Sourcing clothing is one of the tasks that any boutique owner needs to master quickly. This is if she expects to thrive in a competitive marketplace. When it comes to wholesale dresses, this is even more important. This particular piece of clothing can be styled, cut, and marketed in so many different ways depending on the clientele you are targeting.
Even so, there are five fundamental things you need to consider when sourcing vendors for wholesale dresses.Pricing and Quantity
You want to make sure your vendor is able to meet you at the desired price points and in the quantity you need. Aligning style, client preference, and everything else comes after this. After all, you have to turn inventory to make revenue, and your margin is going to help determine how profitable you are. While huge quantities of wholesale dresses aren’t necessary, you need to make sure you can source enough to meet your revenue goals.
Wholesale Dress Styles
Next, you will want to examine the styles on offer as well as the cuts. What kind of body are they made for and what kind of customer buys these items? This requires you to know your customers in addition to your own brand. Cutting-edge versus traditional, slim versus full figure, and even material types need to be on your list of considerations.
Vendor Locations
Sourcing vendors is an art because there are so many logistical details involved. Finding vendors nearby is great but often out of reach for many people. Given that you can use the world as your marketplace, you can compare prices and terms but when you do so you need to make sure that your vendor’s location is going to be conducive to your business.
That means you should source from reputable vendors who have access to vast transportation networks to get you your products in a timely fashion.Seasonality or Staples
Do you want to be known for seasonality or will your store vend staple items? There is a huge difference in the sourcing and customer base that goes with each. When it comes to seasonality, this means trends, and what’s new, and it encompasses everything from colors to fabrics. Staples on the other hand require attention to detail in terms of what customers want in terms of quality and fabric but should not change from year to year or season to season. Think t-shirts, socks, athletic apparel, and loungewear.
Financing Options
Last, but certainly not least, you need to look at your financing options with your vendors. How will you pay and who offers you the best terms? You need to leverage your ability to get the best deals because, ultimately, this will translate into greater cashflow flexibility for your company. Here, everyone is different and your situation should be informed by research as well as what the market offers. One thing is universal, however, and that is that, at the end of the day, your vendors want you to succeed. Why? Because this means you will buy more and more product from them in the future. It is a partnership and you need to find someone who approaches it with this idea in mind.