So how do you jump on this trend and start your own clothing store? According to StoreTraffic.com, there are a number of steps that you need to do to successfully start a clothing retail store business:
1. Think Niche.
There are so many clothing stores out there, and it is important that you find your own segment that you can focus on and be really good at. You want to be the go-to store when your target market thinks of that particular clothing. If you’re a small business, it’s tough to compete with high end stores like Nordstrom and low-end big boxes like Wal-mart. You also don’t have the financial backers of designers like Michael Kors or Kate Spade or the retail distribution reach of brands like Levi’s jeans.
>> RELATED: Keys to Success in the Clothing Retail Business
To help you identify the right niche for your clothing store business, read the articles Focus on a Niche: Factors to Consider and Targeting: How to Find Your Niche
2. Gain retail experience.
Having an experience working in the retail business can be a huge advantage when thinking of starting your own clothing store. This is especially true if you are starting a business you know nothing about except your passion for clothes.
You need to know what you are getting into. As the article From Employee to Self-Employed: How to Manage the Transition states:
“This seems to be a simple enough advice, yet many people make the fatal mistake of not thoroughly understanding what having a business means and the kind of work that it entails. There are a number who do not even understand the nature of the business that they are getting into.”
You need to know how the retail business works, and gaining retail experience will give you first-hand information on product management, merchandising, customer management, marketing, partnerships, among others. You get to see what works, and what does not – all of which can be key lessons for your own store.
3. Develop a business plan.
A clothing retail store is not something that you can start with less than $1,000. So if you’re going to start a business with a sizeable investment like a retail store (read Cost of Opening a Retail Store), you better know what you need to do and a business plan can be a great tool to help you lay out your plans for the clothing store. Check out our articles on business planning.
>> RELATED: How to Start a Clothing Line Business
4. Choose the right location.
Choosing the right location is critical to the success of your retail business. Run your numbers if you can afford to set up your store in a shopping mall. Your clothing store doesn’t need to be in a high traffic area if you can’t afford it, but your store needs to be where your target market frequent, that is both accessible and with ample parking space.
5. Plan your store layout.
How you plan your space and create the look of your store are critical to the success of your retail clothing store. According to the article How to Succeed in the Shoe Store Retail Business,
Success in retailing entails knowing how to maximize every square inch of the store and warehouse (if any). With good rental space getting more expensive, you need to carefully plan your space through effective use of floor patterns, location of merchandise, amounts of merchandise and use of appropriate displays. Store layout and product display induce product purchase and reinforce company image.
Your store layout also helps make the physical act of shopping convenient to your customers, allowing them to handle the product and determine the unique “fit” of the product.
6. Source quality stock and develop supplier relationships.
As a clothing retailer, you need to ensure that your products are available at the right time and at the right price. This is why it is crucial to develop strong collaboration and relationships with your suppliers and manufacturers. From What You Need to Know When Starting a Retail Store: Tips to First-time Retailers
Finding the right supplier is essential to the success of your retail store. Choose the wrong one and you can find your shelves empty and your customers going to your competitors.
Check out our Clothing and Apparel Wholesale Suppliers.
7. Hire reliable staff.
A previous study by Accenture on retail consumers found that the keys to providing the best in-store experience are: store organization (61%), variety (59%), cleanliness (58%), customer service (57%), and friendly staff (55%). The staff you hire is critical to the success of your clothing store, so be sure to take time to train them and teach them how to put your customers first. They are after all, your store’s ‘human face.’
8. Announce your arrival.
When your store is ready, it’s time to announce your arrival and plan your clothing store’s opening. You can choose a soft opening over a grand one where you open quietly without fanfare to give you a chance to get the store in the best possible shape with your display, stocking, staffing and systems before you invite the world to try it. Or you can opt for the all-out grand celebration complete with media roll out.
9. Keep on top of trends.
Fashion trends guide consumer purchase patterns. Whatever niche you’ve decided, always be on the lookout for the hottest trends and designs. Be sure to subscribe to fashion magazines and industry publications (cost is tax deductible!), follow blogs and social media accounts of key influencers, and check out what big stores are stocking up on their shelves.
10. Use Retail analytics to track your performance.
Once your store opens, invest in software that can help you track and understand your customers and what they want. Retail analytics can help you get the right information to the right people at the right time. It can track what is working in your marketing strategies, and what needs to be changed. It can be an effective tool to help you engage in more personalized marketing. You also need to get real time actionable insights on consumer behavior. The more you know about your store and your customers, the better you are able to serve them and give them what they want thus helping your store succeed.
Recommended books on How to Start a Clothing Store Business:
- Opening a Boutique Guide : How to Start your own Unique Clothing Boutique: The definite guide to starting … (Boutique Bootcamp :How to Open a Boutique) (Volume 1)
- Increase Profit From Your Women’s Clothing Store: 152 Ways to make more money from your boutique
- Start Your Own Clothing Store and More: Women’s, Men’s, Children’s, Specialty (StartUp Series)
- The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Starting and Running a Retail Store (Complete Idiot’s Guides (Lifestyle Paperback))
- The Everything Guide to Starting and Running a Retail Store: All you need to get started and succeed in your own retail adventure
Here is an infographic on how to start your own clothing store:
It was really helpful when you said that you should keep on top of trends. I’m wanting to open a clothing store. Thank you for the tips on how to start a clothing store!