Hey I have been interested in this type of marketing for awhile and in light of some recent boutique threads... I was wondering in what ways do you approach a boutique and make an impression that sells your line? 2009-03-30T17:07:04-04:00 21 2009-03-29T16:04:12-04:00 16216 false false 1328 1328 1 2009-11-08T08:14:25-05:00 484 walk the fuck up in there with your shit in a backpack and be all "yo sell this shit bitch" 16216 Post 2009-03-29T16:27:59-04:00 419615 1106 2009-03-29T16:28:09-04:00 may the force be with you 16216 Post 2009-03-29T16:32:03-04:00 419617 9980 2009-03-29T16:32:03-04:00 <blockquote><cite>skull with hair said:</cite> walk the fuck up in there with your shit in a backpack and be all "yo sell this shit bitch"</blockquote> dope 16216 Post 2009-03-29T16:33:50-04:00 419619 1328 2009-03-29T16:33:50-04:00 <blockquote><cite>skull with hair said:</cite> walk the fuck up in there with your shit in a backpack and be all "yo sell this shit bitch"</blockquote> Seriously. 16216 Post 2009-03-29T17:35:59-04:00 419655 4557 2009-03-29T17:35:59-04:00 Dude, I just walked into one the other day and it was super easy. Most places are only doing consignment right now, but like Skull With Hair said, just bring your shit in and ask them if they'd be willing to sell it. What's the worst that could happen? 16216 Post 2009-03-29T17:40:18-04:00 419658 3775 2009-03-29T17:40:18-04:00 let your friends call up the place and ask for your brand. Do this a week or 2. Once that they think your market is big in the area and you walk in the shop they will be smiling. Having your shirts in the street wont hurt. 16216 Post 2009-03-29T17:54:46-04:00 419665 12033 2009-03-29T17:54:46-04:00 <blockquote><cite>Yoeri said:</cite> let your friends call up the place and ask for your brand. Do this a week or 2. Once that they think your market is big in the area and you walk in the shop they will be smiling. Having your shirts in the street wont hurt.</blockquote> That's pretty smart. 16216 Post 2009-03-29T18:02:35-04:00 419671 3775 2009-03-29T18:02:35-04:00 <blockquote><cite>Yoeri said:</cite> let your friends call up the place and ask for your brand. Do this a week or 2. Once that they think your market is big in the area and you walk in the shop they will be smiling. Having your shirts in the street wont hurt.</blockquote> yeah that won't be completely obvious or anything. 16216 Post 2009-03-29T18:34:10-04:00 419697 1106 2009-03-29T18:34:10-04:00 <blockquote><cite>skull with hair said:</cite> <blockquote><cite>Yoeri said:</cite> let your friends call up the place and ask for your brand. Do this a week or 2. Once that they think your market is big in the area and you walk in the shop they will be smiling. Having your shirts in the street wont hurt.</blockquote> yeah that won't be completely obvious or anything.</blockquote> Its a good idea but I definitely agree. Just show them what you've got to offer and there is a good chance they will do consignment. 16216 Post 2009-03-29T18:37:23-04:00 419702 3501 2009-03-29T18:37:23-04:00 <blockquote><cite>skull with hair said:</cite> <blockquote><cite>Yoeri said:</cite> let your friends call up the place and ask for your brand. Do this a week or 2. Once that they think your market is big in the area and you walk in the shop they will be smiling. Having your shirts in the street wont hurt.</blockquote> yeah that won't be completely obvious or anything.</blockquote> haha, that's a sure way NOT get your shirts in a store.... lol 16216 Post 2009-03-29T18:57:30-04:00 419720 4725 2009-03-29T18:57:30-04:00 thats pretty sweet. I will have to go drive around all the trendy shopping spots and try my best to get in some stores. how often do people have a hard time finding the owner? im sure in most places the guy at the counter cant make the calls. 16216 Post 2009-03-29T19:37:35-04:00 419755 1328 2009-03-29T19:37:35-04:00 I think I've written something like this before but take a look at Vapors, Antennae magazine or especially Emptees or any of the tee websites, you'll see a shi* load of phenomenal tees that sell for $25+. It's these tees you have to compete with. I'm involved with a store that sells Streetwear. We get several people a week trying to get us to sell their stuff. Most of it is either crap or they’re trying to get retail prices at the wholesale level. It leaves them no margin, especially since their starting out with a low number of shirts. Many successful labels offer terms or consignment, stickers, drop cards, line sheets, leave free samples to test, a consistent theme in their line and some kind of a hook. Look at JohhnyCupcakes hook! BTW, Marc Ecko started by selling tees on consignment. Even the line sheet can be your hook, make it as creative as possible. I personally think electronic line sheets are nice but nothing beats the tactile feel of a physical line sheet along with a sample shirt. Developing a relationship with a store is VERY important. These stores can help you develop your line. They know what sells and what does not sell. They can be a great resource in developing your line. They know the market. Know what that particular boutique store sells other similar shirts for. Sharpen your pencil and offer great wholesale prices. Offer a test “sell” to see how your stuff does in their store. If they have to return product to you or if they have to put it on their clearance rack, it’s not going to help you past the one and only sale you get from them. Getting your line into a local store where the line fits is very important. Just because you can get your line into Grandmas Gift Store isn't really going to help you. Once you get into a few right stores the owners themselves will even recommend your stuff to other stores that they know in their circle. One of the biggest obstacles in getting into a store is "if it isn't on MTV, then we ain’t carrying it". Again leave some free samples, stickers and drop cards behind and repeat until they get a restraining order. 16216 Post 2009-03-30T00:23:35-04:00 419999 1931 2009-03-30T00:23:35-04:00 <blockquote><cite>bkd001 said:</cite> I think I've written something like this before but take a look at Vapors, Antennae magazine or especially Emptees or any of the tee websites, you'll see a shi* load of phenomenal tees that sell for $25+. It's these tees you have to compete with. I'm involved with a store that sells Streetwear. We get several people a week trying to get us to sell their stuff. Most of it is either crap or they’re trying to get retail prices at the wholesale level. It leaves them no margin, especially since their starting out with a low number of shirts. Many successful labels offer terms or consignment, stickers, drop cards, line sheets, leave free samples to test, a consistent theme in their line and some kind of a hook. Look at JohhnyCupcakes hook! BTW, Marc Ecko started by selling tees on consignment. Even the line sheet can be your hook, make it as creative as possible. I personally think electronic line sheets are nice but nothing beats the tactile feel of a physical line sheet along with a sample shirt. Developing a relationship with a store is VERY important. These stores can help you develop your line. They know what sells and what does not sell. They can be a great resource in developing your line. They know the market. Know what that particular boutique store sells other similar shirts for. Sharpen your pencil and offer great wholesale prices. Offer a test “sell” to see how your stuff does in their store. If they have to return product to you or if they have to put it on their clearance rack, it’s not going to help you past the one and only sale you get from them. Getting your line into a local store where the line fits is very important. Just because you can get your line into Grandmas Gift Store isn't really going to help you. Once you get into a few right stores the owners themselves will even recommend your stuff to other stores that they know in their circle. One of the biggest obstacles in getting into a store is "if it isn't on MTV, then we ain’t carrying it". Again leave some free samples, stickers and drop cards behind and repeat until they get a restraining order.</blockquote> holy smoly.. that is intensely helpful. im actually going to print this out for future reference! Thanks you so much! 16216 Post 2009-03-30T00:33:16-04:00 420007 1328 2009-03-30T00:33:16-04:00 I'm a noob here. First comment I read was from Skull with Hair... I lost it! Eloquently put! At a time in my life where everything seems to be going perfect, you punctuate my whole prospective sales angle with that simple comment. Cheers my friend! 16216 Post 2009-03-30T01:01:35-04:00 420023 13089 2009-03-30T01:01:35-04:00 see this man knows what i am talking about. all these ideas are whatever, i say stick with the backpack-fuckyou method and you're in. these assholes need to know that you are better than them or they will never put your shit in their shitty stores. 16216 Post 2009-03-30T01:15:38-04:00 420033 1106 2009-03-30T01:15:38-04:00 and if they don't know you're better than them, make sure they at least know you're tougher. 16216 Post 2009-03-30T01:24:43-04:00 420036 7069 2009-03-30T01:24:43-04:00 Wait....What's a cosignment again? 16216 Post 2009-03-30T04:42:58-04:00 420140 5248 2009-03-30T04:42:58-04:00 <blockquote><cite>JoeBaronDesign said:</cite> Wait....What's a cosignment again?</blockquote> when someone sells your shirts for you but you only make the money if they sell, and normally there is a consignment fee. 16216 Post 2009-03-30T16:55:44-04:00 420599 1328 2009-03-30T16:55:44-04:00 <blockquote><cite>DrewGliever said:</cite> and if they don't know you're better than them, make sure they at least know you're tougher.</blockquote> thats why i carry brass knucks and a butterfly knife at all times 16216 Post 2009-03-30T17:02:27-04:00 420607 2870 2009-03-30T17:02:27-04:00 i have gotten a handful of emails about selling in stores. i usually dont respond. i like to keep my product. control who gets them and how much they pay for it. 16216 Post 2009-03-30T17:04:07-04:00 420610 881 2009-03-30T17:04:07-04:00 <blockquote><cite>Colemadethis said:</cite> i have gotten a handful of emails about selling in stores. i usually dont respond. i like to keep my product. control who gets them and how much they pay for it.</blockquote> forward that!!! I would love to keep control of all aspects of my company but I wanna keep getting bigger and that costs more money.. stores give money. solution. haha 16216 Post 2009-03-30T17:07:04-04:00 420613 1328 2009-03-30T17:07:04-04:00