Boutique Blog

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

3 DropShippers Like the Avenue Shops

Drop shipping is fast becoming the #1 option for women to launch and grow their boutique stores. The benefits are well known;  low shipping benefits, cutting inventory costs, flexibility in product variety, and streamlining operations through outsourced fulfillment, all together making it an attractive choice for e-commerce sellers. 3 best drop shipping suppliers similar to Avenue Shops  1. Bloom Drop Ship Bloom has sprouted up quite recently and rose to the top due to is offering of full size runs that run small thru 3x and low costs, both on clothing and subscription price.  The number one ingredient that any successful drop shipper will need is product that they can price competievly versus the competition. When you drop ship with Bloom you are always assured that their costs are the lowest compared to any other drop shipper. This is possibly due to the fact that they are the only drop shipper out of Los Angeles which also gives them the ability to launch trends first.  I've seen items launch some 3-4 days after the brand itself launched the item. A major perk in out-competing competition!   Other then a solid selection and low clothing prices other features include a low subscription cost ($99), website building and assistance, tech packs that include website banners (very helpful) and same day shipping out of America.  Avenue Shops is a favorite of all drop shippers but if there was an option that was cheaper (and easier to use) Bloom would be that choice.   2. Boutique Simplified This is a stellar company that has been around for some time and only gotten better thru the years. They offer a nice complementary of unique styles and accessories and they are one nicest and most personable groups to work with. Prices are solid, pictures and models are cute and they ship same day with adorable wrappings and bagging giving your customer that mom and pop feel.   The Avenue Shops caters to more of a coastal/trendy customer where as Boutique Simplified is strictly that more midwestern feel. So if your a South Dakota boutique I think its worth trying Boutique Simplified!  3. KiwiDrop I'm not a fan of Chinese dropshippers but I wouldn't be doing my job if I wasn't giving you a popular choice for many drop shippers. Kiwi is a free offering with a huge amount of clothing and accessories available to sync to your Shopify website. I have found that using them for accessories is a great addition a top of your main drop shipping supplier.  Some customers don't mind their items shipping from China but it's been my experience in the boutique industry that this is a good way to lose a customer. However shipping accessories and jewelry from China doesn't seem to erk the customers and Kiwi's selection in that department is well beyond any other drop shipper. The great thing about all of these drop shippers including The Avenue Shops is you can use them all! It's worth noting that the biggest companies selling via drop shipping use 4-5 drop shippers for a full comprehensive offering. Good luck!  

Boutique Blog – by Krystal W

5 Best Boutique USA Clothing Sites in 2024

Finding the best boutique clothing USA sites is one of the most crucial things for boutique stores. We have handpicked the top places to buy from for high profit.

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

5 Best USA Wholesale Suppliers For Your Boutique

Curating wholesale suppliers for your boutique is one of the most important tasks you can do as a boutique owner. Unfortunately finding them can be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Top 5 Wholesale Clothing Suppliers.  Fashiongo Fashiongo is the leading wholesale clothing marketplace in the industry. It currently hosts thousands of suppliers from all over the country and is a premier business to work with. From coastal looks to deep southern trends, Fashiongo has it all covered. This easy to use platform lets you pay from multiple vendors and even consolidate the shipping to save you some money. Features Thousands of unique vendors Consolidated Shipping Easy functionality UI and order archive storage Excellent customer service     Bloom Wholesale Bloom is a unique wholesale clothing supplier that specializes in deep discount deals and affordable clothing brands. Their niche is clearly price and if you're a beginning boutique this company would serve you well.  Catch the weekly drops of hundreds of bargain wholesale clothing deals each week in this easy to use and trusted website.  Bloom also has a drop shipping service that has been one of the premier drop shipping providers in this relatively new market. Features Low Shipping Bargain Deals Assorted Packs Drop Shipping     Orange Shine Orangeshine like Fashiongo is a wholesale market place that caters to every boutique under the sun. They carry thousands of wholesale suppliers and vendors that are all a click away. Easy to use website that archives orders and has easy search functionality is a great site to use for any new or established boutique.  Orangeshine does a great job of showcasing many different vendors that you might otherwise not come across. Possibly the first and oldest marketplace, Orangeshine is a can't loose proposition for your wholesale buying needs. Features Thousands of unique wholesale suppliers Rewards program Consolidated shipping Easy to use website Great Customer Service     Faire Faire is the esty of wholesale. In search of those cute signs or trending accessories? No problem..Faire has you covered. This site is a newer wholesale marketplace and has made its niche in hosting small business suppliers with unique accessories and crafts for wholesale purchasing.  Faire is also a marketplace for clothing but in my opinion the prices are still a little high. And that might be because of their unique feature of Net terms. What's this you ask? This nifty tool offered by Faire gives you the ability to purchase now and pay later, sometimes up to 60 days later! Features Net Terms Unique accessories Thousands of clothing, shoe and accessory suppliers Prompt customer service     Judson and Company Judson and company is wholesale supplier out of the middle of the country. And this is extremely beneficial if you live in the midwest because shipping can be as little as 2 days.  Judson does a good job of consolidating thousands of vendors and offering its customers a beautiful curated display of todays trends in accessories, clothing and foot wear.  The problem with the wholesale marketplaces on this list is that there is no curation done for you and its up to you to scout the deals and vendors that suit your needs. As mentioned, what's great about Judson is they will do this for you. Features  Good prices Fast Shipping Amazing customer service Excellent curation of todays trends Rewards package 

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

5 Social Media Mistakes to Avoid as a Boutique Owner

If you're a boutique owner not using social media correctly you are putting your boutique in detrimental harm. Social media can help businesses reach more people, new audiences, and increase their customer base. However, there are also several mistakes that can be made on social media that should be avoided. For the best social media results, continue reading to learn about these mistakes and how to avoid them. Top 5 social media mistakes to avoid as a boutique owner. Neglecting or Not Using Social Media Enough as a Boutique Owner As mentioned above, not using social media enough can actually be detrimental to your botique. Social media can can help boost your reach and greatly improve visibility. Not using it is essentially throwing away the potential for new customers and sales.  As a boutique owner, you should be reaching out and connecting with people on as many platforms as you can. The more new eyes you can get seeing what you offer, the more customers you are likely to have. Plus, social media makes it easy for people to share posts with their friends and family. Referrals improve growth tremendously. Don’t Spread Yourself Too Thin on Social Media It is important to not spread yourself too thin as a boutique on social media. Yes, it is important to have a strong social media presence. It is a great idea to connect with customers across different platforms. And, it can be hard to manage multiple platform pages, especially as a solo boutique owner or small team. There is only so much time and effort that can go into boosting social media presence. It is a better idea to choose one or two platforms to commit to. Otherwise, you may find yourself in a situation where you have a low social media presence across multiple platforms. Therefore, potentially having subpar content because of time constraints.  Including Captions on Instagram and Facebook Picture Posts When posting photos of clothing on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to write a caption! This caption can be optimized by using keywords and hashtags that people continuously search for. This will lead to increased traffic on your post.  Also, just posting pictures without captions creates somewhat of a disconnect with customers. They may know nothing about your boutique or offerings. Captions are a perfect way to engage, connect with, and build relationships with current and potentially new customers.  Hashtags Are More Important Than You May Think Hastags can sometimes seem silly or unnecessary to some boutique owners who do not know their power. Actually, hashtags are one of the most highly used and common ways that people use social media. This helps to connect, relate, and thread posts together. To connect with fashion communities and show off your wares, hashtags are critical. It will help your posts show up in more searches, help customers find unique items, and strengthen your customer base over time. In other words, never forget to add trending hashtags to your posts, even if they seem silly!  Not Using Influencer Marketing Another huge social media mistake for many boutique owners is not using influencer marketing. If you’re unfamiliar with influencer marketing, lets talk about influencers first. An influencer is someone who has amassed a lot of followers on social media. People look to them for advice, lifestyle, engaging content, and more. The massive amount of eyes on these individuals make them great for showing off your products. There is typically be a fee that you will need to pay the influencer for their time. However, their promoted posts can often lead to significant sales for your boutique.  When using influencer marketing, it is important to connect with the right influencer. Do not use an influencer who has a lot of followers, but is not connected to fashion in any way. You’ll want to find an influencer who deals with fashion. This way, they will be able to get your products in front of people with similar interests. In other words, make sure you are marketing to the right crowd when using influencer marketing.  The Bottom Line of Social Media as a Boutique Owner   Realistically, if you want to survive and thrive as a boutique owner, social media is critical. It is where people go to find new styles, options, and stores to shop. Not putting yourself in front of an audience is a total waste.  Customers are constantly out there Googling “boutiques near me.” They are much more likely to visit your store when they have seen your posts. They’re more likely to check you out if they’ve connected with your store on these platforms. This is especially true if you are beginning as a boutique. You’ll need to get yourself out there and in front of people as fast as possible to begin receiving traffic.  Social media is far from the only thing to focus on when running a boutique. However, it is certainly an important factor that can be used to greatly grow your business.  Are You Searching For High Quality Wholesale Clothing for Your Boutique?   If you are a boutique having trouble with your wholesale options or would like to expand, we’re here to help. Our goal is to provide education on high quality, extensive, and affordable wholesale options. We understand that finding quality wholesale options can be overwhelming, especially as a starting boutique. This is why we aim to make the process as easy as possible. Feel free to browse our site to learn more about creating a boutique and finding wholesale options. We are excited for you to start building your business and hope that our content helps to answer your questions.

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

5 Ways to Increase Traffic to Your Boutique

You are enjoying the entrepreneurial way of life. Owning a boutique is exciting, fulfilling, and stressful. It also can cost a substantial investment and takes a while to get your footing and start to see any profit. We’re going to show you a few ways that you may be able to increase your traffic flow and get more sales. 5 Ways to Increase Visitors to Your Store 1. Expand the Wholesale Boutique Items you Sell. Download our Top 5 Wholesale Clothing Sites, to see the clothes they offer, the shipping schedules, and the styles. A hip vendor in California may not have many clothes that your laid-back moms in Arkansas wear. Find the vendors that will work best with you and your clients. Then broaden your base a little. One of the best ways to increase traffic to your boutique is to have items that appeal to a broader base. You want your boutique to serve any potential buyer, but no one has enough room for that. Find your market, then stretch the edges a little. You can always purchase from another boutique if you need that item. That’s one of the reasons you want to make friends with other boutique owners. Unlike the big box stores that compete against each other, boutique owners love to help one another.    Fashion Shows are a great way to preview wholesale boutique items from different vendors. It’s also a great opportunity to travel with the girls and have some fun. You can check our List of Upcoming Fashion Shows to see what events interest you.   2. Starting an Online Boutique the Right Way. When looking for a way to increase foot traffic and sales for your boutique, a great way is to set it up online. You have already done all of the complicated parts to open this boutique. You can bring your items online at your pace, and increase your inventory at a pace that works for you.  The main things are these: An online store: like Shopify, Amazon, or one of the others Website if you do not already have one Facebook or Pinterest for posting pictures A good system for keeping up with inventory   3. Add Other Items For Sale If you are currently selling only women’s clothing, consider adding other wholesale boutique items. Shoes, jewelry, children’s clothes, and household items have proven to be traffic builders for some boutiques. The first thing to consider is how much room you can dedicate to one of these lines. Listen to comments your guests are making when in your boutique. Are they asking if you have jewelry? Or carry shoes? Listen to what they want from you, and see if you can add it. A glass case beautifully designed with sparkling jewelry is a real attention-getter. You cannot just base the value on how much jewelry sells out of this case. Also, look at the number of visits it increases to your boutique each day to look at the case. Then they may purchase other items while they are in the boutique.    4. Taking Marketing to the Max Most shop marketing has been done in print and only for certain occasions because it was so expensive. Now we can share concepts with the people that need them. Many people cannot look at a pair of pants and visualize the shirts that could go with them. Design that outfit for them. Try several different tops with that fantastic pair of pants you have for sale. If you can add shoes, purses, and jewelry, it will be appealing. If you don’t have models to use, be creative. Devise a way to hang them together, lay them on the floor, or in a glass case. Take several pictures, then select the best. Post them on Facebook & your website with a catchy title. Encourage sharing of the images to increase views. When starting your online boutique, be sure these images are on it. Beautiful jewelry photographs well. Develop a posting schedule and try to follow it. Don’t try to post every day, that’s too big of a commitment. Give yourself a little leeway and try once a week. If you can exceed that, it is a bonus.   5. Membership Program  Initiate a Membership Program for your current clients. Tell them they will receive advance notifications of sales, promotions, and deals. Make it easy to sign up, either a simple sign-up sheet at the counter or entry at check out. The CMS needs to be able to track this member’s purchases by E-mail address. This can give you reporting to assist you in your product tracking. You can do a mass e-mail to your members asking what products they would like to see added. Also, quiz them for suggestions and issues. This is a great way to get feedback from your clients. Read and consider the comments, don’t just ask for them then ignore them.  Along with your Membership Program, you may also want to initiate a Referral Program. Offer a 10% or so discount on the next purchase after a client makes a referral. The best program gives a discount to the referrer and one to the new client. The new client receives a discount on their initial purchase. The referring client receives a 10% discount on their next purchase. If a total of 20% is scary, give 5% to each. The point is too bring in participants so it must be enough to appeal to clients. Establish a way for this to be implemented. The least appealing would be that they have to come together for that initial purchase. This would be extremely difficult as your online business grows.    This brings to our attention again that you need a good CMS. You need a version that will perform the things you need it to do. You may have purchased a simple system, to begin with. Starting an online boutique may indicate you have to consider a step up to get everything you now need. If you use the features, this investment will pay off. We hope this information will be useful as you try to increase the traffic to your boutique. See us at Buy Wholesale Clothing for more information.  

Boutique Blog – by Guest

6 Tips for Buying Wholesale Inventory for Boutique Owners

Guest blog post provided by Hubventory Buying wholesale inventory is one of the most important jobs of a boutique owner, and it can also be one of the most fun! However, not having a game plan can result in overstock inventory and uninterested customers. Reduce the risk of having leftover inventory with our 6 tips for buying wholesale inventory.  Always remember, buying wholesale inventory is about INVESTING in something that you are going to turn around and make a profit. Let's get into our 6 tips for buying wholesale inventory!  1. Know your customers If you don’t know your customers and who you are buying for, how can you serve them correctly? One way to get a better insight into your customer is by doing customer interviews or surveys. Some good questions to ask include:  What are your customers’ needs, wants, and desires? What are their pain points or frustrations? (Is this something you can offer a solution to? Customers will pay to have their problems solved.) What sizes do they need? What fit, feel, and function do they need? What colors do they love? Remember, just because you love it doesn't mean it is what your customer is looking for! 2. Know your options There are so many different options for boutique owners wanting to buy wholesale inventory. The first option to buy wholesale is from online marketplaces such as Hubventory. Buying wholesale on Hubventory can be beneficial as you can connect with new wholesale brands and shop for your retail business, all from the comfort of your couch!  Hubventory isn’t your average wholesale marketplace. Hubventory was created by the industry, with your business put first. Enjoy easy Shopify integrations & uploads, collaborative inventory planning boards, personalized feeds, honest pricing, instant member savings, and education all on the platform Learn More about Hubventory Another option to purchase wholesale is by attending a tradeshow market in person. Which is better, you ask? We suggest a marriage of the two. There are benefits to both in-person and online wholesale shopping. Going to an in-person market can offer inspiration, relationship building with vendors, and you’ll actually be able to see and feel the quality of the apparel. Major markets can be found in Chicago, New York, Dallas, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Las Angeles, Nashville - just to name a few! Remember to keep your customers in mind from tip #1. It’s easy to walk into a market or log onto Hubventory and get sidetracked by everything they have to offer. Go in with a plan and your customers in mind.  3. Understand your vendors sizing Nothing is worse than getting excited about an online order only to find out that the sizing isn’t correct. Make sure your customers don’t experience this with your boutique. It’s up to you to provide the right resources for your customer and knowing your vendors sizing is a key step in this process. 4. Understand Prepacks Vendors will most often pre-pack their items. These are packages of one item based on size runs. Common pre-packs include 2-2-2 (2 small, 2 medium, 2 large), or 1-2-2-1 (1 small, 2 medium, 2 large, 1 extra-large). It is up to you to make the best decision with these pre-packs. If you have a number of XL customers, it wouldn’t make sense to order a 2-2-2 pre-pack. Likely, if your customer base is primarily small-sized, it wouldn't make sense to order a 1-2-2-1 pack. Lot’s of numbers here, but this is a crucial part in making sure you aren’t left with overstock and buying what your customers actually need.  5. Keep Minimums in Mind Another important thing to keep in mind before purchasing from a vendor is minimums. Each vendor works differently, so make sure you ask about this. Some brands require a minimum dollar amount spent, while others require a minimum number of pre-packs bought. Is this something you can afford, or is it just that one sweater you fell in love with? The majority of the time, it is not worth it to break the bank to meet that minimum requirement for that one item. This is a huge red flag and will result in leftover inventory.  6. Price for Profit  It is easy to get caught up in a pricing bubble while wholesale shopping. When you are shopping around, the first thing you should ask yourself when you find something is ‘what will my customer pay for this?’ Once you’ve decided on a price, and only then, turn that price tag around. If the wholesale price is justifiable and can offer you a good ROI (return on investment), you’re good to go! If there isn’t a gap between your ideal retail price and the wholesale price, it might not be a good option.  FREE DOWNLOAD - More Tips on How to Buy Wholesale There is a science to knowing how to buy wholesale clothing for your boutique. There are plenty of apparel markets and online vendors you can go to, but knowing where and who to buy wholesale clothing from is key. This free download will go over the key tips for buying wholesale for your boutique. I want more tips!  We hope you loved our article on 6 Tips for Buying Wholesale Inventory. By shopping wholesale on Hubventory, members can take advantage of fair pricing and even member discounts on top brands! Sign Up to Shop on Hubventory now! 

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

8 Fashion Trends from Fall 2024 Preview (Updated)

Fall 2024 season hasn't arrived but the clothing has, let's take a peak at the trending styles. Fresh off Summer buying, we barely turn our heads and suppliers are releasing their 2024 Fall previews! It's hard to believe when we're amidst 100 degree weather what the reigning trends for Fall 2024 will be, but so far let's take a look at what's were seeing. Top 8 Trends in Fall 2024 1. Game Day Game day apparel offers an amazing opportunity for boutiques in those "wild about football" parts of the country to score some sales.  Most college students are on a budget so they don't have the money to buy the overpriced copyright sweaters and apparel that the universities release and that is where boutiques can step in and provide some affordable and more fun options to adorn and support your favorite football teams. If you are one of those fortunate boutiques to be nestled in Tennessee, Alabama or Florida, you cannot go wrong with stocking your shelves with some game day apparel.   2. Puffer Vests   Puffer quilted vests were a hot seller last year and that usually means it's good for another year.  You cannot go wrong with stock up on affordable quilted vests in a variety of customers. This sporty piece can be adorned with just about any fall or winter outfit. The puffer vest in this image is a quilted woven but I would expend to see some more textured vests that could include ribbed design, cotton materials and other materials that are trending for the season. 3. The Color Green Every year there is always one color that rises about the rest. Of course black is usually the #1 color picked but so far we are seeing a lot of forest green being purchased. I think its finally the year camel and rust get overtaken, we'll see! If Green is to stay a strong color then I would expect Burgundy or Maroon to be a strong color as it pairs well with green. In the past couple seasons we've been seeing a surprising amount bright and colorful colors in the beginning parts of Fall. I would be cautious with these colors as you could get burned. The problem is these exotic colors are fun and some customers really want them but then out of nowhere they drop in popularity and everyone switches to the dull Fall colors and you are left with shelves full of long sleeve colorful tops that you won't be able to sell for another 365 days.   4. Plaid Oh look at that! I puffer vest and plaid, we've got ourselves a winner. Plaid has been ultra strong the last two years and I expect it to do very well this year.  Plaid, like floral is one of those trends that you really never lose on. So be sure when your doing your Fall and Winter buying to stock up on some unique takes on this classic trend. 5. Henleys Henley's are making an early run as the latest up and coming trend. Buttons of some variations are always going to be a winner and it looks like the sleek and sexy button henley will be our Fall winner of 2024. If this trend breaks out look for this henley trend to be adorned across not just tops but sweaters and dresses.  6. Big Florals Florals have been the #1 trend for the last three years and just like 7 years ago when they were the #1 trend the trend peaked when the floral turned big. Looks like its not different this time around as overly large floral prints are trending really well the last couple weeks. You cannot go wrong with florals as they are a classic print that will never stay long on the shelves of any boutique. Expect to see this trend a top tops, dresses and sweaters like the one images above. Ditsy florals are a great addition as well and they sold great in summer season. Ditsy however is usually more attributable to Spring and Summer and Floral if done in the fall and winter usually has a more toned down look or in the case of big florals is a unique perspective on the classic trend. 7. Stripes Two Fall trends were no were to be seen in 2023 Fall/Winter, that being stripes and camo. One of those is making a return and it's not camo. Stripes are a classic design and are usually always making a strong place in the season. However I would limit your stripe purchasing to large color block type stripes like the ones imaged above. Anything outside of that is untested at this point and not a necessary buying risk.  Expect this trend to be on tops and dresses but it worth noting that a good stripe dress can be highly desirable. Look out for this trend to gain in traction and make an even stronger push come 2025 spring. 7. Bows Bows made a strong push last season being adorned by bows, tops and jewelry. We're seeing even more bows at the start of this fall season. The verdict is not out at Buywholesaleclothing wether this will continue to be a strong trend so buyer beware on this one.  The problem with these random trends that come out of nowhere is that as quickly as they appear they disappear and vanish. Bows is by now means a classic trend so if you are not confident about this trend and your not getting inquiries from customers I would steer clear of this trend.   Early popular fall trends that emerge in July and August don't always stick around but thats also why they are usually tamed down trends like henleys, plaid, etc. As the Fall season carries on and we get into September you get to see the real unique trends that are specific to that year and season. One that that does emerge soon and stays that way is usually color. Since we're seeing a lot of green this year its safe to say that rust and camel will not be so popular as it once was and a new blend of colors around the greenish hue will do really well for 2024. That concludes the five strong early trends were seeing for 2024, happy shopping shoppers!

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

8 Tips for Launching a Boutique During a Recession (Updated)

The retail market and the economy post covid has taken a nose dive. Retail discretionary spending is at an all time low and it looks like a new normal has arrived. Let's take a look at ways we can save and still expand your boutique. In the face of economic challenges, entrepreneurs often find innovative ways to thrive, and the clothing boutique industry is no exception. In this blog post, let's explore a strategic approach to launching and sustaining a successful clothing boutique during a recession. 8 Tips To Launch Your Boutique 1. Define Your Niche Boutiques need to stand out and it's your #1 job to find the right route to make that happen. To stand out you can try things like creating a boutique niche and develop a compelling story. I've seen boutiques find success on concentrating on targeted themes like game day, plus size, young and hip, steals and deals and more. Understanding your target audience and offering something unique—whether it's in style, pricing, or customer experience—will set the foundation for a successful venture.  Understanding your target audience can be a surprisingly difficult thing and you can check out this blog that gives you 5 ways to identify your audience for more help. 2. Build Strong Relationships with Wholesale Vendors Wholesaler Vendors play a pivotal role in the success of clothing boutiques. Establishing strong relationships with wholesale suppliers can lead to better pricing, favorable credit terms, and a reliable supply of inventory. Companies like Entro have a facebook buying group, this is where you can establish relations and score some deals that you otherwise wouldn't get. It pays to do your research and go the extra mile with the vendors that you will be closely working with.  You can meet in person with wholesale distributors at fashion events, these events like Magic in Vegas, Offprice Show, Dallas Market host hundreds of the top vendors around the country and most of the time are attended by the manager and owners of the brands. If you are willing and outgoing, try your hand at rubbing shoulders with the owner and buying them a drink as it could be a lucrative partnership!  3. Explore New Product Lines Keep trying new things! Every year new trends occur and some vendors can be better than others at spotting those trends and cultivating them into their seasonal designs. For instance game day has been really popular this year as the rise in college sports continues. Unfortunately branded college apparel is super expensive, just look at Kentucky University site to see $40 tees and $80 sweaters, and Kentucky is no exception.  With these ultra high game day pieces as they are boutiques can swoop in and offer up some trendy game day pieces customers who want to support without breaking their bank. It's new trends like these that offer you a fresh start every season to collect some new customers. 4. Strategize Your Vendor Selection Some boutiques stick with a few vendors and some too many. I say choose vendors that align with your boutique's values and customer preferences and don't worry about having too many or too little brands. Look for vendors with a reputation for quality, reliability, and ethical business practices. Building a strong network of vendors ensures a steady supply chain and minimizes disruptions, even in challenging economic times. 5. Build Up Your Online Presence Building an online site is the cheapest and most effective thing you can do in a recession. Online shops are a way to connect 24/7 with customers and can be completed in all under $100/month. Even if you have a brick and mortar store incorporate e-commerce into your boutique's strategy helps you reach a wider audience. Read my blog on how to build a great custom website here. Utilize social media platforms on your site to showcase your inventory, customer RL(real life) photos and directly engage with customers.. 6.Leverage Social Media Marketing Get ready to harness the power of billion dollar social media platforms and promote your boutique to the world. Utilize platforms like Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, and Pinterest to showcase your clothing lines, share style tips, and engage in conversations with your audience. Try collaborating with small influencers to extend your reach and build brand awareness. Perhaps you can offer them free samples in exchange for a quick review. 7.Create Smart Financial Planning During a recession, every penny counts. Create a detailed budget that includes all aspects of your boutique business—from inventory and marketing to operating expenses. I find it's better to go less on purchasing clothing than more. Try adopting drop shipping into your store to provide the same trendy pieces while paying no costs on the merchandise or storage.  Try to limit the number of employees you have and hire family and friends that are willing and able to help you build your boutique. Offer them incentives and perks for working with you if you can't afford them the big salary. 8. Customer-Centric Approach A successful boutique thrives on satisfied and loyal customers. In crisis financial times like these its best to invest in direct relationships with loyal customers. Make sure that you keep your core group of customers because surely as the economy worsens you will lose a lot of new and periphery customers. Provide exceptional customer service, personalize shopping experiences, and actively seek customer feedback. Implement loyalty programs and promotions to encourage repeat business, turning satisfied customers into brand advocates. Successfully navigating a recession in the clothing boutique business requires a strategic blend of niche targeting, strong wholesale relationships, and effective vendor management. By diversifying your product lines, optimizing your online presence, and maintaining a customer-centric approach, your boutique can not only survive but also thrive in challenging economic times. Remember, adaptability and a commitment to quality are key ingredients for long-term success in the boutique industry. Best of luck! Anna

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

Boutique Owner Dos and Don'ts

You dream of owning a fancy boutique. Selling women’s clothes, jewelry, shoes, maybe children’s clothes. You spend every Saturday visiting shops. Private label boutiques, wholesale boutiques, consignment boutiques, and shoe sales. You have already accumulated a fairly large inventory, and boutique ownership feels within reach. Here are a few Do’s and Don’t that you need to be sure you have worked out before you leap. Dos and Don'ts   DO: Find reliable wholesale suppliers to work with.  Wholesale Clothing Sites is our list of some supplies to use. DONT: Make supplier decisions based solely on pricing.   How Much Does a Boutique Owner Make? ZipRecruiter reports that the average annual Online Boutique Owner salary ranges from  $17,000 to $53,500. If you are also opening a brick-and-mortar store, you have much more potential income and expenses. Some reports indicate those earnings may be up to $100,000. But that will not happen the first year. Get enough financing to get you through the first year without making a profit. This also means without you getting paid as you will roll every extra dollar back into the business.   DO: Make realistic projections for sales and income DON’T: Expect to get rich the first year.   How to Become a Boutique Owner Succeeding as a boutique owner takes style, heart, dedication, and brains. It also takes money.  The initial investment varies greatly depending on the type of boutique you want to own. The location, initial inventory, and items you carry also affect your initial need. Comparative shop online so you can use legitimate prices and not guesses for the things you want. If you underprice your needs, you will not have enough money to accomplish your goals. If you overprice, you will be paying far too much in interest.   DO: Be realistic about the funds you will need to start up  and stay operational for the first 6 to 12 months.  See 5 Things Before You Start a Boutique. DON’T: Try to start up the business with less money than you know you will  need. Inadequate funding will cause underfunding in  marketing and other key areas.   1. Find the Gap, Make it Your Niche. Have you thought you would have done things differently at some of the boutiques you visited? You have a talent for coordinating outfits or matching costume jewelry with clothes. You need to identify the market holes around your business area and find a way to fill the gaps. You have to be able to do something better, fresher, faster, or cheaper than everyone else. Priced lower is not going to get you rich quickly. If a customer has been buying from one shop, they are not coming to you just to save $1. But if you can match up the shirt and pants, which surprisingly many women cannot do well, that will get you, clients. But you have to show that you can do that. Beautifully styled mannequins in your boutique or clear bright images online will show off your talents.   2. Give Your Business the Perfect Name, and Logo.  Think long and hard about the name you want for your business, Don’t feel you have to name every item you sell or every thought you’ve had. Keep it short and catchy. But make sure it says what you want to say. Then turn to your logo. Find a background or image you love. You need to be in love with your name and logo. It is worth paying a graphic designer to get this right.   3. Scout Your Location. Start looking at storefronts, available shops, and rental properties in the area you want to open. Check square footage prices. How much room will you need to do what you want to do? How much square footage will you have to have to start? Don’t forget storage areas, changing rooms, restrooms, and dead corners. You will need this information for your Business Plan also.   4. Develop Your Products, Lines, and Policies.  This is when you get into the specifics of the products you intend to have In your boutique or online. Narrow down the lines you plan to have, the quantities of each type, and how many will be on the floor simultaneously. Establish your system for pricing items. Cost x2 or whatever multiplier you intend to use. Include information about what happens when products do not sell. Is there a discount schedule, are they resold in bulk, or do they get donated?   5. Write, Edit, and Perfect Your Business Plan.  If you are going to approach a business lending organization, you are going to need a business plan. Even if you are using private funding, it is a good idea to have a business plan written out. There are a variety of templates online to choose from. It does not have to be complicated, but it needs to be a true representation of your projections. When indicating how much the boutique owner will make, it is realistic to put $0 for the first 12 mo. The financer will ask you if there are things they consider important that you did not include.   As you think about how you are going to become a boutique owner, learn all you can. Research the property in the area, find out about the product costs, and your location options. See our additional tips at buywholesaleclothing.org. The most important thing is to stay creative and stay dedicated. If you know you can succeed, find a way to do it.  

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

Everything You Need to Know About Running an eCommerce Business

E-commerce is only one piece of the pie when it comes to e-business. An e-business is running a company entirely through the internet. Marketing, sales, inventory, and payroll are business operations for any e-business.  The Basics That You Need to Know With the continuing use of technology, internet-run businesses are becoming increasingly popular. Even brands with storefronts have transitioned their businesses to include e-commerce sales.  Now let’s factor in how chaotic yet closed-off 2020 made the entire world. Some people have stopped wanting to go to the store and opt for the convenience of snail mail deliveries. Others have developed somewhat of social anxiety from being isolated. Lastly, some people have realized that for them, an online business helps them continue to focus on other areas of their lives that they deem essential to do so.  E-commerce is slowly beginning to run the world (if it is not already doing so). With this, your dreams of starting an online business are accessible now more than ever. Many people who have had their online business for years are now passing their knowledge and experience to others.  You now have the availability of gaining teachings online to start, grow, and run your own online business. There is a lesson for every market, be it the e-commerce business platforms mentioned above or something beyond that.  Three Best Ecommerce Hosting Providers Multiple e-commerce platforms to choose from to assist in running your online business.  First, there is Shopify. I am sure you have seen their logo on many of your favorite websites recently. Shopify allows you as a business owner to manage all aspects of your business from one single platform. This includes inventory, shipping (including drop shipping), a POS system for those pop-up shops, package tracking for the customer, and more.  Shopify has three different e-commerce memberships available for you to choose from. They range from basic to advanced, and neither costs more than $300 per month. Each membership is designed for the size and structure of your business.  Bonus: Shopify has resources for you to learn how to start and grow your business! You do not need years of experience to use this e-commerce platform.    Second, there is BigCommerce. This platform is best for bigger businesses, given its vast product search availability. However, it is also a good source for companies looking to have a brick-and-mortar plus an online presence and those who want to start an online store. BigCommerce allows you to design your website through customizable templates. You do not have to be the most technically savvy individual to use these templates. However, please note that only seven of the interfaces are free.  This platform also boasts many in your business community that design and develop. In addition, you can be connected to others in your field through the built-in partner directory.    Lastly, there is Shopwired. This platform is becoming one of the leading performers in the e-commerce industry. It is known for being easy to use, having powerful features, and excellent performance.  This platform is also available worldwide, like Shopify. Again, the pricing is similar to BigCommerce and Shopify, with a competitive feature set (as mentioned above).  Shopwired will give you the power to create quote requests, a trade account (or multiples), and bulk discounts. It truly excels in these B2B features!  How Do I Get Started? That may seem overwhelming even if you have already started researching your industry and making a business plan. I wanted to help alleviate some of that stress by giving you my top ___ starting points. Please note that the first step is the only one you should probably do before the others.  First, once you know what you want to do, pick your brand name. This is the most straightforward step. It is also the easiest way to get your brand to stand out above competitors. You want to ensure that what you are picking is not something that will get people to think of other brands over yours. With this, you need to make yourself a good logo. The logo, like the name, will help your brand stand out. Do not worry, though! You do not have to do this part alone. There are companies designed for this specific purpose.   Research your competitors as well. See what is working for them, what is not, and what changes you can make to your ideas to do your marketing and selling more effective.  Once you have developed a brand name and a logo and researched competitors, you should begin your business plan. This can be overwhelming. Research business models, and do not be afraid to ask for help.   Next, you need to figure out where and how you will source your product(s). Are you going to get them from a wholesaler? Are you going to make the products yourself? If not, will you be sourcing internationally, nationally, or locally? Will you choose to dropship?  Then, how are you going to market and sell your products online? This is where eCommerce platforms, such as Shopify come into play. There are more than the three named above, each tailoring to different needs and price points. No matter your business size, there is an e-commerce platform that will fit your needs.  Let’s Connect:  I think there is enough room in the online boutique business for all of us. I also believe we can learn from each other. I hope this blog has helpful information for your journey to starting your boutique! Connect with Buy Wholesale Clothing to learn more and ask any questions you may have!

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

Everything You Need to Know About Wholesale Fashion Shows

There are many reasons to attend a wholesale fashion show. These events also feature seminars and informative speeches from successful business owners...

Boutique Blog – by Jolie S

How To Start a A Boutique While Avoiding The Big 5 Mistakes

Below are the 5 EASY STEPS and 5 MISTAKES WHEN STARTING AN ONLINE BOUTIQUE  The boutique industry is flying! With an ever expanding tool set at the disposal of ambitious bright women, the boutique market has never looked better. Let's dive into some simple steps on how to start an online boutique.  5 Easy Steps To Create A Boutique Step 1 - Boutique Name and Logo Easily the funnest and simplest part of starting a boutique! If you don't already have a boutique name and need creative inspiration, try this boutique name generator Should I trade mark my boutique name? I would worry about that. Unless you choose a name like Forever 21 or Anthropologie, no one will be sending you a cease and desist letter anytime soon. However if you're still interested, head over to USPTO to learn some basics about trademarking. The right logo can do wonders, it can either legitimize your boutique or turn away potential customers. I would not advise whipping Microsoft paint and trying this yourself, rather head over to a site like Tailor Brands or Logo and they can make one fairly easy at a good price.  Step 2 - Incorporation and Permits To legitimize your boutique business you will need to register with state and federal agencies.  Start with this federal crash course by Legal Zoom on the differences between Corporations and LLC's. Almost all boutiques and small business register as an LLC and later become corporations if they grow in size.  You can register as a LLC here so you can start paying those taxes! You will also need to collect State sales tax, you will keep track of this and pony it over to the government come tax season. Each state has different ways of applying for a sales tax permit, a simple google search inclusive with your state will locate where you can register. Step 3 - Website Provider Building a website has never been easier with Shopify. Likely Shopify is already a familiar name and for good reason, it dominates the web hosting industry.  A long with being affordable and easy, Shopify has the most comprehensive application marketplace of any web provider. Why do I need apps? Apps or applications, allow you to integrate cutting edge technology that was once only reserved for legacy companies like Sears, Target and Forever 21. Shopify apps like Synclogic, can sync your Shopify website with drop shippers, allowing you to instantly upload products and sell right away. Shopify has easy integrations with companies like Comment Sold, a boutique accessory that can facilitate a professional consumer shopping experience on Facebook. If you already have a boutique name see if your domain is available on Shopify. Step 4 - Launching Your Social Media Channels If you want to make a dent in the online boutique market you will need to employ the use of social media to its fullest extent. Luckily you are probably on your way to becoming an expert on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, but here are some things to take note of: Facebook Live allows you to connect with your customers and a QVC like fashion. Showcase samples and sell product in a unique way. Utilizing Instagram hash tags can bring in a daily audience for free. Building a strong following with hash tags can be the equivalent of a $5,000/month google ad words budget. Connecting your Shopify site with social media can act as a megaphone sending out the showcase of new items as you list them. Step 5 - Ordering Wholesale Products There is no need to fly around the country attending fashion expos in order to purchase wholesale clothing. Today any item you could ever need to purchase is a click away. I have already gone into detail here on my preferred wholesalers like Bloom Wholesale, Fashiongo and Faire but I also want to make sure everyone knows the importance of attending at least one yearly in-person expo. Especially if you are just starting out, attending a fashion expo is enormously resourceful. You cannot put a price on the education you get connecting with successful boutiques in a three day meet-and-greet. You can find a fashion show near you by looking here.  But why spend your own money on purchasing clothing. Drop shipping wasn't always a viable option, it was once reserved for Amazon and Ebay sellers, but these days companies like Bloom Drop Ship and Boutique Tree (view complete list here) have changed the game. By providing boutique life style images, on point trends and mom and pop customer service, drop shippers have made making an online clothing boutique simpler than ever. If you're low on start up capital or just like the idea drop shipping, I fully support exploring this option. 5 COMMON BOUTIQUE MISTAKES   Mistake 1 - COPYCATTING There are currently over ten thousand boutiques in existence in the continental U.S. What are you going to provide that others can't? What void can you fill and how can you start to understand what your local retail market needs?  These are all questions that you need ponder as you begin to blaze your unique trail. Copycatting can only get you so far. Mistake 2 - POSTING JUST TO POST Developing a rhythm and schedule is one thing, but if your daily positing isn't packed with creativity and personalizations you are bound to lose grip on any followers you may have. Customers time is precious to them and if you want some of that head space you need to create engaging content. Mistake 3 - LOSING TRACK OF FINANCIALS You might wish you listened more in Econ class, but even if you didn't ace your business class we can all be successful entrepreneurs by making sure our primary focus is always on the bottom line.  Keeping track of your finances coincides with the most important thing I can tell you, "stay alive." What I mean by that is no matter what happens and how your first year or two develops, the key is to learn, grow and stay a float.  EVERY boutique I know that found success did not do so until years after their inception. Mistake 4 - DON'T PRICE TOO HIGH, WAIT..OR IS IT TO LOW? Pricing is key in both developing a trusting relationship with your customers and being competitive. There is no one size fits all pricing strategy for every boutique. You can find success in pricing ultra low or above average, the key is to determine what void in your market there is to exploit. The type of clothing you want to sell helps determine the price, be it fast fashion or high fashion there are already standard market prices you can work off by viewing competitors.  My personal suggestion is to price low but not dumpster dive low.  Everyone always loves a good deal. Mistake 5 - NOT ASKING FOR HELP I could say this another way which is don't be too confident or think the road to success will be easy. Not only will you need others suggestions and support but you're not going to be successful without it.   On my first business venture I literally had my Step Father, Mom and Wife all helping me with drive runs to the post office, answering emails and helping me pack. I simply couldn't have done it without them. Fortunately I was able to pay them back later in some amazing clothes :) That concludes my hot list of suggestions and tips on how to start an online boutique. If you ever have any other questions feel free to leave me an email at  anna.buywholesaleclothing@gmail.com Best of luck! -Anna

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

How to Grow an Instagram Following

Instagram the most popular platform in the world for building your brand, increasing your sales, and growing your boutique business. Finding a great instagram strategy can take your business to new heights!  Here are our top 5 tips for growing your boutique store on Instagram!  4 Ways To Grow Your Instagram Followers Working the Bio It's all about first impressions, especially on social media, the contents of your Instagram bio can make or break a new customer experience. There is a simple strategy for writing the contents of your bio. Above all else make sure you are making the most of that short piece of content to engage with customers. Below are the top 4 things your Instagram bio should have: Make your bio CLEAR & easy to READ. A mixed up paragraph will be quickly looked over. If you can’t catch their attention here, chances are your feed won’t either!  Those line breaks...they need to be less than 4 lines long. We shared a few weeks back about how Instagram added a See More … addition if your bio was longer than 4 lines. Put bios in the notes section of your phone. There you can set it up and add in the line breaks. They will transfer over once you paste them into Instagram. Keep it to a150 character limit. Remember short & sweet but POWERFUL. Content is King Just like SEO, quality content matters. Posting content that your customers don’t want to engage with is a huge no no. Do not just post just to post anything. Always put yourself in your audience’s shoes and think about what you would want to engage with.  It can really work against you in fact if your posting mundane blah content.  Also try implementing video content into your strategy. Multi media is key! Stick to a Schedule Sticking to a content calendar will not only lead to Instagram favoring your content, but will also give you a better organized workflow.   Utilize Live Stores and Engagement Tools Instagram has a growing scope of tools that cater to engagement such as the Live feature and stories features. These are awesome tools that can easily get your viewers engaged to increase brand awareness on Instagram. Using story features such as polls or quizzes are also an easy way to collect customer feedback. Don’t be afraid of pressing that Live button, you got this!

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

Spring 2023 Trends For Your Boutique!

Spring 2023 is here and with it comes a new season of fashion trends. Boutiques are already stocking their shelves with the latest styles, and it's time to start planning your spring wardrobe. The Trends We Are Seeing One of the biggest trends for spring 2023 is pastels. Soft, muted shades of pink, blue, and yellow are all making a comeback. Pastel dresses, skirts, and even suits are all popular choices for the season. Pair pastel pieces with neutral accessories for a chic, understated look. Another trend to watch out for is bold prints. From florals to animal prints, vibrant patterns are all the rage. Mix and match different prints for a fun, eclectic look, or go for a more cohesive outfit by pairing a printed top with solid bottoms. If you're looking for something a bit more classic, consider investing in some tailored pieces. Structured blazers and trousers in neutral colors are both timeless and on-trend for the season. Dress them up with heels for a night out, or keep it casual with some sneakers. For a more laid-back, bohemian vibe, flowy dresses and peasant tops are a great choice. These pieces are perfect for warmer weather and can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. Pair them with some statement jewelry and some braided sandals for a festival-ready outfit. When it comes to accessories, statement earrings are having a moment. From oversized hoops to beaded chandelier styles, there are plenty of options to choose from. Trade in your basic studs for something a bit more eye-catching this season. Bucket hats are also making a comeback in a big way. These versatile hats can be dressed up or down and are perfect for protecting yourself from the sun in the warmer months. Look for ones with fun patterns or prints for an added pop of personality. If you're feeling adventurous, try incorporating some neon pieces into your wardrobe. Bright, bold colors like neon green and orange are sure to turn heads and add some fun to your spring outfits. No spring wardrobe is complete without a great pair of sunglasses. This season, round frames are particularly popular. Whether you opt for a retro-inspired pair or something more modern, round sunglasses are a chic and timeless choice. Finally, don't forget about your feet. Chunky sneakers and platform sandals are both hot trends for the season. Look for styles with fun details, like beading or embroidery, to add some interest to your outfits. With these trends in mind, you'll be well on your way to building the perfect spring wardrobe. Mix and match different pieces to create a look that's uniquely you, and have fun experimenting with new styles. Happy shopping!

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

Start A Boutique On A Budget

You've always wanted to launch your boutique but don't have the cash. This blog will explore all the ways we can accomplish this dream while not breaking the bank. Looking for a super simple approach to making a bustling boutique biz? This blog post won't make you instant rich, you will need a ton of dedication and years of work for that, but what I can do is tell you the easiest way to start a boutique and do it on a budget. In fact if you follow the five steps I've outlined below you could possibly find yourself with that boutique you've always dreamed of by the end of the week!  Step 1: Building Your Store On A Budget The first and most foundational step in starting your boutique is building your online store. This will be the hub of your business where customers can browse and purchase your products. Here are two great options to consider: Shopify: This platform is a favorite among small business owners due to its affordability and extensive app integrations. Shopify offers numerous themes and templates that you can customize to fit your boutique’s aesthetic. Additionally, it provides a variety of tools for marketing, inventory management, and customer support. CommentSold: If you want a more specialized solution, particularly for boutiques, CommentSold is an excellent choice! This platform offers features like your own branded app, seamless integration with Facebook and TikTok for live selling, and robust inventory management. While it might be a bit pricier than Shopify, (I think it starts around $299/month) the specialized tools can provide a significant advantage in growing your boutique.    After choosing your platform, you’ll need to decide on a plan that fits your budget and future growth. With a solid plan in place, you’re ready to move on to the next step. Step 2: Designing Your Site With your store platform selected, it’s time to design your website! A great looking site (click for example) is essential to attract and retain customers. Here’s how to achieve a high-quality design without spending a fortune: Purchase a Pre-Made Package: Many platforms like Shopify and Commentsold offer an affordable, pre-designed templates that you can customize. These templates are often professional and visually appealing, providing a great starting point. It's usually very easy to create these websites with the packages, just a couple clicks and you've got a beautiful layout. To learn more click here. Customize with Images: To make your boutique stand out, use high-quality images that represent your brand. If you’re working with a limited budget, consider using free stock photo websites or even taking your own pictures with a smartphone. I've seen many websites gather up some friends and shoot on their Iphone, these images come off both professional and geniune. The goal is to create an inviting and user-friendly website that reflects the style and vibe of your boutique. Keep it fun, clean, and easy to navigate. Step 3: Including Products Now that your store is designed, it’s time to stock it with products! Since you’re on a budget, dropshipping is an ideal solution. This method allows you to sell products without holding inventory and they also provide the support and help that you will need when creating a boutique. Here are some recommended dropshipping partners: Bloom Dropship: This service provides a wide range of fashion products along with product images, marketing materials, and syncing options. It’s an excellent choice for fashion-forward boutiques. Ave Shops: Another great dropshipping partner, Ave Shops offers some great product, stunning images, and marketing support that will make your customers think you are a million dollar venture. They have their own app that syncs to your shopify and is super easy to use. You can view a more comprehensive list of dropshippers here.  Using dropshippers not only minimizes your financial risk but also saves you time on inventory management. With a variety of products available at your fingertips, you can curate a unique selection that aligns with your boutique’s brand. Step 4: Getting Sales At this stage, you have a beautifully designed store and a cute boutique products.  The next challenge is the most difficult task, sales. Here’s how I got about capturing sales: TikTok Reels: TikTok is blowing up and I hear rumors some women are selling upwards of 1000 pieces on a single viral video. You can try to get a viral reel but creating energetic and fun reels that showcase your products in a unique way. To achieve this try using the latest trending music, some popular hashtags, and or doing the latest dance! The goal is create something that people want to watch. Tiktok will reward this effort by sharing it with new potential customers. Read my blog about how to go viral on Tiktok. Social Media Advertising: Although this can be pricey, putting a small budget aside for targeted ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram can add huge benefit. These ads are very effective in reaching your specific customers. If ads are too expansive I would suggest making a live show on facebook, here's how to do that.  Collaborate with Influencers: Partner with small influencers or you can start with trying utilizing your friends and family to try on a haul of your latest items. Keep experimenting with different strategies to see what works best for your boutique. Eventually something will stick. Step 5: Taking Care of Your Customers The final step in building a successful boutique on a budget is excellent customer service. Happy customers will return and recommend your boutique to others. Here’s how to ensure great customer care: Follow Up: After a purchase, send follow-up emails thanking customers and asking for feedback. This shows that you value their business and are committed to them. Handle Issues Promptly: If a customer receives a damaged item or has a problem with their order, address it as quick as you can. Offer up a solution such as replacements, refunds, or discounts on future purchases. Engage More with Customers: Be being responsive on social media and through email you will give the service your customers can't get at department store. Answer questions, acknowledge compliments, and handle complaints gracefully. Building a community around your brand can significantly enhance customer loyalty. By focusing on customer satisfaction, you will not only build a positive reputation but also encourage repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals, both of which are super important for growing your boutique. Remember, the key to success lies in careful planning, creative marketing, and exceptional customer service. With dedication and the right strategies, your boutique can grow and flourish, even on a shoestring budget.  Happy building!  

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

Starting a Boutique For Beginners

Congratulations!! You have decided to open a clothing boutique. It’s a wonderful career for people that love clothes, love people, and love making people love their clothes. It is so much fun to provide options for people and try to meet their clothing needs at a reasonable price. But it requires hard work dedication and funds. There are many things you should consider when learning how to start a boutique. Our experts at Buy Wholesale Clothing want to offer information on a few of those less discussed topics here. The First Thing When Starting The very first thing you want to do is find your niche. Is it children’s clothing, women’s clothing, women's and children’s clothing? Will you also have jewelry, shoes, household goods, or anything else? Think about what you love to talk about with your friends. What do you love to put together? Your clothes? Your kid’s clothes? What needs do you see? What void can you fill? It can be hard to succeed in a small business if you provide the same product as everyone else. As you are considering how to start your boutique, concentrate on what makes you special? If you are selling the same items as other more established businesses, show how you can do it better. You sell women’s wholesale clothing, but you also do more. You have a knack for putting the singles together to create gorgeous outfits. Show some proof of that. Hang your creations around the boutique and put on mannequins. Take plenty of pictures to post online. This makes your skills something the other shops do not have.   How to Start an Online Boutique the Right Way. The best way to start preparing your online boutique is while building your initial inventory. You can place the items in stock and post the images online when you are ready. By building the databases simultaneously, you will not have to do the online work later. Some owners keep the most exclusive items for online sales only. That is not the most advisable approach. We suggest putting all items on sale at both venues and selling them to the first person with the funds to buy them. If you do not have room in your boutique for some of the items you want to offer, put a notation online. Something like “Viewable in Boutique upon Request” that way clients know to let you know they want to see it. Then you can bring it to the boutique from the storeroom. Find a Contact Management System that can do all of this for you. If you have planned to buy the basic program, adding the additional features will be worth it in the long run. Be sure everything you put online is the same as your on-site information. Use a lot of images, snappy titles, fun announcements, and other regular content. Set up a posting schedule, but do not try to post daily. This will be too much of a commitment. Try to post on a set day once a week. Hopefully, you will get followers looking for your post each week. Encourage your viewers to share and post comments on the posts. Read any comments and respond to them. Do not ignore your customers. The customer is not always right, but they always deserve the right to discuss their views.   Important Things to Consider When Starting a Boutique There is one very important item many entrepreneurs do not spend enough time considering. That is the boutique name. This seems so simple and fundamental, yet frequently not enough time is spent on it. First-time small business owners are sometimes hesitant to name the business a boutique. They are concerned it sounds uppity and expensive. So they step back and title it a “Shop” or a “Store” then they want to decorate and promote it as a boutique. This creates questions and confusion. It makes potential clients uncomfortable when they consider coming to your business. They do not know what to expect. You never want your potential clients to feel uncomfortable when thinking about your business. You want potential customers to be excited about visiting your boutique. Have them looking forward to seeing what you have to offer. This brings us to our next item.    Marketing Promoting / Marketing is the biggest thing you can and must do for the success of your business. This starts the first day you decide this is your goal and continues in some way every day from then on. We hope that your logo and name speak to you. They need to say what you want to project. Be sure to include your logo and name on literally everything. There is no additional charge online, so include it on all of your main pages. Include it in all of your printed materials. Be consistent, and keep the same basic setup. People find comfort in consistency. These details may seem small. But little details are what big companies study to get people to buy their products. That’s why the logos, headings, and main subjects should never change. There have been some major rebrand failures in big business. Try to get it right the first time so it won’t be necessary to do a rebranding later to get the look you always wanted.   Your company needs a website, a Facebook page, a Pinterest page, and any other popular social media site. You can create the original post and then copy it to each page so you do not have to create a new page for each site.    Visit buy wholesale clothing for more information about your wholesale women’s clothing boutique. Be creative, Be fun, and show your prospective clients what you can do. Don’t just post pictures of shirts and pants for sale. The lady across town does that. Do more, and do it better. You will win fans and become successful if you believe in yourself. Much Success!!  

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

The 5 Best Dropshipping Clothing Vendors

Finding a great USA dropshipper is essential to running your boutique! There are several US dropshippers that I use to supply my boutique. Top Best 5 Drop Shipping Vendors 1) Bloom Drop Ship  Bloom is an awesome dropshipper, they are perfect for giving you that clothing look and imagery for that authentic midwestern boutique look. Bloom’s pictures and models are similar to what you would say from Mint Julep, Chic Soul and other top tier boutiques. However Bloom is my number one because their clothing sells the most and this is likely because their prices are lower then the other two drop shippers I use. Bloom has a turn key service and even can build you a website for a couple hundred dollars, and its not too snazzy! The team is headed by former clothing boutique owners and knows what they are doing.  Bloom is one of the last remaining dropship vendors that charges a subscription fee of I believe $99. Unlike most dropship vendors who have gone free Bloom has decided to keep their product and images to just the select few who want to work with him. This is great news if your looking for exclusivity, which in the long run will ensure lasting growth and unique quality products versus going with stuff that everyone else has access too. Other benefits are they carry tons of Judy Blue (my customers eat this up) and they only carry clothing that comes in full size ranges including Plus Size. 2) Boutique Simplified Boutique Simplified is one of the original boutique specific drop shippers. When I say boutique specific I am describing the drop shippers that are the opposite of the China junk, bad picture and odd sizing drop shippers like Aliexpress, Oberlo and others. Instead these fashion drop shippers are catering to the women who want to make an authentic looking American Boutique. Boutique Simplified provides a mix of great models, good brands, tech packs, multiple weekly launches and many unique and useful perks that make selling their clothing easy. They are not quite as robust as Bloom nor are their pictures as good but they are still a great option. Update: Boutique Simplified has gone free and they use AI photos but still provide great reels and the clothing isn't too bad for the price. I think they are still a good addition to any boutique. 3) Trendsi Trendsi is a free app (yay free!) and they do a good job of utilizing the China stuff and reframing it so that it can sell on your boutique site. Their downside is that yes, they do sell China stuff, which is likely why it’s free. But at the end of the day literally everything comes from China anyways so the quality isn’t too bad and they offer something like 100 new items a day that you can sync to your site and sell seamlessly. I know I said I don't like China stuff but if thats your game then I have to at least offer you the dropship vendors that provide it. Trendsi has all the latest and greatest tech to provide you the latest trends coming from China.   4) Avenue Shops Avenue has been a trendsetter for dropship vendors for the last couple of years. They utilize some awesome tech and highly professional images to set themselves apart from the competition. As of recently they are also free for anyone who wants to work with them.  They ship out of USA and do a good job of 24 hour fast shipping. Avenue is one of my favorites to work with and if your interested in dropshipping clothing for your boutique this is a vendor you must look at. Based out of Utah, Avenue has four weekly launches that include a bunch of awesome boutique products like denim, tops and dresses and does a good job of carrying Small through 3x. So what is there not to love about Ave? As mentioned they are free, which I think is awesome but unfortunately everyone uses them so some customers have reached out to me and asked why my pictures and products are also posted on other sites. This isn't always a great conversation to have and one I try to avoid, but this is all part of the territory when your working with free dropship vendors. 5) CommentSold Known for their websites and fancy tech engineered for the small boutique, the vendor Commentsold now offers a dropship catalog for a monthly price of around $250. This is quite expensive but the good news is its an all in one package that includes a website, app and other fancy tools that help you sell on multiple social platforms like Instagram and the booming TikTok. I really don't have many bad things to say other then the platform provides a ton of Chinese stuff and doesn't tell you exactly that it's China stuff.  Commentsold doesn't actually sell its own merchandise though, it's really just a host for people like Trendsi and Ave, who also sell their products on this platform. Commentsold is growing fast and taking on host providers like Shopify. In fact a lot of women I work with have dropped their Shopifys for a commentsold site and have done reasonably well. That concludes my list and I hope this list of dropship clothing vendors helps! Although there are several other drop shippers I think that these five will provide more than enough products and resources to boost your boutique. A couple tips I would suggest is to utilize Tik Tok, Facebook Lives with commentsold and instagram reels. Some of this is obvious stuff and some you will have to look up and learn more on how to capitalize on the marketing features offered to boutiques. And also stay away from China dropshippers, (you can tell they are China when the head's are clipped in the images,) these dropship vendors supply cheap clothing but it doesn't have a label and comes in Chinese bags and wrapping and is a total buzzkill for boutique customers who are shopping with you because they don't want to shop with Amazon. Best of luck! 

Boutique Blog – by Krystal W

The WAR Against Temu - How Boutiques Can Have A Fighting Chance

How boutiques can have a fighting change against the global mega cheap corporations. - By Anna M.  There's a new name causing significant ripples: Temu. Temu is known for their rock-bottom prices—so low that they reportedly lose billions every year just to undercut competitors like Amazon. And it's working, Temu is fast approaching a 100 billion dollar company.  Chinese online giants like Temu and Shein are undercutting prices in a way that’s dramatically impacting not only Amazon but the entire clothing boutique industry. As they capture a significant market share, many boutique owners find themselves grappling with shrinking sales and a pressing need to redefine their value proposition. The Collapse of the Traditional Boutique Market This isn't the first time the clothing industry has been reshaped by plummeting prices. It wasn't long ago when Big box stores like Macys, Walmart and Target once disrupted the boutique market by offering a wide variety of affordable clothing, drawing customers away from smaller shops. Following them, Amazon, Ebay and other mega online retailers further reduced the role of mom-and-pop boutiques with their vast selections and convenient shopping experiences. Despite these challenges, boutiques have always managed to survive and even thrive by focusing on one critical aspect: the shopping experience. Providing a compelling, personalized experience has kept customers loyal, fostering a connection that large retailers often struggle to replicate. Authenticity: A Boutique’s Secret Weapon Even as Temu and Shein flood the market with cheap fashion, boutiques can still provide customers with a unique experience and a personal touch that most consumers crave. Here are five way that can help boutiques stand apart from mega cheap competitors: Elevate Customer Experience: The authentic personal touch has always been a hallmark of boutique shopping. From personalized styling advice to remembering a customers name and preferences, boutiques offer an experience that can't be matched by Temu and others. Putting the effort into exceptional customer service can turn a casual shopper into a loyal client. This means you need to train your staff to be attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely interested in helping customers find what they need and bring to life a memorable unique shopping experience for each person that visits your store. Curated Collections: Unlike the cheap China stuff from Temu and Shein, boutiques can focus on specific boutique products that they can't easily find. Game day attire, embellished risky apparel, screen prints and ultra trending jewelry and accessories are things customers can’t find elsewhere that can make your boutique a destination.  Social Media: Utilize platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook to connect with your audience. Reels, fit videos, and live videos feeds can showcase your products and draw customers in.  Utilize these platforms to provide styling tips and give customers a peek behind the scenes. Be sure to be consistent with your promotions and live feeds, I prefer to set up a specific schedule so my customers know and look forward to the next launch. Consistent engagement through stories, posts, and interactions with followers will definitely foster a loyal online community that translates into in-store visits and viral posts. Host Events and Workshops: Creating pop up events or online workshops can draw customers to your boutique. These can range from fashion shows and styling sessions to DIY(Do it yourself) workshops. If you give out you will get back. These events are great for the community and will embed yourself for years to come as a staple retailer of the community.  Build an Online Presence: We've talked about that many times on this blog and while real in-person experiences are invaluable, a strong online presence is still essential in today’s market. Make sure your website is visually appealing and welcoming. Offer exclusive online deals that they can't find anywhere and make sure your website tells the story of your boutique, family or your journey.  Innovating for the Future Despite the pressure from cheap retail giants like Temu and Shein, the boutique industry has proven its resilience time and again. Embracing new technologies like Commentsold and social media sites can help keep ahead of others. Make no doubt bout it, the landscape of the retail market will keep evolving, but through all of it strong, personal connection with customers will always be your key to surviving. Let's Learn from the Past Looking back at the evolution of retail, the boutique sector has always faced improbable challenges. When Walmart and Target began to dominate with their fast fashion and affordable clothing lines, many predicted the end for smaller boutiques. However, social media came around and the ability to connect for free with friends and family and share products and services offered a lifeboat to the boutique. Now with Temu and the recent rise of Amazon and other e-commerce giants it seem like the end is again near for physical boutiques. The convenience and breadth of online shopping attracts millions of customers their way yet we are seeing post covid an emergence in brick and mortar sales as customers who have been cooped up in their homes for two years are desiring personal shopping connections. Leveraging Local and Ethical Brands Another significant strategy I see on the horizon for boutiques is to capitalize on the growing consumer interest in sustainability and ethical fashion. China is hell bent on creating cheap clothing with cheap labor and non sustainable practices but shoppers are increasingly concerned about the environmental and ethical implications of their purchases. Boutiques can stand out by offering products from brands that prioritize sustainable practices, fair trade, and ethical sourcing. This not only attracts a dedicated segment of consumers but also builds a brand image centered around social responsibility. Enhancing Your In-Store Experience Creating an authentic and inviting space can significantly boost your boutique. This might involve getting creating and spending some good hours and money on your store layout. Concentrate on sensory experiences such as music and scents. Also antique furniture goes a long way! Providing an environment where customers can relax, explore, and feel valued can transform a simple shopping trip into a cherished experience. Community Engagement Building partnerships with local businesses can also provide a boost. Collaborations with local churches, artists or partnering with coffee shops for events will draw in eager customers and create a sense of community. Engaging with the community not only enhances visibility but also it's just a fun thing to do! Utilizing Technology  Try your best to stay on top of the latest tech that you can add into your boutique.  Tools such as customer relationship management (CRM) systems can help track customer preferences and purchase history.  Additionally, implementing Shopify augmented reality (AR) apps in online stores can allow customers to virtually try on clothes, bridging the gap between online convenience and in-store experience. A little too extreme for you? Just giving examples no need to try them all. In conclusion the retail landscape is and will always be in a constant flux, and while Temu and Shein present some serious challenges with unspeakably low prices and their endless amount of products, boutiques still possess unique value that these giants will never have. Examples of these values are personalized service, curating unique collections, leveraging social media, and hosting in-person engaging events.  The boutique industry has weathered many storms in the past and now is no different. Stay true to your core values and embracing new opportunities and let's keep trucking along! For inquiries reach out to me at anna.buywholesaleclothing@gmail.com

Boutique Blog – by Jolie S

Top 3 Latest Ad Strategies for increasing ROI

Return on your investment is a phrase you will hear a lot in the business world. Let's explore what ROI is and how to achieve it. It's never been more competitive online to create just about any business. As social media has grown and boutiques are looking for cheaper solutions to start a boutique, the market has not been spared by this heightened competition. It's super important to concentrate on ad strategies and getting a profitable return to distance yourself from competitors. When you're talking ads you're also talking ROI. Return on investment or (ROI) is the key term to focus on when creating an ad strategy. It's a simple term that probes whether you are getting a profit on your investment. Let's explore three top strategies to unlock the latest advertising trends and how you can get a profitable ROI. Top 3 Ad Strategies 1. Use Data to Make Smart Decisions Data is super important in advertising. It helps businesses make better decisions and improve their campaigns to get more return on investment (ROI). Here’s how I would use data effectively: a. Use Advanced Analytics Tools: Tools like Google Analytics or Facebook Analytics help you understand how they interact with your ads. Without these details you're truly clueless as to what is generating your sales. These tools can show you who your audience is, track sales conversions and teach you if your ads are profiting. b. Do A/B Testing: This is common lingo I hear from the ad agencies these days. It means comparing two versions of an ad to see which one works better. Perhaps going into an ad you have several ideas and imagery you want to use. What you can do is test all of them by pairing them and executing an A/B testing. This will allow you to eventually deduct which ads and imagery are the best performers.  2. Use Multiple Socials to Reach People Nowadays, you can’t just rely on Facebook or Instagram to reach your audience. People use different platforms if not all of them, so you need to adopt a multi-channel marketing approach. Here’s how: a. Cross-Channel Integration:  Did you know you can post on every social media at one time with one post? That's right, there are several programs and companies that will do this for you. This means coordinating your advertising across different platforms like social media, search engines, email, and display ads to create a consistent brand experience and save a lot of work.  b. Retargeting: This lets you show ads to ladies across different channels after they’ve interacted with your boutique or didn't finish a purchase. Use tracking pixels, cookies, and customer data to deliver personalized ads that match users’ interests, increasing the chances they’ll convert. 3. Make Content Personal and Authentic People don’t like generic ads anymore, they just don't work. They want ads that feel personal and genuine. Here’s how to make your content stand out: a. Segment Your Audience: Group your audience based on their demographics, interests, purchase history, and behavior. Concentrate your messages that address these groups specific needs and preferences. b. Use User-Generated Content (UGC): I love this one. All it means is using content created by your customers. This could be reviews, pictures and social media posts that you can showcase on your socials and site. Try to encourage your customers to share their experiences and use this content in your ads to build trust and credibility. Wrapping It All Up To succeed in today’s digital advertising world, businesses need to use data smartly, advertise across multiple channels, and create personal and authentic content. By doing this, you can grow your boutique business, beat the competition, and achieve long-term success!

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

Top 5 Ways to Dress Up Your Boutique on A Budget (Updated)

Boutiques are known for their aesthetics and if you feel your boutique could use a reboot we've got you covered with five cost effective strategies. Looking to give your boutique a fresh new look without breaking the bank? Whether you're a seasoned boutique owner or just starting out, creating an inviting atmosphere for your customers is essential for success. Fortunately, you don't need a hefty budget to achieve a stylish and welcoming space.  5 Keys to Dressing Up Your Boutique Here are five tips to help you dress up your boutique on a budget: DIY Decor: DIY (do it yourself) Start those creative juices because if you want to save on my you will need to replace it with creativity and effort.  Utilize your industriousness to create cute handmade signage, wall art, and displays using inexpensive materials that you can pick up at thrift stores or department store. Good materials could include reclaimed wood, fabric scraps, or  cardboard that can be found at your local Home Depot or scrap yard. Pinterest and DIY blogs are treasure troves of inspiration, be sure to use these sites and others to help motivate and guide you. Infuse your personality into your boutique decor and create a memorable shopping experience for your customers. Thrift Store Finds: Thrift shopping or even dumpster diving is the most effective way to get cheap stuff to embellish your boutique. It sounds kind of crazy but with a little bit of creativity you can take one persons trash and turn it into treasure. Good finds from thrifts stores would include oddly designed mirrors or quirky lamps that will turn your customers heads and make them feel like this boutique has something special to offer.  Make Creative Displays: Let's create some amazing clothing displays that won't break the bank. Instead of buying costly pre made display fixtures, try repurposing everyday items like wooden crates, ladders, or even tree branches to showcase your products. Get really playful with your displays, be sure to mix and match textures, heights, and colors to create interest with your customers. By thinking outside the "wooden" box, you can create fabulous displays that highlight your merchandise and entice customers to stay a while! Upcycled Accents: Time to visit grandmas house! Go in search of some vintage suitcases to display your clothing or repurpose mason jars as candle holders. Upcycling is a great way to create charm and personality to your space. Not only does upcycling save money, but it also aligns with the eco-friendly shopping experience that is quite trendy at the moment. Lighting: Lighting can make or break the ambiance of your boutique, so it's essential to get it right. Look for string lights, paper lanterns, or LED candles to create soft and inviting light. Try experimenting with different lighting placements to attract customers to places you want them to go (perhaps the fitting room.) Good lighting is a must in your photography and in your store. Dressing up your boutique is really all about bringing out your creativity and resourcefulness. I'm confident these tips will help you initiate ideas that are laying dormant in your creative minds!

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

Where Do Boutiques Stand in a World Dominated by Fast Fashion?

The fashion world has consistently become more competitive and difficult to thrive in over the years, especially for boutiques. Probably the largest factor is how much fast fashion has continued to dominate the industry over time. We ask and answer the question on how boutiques can better thrive in this landscape of ever changing trends What is Fast Fashion? The core of fast fashion is to get clothing from design concept to store floors in as little time as possible. With traditional clothing, it can sometimes take close to a year for this process. Whereas in fast fashion, it is a matter of months. While this can seem like a great thing for consumers, it is actually detrimental to the fashion industry and in many other ways.  The major issue with this industry is that the focus is primarily on speed, which greatly takes away from quality. Fast fashion clothing is typically outsourced and produced cheaply in mass quantities to get it out as fast as possible. This leads to labor exploitation and cheaply manufactured clothes that will not last. Unfortunately, long lasting clothing is not even a concern. The idea is that people will simply buy the next round of fast fashion trends.  The Major Players in Fast Fashion Brands There are plenty of fast fashion brands and companies out there. The major players are the ones really influencing the industry and growing it. This includes H&M and Zara, which are the oldest companies operating in fast fashion. It also includes names like GAP, Forever21, Shein, Fashion Nova, and more.  Where Boutiques Stand in Fast Fashion Of course, fast fashion can seem like a difficult industry to compete with for boutique owners. How are boutiques supposed to keep up with major players? Companies who are able to get the newest clothing lines and styles in a matter of months? Not only this, they have the capital to keep rotating their inventory.  These options are often unavailable to boutiques. Fortunately, this in no way means that it’s impossible to thrive as a boutique in this fast fashion world. Boutiques possess benefits that fast fashion does not.  What Boutiques Have Over Fast Fashion While fast fashion has the advantage of cheaper materials and speed, boutiques also have their own merits over the industry.  Boutiques often focus on quality or high end types of clothing, which many people are searching for over fast fashion brands. This puts boutiques in an excellent position. This means potential to be the main source of clothing for those who do not like the fast fashion industry.  Boutiques often find their own niche type or style of clothing that many fast fashion outlets likely don't carry. Many customers are looking for these specific styles, and boutiques should aim to market and connect to these types of people.  Competing with Fast Fashion Brands There are a couple ways that boutiques can capitalize upon the fast fashion attitude. The first of these is to stay up to date and stock clothing trends. While this may not be desirable, it can help bring in customers that will also look at the other wares.  Also, many people may desire trends, but would rather purchase from a smaller business that will provide higher quality clothing. This is a void that boutiques should be ready and willing to fill.  Sustainability is Becoming More of a Concern In the modern era, people are becoming concerned with sustainability in many parts of life, including their clothing.  Customers are getting tired of clothes barely lasting a year or less. This causes them to seek options that lost longer, despite possibly paying a bit more. They want materials that are sourced ethically, without draining the planet of its resources.  As more people move toward sustainability, the more they will begin to shy away from fast fashion. This is not saying that fast fashion is on its way out. However, more people are beginning to consider the implications involved with this industry.  The Bottom Line The bottom line is that fast fashion likely isn't going anywhere anytime soon, and that doesn't mean boutiques cannot thrive. As long as they work to maintain trends, fill their niche, and provide high quality clothing - there will always be plenty of customers waiting at your doors. Plus, social media is a massive tool that boutiques can use to put themselves in front of their desired audience. It is important to consider fast fashion competition, but boutiques should not let it be the reason they shutdown either.  The Environmental Impact of Fast Fashion One of the largest issues in this industry is the environmental impact of fast fashion. It continues to consume large amounts of power to pump out clothing as fast as possible. In turn, this creates large amounts of waste and pollution. Furthermore, many of these items are primarily synthetic, and there is no good way to dispose of or recycle them.  Looking for High Quality Wholesale Options?  It can be tough for smaller boutiques to find wholesale options that are a good fit. This is where we aim to help. Our site is jam-packed with content that can help boutique owners. Whether you’re a boutique owner, or are thinking of becoming one, we help you find high quality wholesale options. We invite you to check out our educational articles and blogs to answer your budding questions. For any further questions, join our mailing list for even more content.

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

Why Attending Fashion Shows Can Make You a Better Boutique Owner

Fashion Events are not only a blast to attend they can also be an invaluable resource that a boutique utilizes to flourish. Let's dive into what a Fashion Event Show consists of and which ones to attend. Using Fashion Shows to Enhance Your Boutique Fashion shows are large, collaborated events where multiple designers, vendors, and wholesalers get together. Fashion shows are what you would traditionally think of with a runway. However, there are also trunk shows and conventions with no runway, similar to an expo in a hotel conference room.  For reference, a trunk show is where vendors will have a small inventory stock available for purchase by those who attend the event. Historically inventory has been brought to the show in an actual trunk – hence the name. At any fashion show, designers will display their latest collections. Attendees will even have the opportunity to see collections that have not reached the market yet. Items brought to shows are typically available for sale at wholesale price.  Fashion shows can also bring non-fashion vendors, such as wine or champagne companies. All the promotion between each attendee provides the opportunity for max participation from all communities involved. In addition, every vendor will post the event on their social media and their company’s social media and share details through word of mouth.  Fashion Show Mall The Fashion Show Mall is a shopping mall located on the Las Vegas Strip. It was founded in 1981 and is an estimated 3600 feet from Cesar’s Palace. This mall hosts big-name stores such as Anthropologie, Tiffany and Co., and Nieman Marcus.  The mall is unique from others in the country in that it has a retractable runway in its center. In addition, it hosts free fashion shows often. Shows are Friday thru Sunday from noon until 5 PM, displaying various pieces sold at the mall. Since 2010 (possibly before, given its age and reputation), Fashion Show Mall has had a “first to market” strategy. This simply means it is a place for new brands to debut themselves in Las Vegas. The benefit to this is that Las Vegas has a high population of residents and is always boasting tourism. So you never know who could see your brand or when.  Even better, if you get retail space in this mall, your brand can be featured in the weekly fashion shows. Imagine finally getting that retail dream space, and then boom, your brand is discovered by a person (or people) that can put your name on the maps you wish to be on.  How This Benefits You So, how do all this fashion show and fashion mall talk pertain to you? Knowing about the different events in the fashion community is good to know for attendance purposes. Or, if you cannot attend but know someone who is, you can send your product with them. Then, work a business deal where they showcase, and you give them X amount of the sales from that show or some free outfits? Just an idea!  I digress. It is often said in various places that community is good. Two are better than one, and three cannot be broken apart. The fashion world is no different from this concept. As the idea mentions above, successful businesses require help from others. We are not meant to do life (or business) alone.  Marketing online has multiple benefits in today’s technology-driven world. Everyone is constantly posting on their social media, scrolling the internet, and they have an email address. Additionally, marketing with people in your industry expands that opportunity even more. Networking with others in the fashion industry should be seen as necessary, not competitive. Think of fashion industry networking as having a mentor in the workplace that guides you as you grow as a business owner.  It may be evident that going to fashion shows provides networking opportunities for you between vendors, other boutiques, wholesale opportunities, and mentorship. In addition, some names in fashion have expanded their businesses through networking at these fashion events.  The Takeaway So, what are the takeaways for you as a boutique owner with all this fashion show talk?  One, network! Immerse yourself into the fashion community around you, be it locally, nationally, or globally. The market has space for us all. It is better if we help each other win, I.E., network, and exchange contact information at fashion events. (E.g., trunk shows, fashion shows, or even the Fashion Mall in Las Vegas!)  Two, try new things. What worked in the past may not work now. Or, what works for some may not work for your boutique. We all have different styles and audiences we intend to reach with our brands. No two things are consistently alike. Take ideas from the fashion community around you and see how you can implement them into your own business.  Lastly, do not say “no” to an opportunity. This ties into trying new things. You never know when an opportunity could be the break you have been hoping for in your business. Big or small, starting or having been established for years, take the options presented to you.  Each opportunity is going to teach you something. It will inevitably lead you to the right places because each option will teach you something new.  For example, Amy Hilton Designs got “the big break” from being found online by a local resort. The designer said “yes” to attending a trunk show without having done one before. From that one “yes,” a risky “yes,” I might add, she has a wholesale account with the resort. She also has high-profile and influential clients that loyally follow her brand.  Let's Network! I hope this resonates and encourages you! However, it does not mean your business will bud overnight. Remember, Rome was not built in one day. So take your time networking and trying new opportunities; the rest will flow. For more advice, contact us at Buy Wholesale Clothing!

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

Why Shopify Is Best For Your Boutique

Shopify is the #1 web hosting provider for retail, let's explore why and how it can help your boutique. What Is Shopify? Shopify is an eCommerce platform that simplifies all facets of running a business. This hosting supplier is not only for online businesses; any user can start and grow their business. You can use Shopify in person at a pop-up shop, on the web, on a mobile phone, at brick-and-mortar locations, and even on social media.  Shopify handles any tool a business owner needs for product management, inventory, payments, and shipping in one place. Blocking all of the capabilities eliminates the need to use multiple platforms.  Access is available worldwide from any compatible device with internet capabilities. It is cloud-based and hosted. Software upgrades, server upgrades, and maintenance are handled remotely. Shopify agents still address requests quickly.  Shopify allows you to personalize your websites, creating a unique shopping experience for your customers. From here, you can promote and sell your brand across social media sites and marketplaces. In addition, you can reach a wider customer base with customer engagement and marketing tools. Shopify has a messaging, inbox, and chat capabilities.  The app allows customers to check out quickly and track their order and shipment details. When in person, Shopify acts as a POS system. You can still track all inventories and sales from your device.  Growth tools on this platform include a logo maker, slogan maker, QR code generator, and more. You can also select and host your domain through Shopify. Shopify Pricing: Pricing of this service ranges from $29 per month to $299 per month, depending on the business owner's needs. The basic package is for businesses that are just starting and selling products in person now and again. The middle-tiered package (“Shopify”), priced at $79 per month, is the best for growing businesses that sell online and in-store. Finally, the highest tier package is for more prominent companies that need advanced reporting tools.  One significant difference in pricing differences is inventory locations. Shopify allows consumers to track inventory through their platform and where the list is physically located (e.g., a warehouse, if you dropship, etc.). In addition, you are allowed to track your inventory in multiple locations using your Shopify Membership. Shopify membership assigns inventory to a store, pop-up, or warehouse – anywhere you store your products. You can assign between four and eight inventory locations. The second significant difference is reporting. Each report will be detailed depending on the features attached to your plan. Note that the primary and standard plans do not calculate third-party shipping rates. Instead, they offer shipping discounts (77% to 88%) and labels. Shopify and Advanced packages give the option of USPS cubic pricing.  The last thing to note in Shopify’s membership pricing is currency conversions and taxes. The Advanced membership is the only one that allows you to calculate duties and import taxes and set prices based on each varying market. For example, if your business is located in the United States, but you are doing a pop-up shop in Paris, Advanced will assist you in setting the product price in euro currency. Again, this feature is only for the Advanced membership, which gears towards use by bigger businesses.  The Benefits of This Service: So, what are the benefits of using Shopify, and why does your business need this platform? The first is simplicity. Shopify blends technology and training to grow and manage your business. It allows you to go around the world with your business. If you prefer to stay in one location, you can do that too. This application takes all the guesswork out of building or running a business. It is one thing to have an idea. It is another to be given tools to generate success. You may not understand all the reports, but Shopify’s core system will teach you.  Maybe you have been running your business for years, and you are used to taking time away from your brand to do the behind-the-scenes work. Inventory management, pricing, shipping labels, running a POS system separately, and more. Shopify allows you to step into an era of ease for your business.  Second, the pricing is compatible with the services. If your business is just starting, then you know you may not have additional cash to put into a service like this. Or, maybe you are only able to invest in one of the many service platforms you’re your business will eventually require. That is OK! Shopify’s introductory package price makes this service assessable to any business. As your business grows, your membership can too!  Third, and probably the best benefit of Shopify, is that it is cloud-hosted and managed. You can take your business anywhere in the world. Worldwide promotion leads to growth. If you are the type that likes to work on vacation or vacation where you work, this will work for you. You can take this anywhere and still be able to keep up with behind-the-scenes functions, such as inventory management.  Lastly, Shopify allows drop shipping! For those that may not be familiar, drop shipping is simply outsourcing manufacturing, warehousing, and shipping to third-party sellers. Imagine that your friend owns a business, and they pay you to make, stock, and ship your product on their behalf. Drop shipping is great for first-time business owners as it gives them (you!) time to focus more on marketing. In addition, you can test products and product lines for little to zero risk while you grow your business.   We Are Here to Help! Because running a business online is now one of the best ways to do so, I highly encourage you to consider using Shopify. You do not need Facebook groups. You need your real estate (so to speak) and control over the content your viewers see (enter… the Facebook algorithms that inevitably “hide” your content from potential shoppers). We hope this information has been helpful in your journey. Please contact us at Buy Wholesale Clothing for more tips and tricks!  

Boutique Blog – by Anna M

Why Staying on Top of Fashion Trends is So Essential for Boutique Owners

It’s not always critical for chains and larger retailers to follow these trends, but this is not the case for boutique owners. In fact, staying on top of fashion trends is one of the most important factors in being a successful boutique owner. Continue reading to learn why staying on top of fashion trends as a boutique owner is so essential.  Top Reasons to Stay On Top Of Fashion Trends Following Fashion Trends Will Improve Sales If a boutique is not following fashion trends, then beginning to do so may lead to drastically improved sales. Your boutique’s image may not be based on certain styles, which may mean that you avoid current trends alltogether. While this is understandable, it could be hindering the growth of your boutique.  Following trends does not have to eliminate unique style of boutique. In some cases, you may be able to stick with the general theme, and then follow the trend of current styles. Of course, this will not always be the case. However, carrying some trendy clothing options is still a good idea. It could attract new customers who will come to the boutique for the current trends, but this can also lead them to browse other wares as well.  Follow Trends to Compete with Other Boutiques Realistically, boutiques need to follow fashion trends to some degree in order to succeed - unless they have control over a particular niche which keeps people coming back. If boutiques were to continue to always try to sell the same or similar clothes, they are bound to fail in the long run. When customers come back in to see the same or hardly different items, it tells them that they don’t need to bother coming back. They already know what is there.  In other words, you will quickly begin losing customers to competition that are carrying newer and more relevant inventory. Staying on top of what is popular and having those types of clothing or products will be key to staying relevant in the sea of boutiques. Don’t Completely Change Your Business Model When you adopt trends, it does not mean that you have to remove what you normally sell. This will push away regular customers. The idea is to do both! The current niche and customers will remain the same, but staying on top of fashion trends will help to attract new customers as well. You do not have to cut off your old business inventory and model to grow and embrace trends.  How to Stay on Top of 2022 Fashion Trends If you haven’t tried to stay on top of 2022 fashion trends before, then you may have no idea where to start. Fortunately, there are several great sources that you can look to for what is trending in the industry.  The first and probably most informative of these sources is often social media. Social media will show trending fashion hashtags, reveal what everyone is talking about, and show how popular current trends are. This information can easily be used to figure out how you can apply current 2022 fashion trends to your boutique. This will also inform you about what you need to change. Vogue and other fashion-related magazines can also be great up-to-date source for trends in the fashion world.  If you would like to go more in-depth about tracking trends, then you can even use Google Trends to find out what people are searching for. You can also receive alerts related to these keywords. It is up to you how far in depth you’ll go to stay on top of trends. However, all of the above are great methods to locate current trends.  Use Social Media to Your Advantage As mentioned above, social media is one of the best places to find out the current fashion trends in 2022. Not only this, it is also the best place to promote your offerings and any new trendy inventory.. Social media is one of the most powerful tools that a boutique can use to grow their business. It lets you put yourself and your products in front of a massive audience. It also helps you find the right groups who are interested in what you have.  This is Not Fast Fashion The idea here is not to follow fashion trends in the ways that fast fashion brands do. This is actually impractical. You want to stay on top of trends to see if anything you sell is potentially trending.  You can bring in inventory that aligns with some of the current trends. This does not mean you keep swapping trends in-and-out like fast fashion does. Fast fashion brands tend to sell cheap clothing that does not last long, and this is something you should avoid. You want to continue to maintain high-quality products, with some attention on trends that could bring in an entirely new customer base. High-quality products that will feel fresh for current customers, and new ones-alike.  Looking for Quality Wholesale Options for Your Boutique?  If you are a new boutique, or looking to change your wholesale source, then BuyWholesaleClothing is here to help. We know how difficult it can be to find and choose a trustworthy wholesaler. This is why we put out resources that will make this process easier.  Our goal has always been to help boutique owners find accessible, affordable wholesale options to source their products from. Whether you are just beginning, or are looking to change sources, we hope that we can answer your questions. If you would like to see more from us, you can enter your email on our site and join our mailing list.