Going Wholesale - The Cheapest Way to Update your Wardrobe

Retail therapy is one of the great British pastimes and splashing the cash on new stuff is only surpassed by our collective passion for bargains.  We love to buy things, but we never want to pay full price for anything - and why would we?

Thanks to the internet, you are never more than a few clicks away from a reduced price tag and virtually everything you can think of is available cheaper elsewhere, you only need to know where to find it. When it comes to discount clothing online, the bargains we so crave can usually be found somewhere where the word ‘wholesale’ is present.

Wholesale - Is That Not for Retailers?

If you are shopping for clothing, a trip to the wholesalers is not going to be high on your list of places to visit - if it is on there at all. Clothing wholesalers in the UK are typically large cash-and-carry warehouse-type buildings that get goods from manufacturers and sell them in bulk to retailers,who then sell them on to you, the customer.

You would not want to go directly to the wholesaler to find what you need (unless what you need is 100 t-shirts all in the same size and colour) but there are definite advantages of shopping this way. You see, shopping at the wholesalers means cutting out the retailer - the middleman that marks up products considerably for profit.

Wholesale clothing allows you to shop for items at wholesale prices - the prices the retailer buys them at. Except, rather than having to buy in bulk, you can find what you need in smaller numbers. The wholesaler is the distributor that buys items from the manufacturer and you are the retailer, buying garments and accessories at pre-store mark up prices.

The Best Place for Big Brands

If it’s brand names that you’re looking for, wholesale clothing suppliers is the place to find them. Quite often, manufacturers try to move large lots in order to clear space for new stuff, wholesalers can then step in to negotiate cheap prices ad buy in bulk. And low prices for them invariably mean low prices for you.

So what sort of things can you pick up from a clothes wholesaler in the UK? Well, this really depends on the seller. Many wholesalers offer limited choice due to not being able selling only what a particular manufacturer is getting rid of. Some, like ukfashionwholesale.com, however, run their operation like any good fashion retailer and are able to offer a selection to rival any high street retailer. This allows you to pick up everything from wholesale t-shirts and tops to sandals to stilettos at prices that your bank account will find hard to believe.

Next time you are setting out in search of a bargain, ditch the sales section at Top shop and immerse yourself wonderful world of wholesale clothing - you will never look anywhere else for another bargain.

How to Set Up a Successful Market Stall

The relationship between clothing manufacturers and wholesale suppliers has opened a world of opportunity to would-be fashion retailers and has made it easier than ever for people to realise their dreams of owning a clothing business. One of the most cost-effective ways in which to utilise the availability of wholesale clothing is by setting up a market stall. This can be done the old-fashioned way with a pitch on high streets and market squares in the local area, as well as at special industry events, festivals, and country and car boot fairs. 

Getting the Stock

Before setting up a market stall,you are going to need to invest in the stock to fill it. Whether you intend to sell men’s, women’s, or children’s clothing, it is best in the early days to test the waters by purchasing only a few pieces of your chosen designs. If demand is strong, clothing wholesalers in the UK are prevalent and you will have no problem finding more stock.

UK fashion wholesale specialises in purchasing items directly from manufacturers and selling them on in high volume with only a slight mark-up price. The larger the order, the cheaper individual items become and the more profit you get to make on each piece. If your stall is a success and there is significant interest in a particular product, it is well worth buying in bulk and maybe even selling in bulk too - 2-4-1 and 3-for-2 offers do great business on market stalls and will help you shift stock quality without sacrificing profits.

When stocking your market stall always be sure to display items according to price point (low to high) and prominently display tags and labels to show clothing is genuine.

Always keep the prices of your stock realistic - too low may lead to an assumption that products are fake, while too high will drive away custom.

Setting up a Stall

Getting the set-up of your stall right will take some practice and experimentation, but here are the essentials you will need to make it success:

1. Equipment - tent/stall; fixtures

2. Décor - fabric to cover a table and highlight the products on it. Plain colours are best.

3. Advertising - banners featuring your name and logo; flyers; business cards

4. Accessories - low cost items that can be purchased on impulse to put you in the mind of the customer for future reference. Jewellery, hats, and sunglasses are all good accessories.

5. Stock storage - boxes for your goods so that they can be transported safely.

6. Transport - a roomy and, more importantly, reliable vehicle to carry your stock. Running a market stall generally involves a lot of travelling around visiting UK fashion wholesale suppliers, local markets, and events.

For more information on getting started as a market trader, marketstartup.co.uk is an excellent free resource.

5 Things You Need to Know About Starting a Clothing Business

Thanks to the wonderful world of online shopping, starting a clothing business today is easier than ever. However, with simplicity come competition – the ease in which people can set up and promote clothing stores makes success harder to come by. Owning your own store, online or otherwise, isn’t going to be the glamorous job it is so often portrayed as, but get it right and there are definite rewards to be had. 

If you are thinking about pursuing your dream as a fashion retailer, here are five things you need to know.

1. Research is Key

As with any good business, solid foundations are formed with good research. You have to know everything about your market – who are the customers and what do they like; where are the best clothing wholesale suppliers; who are the competition; what do they sell and how much for? There are dozens of questions you need to ask before starting out and research will help you answer them. Read industry magazines and blogs to gain market insight, check out the competition, talk to other small business owners, and maybe even get a part-time job within a retail outlet to learn the ropes – do anything and everything it takes.

2. Budgets Must Be Stuck To

Capital is probably going to be hard to come by, especially in the formative stages, so you will need to operate on a strict budget. Work out what you can spend and stick to it. Prioritise the things you really need; premises (if you’re going into brick and mortar retail), a website (if you’re going ecommerce), clothing wholesale costs and marketing costs – and call in favours regularly.

3. Networking is Important

Social media has made networking easier than ever and building up connections will be essential in helping you progress. Some companies invest heavily in networking – you do not need to do this. Connections can be made for free simply by interacting on sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter, or by picking up the phone.

4. Free Resources are there to Be Used

Take advantage of every free resource you can. Whether that’s a business webinar or a free bookkeeping course at your local community centre. With a little bit of digging around you will unearth endless free resources that will help you on the road to success.

5. A Great Product Is Everything!

The customers might be the most important element of a successful business, but these will only come if you have a quality product. Choose your fashion wholesale provider wisely; make sure they are reputable and can provide original products from real brands at the right price. Shifting a pallet load of wholesale t-shirts is going to be hard work if you cannot provide assurances on quality and you will need to get these assurances from your wholesaler.

How to Sell Clothing on eBay

Once upon a time, setting up your own business as a clothing retailer would have involved finding suitable business premises, securing stock, and drumming up interest by promoting your shop via leaflets and adverts in the local press. Success was a hard slog, and the upkeep expenses were difficult to manage. Today, starting out is much easier. Thanks to websites such as eBay, you can easily sell clothing from the comfort of your own home, with a guaranteed audience of millions and very little marketing costs. 

Getting Started

If you are partial to a bit of internet shopping, there’s a pretty good chance that you’ll have an eBay account. The marketplace has become the best place on the web to find bargains boasts categories covering pretty much everything that is a tradable commodity. You can easily use your account to start selling clothing on the site; however, if you are treating this more like a business, it is best to get set up with an eBay Shop – this will define you as a seller specialising in clothing.

While you’re at it, you should probably register for self-assessment with HMRC too – an eBay business is no different to any other business where tax and expenses are concerned.

Buying your Clothing

When it comes to clothing on eBay, everything sells. Men’s, women’s, children’s, dog’s – clothing is big business. One of the reasons we are starting to see more clothing manufacturers setting up shops on eBay is because they know the audience is there and items will attract attention.

To secure garments for your shop, you need look no further than cheap wholesale clothing suppliers. Wholesalers such as UK Fashion Wholesale provide everything you need at prices retailers simply cannot compete with. They purchase directly from clothing manufacturers and sell items to you in bulk at only a slight mark-up. You then put them on your eBay store at a greater mark-up, pay your sales fees and keep the rest to yourself.

Making Image Presentations

Once you have your stock, you are going to need to present it so that it is attractive to customers. Images are vital in securing sales on eBay so think about photographing your items in artistic ways, using background colours, and effects. Adobe Photoshop is a great program for helping you do this. Also, make sure you have at least three or four images of each garment and allow zooming.

Building a Customer Base

Customers are the most important element of any business and getting lots of them relies on you providing great products and even greater service. Always respond to emails promptly and contact customers to check that they were happy with a transaction and items have arrived safely. Also, make sure to provide positive feedback to good buyers – they will be more likely to respond in kind if you do.

Your Guide to Finding the Best Wholesale Retailer

Any clothing business preparing to open their doors needs to have a wholesale retailer on their side. It is the first step upon entering the world of clothing retail. Forming a strong connection with a wholesale retailer is essential because it is where your business will source its stock.

You want to find clothing wholesalers UK that offer quality, expedience, and the lowest prices possible. In this article, we are going to look at how you should be going about finding the best wholesale retailer.

What about your Competitors?

Contrary to popular belief, businesses do not always remain tight-lipped about where they source their clothes. It is a marketing technique. With customers becoming increasingly ethical and moral when it comes to where their favourite brands get their clothes from, businesses realise they have to be more open about their sources.

Want to know where your competitors are sourcing? Ask them. Give them a call as a customer and ask for further information about what wholesalers they decide to use. This technique is more potent than you would first think.

The History

Newer wholesalers are not necessarily something to be wary of, but you do have to increase your levels of scrutiny. There are no qualifications needed to setup a wholesale business. This is why the history of a company can mean a lot during your search for a wholesaler.

To begin with, you should look at how long a business has been selling clothes wholesale UK. If they have been providing garments for over twenty years, there is no reason why you cannot consider them reliable. They have already proven themselves by staying in business for such a long period.

Beware of the Prices and the Sales

You do have to be careful when you start choosing between retailers based on their prices and their special offers. Anyone can sell clothes wholesale for an extremely low price. In fact, it is the number one method these businesses use to bring in new customers.

This can often hide inferior quality and a lack of reliability. By all means, look at the prices and take them into consideration, but never prioritise them before general quality and reputation. Use them as a final determining factor when you have found two equally good retailers.

Does the Wholesaler Match the Needs of Your Business?

Ultimately, when you buy wholesale t-shirts and dresses and various other accessories the wholesaler needs to meet the needs of your business. Decide on what you need to buy before looking for a retailer.

Never let wholesalers dictate what sort of clothes you stock in your store. Look for a wholesaler that can conform to your business strategy, otherwise you could find yourself running into trouble later on.

Overall, choosing a retailer is about finding the one that best sticks to the needs of your business. If they cannot meet the needs of your business, it does not matter how good their prices are or their reputation. Never compromise when it comes to your chosen business strategy.