Start a Profitable Online Clothing Business from Home
Have you thought about starting an online clothing business? There has never been a better time to do it. The data says it all – fashion is the largest B2C market segment, with an estimated global size of $752.5 billion in 2020. With growth expected to remain strong, there is plenty of opportunity to start an apparel business from home, or anywhere for that matter.
But how do you go about opening your own online clothing business? Whether you're starting a sports apparel store, selling workwear or simply opening a vintage fashion boutique, you can do this from anywhere and on a small budget using an online store platform.
Step-by-Step Guide on How to Start a Clothing Business Online
Aside from finding clothes to sell, create a business plan to identify your goals and target market. You should also iron out the details of how you'll market your clothing business. Before you start your online clothing business, you should work out which business model will help you make this plan a reality.
Choosing a Business Model for Your Clothing Business
Custom cut and sew: This is where you design and create your own apparel, either in-house or outsourced. It generally requires more effort than the other business models.
Private label clothing: With this model, you'll partner with a manufacturer to create apparel under your brand. This setup often needs a larger upfront investment.
Print on demand: Here, you'll order clothing to be printed or modified via a supplier after receiving customers' orders.
Dropshipping: Dropshipping involves ordering items from manufacturers only after a customer orders them in your online store. Shipping times are usually faster than print-on-demand.
Once you've selected a business model, you can start taking more concrete steps to open your online clothing business. This includes finding products to sell if you aren't already making them — and then learning how to market them.
How to Setup Your SumUp Fashion Store for Success
When you have an idea of what you'll sell, the manufacturing process and the business model to get it to customers, it's time to set up your online store. You can open a store quickly and on a relatively small budget, especially compared to a traditional brick-and-mortar store.
With an e-commerce platform, you can add products, write product descriptions, upload photos and add a custom domain. You can include other branding tweaks to personalise the experience for customers. Here are the steps to take your clothing business online:
Find an e-commerce platform: Considerations include available features, such as email functionality or available payment methods. Note that some platforms are free, while others charge a recurring fee.
Choose a domain name: When coming up with a name, try to be unique while also staying relatable. Keep it simple and scalable to achieve maximum effect.
Customise your online store: Depending on the platform you choose, this will either involve doing the design and coding yourself or selecting from a set of templates.
Add products to your store: Once you've uploaded images, write headlines and product descriptions that are catchy and informative.
Create Your Online Store
How to Market Your Online Clothing Business and Drive Sales
After you finish setting up your online store, it's time to let potential customers know about your products and how they can buy them. This is where the power of digital marketing can help. You've likely used most, if not all, of the following tools at some point, either personally or professionally. Communication tools are an integral part of how we navigate the internet.
Use Email Marketing Tools
Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach out to customers and promote apparel in your store. Not only is sending emails a low-budget exercise compared to other channels, but it's one that businesses consistently turn to for reliability in engaging customers.
To make email an effective channel, decide if you want to use an email service built into an online store platform. Alternatively, you can use a separate email marketing tool like Mailchimp. Once you've built an audience, you can start planning campaigns to drive more engagement and sales.
Learn more about how to do email marketing for your business.
Social Media Marketing
Love them or not, social media platforms are a valuable tool for growing businesses. Fashion lends itself well to predominantly image-based platforms like Instagram or Pinterest. Customers want to see what they're buying first, and these platforms help them do just that. Aside from building a following around a shared interest like fashion and style, you can also use paid advertising to boost your brand. Sponsored posts targeting audiences with interests related to your business can help you raise awareness just as you're starting out and beyond.
Create your online clothing store in minutes with SumUp – it's free
Boosting Clothing Sales with Convenient SumUp Payment Solutions
To maximise sales, you need a smooth payment process. SumUp offers a card payment machine for small businesses that allows customers to pay with ease. Here's why SumUp is perfect for your fashion store:
Affordable payment solutions for small businesses: No hidden fees, just a small transaction percentage.
Flexible payment options: Accept chip & PIN, contactless and mobile payments.
Seamless integration with online stores: Connect your SumUp card reader for small businesses with your website for easy checkouts.
By offering secure, flexible payments, you increase customer trust and boost conversion rates.
Check Out Card Payment Solutions
Ready to Start an Online Clothing Business?
Starting an online clothing business has never been more accessible. With the right strategy, platform and payment solution, you can turn your passion for fashion into a profitable venture. SumUp clothing tools provide the perfect support, from seamless online transactions to secure in-person payments with mobile card readers for SMEs.
Open an Online Store Today
Online Clothing Business FAQs
How to start an online clothing business from home?
Starting from home requires minimal investment. Choose an e-commerce platform, source your products, set up a SumUp machine for seamless payments, and market your store using social media and email campaigns.
How much does it cost to start a clothing business?
Costs vary based on your business model. Print-on-demand and dropshipping require little upfront investment, while custom-made apparel and private labels need higher budgets.
Is SumUp a good choice for small business payments?
Yes. SumUp provides affordable payment solutions for small businesses, allowing you to accept card payments without hidden fees or contracts. It's ideal for fashion entrepreneurs looking for an easy-to-use card reader for small business transactions.
