Pros and cons of buying/selling vintage clothing online

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Permalink Reply by mohammed jan on February 8, 2011 at 8:06pm

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Permalink Reply by Maryanne on February 16, 2011 at 1:13pm

when selling anything online..you have to have really clear photos.

a good description of the item...and measurements.

exact measurements..because vintage is sized differently.

you can sell vintage on line..but you have to be very descriptive about the item.

If for example there is a slight fray or repair ..you need to mention that.

it also depends upon what level vintage you will be selling...and which decade.

will it be couture? ysl, halston, pucci?

or are they off the rack vintage pieces?

 

know what supply and demand is for the pieces you are selling...because you want the pieces to sell.

is the market flooded with similar?

or are you offering a one of a kind piece?

that is what you''ll base your price upon.

 as long as your ad is fair, honest, descriptive with clear photos..your items will sell...and that is how you will build up a good clientele.

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Permalink Reply by Fashion Business Designer™ on June 29, 2011 at 3:47pm

Hi, Lizzie!

 

I agree with Maryanne!

 

Besides her brilliant points I'd add some:

 

Pros

- Clothing is one of the hottest sectors in online retail mature markets (i.e. UK).

- Vintage and second-hand clothing perform above the average during hard economic times like the ones we are living till 2015.

- Techically vintage retail is about selling rubbish for the prize of a treasure ( these are two of the three factors needed to have a perfect business model :)

- There's a fashion trend for layering, mixing old with new.

- Vintage attracts a particular consumer segment made of young urban females which besides being internet savvy (this is good for selling online), they very enthusiastic about fashion than older women. Most of them buy the garments because they like them not because they need them, and they buy with such frequency and recency. They also don't care about buying branded designer clothes but "looks".

 - There is a massive marketplace already established for selling vintage (eBay) that attracts millions of consumers every year from around the world with one specific idea in mind: buy. You can set up your vintage shop and start selling in matter of minutes! :O

 - You can technically sell to anywhere in the word where private or postal services have facilities.

- Mobile and social commerce are becoming huge and this is going to push the sector to new heights! Specially because of the high penetration the smartphone has with the "vintage consumer segment" and because these ladies are natural social shoppers!

- If you were a seller-curator you'll have a good chance with collectors or with the most enthusiastic vintage fashion lovers.

 

Cons

- Tons of existing and emerging competitors and substitutes for your product both online and offline

- Sizing (this is a disadvantage for selling clothes online in general).

- Sourcing (time consuming either just to find a supplier or for curate your offer)

- There's always a need for

 

Well, hope my two cents help you define a business strategy that should leverage on the knowledge of your consumer and your business strengths to monetise the opportunities this exciting sector offers! You really need to differentiate your offer (perhaps curating your products, providing excellent personalised customer service, personalising your website, etc.) if you want to stand out from the crowd!! :D

 

There are lot of details about this but I tried to mentioned the most relevant to your inquiry. And if you have any other question feel free to ask. I have studied this market for the UK.

 

Best of luck!

 

 Rod

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