5 Questions To Ask Before Opening a Retail Apparel Store

Are you a fashion fanatic who loves to meet and interact with new people on a daily basis? If so, then you might want to consider launching your own retail apparel store. Since people are always in need of clothes, this is one industry that's considered "recession-proof." Launching your own retail apparel store will give you the opportunity to earn a living while helping people achieve greater self-confidence through fashion.

Question #1 - Is The Store Location High Traffic?

If there's one thing you shouldn't try to save money on when opening a retail apparel store it's the location. Sure, there's a good chance that you'll save a couple hundred dollars or more by leasing a store in a hidden part of town that no one knows about, but unfortunately this will hurt your customer base. Spend the extra money to lease a store in a high-traffic location next to a major road or highway.

Question #2 - How Am I Going To Find Employees?

Even if you plan on doing most of the work yourself, you'll still need a couple of employees to run a successful retail apparel store. Perhaps you can place a classified ad in the paper stating that you are looking for hard-working employees for a new retail store. Another option is to place a "help wanted" sign in the front of your store. The bottom line is that you need to find hard-working employees which are dedicated to helping your store succeed.

Question #3 - Are Loans Necessary?

The cost of opening a retail apparel store from the ground up can easily place a heavy burden on your finances. Thankfully, banks and lenders have numerous loan options available for hopeful entrepreneurs looking to launch new businesses. If you don't have 100% of the necessary cash on hand, do some research into the different types of business loans.

Question #4 - Do I Have a Reliable Supplier?

Of course, you can't expect to run a successful retail apparel store without a reliable supplier. And by "reliable" I mean someone you can always count on to deliver the product on time. Some store owners spend countless hours networking with factories and dealers overseas. Having a strong relationship with a good supplier is essential to running a successful apparel store.

Question #5 -  What Kind of Fixtures Do I Need?

A fifth question you should ask yourself is what type of fixtures are required for your apparel store. Setting up half a dozen or so mannequins is an excellent way to show customers exactly how a particular garment looks when worn on the human form, but it's not an effective method for storing large quantities of product. Instead, consider using something like gridwall, slatwall, gondolas, or a combination of the three.