Looking for a way to build a new stream of income and do what you love at the same time? A great way to accomplish this is selling clothes online. If you want to get in on one of the most lucrative niches to start an online business, we’ve put together a few tips for you to get a quick and stress-free start.
The online space is developing at a lightning fast pace presenting more and more opportunities for people to create and develop their own ventures. The ecommerce industry especially is bigger than ever, and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Nowadays, you can easily order an item you found online, order it in a few clicks, and in just a few days, it will be at your doorstep.
Sellvia provides anyone with an opportunity to start the online business of their dreams and start living a financially independent life. Just imagine it for a second: your own online store packed with different clothing products for online consumers to choose from. All you have to do is manage, develop and market it, to ensure that people keep coming in or coming back to purchase your awesome clothing items.
Sounds like a great way to establish a path towards a successful life doing what you love!
Before we get into the tips of how you should sell clothes online, let’s make sure you fully comprehend what makes this market so full of potential.
Why selling clothes online is a lucrative idea: market overview and forecasts
Fashion in general is one of the most popular online shopping categories out there and the apparel industry in particular has a lot of potential.
Looking at the latest global apparel industry statistics, the worldwide market revenue is expected to exceed $1.7 trillion in 2022. The revenues are expected to grow year-over-year. In 2023, for instance, the market revenues are expected to increase by 5% and reach just over $1.8 trillion. Moreover, by 2025, global market revenues are expected to surpass the $1.9 trillion mark. In 2026, the number will rise even further to $2 trillion. Furthermore, in global comparison, most revenue is generated in the United States.
Those are some wild numbers, to be honest, however, let’s dive deeper into this category, specifically, the ecommerce space.
The revenue in the US ecommerce industry was valued at approximately 368 billion U.S. dollars as of 2019. Store-based retailing was valued at over $268 billion, while ecommerce brought in over $100 billion of revenue. As the internet increasingly influences social and economic activities, the ecommerce market for retail goods is expected to grow steadily.
Looking at Google Trends, we can clearly see that people are actively searching for various clothing items online. And this trend won’t go anywhere in the coming years.
The clothing market is showcasing itself as one of the most lucrative markets out there. So, what makes this niche market preferable to start an online business?
The peculiarities of selling clothes online
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A diverse product range
Dismissing the statistics right now, the market is huge, with thousands of unique designs for people of all interests. And, even though people purchase clothing in their local stores, purchasing clothing online is becoming more and more accessible and frequent.
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A variety of niches
What is your go to clothing audience? Is it fancy women’s clothing? You got it.
Is it men’s clothing products? Say less. How about edgy millennials? Go get ’em! Or maybe kids clothing? It’s right there.
The sheer amount of items to choose from can be overwhelming, but we’re sure you’ll find yours! Even a total newcomer to the ecommerce world can focus on a specific customer audience, reach them with ease, and let their business thrive!
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An easy to understand product
In comparison to other products you can sell online that require a certain level of knowledge, such as various gadgets, pieces of camping equipment, or health and beauty products, clothing is an item that everyone is familiar with.
Sounds pretty good, right? Thus, by selling clothes online, you have the opportunity to:
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Make sustainable profits
If you sell clothes online, you can markup the price however you see fit. You can even double or triple the price of the initial item. Everything depends what kind of clothing brand you create.
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Easily manage refunds and returns
By selling clothes, your returns and refunds will go much more smoothly compared to other products. After all, it’s not a technically complex item. Just be sure to specify your returns policy on your website.
12 tips for selling clothes online
If you love fashion and everything that’s connected to it, then you should undoubtedly consider starting an online business selling clothes. If this is what you wish to do, then here’s a list of the best tips for selling clothes online.
#1. Pick a niche and come up with a brand idea
The first thing to start off with when building a clothing brand is considering your interests. Are you into arts? Create your own unique drawing and sell t-shirts with your prints. Or maybe you’re an animal lover? Then you can consider selling t-shirts with cute animals. You can go even further and raise awareness about a certain world problem, global warming, for example.
The most important is to find a niche you’re genuinely interested in, so that you can create a strong branding idea and build a community around your brand.
Remember, you can’t cater for everyone, and you probably shouldn’t! Choose an idea for clothing you want to sell and stick with it as much as you can.
Self-expression is what really matters. If you’re a great fan of sports, gaming, or anything else, you’re highly likely to succeed with your own brand! Spread your individuality through unique clothes under your brand!
It can be women’s clothing, men’s, teenagers, or even babies. Or you can dive deeper and focus on a specific topic and build your product range accordingly.
When your brand begins to develop and prosper, you can broaden your product range and generate new ideas to reach new audiences.
#2. Pick a store name that will fully showcase your clothing brand
Think about what you are going to sell and name your store accordingly.
Having a name for your clothing business is vital, but many people disregard the next most important thing which is positioning your brand in a certain market. You need to know who you are designing for and focus on one direction.
You can use your own name, borrow a name to sound vintage, or stick to the brand you are going to sell.
#3. Understand your audience
You need to know what you are designing for. Is it a cause? A sport? Maybe a movement? Or a hobby? Make it something you’re passionate about sticking with for the long haul. From there, you need to determine who you are designing for.
The best way to market a clothing brand is to know who will buy your product. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve spoken to that have clothing lines and don’t know who they are selling to. If you don’t know which direction to take with your product or design, the first question you need to ask is “who is my target market?” A market for a fishing clothing line t-shirt might prefer a different fitting or feeling shirt than a group of people who are into high fashion.
There are plenty of characteristics to consider: age range, gender, what activities or hobbies they are into, what trends are they easily attracted too, how quickly do they adapt to new styles, are they willing to spend a lot or a little money, where they currently shop, etc.
#4. Prepare detailed item descriptions
Covering all the essential points that a potential buyer would need to know is crucial, and the product description is the place to do it.
This will help your customers better understand what they’re buying and reduce the number of questions.
However, be sure to highlight all the important details of the item, so that the consumers will instantly see all the product’s features.
#5. Take clear, high-quality pictures from different angles
Since your customers won’t have the opportunity to touch the product you’re selling, the photos have to showcase the product the best way possible.
Too often sellers take poor quality photos. Often the picture is too dark or has a filter that alters what the item actually looks like. Some even make the cardinal mistake of having messy backgrounds. These are all sure-fire ways to turn a buyer off.
Consider the following when taking pictures:
- good lighting
- arrangement of item and background
- a plain background that clearly highlights to item of clothing
- a consistent photography style to help build trust among buyers
- making photos look official and professional
#6. Keep track of the trends
Keeping an eye on trends is extremely important when selling items online. This is particularly true when it comes to selling clothing items, as old fashion trends often come back around.
#7. Fast and helpful customer service
It is essential to quickly respond to various queries. Make sure you reply to customers within a day, at the very latest. This will help you to sell your items faster and keep people interested.
While it is important to respond to people quickly, it is equally important to be approachable. This will help you to build a rapport with the buyer and increase their trust towards you, so they’ll be more inclined to make a purchase.
#8. Provide bundle discounts
If you’re having a major store clear out, you may be able to sell more items by offering bundle discounts.
In a separate section of your online store, create offers with several items at a reduced price if they are purchased in a bundle. This will lead the buyer to your profile and encourage them to have a bigger look around.
#9. Use tags to increase the visibility of your products
Use tags in your product listing to help your potential customers discover more items! Take advantage of this feature, tagging relevant trends, colors, and so on.
#10. Create a measurement/size chart for the clothing
Make it easier for customers to understand what size clothing they need by adding a size chart. Often customers want to know the bust, waist and length of the item. Include this with your item description by writing it out.
This will save questions from your customers who will want to know things like ‘is this true to size?’
#11. Do seasonal sales
Depending on the time of the year, you can launch a seasonal sale.
Maybe Christmas is right around the corner then you can launch a special Christmas sale on your Christmas themed clothing. Think about all the holiday seasons, and add them to your calendar. Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter, Saint Patrick’s Day, New Year’s Eve, etc.
Think about what people may be buying at particular times of the year.
#12. Promotion is important
By simply listing your clothing online doesn’t mean that they will immediately sell — you need to promote them.
If you’re planning to sell a lot of clothes online, then build your promotions around a brand. Taking the time to promote them will earn more money.
If you have a new line of clothes, initially offering discounts or BOGO deals in exchange for reviews might be a great step to take.
Selling clothes online: wrapping it up
The key to any successful ecommerce business is being able to tap into buying intent. It is not only about figuring out who your fashion audience is and what they would be willing to buy and for how much. You need to penetrate a saturated niche and separate yourself from your closest competitors and then follow it up with awesome quality clothes, unique designs and good service.
Selling clothing products is a lucrative business idea to consider. The niche is broad and offers many wonderful opportunities. However, it is also very competitive. Thus, choosing the right niche and a trustworthy supplier is the key to success.
An online clothing business is an ever-growing niche that you should try if you are passionate about clothes. To start dropshipping clothing products swiftly and without any complications, Sellvia is there to make things easier for you. It only takes a few clicks to get your store, add hot products, set-up ready marketing campaigns and start counting profits!
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