6 Tips to Make Your Gift Shop Apparel Fly Off the Shelves

Selecting merchandise for your store can be the most time-consuming and stressful part of being an apparel buyer.  This duty should not be taken lightly, so we’re here to help.  We’ve come up with our top 6 tips for gift shop buyers that will help guide you through those tough decision making moments that can determine which pieces will thrive in your retail store.  

Know Your Customers

We know this sounds cliche, but what’s a sale without a customer?  As a buyer, knowing your customers is oftentimes being a customer yourself.  To be the best apparel buyer, it only makes sense that you should have a love and understanding of apparel yourself.  In addition to your own intuition, listening to your customers is key.  Customers will always let you know what they’re looking for, but only if you ask.

Be Mindful of Your Location

Where is your store? What type of climate are you selling for? What types of activities attract your customers, and how can your apparel selections cater to their needs? Choosing apparel for your store can be exciting, but always remember to maintain a general theme and purpose when selecting your inventory.  Being mindful of your location will act as a quick filter for garments that may not be appropriate for your customer base.

Stay Current

Keep up with local and national trends.  Following popular culture is important, as mass media often dictates what’s trendy when it comes to apparel.  An exceptional apparel buyer should be able to spot trends and identify which ones may be adaptable to their market.

Understand Your Inventory

At the most basic level, an apparel buyer should be versed in the following:

• Inventory levels - It’s important to know what you currently have in stock.  The best apparel buyer is organized and should be able to quickly analyze their inventory and determine which pieces aren’t selling as well as others. 
• Seasonal Peaks - As a buyer, identifying pieces that sell quickly at a particular time of year is a must, as seasonal peaks impact inventory requirements.
• Apparel Affinity / Apparel Gaps - Identify relationships between apparel and search for pieces that tend to be purchased together.  In addition to showing your customers that your retail store is mindful of their needs, this can help boost your sales!

Ask Questions Before Buying

 In today’s world, many consumers want to buy apparel that is socially and environmentally conscious.  Ask your wholesaler where their apparel comes from, and who makes it.  If you find your questions can’t be answered, you may want to find wholesalers who follow a socially responsible business model.  Learn more about social responsibility in the apparel industry & check out our first collection.

"Ask your wholesaler where their apparel comes from, and who makes it."

Watch Competition

Our final tip is simple: pay attention to your competition!  You may think you found the best piece of apparel, but if a competitor is selling the same item slightly above your cost, we would advise that you don’t bring that item into your store.