore or a real botique?

Best of luck

thx u for your help/
and actually it's a real boutique.
I have another question.
for example if i want to buy a wholesale-deal Louboutin shoes...should i just go to the louboutin store directly? or is there any like sell representative of them?

sorry for the silly question

thx u so much

 

[BetteT]

You do not want to go to the store, they are retail only.

As noted above, you need to contact the headquarters of each line you would like to carry to find a local sales rep/showroom ... who is assigned with setting up wholesale accounts and taking orders. They will need to know about your store, your personal credit, the financials backing your store ... it's a long and complicated process. You will have to qualify to be one of their retailers.

And, if it's a new store, you will need to set up sales tax arrangements with your state, too .... possibly local business licenses too ... so it's not a simple process.

 

[kimberwyn]

Question for the other boutique owners here....what do you do with merchandise that doesn't sell? (lets say merchandise from Winter and Spring 2008). Do any of you consign it? And if so how many pieces (or styles) on average do you usually consign?

 

[Nayna]

Good question kimberwyn, I'm curious about that too. Anyone know?

Also, is anyone else going to the MAGIC Marketplace in Vegas in February? I submitted my registration form; I hope I get to go!

 

[Romantic Rebel]

I've just read this whole thread and it was very informative since I myself also want to open a boutique that offers clothes by indie designers that targets the upscale and middle-class markets.
I have a degree in business (entrepreneurship) so I think I know some of the business aspects like accounting, management and law. However, I am a newcomer in the fashion industry so I'm trying to learn more about that.
I have some past small-time business ventures but they are not in the fashion and clothing industry.
I hope that all our designer boutiques end up successful!

 

[BetteT]

I'm glad you mentioned your entrepreneurship degree ... because I beleive that it will give you a huge leg up in starting any business.

I've worked for a lot of small designers/retailers who were working on getting a small online business or store front boutique started and growing it. The only one (a web retailer and wholesaler who sells their own line) that is doing really well and who is still in business after about 8 years ... is the woman who had the same degree. She knew nothing about fashion when she started, had to hire a designer ... she just knew how to build her business.

She has made smart decisions along the way ... controlling costs (labor, materials, etc.), increasing her advertising and marketing budget and just doing it slowly and carefully. The others .... well, many have failed and many more are still struggling.

It just tells me that having a strong business plan and knowing how to handle all of that pesky accounting and marketing stuff is probably the most important thing in getting a new business into the black within a reasonable time and keeping it there.

 

[kimberwyn]

^Why on earth did she want to get into fashion when she knew nothing about the fashion industry? So she isnt involved with the design process at all??

 

[Romantic Rebel]

BetteT, thanks for the encouraging reply....
I'm already on my way to starting my business plan. I've already done one in the past so it's not much of a problem for me.
The degree was definitely helpful. However, it is still not an assurance that we will succeed. Businesses are after all like gambling but with a lower risk.

kymberwyn, I too knew little about fashion and style but I would like to enter the industry. Maybe because I just like it and also have a passion for fashion like you guys have ever since I was little. I am just not that serious about it until now. Also, though we can say that fashion is art, at the end of the day it still is a business. Even if I am the most talented designer out there, I still need to have some knowledge about running a business venture. I somehow relate to the designers, stylist etc. out there since I'm also an artist... though I'm only an amateur.

 

[BetteT]

^Why on earth did she want to get into fashion when she knew nothing about the fashion industry? So she isnt involved with the design process at all??

Well ... since she studied entreprenuerial studies ... she knew her goal was to build a successful business, any business that might work. So she was looking for something to invest her time and money in.

So, no ... she has had very little input into the designs , other than if she likes it or not and the cost to produce it and if it's doable to sell at her price point and make a profit. It had very little to do with the love of fashion ... it had to do with wanting to start a successful business and growing it. She can't even wear what they make ... they do plus sizes ... and she's probably wears a 2, at most.


She had a friend who could design, had some good ideas about what they could produce for the growing plus market and they partnered up. The friend is long gone now (after only the first year) ... but she's still there ... and is sucessfull. And she's had a few different people designing for her. She tests the market with each new design, learns what sells and adjusts her inventory to suit.