How to Sell Boutique Clothes

Co-authored by Art Lewin

Last Updated: September 15, 2021 References

Selling boutique clothes all stems from creating a brand. Search for brands that fit the type of clothing you'd like to sell, contacting wholesalers if necessary. To sell boutique clothes successfully, take full advantage of social media, maintain a professional and fun website, and target your specific audience. Use customer service to your advantage, providing each customer with a pleasant and helpful shopping experience.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Obtaining Clothes to Sell

1
Specialize in a certain type of clothing. Decide who your targeted audience is going to be — this could be juniors, kids, women, men, etc. You’ll also need to choose what type of clothing you’re going to sell that will create the aesthetic your boutique is going for.^{[1]
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- You could choose to sell a type of clothing such as athletic clothing, professional attire, or vintage clothing.
2
Research different brands that will fit your boutique’s aesthetic. Once you’ve decided what type of clothing you want to sell, you can start finding brands that carry clothing that fits your idea. Doing a simple online search will provide you with a list of brands that fit your specifications.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Art Lewin
Entrepreneur
Expert Interview. 11 June 2021.}
- For example, when typing in “athletic wear brands” into a search engine, you’ll find results such as Nike, Under Armour, Lululemon, and Adidas.
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3
Contact brands that you’re interested in carrying. Make a list of brands that you think would go well with your boutique’s style and age-group. Reach out to these brands saying that you’re interested in carrying their clothing. Find out whether you need to go through a wholesaler or if you can buy the clothes directly from the company.
- Most brands should have a website where you can find contact information for the Sales Rep.
- Since you're just starting off selling clothing, keep your expectations for which brands you can sell reasonable. Try not to have your hopes set on haute couture until you have a little more experience.
- While some brands will let you place an order immediately, more contemporary brands might want to learn more about your boutique’s image before selling.
4
Reach out to wholesalers. If the brand you’re interested in carrying sells their clothing through a wholesaler, you’ll need to contact the wholesaler for more information. Make sure you ask the wholesaler what the minimum number of pieces you can buy is since they typically work with bulk purchases.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Art Lewin
Entrepreneur
Expert Interview. 11 June 2021.}
- Try finding wholesalers by using a wholesale directory, such as https://www.wholesalecentral.com/.
5
Attend apparel trade shows. Apparel trade shows are a great way to choose the clothing you’d like to sell in your boutique from a wide array of possibilities, all in one place. Go online to find out when and where the closest apparel trade show (or wholesale fashion show) will take place near you.^{[4]
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- Being able to see the clothes in person is very helpful when examining quality.
6
Purchase high-quality clothing. When you go to choose the brands you'd like to sell in your boutique, make sure you're picking out quality clothes. Choose clothing made of more natural fabrics, such as cotton, silk, or linen. Check to make sure the seams are even and nicely stitched.^{[5]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Making the Clothes Appealing to Customers

1
Provide great customer service. Excellent customer service is one of the most important things for getting a customer to come back. Always smile when greeting or talking to a shopper, and try to be as helpful and accommodating as possible without overwhelming them.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Art Lewin
Entrepreneur
Expert Interview. 11 June 2021.}
- Don’t hover over the shoppers — be available and in view in case they need you, but don't follow them around the store.
- Be able to answer any questions a shopper might have about an item of clothing.
2
Make the clothing accessible in the store by keeping it organized. Organize your clothing in a way that makes it easier for shoppers to find what they're looking for. You could try arranging the clothing by color, occasion, or type of clothing (jeans, tops, sweaters, etc.).^{[7]
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3
Polish up the website frequently. You'll want to update your website whenever you get new clothing in so that potential online customers always know what you're selling. Post high-quality photos of the clothing on your website so that shoppers can get an accurate idea of exactly what they're buying.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Art Lewin
Entrepreneur
Expert Interview. 11 June 2021.}
4
Offer multiple sizes of your clothing. If a shopper finds an item of clothing that they want to buy but you don’t offer it in their size, you’ll lose out on a potential sale. Stock up on multiple sizes of your clothing, ranging from an Extra Small to an Extra Large, if possible.^{[9]
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- The type of clothing you sell will dictate what sizes to buy. For example, if you’re selling infant clothing, your sizes might be Newborn, 0-3 months, 3-6 months, and so on.
5
Use mannequins to display your clothing. Mannequins show a customer what your clothing might look like on them, giving them a more accurate visual of the piece. Since most clothes look much better on a mannequin than they do folded or hanging on a hanger, using mannequins in your boutique gives you a better selling advantage.^{[10]
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6
Provide opportunities to try the clothes on. There’s a reason mirrors are present in most retail stores — shoppers like to see how an item of clothing might look on them. Set up mirrors throughout your boutique, and offer a dressing room or 2 so that customers can try on the clothing.
7
Keep your boutique clean and organized. A dirty boutique gives the appearance of dirty clothes, and no one wants to buy dirty clothes. Make sure you’re keeping your store neat and tidy, taking time to regularly do some cleaning and keeping up with any maintenance issues.
- This includes making sure the floors, tables, and other surfaces don’t have any dirt or trash on them, making sure clothes are neatly folded or properly hanging, and cleaning glass windows and doors.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Marketing Your Boutique

1
Take advantage of social media. Instagram is a great app for marketing boutique clothing, as is Pinterest. Create a business account on as many social media sites as possible, including Facebook and Twitter. Post quality pictures of your clothing that will capture the attention of your viewers.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Art Lewin
Entrepreneur
Expert Interview. 11 June 2021.}
- Post to your social media platforms often — once a day is a great goal.
2
Give customers a reason to visit your physical store. Many people prefer online shopping over going shopping in-person due to its convenience. To make sure your boutique is super successful, you’ll want to come up with reasons for customers to come into your store, such as special events or limited-time offers.^{[12]
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- Plan events like fashion shows or workshops to get people to come shop in your store.
- Market certain items that are only available in the store, or offer coupons that are for in-store use only.
3
Design an inviting store window to catch passersby attention. If your store has a window, you’ll want to design the best window display possible. Show off pieces of clothing and add props that emphasize your boutique’s aesthetic. If you have an intriguing window display, people are much more likely to wander into your store.^{[13]
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- If you're selling vintage clothing, pick out some of the best pieces for your window display. Place them on a mannequin and add vintage props as well, such as an old guitar or a vintage bike. These props give the display a feeling of action. Take time setting up the background and proper lighting.
4
Use print advertising if you have the money to spend on it. Marketing your boutique in a magazine or catalog is a great way to spread awareness of your shop. You can also create posters, flyers, and business cards to pass out. Just make sure you’re being cost-efficient.^{[14]
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5
Start a rewards or loyalty program to encourage customers to buy more. A rewards program is a great way to encourage customers to spend money while also making them feel like they’re getting a deal. The program doesn’t need to be fancy, but make sure it’s worth it to the customer — if the deal is too cheap, it’s not going to work.^{[15]
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- For example, you could create a system where if a customer spends $25, they earn a punch in your boutique card. 5 punches gives the customer $10 off their next purchase.