2006-08-02 06:49:11 · 3 answers · asked by L T 1 in Business & Finance ➔ Small Business
When you mention selling your creations online, the first thing is to decide whether (a) you're selling them through your own website; (b) you're selling them through arrangements with other online retail stores; or (c) you're selling them through alternative online sales channels such as eBay.com
If you're going to sell your clothes online, consider the following factors why some are hesitant to shop online for clothes and make sure that you address them:
Another research firm, E-BuyersGuide.com found in 2000 that buyers did not buy apparel over the Web for the following reasons:
Unsure of accurate sizing (27.95%)
Returning item could be a problem (18.17%)
Unsure of quality (13.92%)
Delivery costs (13.71%)
Price (8.61%)
Credit card security (6.48%)
Unsure of item's exact color (5.84%)
Unable to access right information (3.29%)
Difficult site navigation (2.55%)
Other (10.20%)
If you are going to open your own website and sell your designs, here are what you will need:
1. Website - Your online connection to your prospects and customers. There are a number of places on the web to get "free" websites - although you may be required to display an advertisement. The design of your site is critical to the success of your business! If it does not look like a professional, legitimate business - NO ONE WILL ORDER ANYTHING - no matter how great the products you have. If you are serious about doing business on the web, either go back to school and learn html, java, cgi, etc., or hire a professional to design your site.
2. Merchant account - Bank authorized account which allows you to accept major credit cards, electronic checks, etc. Many banks will not give you a merchant account if you do business on the Internet because they may classify it as high risk. Be careful when looking for a merchant account provider! Watch out for hidden fees, high setup fees, and other unscrupulous business practices.
3. Payment Transaction Software - Software which actually processes customer order information, address, credit card number, etc. The data is sent to a credit card authorization network which verifies that the credit card is valid and verifies that the shipping address matches the billing address. A possible warning sign that the card has been stolen is that the billing and shipping addresses do not match.
4. Secure Server Connection - https:// - Link to a special computer which encrypts confidential ordering data for customer protection. You know you are on a secure server when the URL in your browser says "https://". The "s" stands for "secure." If ordering information is not sent via a secure server it can be intercepted by computer hackers.
5. Shopping cart - Software which allows you to accept product orders for multiple products from your website. This software automatically calculates and totals orders for your customers. Some setup must be done in the html code of your website, and the shopping cart software must be installed on the server which hosts your site or on the secure server which accepts sensitive ordering information.
I recommend that you read Kathleen Fasanella's blog at http://fashion-incubator.com . She is the author of the book "The Entrepreneur's Guide to Sewn Product Manufacturing" and her blog is full of answers to questions on how to start a clothing line
As for manufacturing sources, I suggest you check out the manufacturers listed in the National Association of Manufacturers http://www.nam.org/s_nam/index.asp
You may start by reading the article "Starting a Clothing Line or Apparel Manufacturing Business" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol66/clothing.htm . The article contains information on the startup steps, knowing your market, how to enter the market, the question of production and financing the business
For in-depth information, you may want to read the following books http://www.powerhomebiz.com/bookstore/clothing/clothing.htm :
The Official Step by Step Guide to Starting a Clothing Line
Start Your Own Clothing Store (Entrepreneur Magazine's Start Up)
The Business of Fashion: Designing Manufacturing, and Marketing
The World of Fashion Merchandising
So You Want to Work in the Fashion Business? A Practical Look at Apparel Product Development and Global Manufacturing
The Entrepreneur's Guide to Sewn Product Manufacturing
Fashion: From Concept to Consumer
You may also want to check out the resources of the following associations:
Professional Apparel Association http://www.proapparel.com
American Apparel Producer’s Network http://www.usawear.org/
Worldwide Responsible Apparel Manufacture http://www.wrapapparel.org/
American Apparel and Footwear Association http://www.americanapparel.org/
National Association of Fashion and Accessory Designers http://www.nafad.com/
Fashion Group International http://www.fgi.org
Apparel News http://www.apparelnews.net/
2006-08-02 06:59:59 · answer #1 · answered by imisidro 7 · 9⤊ 0⤋
The best routes to take are to research the process of starting a business as well as the industry you're interested in.
I recommend checking out the SBA, Entrepreneur, The Start Up Journal & Nolo. All 4 are great informational resources for the new/small business owner. I posted links for you in the source box.
Associations may be a good avenue to explore. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links.
Research, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:
Clothing Specific:
* Start Your Own Clothing Store (Entrepreneur Magazine's Start Up) by Entrepreneur Press
* Start and Run a Profitable Retail Business by Jim Dion, Ted Topping
* Retail Business Kit for Dummies by Rick Segel
* Specialty Shop Retailing: How to Run Your Own Store Revised by Carol L. Schroeder
* So You Want To Own The Store: Secrets to Running a Successful Retail Operation by Mort Brown
Online Specific:
* Selling Online: How to Become a Successful E-Commerce Merchant by Jim Carroll, Rick Broadhead
* The Complete E-Commerce Book: Design, Build, and Maintain a Successful Web-Based Business by Janice Reynolds
* Intelligent Selling: The Art & Science of Selling Online by Ken Burke
* E-Commerce for Dummies by Don Jones
There are plenty of free informational resources out there. Check the source box for links to articles.
Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!
2006-08-02 07:08:53 · answer #2 · answered by TM Express™ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How about an opportunity to operate your very own Internet Shopping Mall pre-stocked with 3.500 products and brand names such as Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba, JVC, Olympus, Xbox, As Seen on TV and more at wholesale/distributor pricing.
You mark up your own price - You make 75-150% profit, without ever buying products or fulfilling orders. And with these store packages you can also sell your own line of products if you wish.
Special Promotion - ends on 8/31/2006!!!
Get your own complete online store package for just $29.95 a year plus one time set up fee of $20.00. No monthly charges, no hidden charges. GUARANTEED!
Just go to http://www.kkasual.com/ and click on "BuyEstore" on the upper left hand side for details.
Others store packages:
http://www.dropship-business.com/index.html?aid=152630
It has worked for me but I do have to place ads to get results.
Feel free to contact me for more details, tips and ideas.
store@kkasual.com
Good luck
2006-08-02 06:59:18 · answer #3 · answered by Queens, NYC 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋