Tag Archives: fashion business

Six Ways to Sell and Profit from Your Used Clothes

“It is like recycling: Selling old clothes to help make new ones.” –Erin OConnor

There comes a certain point in every year wherein we, ourselves would resign to the fact that we have hoarded too many clothes over the last decade. As we accumulate more clothes over the months—or years even, we may have noticed how we no longer have the designated space allocated for new clothes in our closets. For fashionistas, this is as close as they can get to a fashion travesty as that highly prized closet space is equated to precious real estate space wherein every square meter matters. So much so, that old clothes tend to eat up the precious and valuable space in our closets that could have been otherwise allocated for newer, fresh and trendier clothes. Fortunately for us, there are innumerable ways of getting rid of these yesteryear’s trends and purchases and one of them is to make a huge profit out of them. And in this time and age of technology, selling used clothes online guarantees you not only some results but convenience as well. Getting rid of your old sartorial items this way hits two birds with one stone: It allows you to declutter your closet from the plethora of clothing you own and make money out of it as well.

However, as you peruse your old buys from a multitude of clothing shops whether wholesale or retail, branded or generic, either wholesale coogi or retail bought Louis Vuitton, you inwardly cringe at some of the choices you have bought previously– from that tacky fringed crop top to that pair of bell-bottom jeans you used to be so fond of. But, what you need to keep in mind is that regardless of how eclectic or eccentric your fashion choices may be (as evidenced by the salad of clothes you own), there is always someone out there who would buy it—provided that you would upload it to the right platform which could be an avenue for buyers seeking for the same. There is a very diverse bunch of buyers out there (from brand collectors to bargain hunters) and surely, there is one of them that would find your item worth the price you might have given it. However, to make these items sell faster or get a firm traction over this type of business ; here are guidelines to assist you with that.

1.) BEFORE ANYTHING, LOWER YOUR EXPECTATIONS

A golden rule that remains to be true online until today is that the cheaper an item is, the more receptive a person would be to buying that particular item—most especially if it comes preloved (an online slang for used items). The truth is, if you price your clothes at a reasonable amount, you would still get inquiries regarding your item, but pricing them lower by a percent than what you intended initially would make it sell even faster. The truth is, there is no way you would sell your used clothes within a margin of how much you originally paid for it if you want to sell it fast enough. You need to keep in mind that you need to lower your expectations and unless there is a very specific demand for your particular item or brand, you cannot exactly dictate the price and your profit margin will be relatively slim.

2.) REPAIR YOUR CLOTHES FIRST

If you do not want clothes that are missing their buttons or have faulty zippers, chances are your potential buyers would not want to buy them either. When you are advertising used clothes online, you need to factor in the presentation of your clothes and how it would look as opposed to clothes that are off the rack. For one, it should be at least presentable so, in essence, it should be washed and pressed. Essentially, you would need to make the necessary repairs as well so as to make it look its very best.

3.) OFFER IT TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS FIRST

If this is your first time to venture into the world of online selling and business, the chances of getting your items seen are relatively slim. Seeing as this is the case, offer your preloved clothes to family and friends first and sell them those that they want. Of course, considering the close ties of your relationship, they may ask to haggle with your asking price. Do not be a scrooge by denying them this instead come up with a compromise wherein you would sell them the piece for less provided that they promote your online shop in their respective social media platforms or tell their other friends about this. In this way, you get to reach more potential customers with minimal effort.

4.) SET IT UP

The logistics to becoming an online seller are not always the same and it largely depends on which platform you choose to post your items and the process of getting paid. However, if you want to give your online shop a professional veneer, it is best if you tied up with websites such as PayPal. However, if you want to give it a more personal tone, you can always tie it up with a separate bank account or your own—whichever you prefer.

5.) PRESENT IT IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE

One of the many faux pas online sellers commit when selling used clothes is to present them as they are: strewn across or laid on a bed or photographed from a hanger. Additionally, lighting and photography are of minimal value to them as well. But take note: You want your used product to sell and you need to make it convincing enough to buy. So, keeping this in mind, like capturing photographs of people, it is best to take a photo of your used clothes from the best angle. Apart from that, most people would want to see your used clothes on an actual model and worn rather than see them hanged from a hanger as it gives them an idea how it would look like when they would be the one donning your used clothes.

6.) GIVE IT A BRIEF DESCRIPTION

You may think of this superfluous as an extraneous description could hardly achieve what your photo already could. But the reality is, your potential buyers would want a bit more insight about the item you are trying to sell. For one, giving it a brief description by essentially stating what size it is, and how many times it has been used and in what condition you are selling it in would help you a lot. It would give your buyers an idea of what to expect when they do get the item. Lastly, giving them suggestions of which clothes would look best with your used clothes and where and what occasions it would look perfect for would give you a lot of bonus points.

In conclusion…

Considering how easy it is to set up an online clothes shop nowadays, competition may be a little stiff when it comes to selling used clothes. However, it does come with its perks as for one; you do not necessarily need to pay the rental a retail store does but it certainly affords you the convenience of selling your used clothes from wherever without the need for a physical store. So, when you are planning to sell your used clothes online, keep the six things above in mind to make the process easier for you and your potential buyers.

 

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Know How to Succeed in the Fashion Business Industry

Basically, it starts with being fascinated by styles and fashion, then it became a dream. Now, you are striving to achieve that dream, hoping to open up your own new fashion business. For many, one of the greatest achievements that they can have is seeing their names on a clothing label. When it comes to fashion, there will be no limitations on what you want to do although not all designers manage to turn their passion into something profitable.

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In this world called the fashion industry, there are already a lot of well-known designers who made a name for themselves. This makes it more difficult to every fashion business startups to compete with these well-established businesses. Well, in order for you to succeed in a competitive world of fashion industry, you should possess the right attitude to pursue your lifelong dream.

Entering and starting up a fashion business may not be as easy as it may seem, and it can also be daunting on your end. However, there are several ways on how you can make your fashion business catch your target market’s attention. Of course, before you have to start one, there will always be some procedures for you to follow to reach your desired goal.

 

Research, Research, Research, then come up with a clear concept

Before you open up a fashion business, the most important thing to do is doing the research. Although, there might be some of you here who already knows a lot about fashion and the industry per se, there is still the need for you to research about what kind of fashion specifically are you going to take up and pursue.

Conducting a research on various fashion concepts will give you ideas that you can add up to the concept that you are currently thinking of, that is if you already have one. When you have a clear idea of the fashion concept, then it is easier for you to do the necessary next steps that should be done.

 

Consider the location

After deciding on the concept, now is the time for you to search for the right location. The location of your business also plays a great role whether you will succeed or fail in the fashion business industry. Without a proper and nice location, your target market may not be able to find where your fashion boutique is located.

Well, good thing if your target market will really give an effort in finding your store. However, don’t expect too much. For some, they will most likely ignore you and will find another fashion boutique that is more hassle-free and accessible enough for them. Moreover, if you have a good and perfect location for you fashion business, more and more people will stop by to your boutique. Yes, profitable traffic. Well who knows, any of these people might be one of your loyal customers soon.

 

Know your neighbourhood and your customer

When you are already had decided on where you want to put up your fashion business, then it is time for you to consider who are your direct and target customers. These are the people who are within your neighborhood. With that, you will know what kind of styles you might want to include on your list and in your target budget.

Moreover, knowing what kind of neighborhood you have can help you identify which of your items are the would-be best-sellers. Of course, this will also help you in avoiding specific styles that your neighborhood will not find interesting.

 

Figure out your budget and stick to it

Aside from the styles to consider, knowing your budget should be one of the top priorities. Of course, your business will not function without any budget. If you are serious in starting up a business, you have to invest your money in it. You should have plans on where and how are you going to come up with the right and exact budget that can start up a business.

When figuring out how much budget you should have, you need to include all of the possible expenses that you will have in the future. This is more so for the recurring expenses. From the store rentals, the furniture and to how many items you want to sell, you have to know how much budget that should be intended for it in order for you to prepare the said money.

 

Work your connections

For startups like you, it is not enough for you to sit and wait for your target customers to come in to your boutique. You have to know where and how you can make your customers want to visit your store. Of course, being a startup, your store will surely be not known to as many people as you want. There will always be struggles at first. That’s why, you should work out your connections through your friends, families and to any other people who you know will also spread the good news.

Moreover, with the technologies and the Internet available, getting the word out is not going to be hard on your part. With just a click away, hundreds to thousands of people can immediately notice the advertisement that you have posted online. Make use of the different social media platforms in targeting your audience.

 

Know your documents

In every business, be it small or big, there will always be some sort of documentation. You need to provide this in order for you to prove that your business is legal. These documents will prove that you have the permission from the government to put up a fashion boutique on a particular location.

Also, in case of incidents like if someone wants to sue you for something that is not proven to be true, you can let them see all the proper and legal documents, proving that your business is not a scam.

 

Manage your stress

Starting up a business can also be demanding and daunting. It is demanding in the way that it requires your effort and your time. It is daunting since you have so many things to think of, which sometimes leads you to worry about the things that might happen later on. Although it might be a little bit stressful on your end, you still have the need to endure and find ways to overcome it.

One of the many ways on overcoming stress is plotting strategies on what and how you can manage to pull off the things that you want to happen without jeopardizing the most important things. Of course, careful planning is going to be the number one thing you need to do to achieve a good and effective strategy.

When you are in the fashion business industry, there are a lot of possibilities that you can think of. These possibilities may happen right now or later on. Thus, you have to know the ins and outs of the business for you to know what and what not to do in order for you to be successful and live your dream!

Dress Code: 8 Outfits That Will Get You Fired

Office fashion can be the best thing and the worst thing that can happen to us. Thinking about what to wear can feel like a job itself. Dressing up is both a physical expression and nonverbal communication. Unless your company requires you to wear a corporate uniform, choosing what to wear can be one of our biggest hassles every morning.

Let’s face it! There are just times that we want to stand out, advocating our rights on how we should dress up.  However, there are certain guidelines that we need to follow for us to look professional, for instance. How you dress at work matters most even when the office standard is established as “corporate casual.”

Well, we (especially women) are talking about what to wear at work. Definitely, we will not going to choose an attire that we usually wear for parties. After all, your company needs your skill, not your outfits. But for the sake of your career, you better reconsider what you are wearing at work.

1. Any clothes that are too short

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Thinking about wearing shorts, mini-skirts or even short dresses? You better think again. Technically, these outfits are very eye-catching people will notice you immediately. However, it might get you into trouble one day, and I’m sure you don’t want that to happen. Flaunting your skin is not a bad thing at all for as long you are wearing it at the proper place, and the office is not one of those places.

Unless you are going to have a company outing or other such activities, there might be the need to wear those kinds of clothes for you to feel comfortable moving around. When it comes to work, wearing such skimpy clothes is a no-no.

2.  Anything that has a plunging neckline, sheer, backless, strapless, spaghetti straps, halter tops, etc.

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Like wearing too short clothes, these outfits are a no-no in the corporate world. These are the attires that show too much of your skin. Basically, there is no need for you to wear and flaunt your skin at the office since you are there for work and not for a fashion show.

These clothes will not help you look attractive at all. Instead, it will make you an easy target for office gossip from both men and women. This unfortunate incident will almost always overshadow your work.

3. Anything overly trendy or flashy

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If you don’t want your workmates laughing at you for wearing otherworldly outfits, you better avoid wearing them. I’m sure you will definitely feel ashamed wearing 1980’s blingy sequin skirts paired with over-the-knee stiletto boots in this modern generation.

Even if you are working in a fashion industry where wearing such outfits might be a normal one, when it comes to an office attire, please, don’t! Moreover, wearing trendy clothes that don’t suit you at all is also not a good thing to do. If you really want to wear the latest styles, you might as well choose outfits that best suit you. There are tons of outfits that you can choose from and are still office-appropriate.

4.  Anything that you’d wear as part of a Halloween costume, wedding dress,  nightclub outfit or an outfit for a tropical vacation

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Of course, these! Who would want to wear a costume or beach dress in the office? These are not welcome in the office environment and people will only think that you are craving for attention. Unless there is an activity that requires you to wear such (i.e. theme days), then you can wear them. Change back to your normal clothes the day after.

5.  Anything that is intended for the gym, music festival or college quad

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These attires (e.g. ripped jeans, yoga pants and graphic tees) are also a no-go. Even if these clothes might look casual and appropriate for every person to wear, these clothes are still not the type that you should wear at work. You can definitely wear these kinds of outfits in the appropriate time and place, but not on your place of work.

6.  Anything ‘Working Girl’ looks

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Just because we are now working girls, it does not mean that you are going to look like one. Stylish people usually say that the ‘working girl’ look (i.e. shoulder pads, loose trousers, etc.) is an old school way of doing fashion. I bet you will definitely agree with this one since we are now living in a modern world.

There are actually a lot of ways on how you can still achieve outfits that will make you look professional without pulling the nerdy, ‘working girl’ outfit. Try to be updated. Well, you have to know how to mix and match your clothes from your closet for you to pull off just the right corporate attire.

7.  Wearing flip-flops

 

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When it comes to wearing the appropriate attire, choosing what to wear from the top to bottom should be considered properly. Wearing flip-flops at work is outrightly forbidden.  If you are not comfortable wearing closed shoes, try wearing an open-toe shoes or sandals that have straps. In this way, your overall attire will still be decent to look at.

8. Tattoos and Piercings

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Choosing the right attire does not end up in choosing the right clothes. It also applies on how you present yourself, which should neat and clean. Wearing of visible tattoos and piercing at work is a sign of unprofessionalism. Although some of you here might consider these as an art, flaunting them at work is not necessary at all. If you have a tattoo, cover it with the appropriate attire when you are at work. Also, take your piercings off when you are at work.

We definitely understand that choosing the right office outfit is not that easy to do. There are certain things to consider before deciding what to wear at work. Despite the many outfits that you can choose from, know that each outfit must be worn at the right time and place. If you do not want to be a laughingstock, wear the desired and most appropriate office attire.

Starting Up a Fashion Business Without Acquiring Debts (Or Less)

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Creating a fashion business, among others, is a brilliant idea especially if you are passionate about creating a chain of excellent products for your consumers. However, any type of business would mean having enough capital to start up. Sometimes, it happens to become one of the initial hindrances in the process even though you have an idea brewing up in your mind. Say for example, you wanted to invest on having wholesale urban clothing or wholesale street wear business, it would take a lot of research and time for that, not mentioning the funds you need in general. These are just some of the technical factors you have to consider in creating your dream business.

 

What you need?

 

You would need to estimate the amount of money that you need to use in order to know what other things you could do in order to acquire enough funds. You might have some money saved but that might not be enough. This is not something to discourage you but these are important things to keep in mind. So as a suggestion, here are a few things to consider in creating that fashion business:

 

A physical store. Not mentioning the labor that you would need in order to construct your own building. This would also mean having to find the space perfect for your business. It is not an easy fete but you will get by once you know the things that are needs to be focused on.

 

The importance of having a physical store is for your customers to directly keep in touch with you and see your items if they like them or not. Nothing compares to buying clothes if you were able to try on them and check if they are a good match to you. As an entrepreneur, you would keep in mind your customer’s comfort as well.

 

An online alternative. Setting up an online alternative for your physical store is also a good option since most people are now hooked up to online shopping or would initially visit your website for immediate updates. This would also be a good move in order to gain followers.

 

By having a website, this would also be a good use in marketing your business. Meaning, you can attract more customers from your marketing collaterals and may save your company from the budget constraints that you might be facing once you have started the business.

 

Staff. No matter how small or big your business is, you would need manpower to oversee your business and at the same time, attend to your customer’s needs and requests.

 

Hire staffers who are honest and polite enough and have customer service ideals. Perhaps you can ask some friends who can help you with finding the right people to man your store. You don’t have to be at the store all the time that is why it is important to have trustworthy people to handle the business for you whenever you are not around.

 

Customers. They are the reason why you put up a business (aside from the fact that you wanted to venture on the fashion industry, share your knowledge and of course, earn money). Your clients are important in keeping up with your business’s life because without the, who would buy your products?

 

It is also important to satisfy your client’s needs, that is why proper customer service is a must. You also need to have loyal customers who will continue to patronize you, at the same time, help you survive the business despite the competition that you might be experiencing in the industry.

 

Got the gist? Therefore, in order for you to be able to survive the business and start it up with the funds that you have (or the ones you will still be acquiring), the abovementioned things are important. Just as important as how you are going to deal with them and turn them into realizations.

 

By knowing your needs, you would initially know what to do.

 

What to do?

 

Again, to make things work, you should know what you need. And if you have already jot down a list of your needs, you would not want to leave them hanging, right? You have to find ways on how to make things work. In short, doing things you ought to do to answer those needs.

 

Below are some suggested ways for you to be able to gain enough resources and would gain you enough funds or minimize the use of it.

 

Research. By researching, this would mean knowing your niche market. Research for demographics and other stats that would help you find ways on how you could upscale at the same time, save up from what should not be done. Since you are planning to have a fashion business, keep in mind that there are various markets that you will be stumbling upon with.

 

To make this easier for you, find a market that would suit to your specialty, say for example you are targeting professional hippies who wear street wear clothes. This would give you an idea of focusing on wholesale urban clothing, wholesale urban jackets, wholesale jeans, wholesale tees and the like.

 

You should have something unique. This may be quite a tad of difficulty because as we all know, the industry is so tight and the competition is so up to the scale. Yet there are still other variables that you can focus on. You may be selling wholesale street wear yet the items you sell are also one of a kind.

 

Online marketing can help you do this and doing excellent marketing strategies to prove that you have unique items at hand.

 

Ask feedback. Feedback is necessary to know if you are keeping up in the game. If you would need to push more or just to keep it steady. This would also mean that you need to know from people with experience how things should be.

 

Talk to experts. By doing so, it would help you save up much effort and money from doing strategies that can be done alternatively. Ask them things about dealing with money matters and how you could live up with the challenges.

 

Find Investors. Or business partners. If you are confident enough, you can ask some friends to invest in your company and perhaps, you can run the business hand in hand. This would also open up for more opportunities and ideas in expanding the business in the future.

 

Study the industry. Continue to study the trends and the updates involving the industry you are in. Be a game changer. Start to learn things by reading magazine, knowing what your competitors are into and how you could up keep with them. By doing so and by acing the game, it would not only save you from such efforts wasted but also, help you save up the money you should be using for other expenditures.

 

How about you? Do you have any ideas to share? The comment section is welcome for you!