The clothing trade has always been a very competitive niche, but even now, when it would seem that even the crumbs from this pie are greedily snatched up on the fly, it is possible to find your “place in the sun”. So, let’s take this business apart and put the cogs on the shelves so that the question “how to open a clothing store?” was closed.
We decide on the concept and assortment
To decide on the format of a clothing store, you need to start from quite logical inputs:
- Capital
- Location and area of the premises with an “adequate” rental price
- Experience in a specific product niche
- Competition for specific product groups
Moreover, the location of the premises and the price of rent is perhaps the most important point. In places with good traffic, there will definitely be competition, but it’s not so scary if your rental conditions are acceptable. Perhaps it is worth considering the concept of the showroom .
Clothing Store Documentation
You need to officially register your activity. A certificate of registration of an individual entrepreneur can be obtained from the city executive committee. . Next, you need to register with the pension fund.
- certificate of state registration as a legal entity;
- conclusion of the State Fire Supervision. To obtain this conclusion, you need to provide a certificate of registration of your organization, a lease agreement for a premises, a document on the installation of a fire alarm, a plan of the premises, insurance of the premises.
- conclusion of Rospotrebnadzor. To obtain this conclusion, you will have to provide an application, a lease agreement, a certificate of registration, a certificate of registration with the Inspectorate of Taxation, medical records of employees, a list of goods, certificates for products, a sanitary passport, an agreement for the removal of garbage and solid waste.
- fixing the cash register. To do this, you need an application, a KKM passport, a lease agreement, holograms of the State Register and maintenance, a certificate and registration of the company and the Tax Inspectorate.
- Goskomstat codes. You need a copy of the extract from the register, a copy of the OGRN, a copy of the TIN, a cover letter.
- garbage collection agreement
- lease contract;
- documents that confirm the ownership (or other legal basis) of the relevant premises;
- permission for outdoor advertising. Usually this question is addressed to the local authorities.
- obtaining a license. If you sell a product that is licensed, you will need to obtain a license for it.
Registration completed, time to decide on the premises and commercial equipment. The premises can be separate, as a ready-made boutique, or can be located in a shopping center.
It is more convenient to settle in the shopping center, as it is less expensive in terms of money and time. The comfort of customers depends on the size of the room. The bigger it is, the better. The design and decoration of the department should correspond to its concept.
What equipment will be required?
It will be necessary to purchase: mannequins, racks, hangers, fitting rooms, large mirrors, cash equipment (cash register and cashless payment terminal) and a computer.
It is important to install a security system. It will prevent the possibility of theft of goods. We must not forget about lighting, you can use lamps, panels or lamps. High-quality indoor lighting can significantly increase the percentage of sales.
Approximately 250-350 thousand will be required to purchase equipment. Sometimes you can save on equipment. In the process of development, it will be possible to purchase a new one. It is preferable to invest in the assortment, development and advertising.
When the room is ready and the equipment is purchased, you need to divide the hall into zones. They can be grouped by size, collection or brand. You need to focus on consumer habits.
Interestingly, when entering the store, people often turn their heads to the right, so there should be a trading area, and not cash equipment. Fitting rooms should be comfortable, located at the end of the hall or on the side.
The most fashionable goods should be located in a conspicuous place and stand out with lighting. Equipment should not interfere with access to the assortment. Naturally, the appearance of the product should be presentable.
As for staff
Sellers are the face of the boutique. Success largely depends on them. Competent speech, orientation in the product, pleasant appearance are integral features of a good seller. If the buyer likes the service in the store, he will definitely return there again.
Typically, the salary scheme for consultants looks like this: salary of 10,000 rubles +% of sales. Also, the store must have an accountant, a manager, a cleaner and a security guard. About 150 thousand per month is usually required to pay employees.
Clothing store assortment
Implementation of a business idea. When choosing an assortment, you need to focus on the target audience. No need to try to sell goods “for everyone.” This rarely leads to success.
The choice of assortment is based on the study of supply and demand. You always need to pay attention to the preferences of buyers. There are general recommendations in this regard:
The classic will never go out of fashion. Most buyers prefer a classic cut, basic tones. Trend models should only complement the classic ones.
The principle of combination is always very important. It is necessary to form an assortment according to this principle.
A win-win option is to focus on standards. Namely, 42 – 55 sizes.
Range addition. This can be done with accessories or shoes. You can increase the average check: glasses or scarves, jewelry, bags and belts.
Update assortment regularly. Fashion is like a living organism, trends are constantly changing and you need to keep up with this.
The minimum markup threshold in clothing stores is 100%. Sometimes it can be higher – 120%, 150%, 200% and even 300%. High markups are set in shopping centers. Sometimes in stores with original products that you will not find in competitors.
Special offers
Store workers have less than 7 seconds to grab a visitor’s attention. Therefore, customers should be treated like goldfish, this will lead to an increase in store sales. Each store needs its own marketer and designer.
The mission of which will be to make the brand memorable. Several ways to give personality to the brand:
Smart copywriting. Words and images are important on a website or in store advertising. Good copywriting does a lot to help define a brand’s image and make it memorable.
Custom packaging is a great way to make a brand memorable for both new customers and existing customers. If the store uses individual packaging, customers are more likely to share photos of purchases on social networks, and therefore advertise the store.
Clothing store advertisement
Popular clothing lines can be recognized by company logos. You need to create a unique and individual logo. Choose an image that is important for the store. The letters should identify him and match the clothing line.
Advertising is very important when opening your clothing store. Thanks to it, you can significantly increase sales.
Each store must have its own website. The central website creates the brand image. This is the place where the brand lives, where visitors can learn about it and build their relationship with this brand. Omnichannel selling is a great way to do business. A powerful way to draw attention to the product.
Be active on social networks. In social networks, it is also effective to advertise your clothing store. You can entertain subscribers with interesting videos, informative posts, for example, on caring for clothes. To please subscribers with beautiful photos, and also, to hold draws, where discounts, promotional codes or even free gifts can be at stake. To promote on social networks, it is very important to regularly take high-quality product photos.
Moreover, it can make business cards, order the installation of a banner or advertising on television. Special offers can be a great marketing strategy.
It is very important to organize the grand opening of the new store. This will help draw as much attention to the business as possible.
The grand opening will ensure the presence of the first buyers and offer special conditions. The opening can be advertised on radio, television, in the newspaper, in social networks. You can make individual business cards or order the installation of banners around the city. Special offers can be a great marketing strategy.
How much does it cost to open your own clothing store?
The final cost is calculated based on certain conditions. Everything is individual here. But the approximate amount can be calculated already now. For example, a store is located in a city with a population of no more than 500,000 people.
If the area of the premises is approximately 60-80 m2, the cost of rent is approximately 40 thousand per month. Repair of the premises will cost about 100 thousand, and the purchase of equipment – 300 thousand. The minimum cost for advertising is 30 thousand. There are other costs that should be noted, but the total amount will be about one and a half million rubles. These are approximate figures, they can be both more and less.
- A small checklist for opening a clothing store:
- Market analysis, format definition;
- The form of the store is a franchise, starting an independent business or buying an existing one;
- Preparation of the premises;
- Search for suppliers for the store;
- Building a plan, determining the desired profit and necessary costs;
- Purchase of goods;
- Thinking through and implementing a marketing strategy;
- Grand opening.
Here is all the necessary information about what you need to open a clothing store. Now you need to give an objective assessment of your capabilities and begin to act. The most important thing is never to go off the intended path and not deviate from your goals. In this case, you can successfully expand and promote your business. It will bring high income.
