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Do's & Don'ts for an Apparel Store Owner

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Starting a clothing or apparel store sounds easy enough, but how easy is it? They say that if you want to thrive in the fashion industry, you need to be passionate about it. It's because doing business here is more than just about exquisite designs. You also need to know all that goes into making an apparel business successful, including marketing, retailing, and manufacturing.

So here are some small business tips and advice for founding and running a clothing or apparel store.

1. Think Ahead

Entrepreneurship is all about planning and looking towards what comes next. Planning by thinking ahead goes a long way in making a business or brand successful. Besides, by thinking ahead, you are making sure that you stay on track, setting achievable goals and accomplishing them, and working towards getting your business to where you want it to be by taking calculated risks.

So, be sure to have a plan— one that can help you make good decisions that you don't end up regretting.

2. Don't Copy

You are more likely to get customers if your brands are genuine. So, don't indulge in falsely advertising the colour, size, or material. Not only does it attract a lousy reputation for the business, but you could also find yourself in legal issues that could lead to its closure.

Negative publicity is the biggest enemy of a business. If you ask an expert for garment business tips, they will surely let you know that you must never try to deceive customers. Also, if you plan to promote your brands on social media, you shouldn't indulge in such practices that can break your brand. After all, providing the best services is in the interest of both the owner and customer.

3. Remember Your Target Customers

If you want to know how to expand business, then, never forget your target customers and their buying habits and preferences. Each generation and demography has a different understanding of fashion. While millennials and gen-Z will be engrossed in the current fashion trends, the older generation prefers comfort to trends or styles.

Specialise in one area so that you can focus more on getting it right. For example, if you plan to target the younger generation, be sure to know their preferences and focus on making more of them.

4. Don't Ignore the Competition.

All businesses have potential rivals. However, it would help if you did not let that interfere with getting your brands or products out to your customers. If you are looking to know how to make your business grow and make your brand stand out, you should focus more on building a solid reputation than on the competition.

However, that in no way means you can ignore your competitors. If you cannot get your brands or products to your customers amid stiff competition, you can always try and take cues from them to better build your brand.

You should also keep in mind that while you should learn from your competition, never try to copy them. Not only does it sabotage your reputation, but it can also lead to you going out of business. Always remember that when you go out of business in this way, you can never set foot into it again.

5. Get Inspired

Another helpful tip on how to expand your business in the fashion industry is to draw inspiration from others. You get inspired if you are passionate enough about what you do. Still, you can look towards others who are into the same business or have come up with some niche ideas and made it to the top; learn what it means to run an apparel business successfully from them.

When you look at such people and get inspired, you will be able to develop original brands. Inspiration comes in different forms. It could be the style someone else has adopted, or it could even be the way they price or promote their brands or products. Ensure that you look towards others in the industry who have made a big name for themselves and get inspired.

6. Don't Miss the Details.

Still wondering how to grow your business, try paying attention to details. No matter how insignificant it may seem, missing something could spell disaster for the brand and the reputation that you have built upon it. So, be sure to know what you are doing.

Design is the most important thing for an apparel store owner. Once you get the design right, you can focus on branding. Like the design, branding also plays a prominent role in bringing more customers to the business. Concentrate on creating a brand that your customers can rely on and turn to for their needs. Creating a convincing brand image and maintaining it is the first step to ensure customer loyalty.

The other things that go into making an apparel store successful, include pricing and procurement. These are the core business aspects that you should focus on to get to the top in the fashion sector.

7. Keep Yourself Updated

The fashion industry is all about keeping yourself up to date by getting to know the latest trends. So, when you ask the question, 'How to make my business grow?', you will get many answers, among which keeping yourself updated on the latest trends in the markets is a prominent one.

Remember that you have only one chance to make that first impression. So, make sure you get it right. Focus on all the vital aspects of the business without leaving out the essentials, for it could sabotage your reputation and the company’s.

Final Thoughts

So, if you are wondering how to grow your business, customer service, photography, advertisement, sales, and brand reputation are some essential aspects that you should look into. Get it right by focusing on each element in detail. It would help if you also drew inspiration from others in the field rather than copy what they do. That way, you can rest assured your business will grow to new heights, although it may take some time to get it where you want it.

Also Read:

1) DO's & DON'TS for a Wholesale Business Owner.
2) Do's & Don'ts for a Travel Agency Owner
3) Do's & Don'ts for a Tea & Paan shop owner
4) OkCredit: All you need to know about OkCredit & how it works.

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FAQs

Q. How to Grow My Business in the Clothing and Apparel Sector?

Ans. Various elements go into running a clothing business, including:

  • Finding a niche
  • The budget
  • Organisation
  • The designs
  • The brands
  • Manufacturing and testing
  • Marketing

Q. Is a clothing business profitable?

Ans. Running a clothing or apparel store can indeed be profitable if you do it right. In general, though, apparel stores have profit margins that range between 4% and 13%. However, when you consider the costs, the profits reaped would be much lower than these margins.

Q. How to grow a business and get pricing right?

Ans. The most common way to price clothes is with the help of the markup method. In this method, you multiply the price of each apparel by two or sometimes 2.5 to get the next price level.

You can also use other pricing methods, such as the backward pricing method in which you estimate whether a product is worth creating. Then there is the absorption pricing method in which you consider all the costs of making the product, including material and labour costs and an overhead expense, such as administration and design.

Q. How do I find suppliers for my apparel store business?

Ans. To find suppliers for your apparel store business, you must first collect the following information:

  • Industry distribution channels
  • Manufacturer information
  • Supplier information
  • Any other industry-specific information that can come in handy

Q. How much money do I need to invest to open an apparel store?

Ans. Considering startup costs, opening an apparel store could cost anywhere between INR 5 Lacs and INR 10 Lacs.