Used clothing business

[Nick Weigh]

HI everyone

I’ve recently started a small business, selling used clothing on eBay and Deepop. It’s been going well so far but my suppliers stock has started to dry up.

I’ve been calling used clothing wholesalers and driving up and down the country to meet with people, trying to source the right stock but I’m not having much luck.

Is anyone in the used clothing business or know anyone you could put me onto by any chance? I’m looking specifically for used premium brands, both men’s and women’s.

There is loads of high street stock around but it only sells for £5 - £10 if your lucky. Premium brands fetch a higher sale price and higher profit margins which is specifically what I’m looking for.

I don’t want want vintage clothes as the market seems very saturated. I’m looking for modern grade A premium brands.

Thanks in advance to anyone who has taken time to read this.

Regards

Nick

 

[billmccallum1957]

You will have real problems trying to buy small lots from the trade, many don't want the hassle of working for less than a tonne.

Dealers who are sorting before sale are looking for premium prices and the quality of stock at grade A can vary wildly.

For your needs, you need to be searching for Cream Stock and expect to pay the premium mark up.

I have bought grade A for 80p a kilo and up to £1.20 a kilo, cream stock can be £5 a kilo and higher.

Here's a couple of links for you.

https://www.europages.co.uk/EAST-LONDON-TEXTILES-LTD/00000005307121-613533001.html
http://www.ukusedclothes.co.uk/adult-cream-clothing/
https://brandedstock.co/login

 

[Nick Weigh]

Hi

Thanks for your input. You have summed up exactly what I’m going through.

I have been to meet with a few guys who own multiple cash for clothes shops. They have cream available at their wharehouse. The thing is, what they class as cream is anything that is brand new with tags or nearly brand new. I seen mostly George, River island and Primark clothes in their cream. I’m just looking for premium brands, not high street clothes as there is very little value in those clothes online.

I have set up a website and social media offering to buy name brand and designer clothes off the public at £3 per kg. I’m really not sure if that is going to work though. I have been live online for around a month now and not had a single phone call. Posting on gumtree too. My SEO hasn’t kicked in yet though, it took around 3 - 4 months for the website for my old business to rank on page 1 of google. I thought as cash4clothes is paying £0.50 per kg, I might have a chance In competing as I’m paying x6 times more than them.

I’m getting a bit stuck now as no stock means no sales and no sales mean no profit, so I don’t really have a business anymore.

Nevertheless, there are loads of people selling used premium brands online so there must be a supplier somewhere. Just a matter of finding them I guess.

 

[Mr D]

Hi

Thanks for your input. You have summed up exactly what I’m going through.

I have been to meet with a few guys who own multiple cash for clothes shops. They have cream available at their wharehouse. The thing is, what they class as cream is anything that is brand new with tags or nearly brand new. I seen mostly George, River island and Primark clothes in their cream. I’m just looking for premium brands, not high street clothes as there is very little value in those clothes online.

I have set up a website and social media offering to buy name brand and designer clothes off the public at £3 per kg. I’m really not sure if that is going to work though. I have been live online for around a month now and not had a single phone call. Posting on gumtree too. My SEO hasn’t kicked in yet though, it took around 3 - 4 months for the website for my old business to rank on page 1 of google. I thought as cash4clothes is paying £0.50 per kg, I might have a chance In competing as I’m paying x6 times more than them.

I’m getting a bit stuck now as no stock means no sales and no sales mean no profit, so I don’t really have a business anymore.

Nevertheless, there are loads of people selling used premium brands online so there must be a supplier somewhere. Just a matter of finding them I guess.

Think of the supply - yes a lot of stuff will be high street not premium brands.

Setting up a website to compete with the million other sites set up that month and the 25 years of the internet (how many billions of sites?) probably won't achieve anything, no one will know it exists unless you tell them. Don't just rely on google, get the site out there.
How many people have you told about the site in the month since it opened? How many leaflets / cards have you given out with the site on? How many print adverts have you run? You see where I am going with this?
You presumably want to collect local? Then work the locality.

 

[Nick Weigh]

Hi Mr D

Yes I see what you mean. Leaflets was actually my next step, but I was wandering what my RIO would be from 10000 leaflets. Considering I would have to deliver them myself, as I don’t have a large marketing budget and also very small working capital.

I’m wandering if Instagram and Facebook adds would be a better investment. I have never tried them before so not sure.

 

[billmccallum1957]

Response rates for direct marketing can vary wildly, but 4.4% is generally accepted as the average.

We used http://www.a5leaflets.net for our last print run of 10,000.

 

[Mr D]

Hi Mr D

Yes I see what you mean. Leaflets was actually my next step, but I was wandering what my RIO would be from 10000 leaflets. Considering I would have to deliver them myself, as I don’t have a large marketing budget and also very small working capital.

I’m wandering if Instagram and Facebook adds would be a better investment. I have never tried them before so not sure.

Probably low return for leaflets without personal involvement - you are competing with the cash for clothes shops, with charity collections (by charities and by companies) and with sheer volume of requests.
Its Saturday and I've had 4 bags for charity clothes and 2 leaflets from companies offering cash for clothes.
This week.

 

[Nick Weigh]

At a return rate of 4.4 %, would Facebook/Instagram adds not be better ROI?

Designing the leaflet would be a days work, then delivering 10000 leaflets myself would at least take me 10 days. So 11 days work plus let’s say £110 - £150 for leaflets.

I know there is a lot of competition, I was hoping that paying x6 times more than what cash for clothes is paying would get at least a small share of the market.

 

[Jamie Monumental]

Dependent on where you're based there's a number of outlet stores with great limited stock. London is full of them

 

[Nick Weigh]

hi jamie, thanks for your reply.

What do you mean by outlet stores. Outlet stores that sell premium used clothing?

If so, can you give me a name so i can search them online?

Thanks