Buying stock for a bridal shop

[Joanne Smith]

I’ve currently got my current business up for sale and researching my next venture as possibly a Bridal Shop. Looking at stocking dresses at a max price of £1500. Does anyone know what the wholesale prices of the dresses I need to buy would be? Approximately of course

 

[DG web consultancy]

I don't know but find the bridal trade shows seems like the logical option for me. That way you see samples of stock in person, talk to peers about getting started and network.

 

[Joanne Smith]

I don't know but find the bridal trade shows seems like the logical option for me. That way you see samples of stock in person, talk to peers about getting started and network.

I have tickets for the next one in Harrogate but unfortunately that does not help me with my research now!

 

[Alan]

I happen to have a seamstress in the family who has worked on trade stands, a RRP £2,000 dress would be say £800 trade ( and less if you buy bulk ).

I also happen to have a website client that has run a bridal shop, and just closed it this summer after 9 years of not making a living wage from it.

Not saying you won't make a success of it, but go into it with your eyes open and a realistic business plan.

 

[DG web consultancy]

For clothing retail businesses I've worked with there's typically about 50% profit, so minus VAT the cost price I assume would be roughly 50% of the sale price. Not all the time but the case for my particular part of retail I've worked in.

Bridal could be more marked up though if look at what others are stocking now then my uneducated guess would be something similar as a guesstimate on what you can expect to pay. Pricing might vary a bit subject to things like order quantity and payment terms.