Full Audio Version: Helpful Tips to Start an Online Clothing Store
Starting a clothing line is one of the most common business opportunities for creative and passionate entrepreneurs. You’re doing this because you want to share your fashion sense and talent with the world while making a profit. If you’re new to the clothing line business, then the burning question on your mind must be, where’s the best place to start my clothing business so it can thrive? The answer is online, as e-commerce is the perfect stage for your clothing line.
This post discusses starting an online clothing store, why it’s a good idea, and other tips to help your clothing line thrive.
The main reason why clothing lines thrive online is that the cost to run an eCommerce is significantly lower than going straight to retail. This is especially the case for new clothing companies because they want to keep their startup costs low. Shopify, for example, costs just $29 a month. What’s more, starting as an online store helps build your sales resume so retailers will be more open to taking you on in the future. Selling online first can also help gauge customer demand and use the MVP (minimum viable product) approach. Additionally, you get to save on business insurance.
Minimum viable product (MVP) refers to a business approach wherein you test a small batch of your products before going into large-scale manufacturing. This small-batch can be anywhere from 30 to 50 pieces. Say that you design a sweatshirt and roll the design out in 40 completed products. You will have lost much less money if those 40 don’t sell well compared to 15,000 that didn’t. The MVP is the ideal business approach for clothing.
When it comes to an online presence, your web design, brand, and marketing will be major in ensuring your success. Your brand will be pivotal in identifying your clothing among a sea of several others. Without a good brand or hook, you risk falling into obscurity. At the same time, you also want your brand to best represent yourself as the CEO of your clothing company. Ideally, a brand is a combination of yourself and something your clothing line is striving for -be it a new luxury fashion or something more simple and affordable. When it comes to marketing, especially online, a good portion of your budget should go towards your website. Often, people come across clothing they like while browsing social media, so it’s important to have a presence there as well. That’s why it’s important to have a good online marketing strategy that reaches anyone who might be interested in your clothes. You can sink some funds into paid advertising spots on major social media sites, for example.
In conclusion, starting your clothing line in an online store is the perfect way to get your designs and products out there and build a customer base that will result in growth. You’ll be able to move from MVP to large-scale manufacturing and from your online store to a retailer or distributor, all the while keeping your startup costs low. The first days of any business are often what defines its success. When it comes to your clothing business, you want to be able to look back at the formative times with pride. That all starts with an online store.
