1) Location-The location of your store should be thoroughly researched. Smaller spaces in better places may be a better investment than a huge warehouse outside of town. You’re going to need to focus your theme towards a specific audience, so keep in mind where they like to shop. Determine who your competition is and take note of what types of locations are most successful.

2) Prices-You are starting up a boutique not only to “live your dream” or work for yourself, but also to turn a profit! Don’t be afraid of higher pricing if your product and store image match what you’re asking. You just want to make sure that your theme and pricing are consistent with each other.

3) Design-Color and style can go a long way in a boutique. Think about web design. Do you personally like sites with a lot of pictures, color and attitude? Or do you prefer a white screen with black lettering? Most people derive satisfaction from identifying part of who they are with the styles that they like as well as the businesses they support. Make sure that your colors and style are coherent with what your target audience identifies with.

4) Store Front-Your store front should quickly define what type of store you are and what niche in the market you are fulfilling. If you have a vague name like “Picture” then you can expect people to glance, look perplexed and then forget about you. Spend a lot of time deciding on your name. If you go with something clever, make sure that it’s not too far of a stretch for people to understand. Run it by a few people and see if you end up explaining yourself over and over, or if they get it right off the bat. First impressions are everything and they are made at lightning speed in today’s fast paced world.

5) Store Layout-Layout your store in a way that feels inviting. If you are catering to twenty or thirty-something year old women, then make sure that there is enough room between your garment racks for them to push a stroller. If you’re catering to men, make sure that each section is clearly labeled so that they do not quickly give up and head for the department store. Follow these guidelines and take your time. You’ll have a great theme that says everything that you want it to in no time.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

The first rule is pretty basic. You don’t want your store to look like a mess when customers come inside. Using too many tables and shelves for displays can make your store look disorganized, because customers will invariably need to rummage through folded stacks of clothes to find their size. Even if you have sizes separated by shelf, customers will still have to unfold to get a good look at the garment and will put it back on whichever shelf is most convenient.

Use wall space and display systems like slatwall to keep the store looking neater. You can use garment racks to hang extra clothing and keep the store looking neat. Be careful not to crowd garment racks. You do want the customers to have plenty of space for maneuvering about the store. They don’t want to be back-to-back with other customers or staff.

Also, using too many garment racks can make the store look crowded and bland. If the customer can’t see what you have without sifting through, then they’re not likely to look around for long. Make sure that you utilize three dimensional displays to keep the customer interested. Hanging mannequin forms are great for creating feature displays on garment racks and slatwall displays. You can also display hanging outfits on top of your garment racks. Customers that can see how clothes look and stay interested as they make their way through the store.

Another thing to keep in mind is that customers tend to shop at eye level. Make sure that the focal points of your garment rack and shelving displays are where they will get customers’ attention. Every display should have a point of focus and should be designed to make the customer want to slow down and investigate. The longer a customer spends at your garment racks or feature displays, the more likely they are to spend extra money.

People associate the quality of an item with the way that it is displayed. Cheap, plastic displays communicate discounted, lower quality merchandise. People expect sunglasses on a checkout rack to be a lot cheaper than sunglasses in a glass display case in the same location. Price things according to the display quality and you should increase your sales and minimize the amount of merchandise that you have to clearance out.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

1) You may wish that you could afford an expensive merchandise control system like the big stores. However, this is not usually within the grasps of financial possibility for many boutique owners. There is a solution, though. You can actually purchase new or used security tags for your boutique clothing. Simply having the tag clipped to the garment will turn most thieves away. You don’t necessarily need the alarm at the door to keep people from stealing. Most people would not think that they could get the tag off without damaging the clothing. Or, they just aren’t sure if you have some sort of security device that will leave them caught red handed if they try to take something.

2) Another great deterrent is fake cameras. Most thieves will not attempt to steal if they think they are on camera. Camera domes are also very effective and are nothing more than a dome shaped piece of plastic on the ceiling. Mirrors on the ceiling and around the store also make thieves nervous enough not to steal.

3) Use customer service to keep thieves on their toes. If someone has personally greeted them and taken a good look at them, then they are not likely to steal something. Have your staff check on each customer at least once while they’re shopping and again speak to them as they’re leaving the store. Have your staff go up and offer to put items at the register or in a dressing room as soon as they see the customer walk away from the garment rack.

4) Lighting and your store set up will make honest customers have a more pleasant shopping experience, but will let shoplifters know that you are not making it easy for them. Avoid cramming garment racks full or putting them close together. Use spotlights to make thieves uncomfortable with trying to hide between items to slip something up their sleeve or into their other shopping bags. With just a few tweaks to your store and your staff’s behavior, you can prevent as much theft as you could with an expensive inventory control system.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

Think about what word, phrase, or idea inspires you and build on it. Will your boutique’s theme exude simplicity, functionality, craftiness, designer apparel, unique accessories, vintage finds, or something else? There are endless possibilities when it comes to boutique themes. Boutiques can be any type of retail store that has a specialty. You can even focus on one type of item, like pet clothing, jewelry, or screen printing.

Once you have developed your concept, you can concentrate on the bones of the store. Supplies, decorations, garment racks, feature displays, software, and inventory control items can be chosen to fit around your theme. For displays, like tables, garment racks, shelving, slatwall and mannequins, find a good supplier that offers wholesale prices. You may have luck finding a supplier that is also a manufacturer of the garment rack, hangers, and other items that you’ve chosen. Shop around online, but also call other boutiques and retail stores to find out who they use and why. Working with your competition can help you to make a name for yourself in the community.

Sometimes you can get displays for free by contacting the companies whose products you are selling. Many companies offer racks, displays, signs, custom print hangers, and more to the stores that ask for them. You can also pick up some great tips by visiting trade shows and participating in retail conferences. Making contacts wherever possible is a valuable way to get started in the industry. You can learn a lot from other people’s struggles, failures, and successes.

If you’re nervous about asking your direct competition for advice, there’s nothing that says you can’t talk to other boutique owners around the country. In fact, many of them read sites like this one and participate in boutique owner forums to share information with each other. It’s inspirational to hear other people’s ideas and you may come up with some boutique concept ideas that you haven’t considered yet.

Your contacts are assets to you. Keep a running list of your contacts and make note of things like their willingness to help, tips that they gave you, and possible joint effort marketing ideas. Some boutiques help each other out by mentioning each other on their blogs, doing guest posts for each other, and mentioning each other on social networks. This is a great way to get your name out there and increase your rankings in the search engines without spending any money.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

1) People that run their own businesses are very involved in every aspect of the business. Many people refer to their boutique as “their baby”, meaning that they’ve put a lot of heart and soul into growing it and they’re passionate about seeing it succeed. Your store can reflect your personality and your business decisions will as well. It’s hard to remain objective when making certain decisions, so this could be a reason to hire a professional. Professional retail management consultants may be able to give you the tools that you need to stay objective, organized, on task, and orderly. They could also help you to figure out how you actually can do something that you didn’t believe you’d be able to.

2) Sometimes you may just want to hire a professional for the business start-up. If you do, make sure that you choose one with a few boutique start-ups under their belt. This can be a good way to learn about the best practices of this part of the retail world. You can avoid a lot of problems that others have learned to fix through trial and error, saving you time and money. Doing things your own way is part of the attraction of owning a boutique, so don’t be afraid to trust your instincts when you need to.

3) Talk to other boutique owners. Whether it’s a call on the phone, a comment on their blog, or meeting them face to face, it’s important to network with other people who are doing what you’re doing. People like this can offer valuable advice about point of sale software, tax consultants, and other things that you may not know how to choose yet.

4) Lastly, make sure that your store’s appearance matches the vision that you had in mind. Avoid crowding garment racks together. You don’t want people squeezing through the clothing racks to get to the back where your sale display is. Make the boutique experience one that they’ll enjoy and remember. You want them to talk about you to their friends, so take care with everything that you do and you’ll be fine.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

If you’re considering starting up a boutique, there are a few things to consider. Think about how you will compete with big retailers. There is actually a lot that you can do to take advantage of the shortcomings of big retail stores. Customer interviews over the years have revealed that customers are a lot savvier than they used to be. They have the internet at their fingertips to do research and really know what they’re looking for.

Retail stores may be able to offer more products at lower prices, but think about what customers want that they can’t get in a big department store. They crave knowledgeable employees. Retail stores often hire employees for very little pay and give them very little training. Their job may consist of straightening or stocking shelves and little else.

Customers love to shop at boutiques because of the atmosphere. Not just the decorations and eclectic appeal, but the attitude and knowledge level of the employees there. Successful boutiques educate their employees about the details of the products that they sell. Boutique owners don’t have the luxury of carrying every brand of a particular item. They have to be picky and choose the ones that have a higher quality or more unique details than the mainstream clothing lines. Then, they make sure that their employees know how to communicate these special features to their customers, helping to make sales.

Customers love to feel like they are special, not just another face in the crowd. When they shop at a boutique, they can get personal service, honest advice, good information about the products, and the employees might even know their names when they come in. This personal type of experience is an important part of what you should offer your customers when you run a boutique.

Make sure that you respect each and every customer, whether or not they are buying anything. Make sure that they can see everything you have to offer in a unique and efficient manner. Don’t cram everything on to a shelf or one tiny rack. A garment rack should not be overstuffed. Spread items out so that they can be seen and admired. This also helps to promote the idea that the garments are unique, or maybe even one of a kind. Consider using specialty garment racks designed especially for boutiques. These may have varying levels of hanging bars, or mix bars and shelving, giving your store a more textured look.

When you start your boutique, remember these tips. Treat the customer like a valued individual. Be honest, give good advice, and offer information about your products that no one else can. Keep the store tidy and easy to shop through. With these things in mind, you’ll be able to take advantage of the things that make boutiques unique.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

As a business owner, you should be aware that online shoppers are savvier than ever. You can’t just set up a cute site with pictures and prices expecting people to be “wooed” by graphics. Customers want to see that you are divulging as much information as possible. Having clear and concise product descriptions will help you to gain the confidence of your shoppers.

Turning browsers into customers is your main focus when setting up your online shop. Consider everything that a customer may want to ask about a product and provide that information up front. Furthermore, determine what the customer might notice if they were physically touching the product and divulge that information as well. Sizing guides, fabric content, product care information, measurements, weight and feel are all important aspects.

However, you should be careful not to make descriptions too wordy. Be clear and concise. Links or balloons that pop-up additional information can be helpful. Customer reviews and product ratings are weighed heavily by consumers. Commonly asked questions are good to include on your product page. Anything that increases the customer’s confidence will help you turn a browser into a customer. Things like advertising your “no hassle return policy”, live chat customer service, or special deals for customers that leave reviews will help you to get the customers involved and comfortable with your business.

Try to give the shopper an in-store experience through your web site. Use decorations in your store to inspire your web designs to keep the same look and feel that they get while shopping in-store. Use pictures that actually communicate the uniqueness of the garment to the customer. 360 degree views, extreme zooms, and virtual store shopping experiences are a plus. A really great idea would be if a shopper could virtually look around the store, click on the clothing racks they were interested in and shop that garment rack. In boutiques, surprises should lurk around every corner, clothing racks should be filled with interesting items and displays, and shoppers should experience a feeling that they don’t get in any department store. Capture this with your web shop and you’ll be golden.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

Brand image, when properly communicated and managed, can help you to survive a rocky economy. When people stop spending so much money, they don’t necessarily go for the cheapest, bottom of the barrel types of retailers. When they are uncertain or scared of what the down economy might mean, they turn to the businesses that they know and trust. They would rather pay a little more for a quality product that they know will last, than chance it on a company that they know little or nothing about. This is why it is so important to be very clear in your advertising, marketing and promotions. Your goal should be to communicate everything that you want to mean to your customers. Quality, service, reliability, fairness, cutting edge merchandise, all of the things that you want your customers to think about when they think of you should be first and foremost on your mind when setting up a boutique or retail store.

Everything in your store should communicate something to your customer. A deep bin full of clothes with a big sign on top would indicate that this is a clearance area, full of clothes in sparse sizes, questionable quality or style, and very low prices. If a customer looks through the bin and discovers that their initial impression was right, then you have successfully communicated with the customer. That example may not be congruent with your personal store’s brand image, but it does demonstrate how retail branding is used to communicate certain things to the customer. The things you communicate should be absolutely true. When the customer determines that you’ve been honest in your advertising, marketing, and even store displays then you build trust. Trusting relationships can make or break a business.

Use every aspect of your boutique business to build that trust. Your web site, your online social efforts, your mailings, even your garment racks have an effect on people’s impression of you. If a customer sees a garment rack stuffed with clothing that they can’t even see, then they will come to the conclusion that you don’t care about their shopping experience. Well maintained, stocked but manageable garment racks will make a customer think that you are diligent about carrying a lot in every size or that you care about separating garments by size so that they can easily shop for items that they might want. These things can be very powerful so pay attention to every detail of your store that could affect your brand image.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

Your brand will make or break you in any economy. If you’re concerned that the economy is negatively affecting your business, then you’re not thinking in the forward manner that you should be. Consider a down economy the time when you should be more competitive. People are out there spending money, they just need to come to you to spend it. Taking business from your competition is job #1. Get excited and innovative to take advantage of a time when customers are only buying from those that they believe in.

Branding has a lot to do with trust. When customers are skeptical because of the economy, who do you think they’re going to spend their money with? Retailers that they know and trust. They don’t want to risk spending money on something that may not deliver. They are going to go with brands whose image they are familiar with. They want to know that what they are getting is a high enough quality that they won’t be throwing their money away.

Building trust with your customers should be first and foremost on your mind. Use every aspect of your retail business to build that trust. Your web site, your social media efforts, your mailings, even your store displays has an effect on people’s impression of you.

Start by thinking about how to build trust while reinforcing your image. A down economy doesn’t mean that you have to lower your prices. It makes people think that you are just trying too hard to get their money, and lowering prices, if not done carefully, can instill that seed of doubt that you want to avoid.

Everything about your store, catalog, or web site is a promise to the customers. If you have a lot of high quality images, then they perceive you as a high end retailer. If you skimp on something, they may perceive you and your brand as a lower quality outfit. At any step in the process of making a purchase, you could betray the trust that you’ve begun to establish. Be careful to pay attention to all the details of the shopping experience.

Inside your store, make sure that your displays are tidy and neat, your staff is courteous and respectful, and that your garment racks are fully stocked. If people see a garment rack that is lacking in sizes, they will not trust that you will have what they need when they find what they want, and may leave. Keep everything streamlined, from the moment someone enters the store to the moment they leave or need to make a return. Make check-out on your web site easy to manage. Make ordering from your catalog as easy as possible. With your customers’ trust, your business could flourish, despite fluctuations in the economy.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

1) Sometimes it’s hard to take an objective look at your own business, mainly because you have put so much of your personality and dreams into your work. Another reason is that small boutiques may gain a lot of their personality from areas that other, bigger, businesses would have cut due to overhead. Try to take a realistic look at your expenditures. You may even decide to hire a retail consultant or financial consultant to get unbiased opinions.

2) Reevaluate your business goals. Sometimes it’s hard to stay on track and be true to your initial vision. Make sure that you have a clear and concise business plan. Creating a motto can be helpful. As you make decisions, always ask yourself if the decision is consistent with the goal. If it’s not, ditch it and move on. Unnecessary changes or ones that are not conducive to a successful business can drain your wallet and reap little benefit.

3) Boutiques are in a position where they want to grow, but they don’t necessarily want to become a chain. Retaining your small business charm can be challenging as sales pick up. You can help your boutique business by marketing yourself as a small local business. You can win customers over by encouraging them to support their town’s small businesses as opposed to spending all of the town’s money in giant corporate stores that send their money elsewhere. Being active in the community is a great way to build a reputation without spending any money.

4) You can promote yourself for free by staying active on social networking sites. Offering special deals to your fans and followers will encourage them to spread the word about your business. Using the internet to gain customer loyalty is an easy way to market without spending a lot of money.

5) You can save money and make more money by rearranging your boutique. Coming up with a way to sell more merchandise without moving into a bigger space, is key. A shop fitter or interior designer may be able to help you come up with the best arrangement for your clothing racks. If you have only round clothing racks, they may be taking up more room than you have. Take a look at a garment rack that makes the best use of the space that you have. A clothing rack that allows you to display more garments in less space can make a world of difference.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of clothing racks including garment racks. Find a high quality clothing rack or garment rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.