Discuss the process of getting your t-shirt line into brick and mortar stores and selling offline. Topics include industry tradeshows, events, line sheets, sales reps and other retailing tips and advice.
I started my clothing line earlier this year. First I released my logo tee. Fortunately for me things have been going way better then I expected in such a short period of time. I have reached the point where I have several stores that have contacted me to place orders. I held them off for a couple of weeks because I have sold out of my tees and am waiting for my new order. My order will be in next week and I am curious to know if there are any guidelines I should be following.
When selling my tees to customers I use Paypal and people buy on their own. Store owners have asked for line sheets which I finally learned how to do but how the heck do I take the order? Do I take credit card information and charge them once the order has shipped. Do I send them a Paypal invoice? How does consignment work? Should that be a option? What is a reasonable order minimum? Is there something I need to do legally before selling my clothes such as add bar codes and etc.?
I started out by printing up my shirts and selling. Now it's time to be more professional and pay attention to all the other things that go into having and maintaining a successful business. Please help me and provide me with any and all information you have on this subject. I have no idea where to start but I know many of you do. I hope to hear from you. Thanks
Re: I have stores ready to buy- now what??? Help me
You've got several things that you're dealing with, but I think all of the topics have been covered on the forums before. So you're in luck!
I know how exciting it is to have the opportunity, but not knowing what to do can make you kind of anxious.
Here are a few threads that relate to the topics you've mentioned. I suggest reading through them thoroughly, maybe even several times, and not just skimming over them:
Re: I have stores ready to buy- now what??? Help me
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Originally Posted by Comin'OutSwingin
You've got several things that you're dealing with, but I think all of the topics have been covered on the forums before. So you're in luck!
I know how exciting it is to have the opportunity, but not knowing what to do can make you kind of anxious.
Here are a few threads that relate to the topics you've mentioned. I suggest reading through them thoroughly, maybe even several times, and not just skimming over them:
These are the ones that I'm most familiar with because I've made posts on them, but you can search the forums yourself for other information.
You can either use the "Search Popular Keyword Tags" link on the left above the big chat button, or the search box at the top of the page.
Good luck and happy hunting!
Thank you so much for your help. I am reading through the dealing with retailers post. You have got to be kidding me. Honestly, I really don't know if I am prepared at all. I don't have insurance, bar codes, nothing. Just my shirts, with labels, and hangtags. I have no idea what to do at this point.
Re: I have stores ready to buy- now what??? Help me
No problem.
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I don't have insurance, bar codes, nothing.
That's not necessarily a problem. You don't really need those things in order to start getting retail accounts.
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Just my shirts, with labels, and hangtags.
You'd be surprised at how far that can get you.
If you already have them interested, then what you have now is fine. Read through those posts and do some more searching on the forums, and you should be good to go!
Re: I have stores ready to buy- now what??? Help me
Thanks, I'm reading now. Do you think it's cool to start off with what I have and work on getting everything else? I was planning on sending out the shirts next week. After reading, I thought I would be fine with consignment but now I don't know if I want to deal with it at all. It is starting to seem like allowing consignment is just a way to get into stores because you may or may not get any return from it. Those post are pretty old so any questions I have I can't ask there which is what makes it difficult but still very informative. I thought net 30 and consignment was the same thing until I read the post. How would I add net 30 as a option on the order form?
Re: I have stores ready to buy- now what??? Help me
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Originally Posted by scorpolicious
Do you think it's cool to start off with what I have and work on getting everything else?
Absolutely. Most of those threads are about how to do things ideally. It should also say above that, ideally get the sale. If you've got a retailer who's already interested and willing to work with whatever you're currently doing, even better. You can easily learn the finishing touches as you go (much more easily than trying to work them out in advance in fact). The finishing touches advice is mostly for people trying to get to the next level, or who need help pushing themselves over the edge to convince skeptical retailers. Starting with actual sales is a great place to start.
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Originally Posted by scorpolicious
After reading, I thought I would be fine with consignment but now I don't know if I want to deal with it at all.
Consignment is pretty much the last resort. If you don't have other options it's probably worth doing (unless the terms or conditions are unusually bad, or the retailer unusually untrustworthy), but if you can avoid it, great.
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Originally Posted by scorpolicious
Those post are pretty old so any questions I have I can't ask there
Whilst forum etiquette (here and on other forums) is not to resurrect old threads, that is by no means an absolute rule (unwritten or otherwise). When someone posts in a two year old thread to say "Me too!" that's annoying. When someone posts in a year old thread to say "That thing you were looking for? I know where to get it" that may or may not be useful (maybe someone else is looking too, maybe the person is still looking - it could be helpful). If you have new followup questions for a useful old thread that has just fallen silent for a while, go for it. The larger threads are often founts of information, and asking intelligent questions is just a way to help make those threads even better.
A lot of the best threads on t-shirt forums have had bits and pieces of information added to them over time.
So use your judgement, but there's nothing wrong with posting in old threads if you have a reason to (if there was they'd be automatically set to close after a certain time period).
I have stores ready to buy- now what??? Help me 
