How to Open a Used Clothing Store

Owning your own used clothing store business can give you a tremendous amount of personal satisfaction, the start up costs can be quite low and you can earn a living or supplement your income.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Used clothes
• Retail space

1. Inventory
   
   If you are going to specialize in one type of clothes - children's, women's, babies' are all big sellers - or a tighter specialization such as beach clothes (good for a resort town), vintage clothes (young people and college towns), lingerie, or cruise and sport clothes - you might build a clientele based on this niche market. Look at the community you're going to be selling in.
   
   ASK:
   - Who can you market to?
   - What will they buy?
   
   Used clothes can be gathered from a variety of sources. Shop flea markets, swap meets and yard sales to pick up bargains in the style your store will carry. The last day of big jumble sales they often offer anything in a bag for one low price. Stuff the bags full of clothes you can resell.
   
   If you buy higher end items you should keep track of how much you paid by the individual piece of clothing. A simple notebook will suffice in this book keeping task. If, however, you are buying bulk second hand clothes, or negotiating for a bulk price from a yard sale seller (go on the last day and offer to buy all the clothes for a small amount of money) you should just keep track of what you paid and how many pieces of clothing you received that were sellable. This way you can tell what your profit is.
   
   Wash, dry, iron and hang all items.

2. Your store
   
   A store can be on your back porch, every Saturday (like a yard sale). It can be a stall at the indoor swap meet. It can also be a retail store in a strip mall. Look at your budget and then look at what's available. Key considerations are:
   
   - Cost (Include utilities, liability insurance if required, and other costs associated with the space.)
   - Size (Too big is just as bad as too small. Maybe worse!)
   - Location (You have to be able to be found.)
   - Parking
   - Exposure (Visibility is important.)
   
   Keep within your budget! You can make the other variables work for you in your used clothing store business.

3. Display
   
   You can make racks by using inexpensive closet rods between prefab or second hand book cases. Display prices prominently since shoppers are looking for a bargain when they shop at a used clothing store so price will be important.

4. What you don't need
   
   The following things might be exciting to have, and because so many stores have them you might think you need them. You don't. You can make do without.
   
   - Cash register - use a lock box, calculator and a receipt pad instead.
   - Employees - unless your store is very large or very busy, you really don't need employees. You might hire a teenager to be available for breaks and odds and ends. Hire your own child if possible.
   - New fixtures and decorations - keep it clean and brightly lit and the clothes will be the focal point.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are getting rid of inventory, or you made a bulk purchase and have items you want to get rid of, donate them to a non-profit second hand store, shelter or church.

[goodselfme]

on 7/16/2009 Good tips to opening a used clothing store.TX