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Setting up a fashion business – Things to consider

Dominic Lill ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Whilst the internet has made it much easier to start a business these days, there are still a lot of considerations to take into account before you launch.

When setting up a fashion business, there are a few key factors you need to be aware of if you want to ensure its success. Here you’ll discover the main things you need to think about before launching your new fashion venture.

fashion business

Are you financially prepared?

You may be able to set up and run a fashion store online, but you’re still going to need to pay for things such as:

  • Clothing or the cost of manufacturing your own clothing.
  • Storage.
  • Packaging.
  • Delivery.

Obviously you’re going to need to buy or manufacture the clothing ready to sell. Customers expect a fast service, so if you don’t have products in stock ready to be shipped, your reputation is going to suffer.

As you’re shipping physical goods, you’ll also need somewhere to store your clothing range. As a start-up you might be able to get away with using a spare room in your house. Or, it could be worth looking into dealing with a distributor who keeps the clothing in their own warehouse and ships them directly to the customer. This can be expensive however so it’s worth trying to start out in a spare room if possible! Companies like Popgear have large warehouses to store all their products with stock ready to be shipped at a moments notice, this ensures speedy delivery and happy customers.

Packaging and delivery can easily be forgotten when working out expenses. You need to ensure your clothing arrives in good condition and it’s presented well. Choosing a reliable and speedy delivery service is also incredibly important. It’s highly recommended you choose a carrier familiar with fashion logistics such as TNT UK Ltd.

Establishing a good online presence

Regardless of whether you’re going to be selling clothing over the internet or in-store, you still need to establish an online presence for your fashion business. Customers look for businesses they can deal with online, whether it’s simply finding out information about local stores. Therefore, you’re going to need a website first and foremost.

Once you’ve got a website, you’re then going to need to market your store. After all, how are customers going to know your clothing site even exists if you don’t show them? Social media such as Facebook, is a fantastic tool to help establish new and growing fashion businesses.

Overall, there’s actually a lot to consider before you start a fashion business. The above is just a few of the more important considerations to take into account. Of course, a degree in fashion merchandising will also be very helpful. If you want to avoid the dreaded first year failure, the key is to plan ahead, research and prepare as much as possible. Of course, you’re also going to need high-quality clothing to sell!