Apparel Search › How To › Sell Your Collection to Boutiques
Apparel Search How To
How to find the right stores, approach buyers, agree terms and keep boutiques ordering season after season.
Boutiques are a natural first step for many new brands, since independent stores often buy smaller quantities and like to discover new labels. Selling to them is a skill of its own: finding the right shops, presenting your line clearly, agreeing fair terms and delivering what you promise. This guide walks through the process in order. If you have not made a line sheet yet, start with how to create a line sheet.
Be clear about your customer, your price level and your style. Then look for stores that already serve that customer: similar price points, a similar look and neighboring brands that you would be happy to sit beside. A store that fits your brand is more likely to buy and to sell well.
Prepare a line sheet, a lookbook, your wholesale prices, your terms and a realistic delivery schedule. Have a few samples available for buyers to see and touch. Decide in advance what you can produce, in what quantities and by when.
Check your margins with the Merchandising Metrics Calculator and your costs with the Landed Cost Calculator.
Browse boutiques online and in person, look at the brands they carry and note who the buyer is. Social media and store websites show style and customers. Make a short list of the best fits, rather than contacting every store.
Write a short note to each buyer that shows you know their store: who you are, what your brand is, why it suits their customers and a link to your line sheet and lookbook. Offer to send samples or meet. Follow up politely if you do not hear back, since buyers are busy.
Whether in person or online, lead with your best pieces, explain the idea behind the collection and who it is for. Be ready for questions about prices, minimums, delivery dates, restocking and whether you sell to other stores nearby.
Be clear about your wholesale prices, minimum order, payment terms, delivery window and returns policy. New accounts are often asked to pay earlier than established ones. Put what you agree in writing, and have formal contract terms reviewed by a qualified professional. Our wholesale pricing strategy guide covers setting the numbers.
Delivering what you promised, on the date you promised, is the best way to earn a reorder. Pack orders carefully, and give stores good images and information they can use to sell your brand. Check in after delivery to hear how it is selling.
Plan delivery dates with the Production Timeline Planner and see how wholesale payment timing affects your cash with the Import Cash Flow Planner.
Note how each store performs, such as how much it ordered, how much sold and whether it reordered, and use that to plan production. Good accounts can grow with you from season to season.
Measure each account with the Merchandising Metrics Calculator; see how to measure sell-through.
Look at stores that serve your customer at your price level, check which brands they carry, and note the buyer. Browse online and in person, and focus on a short list of good fits.
A short personal message with your line sheet and lookbook, your wholesale terms and an offer to send samples or meet.
Start from your cost, set a wholesale price that gives you a profit and leaves the store room for its margin, and check that the suggested retail price suits your brand. Many brands price retail at roughly double wholesale, though this varies.
It depends on your costs and what stores will accept. Small stores often buy small quantities, so set a minimum that works for production and is realistic for your customers.
Not at the start. Many brands begin by selling directly and add a sales rep or showroom as they grow.