HOW TO START A LINGERIE BUSINESS
If you would like nothing more than to arrange drifts of soft underwear, delicate brassieres and silken nightgowns into attractive displays for shoppers, consider starting your own lingerie business. Beginning in the 1980s, lingerie emerged as a lucrative specialty retail sector, according to the Mind Branch.com online report summary, “U.S. Market for Women's Intimate Apparel (Lingerie).” The industry generated revenues of $11 billion in 2009, according to IBIS World.com in the online reports summary, “Lingerie, Swimwear, Uniform & Bridal Stores.” Items you will need .Business license .Tax identification number .Retailer's license .Liability insurance .Lingerie inventory .Men's items .Online newsletter .Customer service offerings .Franchise fees 
Research the local competition. Visit area shopping centers to identify existing lingerie shops, including large corporate lingerie retailers. Scope out inventories, look into pricing scales and look for potential niches. Maternity bras, plus-sizes and mastectomy bras are all examples of lingerie sectors that may not have cropped up on your competitors’ radar, according to Business Ideas.net in the online article titled “Opening a Lingerie Store.”
Apply for permits. You will need a business license, tax identification number and retailer’s license to get your lingerie business started, according to Internet Based Moms.com in the online article titled “Start a Lingerie Business.” You may also need special permits for selling lingerie at trade shows, flea markets or online to out-of-state customers. Purchase liability insurance.
Stock your inventory. Contract with wholesalers, private label designers and manufacturers to purchase lingerie inventory, as described in the Style Career.com online article titled “Lingerie Store.” Purchase a variety of sizes, and include a range of lingerie items to satisfy broad customer tastes in both conservative and racy lingerie. Also include any additional retail items, including stockings, slippers and novelty items appropriate for bachelorette parties or bridal shower gifts. Keep men in mind with silk boxers or robes, as described by Entrepreneur.com in the online article titled “Lingerie Shop.”
Market your business by asking customers to sign up for your online newsletter as they complete purchases. Send notices of upcoming sales, photos of the newest trends or customer loyalty program incentives. Offer free bra sizing, lingerie consulting or trousseau packages to customers as a way to market your superior customer service. Direct mail catalogs and lingerie parties are other marketing ideas suggested by Entrepreneur.com.Tips & Warnings .Diversify your inventory by including high-quality lingerie items made of satin and silk and also less-pricey polyester blends to attract a variety of customer demographics, as described in “Start a Lingerie Business.” .Consider buying into a lingerie franchise as a way to tap into a brand name, customer base and training access to training, as described by Gaebler.com in the online article titled “How to Start a Women's Underwear & Lingerie Wholesale & Manufacturers Business.” Keep in mind that you’ll need to pay franchise fees and may have less control in designing your lingerie store’s look and offerings. .Avoid being left with armfuls of unsold items in uncommon sizes by tracking popular sizes purchased by lingerie customers and ordering only small amounts of less-common clothing sizes, as described by “Opening a Lingerie Store.” .Lingerie shopping can be a sensitive and intimate experience, so make customers feel comfortable by forbidding male customers accompanying their wives or girlfriends from entering the dressing room, and approaching anyone who appears to be making customers feel uncomfortable and asking them to state their business or leave. 
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