Setting up a clothing store ideas

[Esk247]

Well..the normal business is ticking over ok but i need something to kick start my ideas and take me in another direction.

I have a trademark, logo and web hosting/domain etc but i just wondered what peoples views where on the fashion/clothing industry online.

The idea would be to buy in wholesale goods (jewellery, clothing etc) all for the higher class thus not competing with the likes of tk maxx etc but selling online via the virtual store.

Is this an ok side of business to get in to..i wouldn't be running it on my own it would be a new seperate company run primarily by the girlfriend but she has no interest in actual business just customer services and fashion so i've said i'll do the website, i'll do the business set-up and i'll sort out tax etc for 50% of the business.

Is it over saturated?

 

[deniser]

My random comments/tips would be:

1. If you can find a niche that isn't catered for, then you can potentially make it very successful
2. It won't be successful if you just go down to the wholesalers, pick up a load of stuff and try to sell it as you have some very big websites out there to compete with eg. ASOS, Topshop
3. You need to have a very good eye for up and coming trends as fashions change rapidly so stock has a limited shelf life
4. Unless you or your girlfriend have worked in a fashion boutique I would advise against it
5. Branded or designer goods probably sell better than unbranded if you get the right brands - but unless you are in the league of the pret-a-porter's of this world then you will have difficulties in getting suppliers to supply you.

Good luck whatever you choose.

 

[matt.chatterley]

Just to back up the previous poster, I know someone (family) who is involved in an online clothing store - designer labels, etc, and it does OK ish, but they do struggle to compete with some of the big shops out there.

My advice would be to find a niche and dig into it really firmly - to give a silly example - set up TheShirtShop.com and just sell really nice mens shirts. You may be limiting your market, but advertising etc become easier - very targetted - and you can really concentrate on building an excellent (but narrow) product range.

Succeed first - diversify later!

 

[PhilDPho]

My fiancee is constantly on these types of sites.

The successful ones seem to be those with a very clean design, and those with high quality photography.

She buys from River Island, etc, she knows these places are good as she shops at their stores too. But also she buys from Asos, I think one thing that makes asos stand out, is the quality of their photographs, and the design of their site.

 

[Esk247]

yer i think we'd go for the high-end classic style of mens/womens clothing. We wouldn't go too high up the scale as this puts is in competition with the likes of Saville Row and some absolutely super tailor's in Newcastle, Leeds and London.

More research is needed.

Would i have to buy the stock in first or could i just buy one of each product from a company for photography purposes and then just sell on demand?

Don't want to put thousands in to it at the moment, because i don't have thousands spare.

 

[PhilDPho]

I guess you'd have to see how long production takes, it if takes 3 weeks to make the clothes, will customers wait for 3 weeks?

Also, I imagine buying in bulk will reduce costs

 

[matt.chatterley]

It really depends on a load of factors to be honest - if you can get hold of stock quickly, with fail, on demand, then you could retain relatively low levels and sell when orders come in - but fast service is pretty key in eCommerce (I think clothing and "conventional retail" moved on line particularly).

You'd probably want to get "a few" of each item in a set of starting lines in, photograph them and get them up for sale - though it does mean an investment in stock.

Another possible problem here is that you may find you need to have a reasonably wide range available to start attracting sufficient levels of customers.

What about approaching local wholesalers/retailers/etc (if any, who are suitable) to see if they would let you "resell" their goods online - would give you a chance to build the business up slowly, while taking a small level of commission (but low risk - if they will do a sort of sale-or-return deal with you).

 

[Esk247]

about approaching local wholesalers/retailers/etc (if any, who are suitable) to see if they would let you "resell" their goods online - would give you a chance to build the business up slowly, while taking a small level of commission (but low risk - if they will do a sort of sale-or-return deal with you).

Yes that would be an option.

I'll have to look in to this a bit more and find a niche for the clothing.

 

[rothco]

That,s a great thread.

 

[RickieSee]

Im involved with this sort of business, fairly minor player compared to ASOS but still significant

I think contacts would be incredibly valuable here. Buying stuff wholesale from suppliers in China won't do it, it's oversaturated.

take a look at wwwdot end[IGNORE]clothing dot co dot uk for example (not who I work with). they come across as small - yet they employ 30+ people for online side of business and havent been running that long, so there IS room in my opinion.

However, you'll need a good eye for what's in - I know first hand these companies employ gurus who live and breathe fashion (mainly Uni students) to buy for them.

Anyway, hope that helps.

 

[jhardy2008]

Now days people are looking for latest fashion trends in clothing industry. So try to sell latest fashion trends.

 

[James Greg]

I too was thinking of the same type but as the others have suggested here that competing with the big ones is really tough unless we get the right brands. I wonder where I can these brands at wholesale prices like Nike, Adidas etc. I think selling of these brands won't save much in the beginning but will surely make a name for the website in the field.

 

[the Chocolate]

Just to back up the previous poster, I know someone (family) who is involved in an online clothing store - designer labels, etc, and it does OK ish, but they do struggle to compete with some of the big shops out there.

My advice would be to find a niche and dig into it really firmly - to give a silly example - set up TheShirtShop.com and just sell really nice mens shirts. You may be limiting your market, but advertising etc become easier - very targetted - and you can really concentrate on building an excellent (but narrow) product range.

Succeed first - diversify later!

Good advice!

 

[WebTrust]

It's not that hard of an industry, I've done a lot of affiliate stuff for the very high end sites like Tessabit, My-Wardrobe, Self Fridges.