Starting an online clothing business is now easier than ever. With the rising popularity of e-commerce and m-commerce, there’s never been a better time to create your business venture.
Starting an online retail business can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. You’re already halfway there if you have vision, creativity, and perseverance.
But what if you don’t have the space or money to keep a large inventory of products? If storing a long-sleeve pullover hoodie inventory at your home or in a storage unit isn’t possible, you can still sell online.
This article outlines valuable tips to help you start a long-sleeve, pullover, or hoodie business without inventory.
Do Some Research
Before investing money in your business’s start-up costs, do market research. It’s essential to narrow down the focus of your brand. More focused and refined products will make your business more profitable.
Choose a niche
As much as you love a particular niche, it may not be the most lucrative option. Successful products follow trends in the market, not your interests.
Figure out what sells, and develop your long-sleeve pullover hoodie designs within one of those niches. For example, do modern, abstract prints sell? How about custom logo hoodies?
Study the Competition
Next, identify your niche competitors and conduct an analysis: research what they sell, how they advertise, and the type of customers they target.
Understanding your competitors determines what products are already out there and what your brand can do differently to stand out.
Create Custom Designs for Your Clothing
You can develop your designs and products now that you have identified your niche.
Hire a freelance designer to make a sleek logo for your brand. It’s an investment that will pay off in the long run.
If hiring a designer isn’t within your budget, you can easily design your visual assets using free design tools like Canva.
Avoid designs with too many small details for the best printing results on your long-sleeve pullover hoodie. Instead, create logos and designs that are simple and easily visible from a few feet away. When customers wear your pullover hoodies, you want other people to see your brand.
Find a Long Sleep Pullover Hoodie Wholesaler
Buying a pullover hoodie wholesale is the best way to save money and increase your profit margins.
There are plenty of wholesale options, but going with the cheapest option isn’t always the best. So instead, choose a pullover hoodie wholesaler that uses high-quality fabrics, like Bella + Canvas. Poly fleece and Airlume cotton make awesome hoodies that are soft and easy to print.
Do a Google search, ask for referrals from clothing business networks, and research wholesaler reviews to find the best fit for your brand.
Choose How to Sell
Before you open your online shop, decide how you will sell your products. For example, there are several options for selling pullover hoodies without inventory.
Print-On-Demand
Print-on-demand (POD) is an excellent option for small businesses that are just starting. POD suppliers take care of all the printing and shipping. In addition, you pay for each long-sleeve pullover hoodie on an order-by-order basis, so you don’t have to pay for a large wholesale order upfront.
POD suppliers work with popular pullover hoodie wholesale companies. That means you can choose mid- to luxury-level wholesale hoodies, so you don’t have to sacrifice product quality.
Fulfillment Centers
Fulfillment centers are warehouses that store your product inventory and take care of order fulfillment.
These centers are an excellent option if you hand make your pullover hoodie designs. You can use a fulfillment center as a storage and shipment center. They notify you when an item needs replenishment. You can also make your products with a manufacturer or wholesaler and ship everything directly to the fulfillment center.
Fulfillment centers are more costly than POD but can allow for more control over your brand’s products.
Drop Shipping
Drop shipping is a decent way to make money, but it’s not the best option for starting your own long-sleeve pullover hoodie brand.
Drop shipping is ordering your products from a third-party supplier and having those products shipped directly to your customer. You can’t sell personalized or branded products. Instead, you act as a middleman for other brands’ wholesale products.
Launch Your Online Shop
You have figured out the logistics of your inventory-free order fulfillment. Now it’s time to open an online shop!
Many platforms offer free plans, but we recommend paying for a web hosting plan. Popular platforms like Shopify and WordPress offer free and paid plans.
It’s best to open an online shop with a self-hosted site or an e-commerce marketplace platform because your shop will look more professional. You can also access more features to build customer trust, like a unique domain name and professional website themes.
Ensure your online shop integrates with your third-party supplier, and you’re good to go!
Market Your Brand
Marketing is a big part of getting your brand name out there. You can have a beautiful online store with the highest quality long-sleeve pullover hoodies, but it’s impossible to get sales if shoppers don’t know about your brand.
Use social media, paid advertising, and guest posting on other blogs to advertise your new business. Also, user-generated content (UGC) is a popular marketing strategy for visual products like streetwear and activewear brands.
Sit Back and Relax
A lot of work goes into the initial setup of your long-sleeve pullover hoodie business. However, it’s smooth sailing once your vendors and processes are in place.
Your third-party print-on-demand supplier or fulfillment center handles all the printing, branding, and shipping. This hands-off approach gives you more time to focus on networking, marketing, and designing new products.
Selling pullover hoodies online without inventory isn’t passive income. But, it can be a lucrative way to make money that requires less time once it’s up and running.
If you’re considering starting your own online clothing company, don’t hesitate. Follow these tips and take the first step. You won’t regret it!
