How to Start a Lingerie Boutique Shop Store



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Lingerie Store
Lingerie Boutique Shop
Lingerie Retailer
Lingerie Wholesaler

Breaking Into and Succeeding as a Lingerie Shop Owner
Starting a Lingerie Boutique
Starting a Lingerie Retailer Store

I want to start a lingerie boutique, but I’m not a lingerie designer or a lingerie model. Can I?

There is one rule to the desire to be a boutique owner and that is to believe in yourself and work confidently towards your goal. It is not necessary to be a lingerie designer or model to have a successful lingerie boutique. The beauty of lingerie is that it makes people feel sexy; free and uninhibited whether they are a professional model, celebrity or glowing (perhaps sometimes frazzled) mother of three.

Beauty is in us all and this business is all about making everyone feel beautiful. A person of any shape, size and background can own a lingerie shop and approach their customers with knowledge, fashion and compassion and build a strong customer base.

There is absolutely no need to be a designer or even have any experience at all in the design industry. Most lingerie boutiques choose to buy through wholesalers or order their own private label through an X-named manufacturer. It helps to have an interest and passion for lingerie and keep up with what is in fashion, but as a boutique owner they will rarely find themselves in a position to design clothing, unless they want to. One of the best ways to get a constant supply of new designs and keep up with the popular fashion trends is to attend a regular series of tradeshows and conventions.

I don’t know where to purchase lingerie on wholesale basis.

Then we are happy to say that you have definitely come to the right place. In the process of writing this book, we have spoken with 8 different boutique stores and wholesalers ranging from the famous Shirley of Hollywood and Hustler line to a few small shops ranging throughout the United States. They gave us hints and advice on how to open a business and keep it going while explaining some of the obstacles that you may run into and how to deal with them quickly and successfully.

Victoria's Secret was not built in a day, but their concept, organization and desire to succeed most likely was. Today is your day, so take advantage of it.

I don’t have a flawless body to become a marketer of a lingerie boutique.

This is a very common misconception about this business. This is a solid business venture just as much as opening a battery store. You wouldn’t need to have a cylindrical shape and copper top (red hair) to venture into the battery business and you most certainly do not have to look like a lingerie model to open a boutique.

Many boutiques have spokesmodels to represent their boutique and fashions, while there are a variety of other services to promote your business and many of them are also affordable.

Now, why sounding French or “foreign” may be good for your business.

Lingerie has long since been thought of as a specialty in the European market, especially the French. The thought on whether or not it is helpful to use a name that designates this is very mixed. A boutique name should give the customer an idea of the type of fashion that the store represents and if it is predominantly foreign manufactured, a French or foreign name might be very appropriate. A French named boutique with “made in America” advertised throughout the store would give the customer a false sense of what to expect and should probably be avoided.

Stay true to your name somewhat and use it to give the customer a clear idea of the theme of the store. If you think about Victoria’s Secret, it says that the collection is very private, special and personal.

How much can a lingerie shop owner expect to earn?

One source said, "Earnings of a lingerie boutique could be as little as 300K up to 1M per year. This is based on an average of 15 sales per day and middle class income range from 50k-90k per year."
A different source said, "An established lingerie boutique can have as many as 25-30 visitors during weekdays and 50-60 visitors during weekends on an 11-hour day—10am to 9pm."
If a savvy owner is catering to the largest demographic, the aging baby boomers with annual incomes of $100K and up, and then the goal to set should be $75 - $100 per sale. That could average a store $600 plus a day during the week and $1400 plus on weekends.
Another source said, "On average, Sheree recommends $30K a month as your three year goal reach for any beginning boutique," and, "A man coming in to buy a gift always spends an average of $100."

Do you know?

According to the PRZOOM- Newswire, 6.9 million U.S. women go online to shop for their fashions and of these about 58% of them are between the ages of 25 and 45. The American Retail Index on Internet Shopping predicts a year-to-year increase in fashion Internet sales by as much as 29%. The Internet is the wave of today and will be one of the main deciding factors of success in the not-to-distant future.
Davis Wilson of Wilson Relationship Marketing Services claims that marketing to 18 to 34 year olds which has been popular over the last few years should be on the decline somewhat. With the onset of the baby boomers (over age 50) claiming 70% of the nations wealth. Statistics show that the boomers are using the internet today almost as much as our youth, which opens up a whole new area for PR specialists to reach the brunt of America’s consumer buying power. One of the fastest growing markets for the baby boomers as well as today’s youth is plus size women’s designer clothing.
The fashion industry employs about 4.70 million people; 3.6 million in retail sales, 470,000 in textile production and 573,000 in apparel production. The entire retail industry itself is responsible for 11.6% of all U.S. employment with almost 16 million people gainfully employed. Unemployment is currently at 5.4%, just 0.3% up from the nations total as a whole. The 10 year employment outlook for the entire retail industry is projected to increase at least 11 percent from its current standing.
According to NPD Group, retail fashion sales have been on a steady incline since 2003 when the total U.S. apparel sales reached an all time high of $166 billion dollars. Then in 2004 the U.S. grew to $173 billion and finally in 2005 $181 billion; a four percent increase over 2004. Every year, we can expect an increase of four to six percent.
Apparel is about a 180 billion dollar retail market nationwide. The largest market, New York, features over 5,000 fashion showrooms and eight dedicated fashion schools (including the worlds largest, Fashion Institute of Technology) within the confines of its city limits.
Retail is the second-largest industry in the U.S. both in number of established small and large businesses and number of employees. The U.S. retail industry generates around $3.8 trillion dollars in retail sales, which is approximately $11,993 per capita according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Single store business make up 95% of all U.S. retailers although surprisingly only account for 50 percent of all sales.

About the Authors

Jennie S. Bev is THE fashion, image and fun careers expert, whose reputation has been acknowledged by prestigious media internationally. She has been profiled and mentioned in Entrepreneur, Teen People, Canadian Business, Home Business, Dong (France), San Francisco Chronicle, The Independent, Daily Southtown, The Arizona Republic, Chic (UK/Asia), Fit (Asia), Femina (Asia) and Dewi (Asia).

Editor-in-Chief Jennie S. Bev was named EPPIE Award finalist in Non-Fiction How To category for excellence in electronic publishing. She has published over 60 books and 1,000 articles in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany and Southeast Asia. She is also a college professor based in San Francisco Bay Area.

Co-author Eric J. Leech was born into this world without a GI Joe (with a Kung Fu grip) or silver spoon, Eric J. Leech grew up on the streets of the small town of Grand Junction, Colorado. After high school, Eric found his way to Colorado State University where he attained four degrees in Psychology, Social Sciences, English and Theater Arts.

Eric has since put every degree to good use with a variety of career accomplishments. These accomplishments include seven years as an actor/model and Production Assistant for various television and film projects. He also maintained a successful business as the co-owner of an outdoor living structure design company for several years before pursuing his full-time career as a freelance columnist/writer.

Since that decision Eric has been featured on such international magazines as the Circle (India), Urban Male Magazine (Canada), UNO (Philippines) and Coffee House Digest (International).

This 71-page instantly downloadable StyleCareer.com eGuide Breaking Into and Succeeding as a Lingerie Boutique Store Owner brings you valuable insider tips, advice and suggestions not available elsewhere to help you embark on this highly lucrative career path.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Myths, the Realities, and the Basics
But I’m not a lingerie designer or a lingerie model.
I have never opened a boutique or started a business before.
I don’t know where to purchase lingerie on wholesale basis.
I don’t have a flawless body to become a marketer of a lingerie boutique.

Understanding Lingerie Business
Statistics on Fashion Industry and Related Industries
U.S. Retail
U.S. Fashion Demographics
Global Industry Exporting
Classifications of Women’s Underwear
Lingerie Categories
Top Players in the Industry
Top Mass Brands
Top Lingerie Designers
Trends and Prospects in Lingerie Retailing
Earning Potentials of a Lingerie Boutique Owner

Starting Your Own Lingerie Boutique
Personality Traits to Run Your Boutique and Succeed
Product Buying Skills
Purchasing Stock from Wholesalers
Other Wholesale Opportunities
Trade Shows (for Purchasing)
Buying Domestic or Overseas? Pros and Cons.
Locating Private Label Manufacturers
Ready-Made Bearing Your Label
Other Products to Bear Your Brand
Negotiation Strategies and Tips

Being Successful
Name Your Boutique
Having A Spokesmodel to Boost Your Boutique’s Image
Lisa Rinna’s Belle Gray
Legalities: LLC, Inc, or Soleproprietor
Sole Proprietorship
Partnership
Corporation
LLC (Limited Liability Corporation)
Storefront and Interior Design
Boutique Flow
Creating an atmosphere that boosts the shopping “mood”
Anti-shoplifting design
Basic design
Feng Shui
Purchasing Store Equipments and Supplies
Online Storefront
Yahoo! vs. eBay
Refund and Exchange Policies
Creative Promotions

Success Profiles

This eGuide literally saves you hundreds of dollars spent on professional workshops and training and hundreds of hours of research. It will help you break into the career of your dream faster without having to repeat the same mistakes that most newcomers do.

You can have this exclusive eGuide right away by instant download for only $67.95, which you will earn many times over with your first paid job. This special low discount price is reserved for today, Friday, May 09, 2008 only. (Regular price: $77.95)

Breaking Into and Succeeding
as a Lingerie Boutique Owner
71 Pages
Regular Price: $77.95
Sale Price: $67.95

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