Wanting to start new business but need help please!

[Samantha Ekstrom]

Hi everyone my name is Sam and I just moved back to England from Sweden and I am wanting to start a new business in selling second hand designer clothes and I really need and want some tips please!
I will be doing all the modelling of the clothes myself and already have a big collection I have photographed so can provide all this but still I am not sure how to market this. I will happily talk to someone via email or yahoo messenger about this as I want to this right and to work desperately. Speak soon, Sam x

 

[ethical PR]

Hi Sam

If you are 'modelling' all the clothes yourself then you will only have clothes for one sex in one size.

Sounds more like something to put on eBay.

 

[Samantha Ekstrom]

Hi I know that's true and that's why I was not sure if a website would work with this idea r to just use another site to sell my clothes on. Thanks for the reply x

 

[fisicx]

Just use ebay. The cost of setting up and marketing a website will wipe out all your profits.

 

[Samantha Ekstrom]

Ok thanks I just thought having my own site would give me my own identity and look better for business?

 

[fisicx]

You and your business don't matter, all people are interested in are the clothes. Using ebay gives you a platform to sell the clothes - that's all you need.

If you want to set up your own site allow £1000 to set up the site, add hosting costs and then £500+ per month marketing. You can do it cheaper than that but you won't sell any clothes (because nobody will be able to find the site). Just google 'second hand designer clothes' and see how big the competition is.

 

[ethical PR]

Not at all. You would then have the expense and effort of setting up a site and driving traffic to it.

Stick your clothes on eBay like everyone else

 

[AllUpHere]

Are you just looking to sell clothes you have already got, or are you thinking about starting a business only selling clothes of your size? Or, is the 'you modelling the clothes' a bit of a red herring?

 

[silvermusic]

You're in danger of over-thinking this idea, forget all the nonsense about branding, you're selling some second-hand clothes, no one cares. Go the eBay route as has already been suggested.

 

[Samantha Ekstrom]

Hi well I am modelling most of the clothes so the photos I have are of me in them as I thought it is a nice touch and something different but I also have clothes of other sizes to sell so not sure how to do that yet. Also I know the ebay route might work but I really wanted to try and see if I could set something up different to make me and my products stand out. Thanks, Sam x

 

[fisicx]

Sam,

It might be different in Sweden but in the UK the clothes are all that matters (you are unimportant to the buyer). The costs of setting up and marketing a website will be far more than any profit your will make selling the clothes. Just use eBay or even better, sell them to a existing pre-loved website.

 

[Samantha Ekstrom]

Ok wow this is giving me so much to think about now. I am still not sure about ebay though as I wanted to try something different like I say so will still need to think more. Thank you, Sam x

 

[AllUpHere]

Are you planning on restocking when you sell stuff, or do you have a finite amount of clothes to sell?

 

[Samantha Ekstrom]

I will be restocking so it will be a continuous business. Gosh this is confusing me now which way to go! x

 

[a1anm]

Sam,

It might be different in Sweden but in the UK the clothes are all that matters (you are unimportant to the buyer).

I don't agree with this. People buy in to brands/stories/people.

You may want to look at selling on the below to get started:
http://www.vinted.com
https://marketplace.asos.com/women
https://www.etsy.com

My wife used to sell Vintage clothes and found that the photography is really important.

You might want to give this book a read:
http://www.nastygal.com/accessories/girlboss-book

Nasty Gal started out selling vintage on eBay (in the US) and within a few years has become the fastest growing retailer in the US:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/25/t...ast-growing-retailer.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Good luck.

 

[Samantha Ekstrom]

Thank you soo much I am thinking the photography is important to if you want to stand out from the rest xx

 

[fisicx]

IMy wife used to sell Vintage clothes and found that the photography is really important.

Yes, but the actual person selling the clothes isn't important. Once you have the lead then people may decide to buy based on how you present yourself but you need to get the lead in the firstplace. My wife buys loads of stuff on ebay, she looks for the item first then decides to buy from sellars she likes.

So Sam needs to get the clothes in front of people. Building your own website is expensive and time consuming, using ebay means she could have her first items on sale this afternoon. AS the business develops then it's time to start thinking about branding and websites.

Just liike NastyGirl did.

 

[Samantha Ekstrom]

Ok wow ok I see your point but i just don't want to choose the wrong option first off!

 

[a1anm]

Yes, but the actual person selling the clothes isn't important. Once you have the lead then people may decide to buy based on how you present yourself but you need to get the lead in the firstplace. My wife buys loads of stuff on ebay, she looks for the item first then decides to buy from sellars she likes.

So Sam needs to get the clothes in front of people. Building your own website is expensive and time consuming, using ebay means she could have her first items on sale this afternoon. AS the business develops then it's time to start thinking about branding and websites.

Just liike NastyGirl did.

Yes, I agree with all of that. But still disagree with your comment that 'in the UK the clothes are all that matters'. No matter what channel you are selling through there are lots of important factors that will enable you to either sell more or sell at a premium.

 

[fisicx]

There is no wrong option. Anything you start can be reversed later. So set up an ebay account, put a few items up for sales and see how it goes. If you sell them set up a busienss account and sell some more. If that goes well set up an ebay shop. If you start to make real money you can build a website with the profits.

If it all goes wrong try selling on a different platform

 

[Samantha Ekstrom]

So basically me being in the clothes is not good enough for it to be different or to help with sales?

 

[fisicx]

Yes, I agree with all of that. But still disagree with your comment that 'in the UK the clothes are all that matters'. No matter what channel you are selling through there are lots of important factors that will enable you to either sell more or sell at a premium.

OK, so maybe saying all wasn't quite right but it is where every sale begins. Nobody is going to refer, tweet, post about your business unless they know about your business. And it's the products that will bring you to the attention of others.

 

[a1anm]

So basically me being in the clothes is not good enough for it to be different or to help with sales?

I wouldn't say you being in the clothes is enough as there are lots of sellers modelling clothes.

If you make sure the photos are styled really well and have really good descriptions it will give you a bit of an advantage. A lot of it may be trial and error.

The good thing with marketplaces is that you can try different things out without spending lots of money.

If you start getting really good images Instagram can be a good way of helping to build up a following.

 

[fisicx]

So basically me being in the clothes is not good enough for it to be different or to help with sales?

Nope, because nobody knows who you are. They will search for 'chanel little black dress' and look at all the sellers. The image is very important as it the price compared to the others. The fact that you are inside the dress is irrelevant - it could be anybody. What you do need are images of the label, any wear, the receipt (if you have one), the packaging, any details or marks and so on.

 

[Samantha Ekstrom]

Ok thank you guys this is so helpful I didn't know what to expect when I joined here and you know so much are you on email or yahoo messenger to talk in more detail about this? xx

 

[Samantha Ekstrom]

Well if anyone can help me more with this or to see my products then my email is samanthaekstromatyahoo.com. I really want to get this set up and running in the next few weeks. Thanks, Sam x

 

[Paul Cardall]

I'm very anti-ebay right now - read the eBay forums and you'll see a lot of sellers jumping ship.

eBay doesn't get the traffic it once did, I have an alternative marketing option for you I just don't know if I should mention it here, lol

 

[Paul Cardall]

Hello Samantha, I'm also 'just' starting out on a journey for self-employment, and I'm doing it on the tightest of budgets - so what I have to say is coming from someone who has to look outside the box, and seek alternative marketing methods - and I believe I've found a brilliant marketing method that is being under-used.

I see a lot of seasoned forum member throwing eBay at you like it's the Best Thing Since Sliced Bread - and it once was. However, eBay shops aren't getting the traffic they once did because Google has recently changed its code, and no longer sends huge traffic to eBay.

If you decide to go the eBay route, join the eBay forums first, and read the comments from seasoned eBay sellers, so many of them are jumping ship, and many have gone out of business because of the new changes that are happening to SEO (eBay is also a beast that is hard to tame)

You could build a web site 'for free' in a matter of days - adding an eCommerce element another day or so.

Choosing either eBay or a self-built web site, would still see you having to market your business.

I do have an alternative - I'll send you a private message and see if it tickles your fancy

 

[Lloyd N8N]

Hi Sam,

It sounds to me like you want to build a boutique type business with regular clients, rather than just become an ebay seller like some have suggested.

I would advise going down the branding route - get a nice logo designed, a nice (affordable) WP website, where you can upload your photo's yourself, a Facebook page, some nice looking (affordable) business cards and start small, trying to build a client base.

I don't know how successful it is, but I know of a company that host clothes parties… so someone will get 10 of their mates round and then this company will turn up with some bubbly and nibbles and their clothing range for the 10 friends to try on and buy.

Good luck

 

[ethical PR]

And how would you suggest she markets her new brand and website and differentiates herself from the hundreds of other boutique clothing websites out there?

The activities you've suggested in themselves won't provide her with the tools she would need to drive traffic to her site.

 

[ethical PR]

I'm very anti-ebay right now - read the eBay forums and you'll see a lot of sellers jumping ship.

eBay doesn't get the traffic it once did, I have an alternative marketing option for you I just don't know if I should mention it here, lol

Hi Paul

Do share some information on your alternative marketing option I'm sure it will be of interest to theForum.

 

[AllUpHere]

Hi Sam,

It sounds to me like you want to build a boutique type business with regular clients, rather than just become an ebay seller like some have suggested.

I would advise going down the branding route - get a nice logo designed, a nice (affordable) WP website, where you can upload your photo's yourself, a Facebook page, some nice looking (affordable) business cards and start small, trying to build a client base.

I don't know how successful it is, but I know of a company that host clothes parties… so someone will get 10 of their mates round and then this company will turn up with some bubbly and nibbles and their clothing range for the 10 friends to try on and buy.

Good luck

Why is it only ever designers and those offering branding related services that think brand is important? You can have the fanciest logo in the world, it's not going to help sell any clothes.

Edit. I see ethicalPR beat me to it.

 

[fisicx]

I would advise going down the branding route - get a nice logo designed, a nice (affordable) WP website, where you can upload your photo's yourself, a Facebook page, some nice looking (affordable) business cards and start small, trying to build a client base.

As already said, nope, nope, nopeitty nope.

However, eBay shops aren't getting the traffic they once did because Google has recently changed its code, and no longer sends huge traffic to eBay.

Why would Google be your starting point? Millions of people just go straight to eBay and search from there.

 

[Lloyd N8N]

And how would you suggest she markets her new brand and website and differentiates herself from the hundreds of other boutique clothing websites out there?

The activities you've suggested in themselves won't provide her with the tools she would need to drive traffic to her site.

I'm not spending my Friday afternoon writing a full marketing plan for someone I've never met - but I have offered something different to "just put it all on ebay", as it sounds like Sam doesn't want to be another ebay seller.

A couple of ideas - try and stock items in relevant shops/ boutiques or find places that will allow (possibly for a price) her to brand her company.

She could also have pop up stores for sales and promotion… as well as dishing out business cards to her target market or leaving them in coffee shops or other places where they may be seen.

Or, she could just stick her clothes on ebay!

 

[Lloyd N8N]

Why is it only ever designers and those offering branding related services that think brand is important? You can have the fanciest logo in the world, it's not going to help sell any clothes.

Edit. I see ethicalPR beat me to it.

I think you'll find it's not just design/ brand co's that think branding is important… companies spend millions on branding, and not just to please designers!

You are right, a fancy logo won't bring in sales, obviously marketing is required… however for a boutique company, a nice brand will help to build a loyal client base (imo).

 

[Lloyd N8N]

As already said, nope, nope, nopeitty nope.

A well thought out, alternative opinion!

 

[fisicx]

I think you'll find it's not just design/ brand co's that think branding is important… companies spend millions on branding, and not just to please designers!

And your point is?

Sam just wants to sell some secondhand clothes. She doesn't need a brand or branding. There are umpteen threads on the forum explaining why (along with endless blog posts and articles elsewhere).

 

[Paul Cardall]

As already said, nope, nope, nopeitty nope.

Why would Google be your starting point? Millions of people just go straight to eBay and search from there.

If you're referring to buyers, then no, Millions of people DO NOT go straight to eBay. That is not the case. Google (and other search engine) were to main driving force behind the traffic for eBay.

From experience, eBay auctions that used to get '1000's' of eyes on product, are now struggling to get into double figures.

 

[Paul Cardall]

Hi Paul

Do share some information on your alternative marketing option I'm sure it will be of interest to theForum.

I'm in email contact with Samantha, and have offered to create a marketing strategy for her business, if she accepts, maybe she'll also give me permission to post the details here.

 

[Lloyd N8N]

And your point is?

Sam just wants to sell some secondhand clothes. She doesn't need a brand or branding. There are umpteen threads on the forum explaining why (along with endless blog posts and articles elsewhere).

My point is, you were wrong to state it's just designers/branding co's that place importance on branding.

I wasn't touting for business here, just offering a bit of advice as it sounds like Sam doesn't just want to be an ebay seller.

Glad everyone is nice and relaxed on this sunny Friday!