If you want to sell vintage clothing, you should first determine how you are going to source the vintage clothes that you plan to sell. Next, you'll have to develop one or more venues through which you can sell vintage clothing. You should also work on a name and logo for your company and develop good marketing materials that can help you promote your business. If you plan to sell the clothing online, you will also want to have ready access to a high-quality camera so that you can take display photographs of your items.
Sourcing vintage clothing can be a challenge, and it may be a good idea to initially specialize in the fashions of a particular time period. By becoming familiar with labels, brands, and sizes, you may have an easier time sourcing items that are in demand and that you can readily sell to your customers. Collect old-fashioned magazines, as they can give you great ideas about what garments to look for and how to put outfits together so as to maximize sales. You can find your stock by visiting estate sales, consignment stores, and flea markets.
If you want to sell vintage clothing through face-to-face sales, you may wish to start by getting a booth at an antiques show until you can build up enough stock to justify renting or buying a storefront. If you do get your own storefront, you may wish to set special buying hours during which people can bring clothing to the shop so that you can consider buying it for resale. As opening a brick-and-mortar shop is a major commitment, you may also want to talk to a marketing specialist about developing a logo and a comprehensive marketing plan.
If you plan to sell vintage clothing online, you should identify online auction sites or other resale values. While it is possible to sell vintage clothing from your own website, you may find that starting out on a multi-seller site can be a good way of building up a clientele and developing business processes. Be sure to take careful measurements of all garments that you sell online. Clothing sizes have changed considerably over the years, so the size of a garment tag won't be of much help to a prospective buyer. Make sure that your online listings include measurements that you take yourself, along with several photographs and a detailed description of a garment's condition.
