Remote business has long ceased to be an unusual phenomenon. Proof of this are the numerous online stores, where anyone can make a purchase without leaving home. Saving time and money is definitely an advantage of online shopping. From this article, you will learn how to independently organize an online clothing business, find potential buyers and successfully grow your business.
How to start selling clothes online?
Anyone can start their own online trading business. Often, this does not even require large investments. It is enough to have free time, constant access to the Internet and the desire to earn money.
For example, many housewives on maternity leave are attracted to selling children's clothing online. Potential buyers are the same familiar mothers who are looking for unusual and inexpensivethings for your children. Having organized their business online, women are in no hurry to return to their usual routine work and continue to develop their profitable business even after maternity leave.
In order to start your online business, it is absolutely not necessary to make bulk purchases and be afraid that the goods will not be in demand. Selling clothes over the Internet allows you to act as an organizer of joint purchases. In other words, people will order the product they are interested in from you, make an advance payment, and you will buy it from the supplier and wind up your percentage for the work done. Today, many individual entrepreneurs work according to this scheme, who are much more comfortable working at home at the computer than trading in the market.
Determining the assortment
Let's say you decide to start selling clothes online. First of all, you need to decide on the range. The main criterion for a successful online sale is the relevance and relevance of things in the region where you live. Perhaps there are no beautiful evening and cocktail dresses in your city, or it is absolutely impossible to find high-quality children's shoes. It is important to compare existing retail clothing stores, read forums and get the opinion of friends about what they would buy from you with great pleasure.
An important factor is the average per capita income in the region where you are going to organize yourInternet trade. Inflated prices can repel potential buyers, and clothes that are too cheap can raise doubts about their quality. Try to focus on those products for which you will have the lowest possible competition.
How to find a clothing supplier?
The wide variety of clothing suppliers is confusing for a newcomer to online trading. Today you can order clothes both in the CIS countries and far beyond the Commonwe alth. The most profitable suppliers are, of course, Chinese clothing manufacturers. The leaders among the resources offering to make online sales are AliExpress and TaoBao. However, if the latter site is aimed at native Chinese speakers, users from all over the world can shop on AliExpress.
The advantage of Chinese suppliers is high-quality inexpensive clothing. Through the Internet, you can order quite exclusive things from China, which cannot be found in any retail store in Russia.
The main rule of wholesale purchases on such a site is the rating of the selected seller. Make a deal only after making sure of its integrity and the quality of the goods. You can check this by the reviews of customers who have already placed orders with this supplier.
AliExpress resource protects the rights of both parties, as evidenced by a well-thought-out payment system. After choosing the right product, the customer pays the full amount of its cost, after which the seller sends the goods by mail. Money deposited into the system will be transferredto the seller's account only after the customer receives his goods and confirms its quality and safety during shipment. Otherwise, the buyer has the right to ask for a discount or a full refund of their funds. The system guarantees that any package will arrive safely, including clothes purchased through the store. The Internet in this case greatly simplifies the process of making a transaction.
How to find potential buyers?
After you have decided on a clothing supplier, you need to start looking for potential buyers who will be interested and profitable with your product. You can try to open your own online store, but this will require financial investments (website creation, design development, promotion in search engines, search for a hired administrator, etc.). Therefore, the most rational way to find buyers for a beginner is a group or community in social networks.
You can create such a group absolutely free of charge by advertising your services and posting a range of clothes to order. At first, friends and acquaintances can act as potential buyers. Gradually, people will begin to learn about your online clothing community and will tell their friends about it. The principle of so-called "word of mouth marketing" works flawlessly to this day.
However, if financial resources allow, then you can entrust the promotion of the community to professionals who will invite potential buyers based on the principle of targeting. In other words, inyour group will have people who will actually start ordering. Remember that buying clothes online should be as comfortable as possible for your potential buyers.
Methods of payment for orders
For the convenience of making transactions, it is necessary to offer customers various payment methods for orders:
- Transfer to a bank card or money transfer to a bank account.
- Payment with electronic currency (WebMoney, Qiwi, "YandexMoney").
- Postal transfer or cash on delivery.
- Cash on delivery.
In addition, to insure yourself against the buyer's refusal of the order, you can introduce an advance payment system, which can range from 30 to 50% of the total cost of the goods. Even inexpensive clothes can fall under this item. It is much easier and more convenient to conduct payment transactions via the Internet, which saves customers time and money.
Delivery of the order to the buyer
Proper organization of delivery of the order to the buyer will not only have a good effect on the reputation of the online store, but will also significantly reduce the time of the transaction. You can arrange delivery in the following ways:
- Take the order to the customer's home by yourself.
- Give away the goods in a predetermined place on neutral territory.
- Ask customers to pick up goods directly at the seller's home.
- Hire a courier who, for a nominal fee, will deliver the goods to the right place and time.
- Sendgoods by mail cash on delivery.
The advantage of online shopping is that you can buy this or that thing without leaving your home. That is why it is better to give preference to delivery to the buyer's home. It will be convenient if the delivery is positioned as free, and you include its real cost in the total purchase price.
Agreement between seller and buyer
A well-drafted service agreement can protect the seller and the buyer from possible misunderstandings in the transaction process. And it does not matter whether it is a legal document or a formal agreement in words. The main thing is that both parties fulfill their obligations.
For example, an obligatory clause of such an agreement may be an advance payment of 50% of the purchase price or a refund if the product turns out to be defective or does not fit in size. The buyer must be sure that he will not lose his money and receive a quality order that will meet his expectations.
Taxes - to pay or not to pay?
Any entrepreneurial activity on the territory of the Russian Federation must be legally formalized and registered with the tax authority. Contributions to the state treasury will not only save you from possible problems, but also help create a confident future. After all, by registering as an individual entrepreneur, you will monthly make social and pension payments, of whichyour pension will be formed in the future.
However, if you are not yet sure about the success of your online business, you can try to make a few test orders for friends or relatives. If you see that selling clothes over the Internet brings positive results, then it makes sense to continue to develop your business by registering it according to the law. In the last few years, it has become possible to register online businesses in accordance with the tax code of the Russian Federation.
What else can I sell online?
Selling clothes online is not the only way to organize online commerce. You can sell anything. The main thing is that the product is in demand and relevant among the residents of your city or region. So, unusual women's jewelry and accessories, various devices for the kitchen and home, car accessories and replica watches of famous brands are very popular. People will always be looking for unusual things that can be easily purchased without going abroad.
Online business is responsible and hard work. Selling clothes over the Internet or any accessories requires a certain investment of time in the early stages. However, with a properly planned business project, the result in the form of a stable income will not be long in coming.
