Are you starting a clothing store or boutique? Need premium-quality used clothing to create your inspired collection? Buying used clothing wholesale can get tricky if you don’t know how to vet potential wholesalers who may be a good fit for your business.
To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of 4 key tips that every business should follow when buying wholesale used clothing. Let’s get started.
1. Invest only in those pieces that you know will sell
Wholesale used clothing sellers have an expansive collection of beautiful clothes and textiles to choose from. It can be tempting to choose every piece of used clothing that catches your eye. But, if the clothing you purchase doesn’t match the needs and preferences of your target market, then it’ll be a wasted investment.
One important thing to remember when buying wholesale used clothing is to start your purchase process with a comprehensive target market analysis.
Start by building a customer avatar/profile of your ideal customer. For example, children aged between 5 & 7 years or pregnant women in their third trimester or older men over the age of 70 and so on. Consider what clothing challenges and needs they may have. Research to see if any competitors are currently supplying products to fill this need-gap in your target market. You can use a combination of market research techniques such as email questionnaires or face-to-face interviews, or social media polls to figure out what your prospective customer may want.
Based on your information, you can decide what type of used clothing to buy wholesale. Your research can include finding out information like design & color preferences, size requirements, and so on.
2. Don’t limit yourself to the first wholesaler you find
New businesses sometimes settle for the very first wholesale used clothing seller who fits their pre-determined criteria. This can actually be detrimental to you since you may be closing yourself off to better deals and terms from other wholesalers.
When buying wholesale used clothing, be sure to check at various places and consult multiple wholesalers. From thrift shops to auctions to online used clothing suppliers, get quotes from as many businesses as you can.
Get reviews about the quality and service of each wholesaler by reading previous customer reviews, going through their social media feed, and even speaking to any old customers, if you can find them. By reading their social media comments, you can learn a lot about how wholesalers deal with their customers at various stages of the purchase and post-purchase process. You can also search through community forums like Quora and Reddit to find out what previous customers feel about the wholesaler.
3. Remember – you don’t have to sacrifice used clothing quality for prices
A lot of times, businesses operate under the misconception that when you buy used clothing, you have to settle for low quality due to the lower prices. But that’s not really true.
In reality, there are wholesalers who actually provide the best quality wholesale used clothing at the most affordable prices. They will have a massive wholesale unit of used clothing in different designs, colors, and sizes for their customers to choose from. Plus, their clothing & textile will be available at different price points and suitable for companies with varied budgets.
When buying wholesale used clothing, be sure to ask the wholesaler for the technical specifications of the products you wish to purchase. It’s also best if you can send across a representative from your company, to check the quality of each lot, before you place the order.
The trick is to carefully and patiently look through multiple wholesalers before finalizing one for your wholesale used clothing purchase.
4. Choose a wholesaler who takes care of used clothing like they’re new
The way the wholesaler treats the products they sell should be a huge determinant of your purchase process. Once you purchase your wholesale used clothing, your new purchases should reach you in the best condition, so they’ll be ready for further processing or sale.
When buying used clothing, make sure you evaluate the packing, supply, and delivery service offered by the wholesaler too. Presentation is, after all, a key indicator of used clothing quality.
The used clothes should be neatly ironed and carefully packed to prevent any type of damage during transit. Plus, they should be sorted according to type/grade, so it is easier for you to get to work once the shipment reaches your facility. You’ll be able to put it on the rack quicker or even send it to the right departments for further processing.
Wrapping up
Buying wholesale used clothing can be really rewarding if you follow the above tips. Not only will these tips help you reduce your expenses, but they’ll also streamline your operations and allow you to serve your customers better.
About Samiyatex
Samiyatex is a reputed supplier of wholesale used clothing in California. They have experience supplying premium-quality used clothing to companies in Central & South America and Africa at highly competitive prices. From used shoes to vintage textiles to stocklot clothing, Samiyatex deals in a varie
