More than ten years ago, Ms. Li opened a ready-to-wear design and processing shop in Shanghai out of interest, accumulating professional experience and material foundation. Then she switched to ready-to-wear sales, providing quality clothing exclusively for career women aged 25-40.
Ms. Li has been involved in the clothing business for over a decade and knows some friends who deal with foreign trade clothing, so sourcing supplies is not an issue; the key is to get unique goods. During her first trip to the factory to pick up goods, under their enthusiastic recommendation, she took several large boxes at once, fully equipped with sizes, colors, and styles. However, this turned her small shop into an ordinary clothing store without any individuality. It took several months to sell the inventory, and she ended up losing thousands of yuan. Having learned from her mistake, she no longer blindly purchases goods. She limits each style of clothing to no more than three pieces, paying more attention to the fabric and craftsmanship, operating differently from other small shops. Additionally, she pays close attention to the dressing style and consumption habits of her regular customers, pre-matching colors, accessories, and scarves, which not only provides thorough service but also increases profits through bundled sales.
With its unique business philosophy, exquisite clothing, and reasonable prices, Ms. Li's clothing store has become very successful, recovering its costs within just six months. She is now planning to open a third clothing boutique.
Investment returns have always been the "business secret" of wealth creators, but Ms. Li does not keep it hidden.
She shares her experiences publicly:
Return on Investment Budget
A foreign trade clothing boutique usually requires only about ten square meters, but the location is crucial. It’s best to choose a relatively mature area where the rent is more expensive, costing around 8,000-10,000 yuan per month.
Foreign trade clothing boutiques operate on a distinctive and low-cost model. Therefore, prices should be more than half off compared to malls or specialty stores. Generally, goods are priced between 90-300 yuan. Thus, including purchasing inventory, rent, and renovation fees, the investment is approximately 150,000 yuan. If the goods have distinct features and there is a relatively fixed customer base, daily revenue can maintain an average level of 1,500-2,000 yuan. After deducting fixed expenses, monthly profits are roughly 10,000-20,000 yuan. If the goods are exceptionally outstanding or during the peak selling season, the profit situation is even more optimistic.
Business Philosophy
"Clustered" Operation - Operating clothing stores is different from opening small convenience stores or restaurants. It doesn't seek to be the only one of its kind; instead, it needs to "cluster." Choosing a relatively mature clothing street, although competition may be more intense, the targeted customers are strong, which is particularly beneficial for new stores to cultivate popularity.
Thorough "Market Research" - Regardless of what type of store you open, market research is essential. The focus of the investigation should be on competitors rather than customers, covering aspects such as product structure, product types, and product prices. Based on a detailed understanding and objective analysis of competitors, determine the product positioning.
Prioritizing Characteristics - Foreign trade clothing boutiques attract customers through their uniqueness and personality. There is a high demand for the distinctiveness of the goods, so when purchasing inventory, it's important to adhere to the principle of "you don't have what I have, and if you do, mine is newer." Although the styles of foreign trade clothing sold domestically are new, most of them are returned orders from foreign merchants, so there might be slight quality issues. It's crucial to strictly inspect the quality during purchase. Moreover, while operating clothing, one can match some characteristic bags, jewelry, and scarves to diversify the product range.
"One Meter Distance" - Most customers of clothing boutiques come for personalized clothing, thus having a significant subjective preference when selecting items. Therefore, shop assistants should maintain a "one-meter distance" from customers, providing a relaxed and free shopping environment. If the shop assistants are overly enthusiastic and start introducing products indiscriminately upon meeting customers, it will only drive them away. Furthermore, a good shop assistant not only knows how to "maintain distance" but should also be observant, able to summarize customer opinions, and provide suggestions for purchasing inventory.