How to Start a Teen Fashion Business
Often a person's focus on fashion, style, clothing and wearing the "hip" or "in" outfit is most extreme during the teenage years. For many teenagers, "what to wear" can seem like a life-or-death decision. For this reason, teenagers are an ideal demographic to appeal to if you want to open a fashion retail business. To start such a business, you must have a good understanding of what motivates teens to buy clothing.
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Instructions
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Location could be the single most important factor to determine your business's success. You must choose a location that is easily accessible to teenagers and a place where their parents are comfortable allowing them to go.
Often a mall is a good choice since many teenagers hang out at malls after school. Other options might be near a high school, in a neighborhood or near other businesses that teenagers visit.
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Decide what merchandise you would like to carry. Just clothing? Shoes? Accessories? Look at and talk to teenagers in your target location and try to understand their fashion needs. Try to choose merchandise that fills a gap not covered by merchants already established in your area.
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Pick fashion distributors that offer the products you are most interested in. Look for companies that appear to be dependable and offer consistent quality and service. Contract with distributors that ensure timely delivery.
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Develop a marketing plan. Teenagers need to know that your business exists and what makes it special. Consider creative public-relations campaigns, special events and advertising in media that target the teenage population.
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Hire employees who are responsible, dependable and offer good customer service. Hire mature teenagers and other people who understand the teenage population. Train your employees so they project the image of your business.
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Tips & Warnings
It might take a while to figure out exactly which products best fit your market. Start with a small inventory and expand based on customer needs.
Retail stores suffer a lot of financial loss as a result of shoplifting. Before opening, research loss prevention programs and implement the one that seems best for your business.
