It is a curious thing that the articles of clothing assumedly meant to be seen the least are among the most elaborately styled and obviously meant to appeal to the eye. As long as there has been women’s underwear members of both sexes have been fascinated with it. At various times in history polite society has refused to talk about it or have tried driving sexiness from sex. They have never quite succeeded.Today lingerie is everywhere and is practically synonymous with romance. Merry widows and corsets are common bridal shower gifts and just try to imagine how much lingerie sells around Valentine’s Day. Lingerie is prominently advertised on television and in many circles underwear is often outerwear and proudly displayed.Every mall has at least a Victoria’s Secret lingerie store if not others. Nearly all clothing and department stores have lingerie departments. It’s an odd image to think of thigh-high hose selling at the Wal-mart but there it is. There are thousands of fashionable and unfashionable boutiques entirely devoted to selling lingerie. One thing anyone thinking of selling women’s intimates can be sure of is that from the demure to the erotic there is a multi-billion dollar a year market out there.Looking through the various auction websites gives a good idea of what kind of prices the prospective reseller can expect to get. For example, a variety of fairly simple bra and panty sets were going for around $25. However, some styles of panties alone were selling for a lot less, about $4 each and some sets were only drawing around $10. More elaborate outfits are significantly more money some running as high as $200 for a single corset.The auction sites offer plenty of profitable sounding wholesale cases. Examples include cases of 20 bra and panty sets for about $90 or around $4.50 each and a lot of 60 items of various types for close to $250. Like all mixed lots this sort of cases can create problems. You never know exactly what your getting and some may well be inappropriate for your business. Be prepared to order more than one lot from different distributors looking for the one that suits your business best.Finding wholesale prices away from Ebay and Yahoo Auctions can turn up some very good deals with smaller case sizes and more discretion over the exact items purchased. For example, one company offers wholesale prices on orders of just 3 items. Spree Intimate bras in various colors were $4 each and sets including garters, bras, and panties ranged from $10 to $20. Various styles of baby-dolls, teddies, and a variety of what can only be described as costumes went for $15 to $20 each. Incidentally, men’s thong underwear was $5 each.Another company offered, with the same minimum order of three, Femina bras for only $3 each. They also sold Wonderbras for $11 each in lots of ten. For the adventurous they offered a case of 100 items ranging from corsets to costumes, from simple bras to full body suits for $1500. They claim the retail value of each item ranges from $60 to $100. It is probable safe to assume that their estimate is generous.When considering women’s lingerie as a business don’t forget about plus sizes. The market for plus size clothing generally and lingerie in particular has exploded in recent years. Larger sized women have a difficult time finding attractive styles that fit them and catering to them has become big business. Nearly every major lingerie brand has a line of intended for voluptuous women. Even Allure Leather has its Diva line meant for bigger women. The very desirable Shirley of Hollywood brand makes plus sizes of nearly all their products. As a rule plus size items cost a little more than traditional sizes at both the wholesale and retail levels.Another more specialized niche of the lingerie business that could prove profitable is the specialized bra made for women who have had mastectomies. Women who have had the surgery still want attractive and alluring bras but needless to say can have tremendous trouble finding them. This is particularly true of women residing in rural areas. Mastectomy bras normally retail for $40 or more. A well-selected and carefully marketed line of mastectomy bras could provide a valuable service to the customer while proving profitable to the retailer.Whether simple and practical cotton, romantic lace, or erotic leather lingerie is a cornerstone of women’s apparel. The market is huge and expanding, every taste is catered to, and the wholesale supply is plentiful.Art Mickelwraith is the author of the Wholesale Buyer’s Guide at TopTenWholesale.com. He can be reached at artmicklewraith@gmail.com.

1. Recharge Marketing Plans
2. Stalk Hot Merchandise Trends and Brands Before Buying
3. Take This Tax Break Before December 31
4. Take a Break: It’s Not All Doom & Gloom. Niche and Segmented Markets Still Live.

1. Recharge the Marketing Plan

Still searching for uni-size undies and SmartPhone batteries that never fail? Why would your Marketing Plan – however glitzy the charts or humble the Action Lists – still be chugging along on the same old assumptions from three financial quarters back?? Stuff happens.

Every wholesale apparel source or retail chain store buyer … every mid-sized jewelry reseller or no-warehouse eCommerce dropshipper of fashion accessories … every buyer/seller in the merchandise chain needs a marketing plan. No Worries: Writing a good marketing blueprint is not like thrashing out that intimidating Business Plan Thesis due at the end of M.B.A. courses.

Start with an easy package, like Marketing Plan Pro from Palo Alto. Don’t be distracted by cool tools to make pretty graphics or complex spreadsheets with embedded ROI formulas. The most important work for any marketing plan is Answer the Questions:

What’s your Brand or Business Identity? Being the “Best Source of Men’s Apparel” is not a brand ID. Being the “Lowest-price Source of Off-Price and Closeout Men’s Outerwear and Boots” is a specific market identity.

What’s the Marketing Budget and Will You Stick To It? Marketing Plan software will prompt you to set a budget; list media, trade shows and search engine advertising activities you’ll buy, and make you set measures to know if the media you chose worked.

For example, How many visitors must come to your web site from the Pre-Valentine’s Diamond Discount pay-per-click ads you run — through two different search engines — for that campaign to be cost effective? High cyber foot traffic may not be your goal (though it could be to build brand awareness or drive offline retail store sales). What if you set ad success as X% of Traffic Converts to a Sale; or X% Purchase a Minimum $ Amount? Stick to your plan budget and you’ll know which ad networks are clearly keepers, and which are flawed stones.

Watch out for shiny objects thrown by marketing vendors who promise amazing Return on Ad Spend! Or, guaranteed high Click-Through-Rates! If it’s not in your marketing plan, then it may be a budget-buster. Back-burner it for next time.

Resources: Check out Marketing Plan Pro. For search marketing options targeted to the wholesale clothing, jewelry and merchandise sector, see Advertise At Top Ten Wholesale . Want to see a list of off-price and closeout men’s coats? Search Top Ten Wholesale for Men’s Off-Price Clothing. 

2. Buyer Resolution: Stalk Hot Products & Brands

Scan Most Frequently Searched Products and Brands. These are charts of what wholesale and retail buyers and sellers like you are searching for in the global supply marketplace. Like the hottest women’s shoe brands or designer look-alike handbags. Like whether the term iPod or Nano draws the most interest in electronics. Like whether Abercrombie & Fitch is hotter than The Gap, or if Steve and Barry’s blows both retail chain brands out of the water.

See Top Ten Wholesale Trends  and click the button trend spotter to pull plots of specific search terms, which are filtered from over 20,000 buy/sell searches a day at Top Ten Wholesale search sites. For example, searches on “Handbags” from the previous 30 days:

Stalk Celebrity Trends … Consumers Do. Spy on Glitterati Celebrities who design, sell, distribute or just plain model hot women’s fashions, shoes and accessories. Fashion Mavens have been known to upload photos of their fave celebs to visual search site Like.com and then find matching look-alike items they can buy themselves.

Scan Celebrity Designer Lines Come In All Price Points from our WholesaleU Blog. Get the skinny on Sarah Jessica Parker’s Bitten line – copied from her Sex In the City wardrobe – and where teen and 20-something fans on a budget find SJP’s clothes. Get fashion gossip on Las Hermanas Cruz (Penelope and sister Monica) who design classic clothes in classic black-n-white, which they launched through Spanish chain store Mango. For eco-aware shoe buyers: See superstar Nathalie Portman, whose Te Casan women’s shoes skipped the leather. (Cruelty-free but still gorgeous shoes and sandals.)

3. Take this Employer Tax Break By December 31

• Much as you relish building your business and staring down the challenge of making margins, admit that you want to retire comfortably some day. It’s difficult to keep up with day-to-day business ops, put out brush fires (product that never arrives for the trade show exhibit; product safety recalls before big toy-buying holidays), and also keep up with employment and tax regs.
•  If you have employees who contribute to their own retirement nest eggs, be sure you take the full tax deduction available through a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan, tailored to small business owners.
•  With traditional 401(k) retirement plans, an employer’s tax deduction depends on how many employees participate in the company’s retirement savings plan: If all of your employees do not contribute to a 401(k), then your deduction against taxable income is limited by formula.
•  If, however, you shop around for an inexpensive Safe Harbor 401(k) (a plan that does not have high administrative fees), then you can take the full deduction against business income … regardless of how many employees contribute to their own savings plans. The difference: If as an employer you match a modest percentage of participating employees’ pay and then allocate those funds to an employee benefits account, the Safe Harbor 401(k) allows you to take the full pre-tax business deduction for yourself … regardless of how few or how little employees contribute.
•  It may sound like a draw — contributing more pre-tax money to an employee retirement fund only to get a maximum deduction on your business taxes. In fact, the tax advantage of the full deduction usually outweighs an employer’s contributions to this Safe Harbor 401(k). Matching contributions to an employee benefits account can be as modest as four or five percent; and you are entitled to the full tax deduction even if only one, or five or ten, employees participate.

This is not legal advice. Be sure to consult with your tax accountant and financial planner to weigh the costs and tax consequences of different business retirement plans. For instance, a SIMPLE IRA plan is favored by many small businesses because it has low administrative fees and requires less government reporting. However, a SIMPLE IRA also has lower contribution limits and, therefore, much lower tax deduction benefits to employers.

4. Cheer Up, Sellers: It’s Not Doom and Gloom Everywhere

This is not a Pollyana Prediction.

And, isn’t it hard to not chew on glass when we learn part of the $700 Billion shuttled from our taxpayer accounts to crash-and-burn mortgage, investment and insurance giants has been re-distributed in fat “merit” bonus checks and lavish vacations … to the same folks who piloted their Wall Street corporate gliders into the Grand Canyon! (What was that election blather about redistributing wealth as a Communist plot? Guess it depends on whose buckaroos get passed around.)

Basta. Enough. C’est la suffit. Problem with global 24/7 news bytes and reporting the Rule of the Averages is that you miss the Minority Reports: I know what mass layoffs and mortgage meltdown have done to much of Michigan; but I live in another part of the so-called Rust Belt where housing prices have held steady and new home construction is perking along. (We never had a housing bubble like the one that blew over Florida, California and Nevada. Nothing to burst.)

Segments of consumer buyer-retail markets also seem recession-proof. Look at commerce niches:

Luxury Jewelry, Watches, Accessories The uber-wealthy are always with us, yes? Carriage Trade products, such as high priced, one-of-a-kind, handcrafted jewelry and luxury goods, cater to label- and designer-conscious shoppers. They shop and thrive even during downturns.

What may have shifted is the desire to “tone it down” or not engage in conspicuous displays of wealth. Did you hear that Hollywood C-lister, Lindsay Lohan, got “floured” at a Paris night spot? Different “e” (ethical treatment of animals) and not economy – Lohan was wearing a fur stole. Some Parisians thought the skin looked better on the small furry animal that used to wear it.

Still, Fashion Trend Reports suggest that goods at the luxury end of the shopping scale are now purchased as wearable — if not easily liquidated – investments. Even shoppers who don’t fall in the top 0.05% of the tax code may splurge on gold, platinum and diamond/emerald/ruby jewelry or jeweled clothing accessories. The purchases are a displacement for more conspicuous activities, like buying up to a bigger home or ordering the latest sports car every new model year. See Jewelry Wholesalers . Luxury jewelry suppliers list their Special Collections and Design-to-Order manufacturing facilities.

What Recession? Brand Week reported on a sizable group of shoppers who are not uber-wealthy (above segment), but neither are they cutting back on clothes, shoes and accessories.

STATS: Estimated eight percent of women in the U.S., totaling 5,400,000 million retail shoppers. An online survey sponsored by a women’s magazine concluded this still-spending group is aged late 20s or early 30s (median age was 29) whose median household income is barely 1/3 of the tax bracket that trips off proposed wealth taxes — $62,000. Just over half work full-time and spend close to $3,000 a year on shoes, clothing and fashion accessories.

Small and mid-sized eCommerce sellers of women’s apparel and footwear can profitably target this niche with marketing programs that feature age and lifestyle demographics, market word-of-mouse through social media channels that attract this age/gender profile, and with special incentives or services that retain the loyalty of this still-spending segment.

Selling Simple. Bad News for restaurateurs. Good News for manufacturers, distributors and wholesale sellers of Kitchen Utensils, Small Appliances, Cookbooks  and Specialty Foods. Fewer people are eating out or ordering in meals more than two days a week (compared to three-to-five days per week before). More lifestyle advertising depicts family entertainment as watching DVDs or on-demand films at home. (This trend was called “cocooning” during the last major economic downturn in the early 1990s.)

Eco-Conscious Clothing, Personal Electronics and Household Products are seeing upticks in consumer demand, even at prices that are higher than warehouse and discount store merchandise driven by lowest-price strategies.

Scan a persistent Green Niche in the apparel and gift markets at Global ECO — Environmentally Conscious and Organic, a trade and fashion show co-located with major international trade show ASAP Global every August in Las Vegas. Focus is on earth-friendly clothing designs, sustainable textiles, green products and strategies for conventional retailers who want to convert non-performing square footage into green boutiques.

As online shopping has become more popular, we’ve seen a decline in physical store sales. In 2015, Sears Holdings closed more than 200 Sears and Kmart stores across the country. Some people believe that the sales have declined due to poor customer service, but really, it is the result of changing customer habits.

Here are a few reasons why brick-and-mortar sales have gone down.

The customers no longer want to be told what to buy, or be constrained to purchasing what is in the stores. Why should they be, when they have a multitude of online options from which to choose from and compare prices?

Customers have become more savvy when it comes to knowing how to get what they want. Besides brick-and-mortar stores, they can also choose from the online stores of popular brands, designers, special boutiques or even third party sellers. They know that purchasing in store at that moment might not be the best deal for them.

Online shopping offers an experience that physical stores can’t: comfort. For those that are uncomfortable with physical interaction, online buying can allow them to purchase a whole new wardrobe without talking to a single person. It’s convenient for those without reliable transportation or someone who has trouble leaving the house.

It’s also just easier for those who don’t feel like getting out and fighting crowds. Why should they, when they can buy the same thing with a click without changing out of their pajamas?

Sales have become more gimmicky. While it was once a way to draw crowds into the store, customers have now come to expect markdowns and discounts. Stores may try to keep it up to keep customers coming in, but frequent sales devalue the merchandise. No one wants to purchase anything for full price if they know waiting a little while will practically guarantee a discount.

Retailers need to change their direction if they want to continue bringing customers into the store. If shopping is seen as a chore instead of a fun experience, no one wants to shop. The stores can try different marketing to bring in consumers, including omnichannel efforts. While in-store, customers can use their devices or in-store kiosks to purchase additional items while they are there.

Own a brick and mortar style store? You might be interested in: Reinvention Of Brick And Mortar Is The Key To Success 

In the end, physical stores are needed, especially for industries where customers need their products right away or in an emergency. They just need to change their tactics for engaging customers and getting them in the door.

by Claudia Bruemmer

Cool Jewels by Phillips International offers a wide selection of wholesale trendy jewelry at fabulous discount prices. Its fashion jewelry lines include Children’s Jewelry, Mood Jewelry, First Friends Necklaces, Fossil Shark Tooth Necklaces, Hemp Necklaces, Wholesale Beach Jewelry, Wholesale Shell Jewelry, Trendy Boutique Jewelry and many fashion accessories.

Buyers can choose from an endless selection of Mood Jewelry pendants at Cool Jewels which range from Dolphins and Sea Turtles to Mood Best Friends and Mood Peace Signs. The Mood Jewelry collection includes Mood Necklaces, Mood Bracelets, Mood Rings, and even Mood Anklets and Mood Earrings.

Another hot selling item at Cool Jewels is its exciting assortment of trendy Wholesale Shark Tooth Necklaces. Museums, Zoos and Aquariums would enjoy the high margin sales of shark tooth jewelry but are unable to carry fossils. Cool Jewels has developed a replica fossil shark tooth jewelry line that fits the bill. The shark teeth are available in both Great White shark and Otodus teeth replicas. They are hand made and finished to display a genuine look with uncanny accuracy. The Shark Tooth Necklaces come with a “Fossil Shark Tooth Replica” sticker on the front of the header tag. All shark tooth jewelry are a part of Cool Jewels’ Wholesale Beach Jewelry line. You can call to find out which styles are best sellers at 1-800-432-3636.

Cool Jewels is the best source for Wholesale Boutique Jewelry. Feel free to browse through all the latest trends in this upscale fashion jewelry section, which includes necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Buyers will find some unique jewelry styles to complement their costume jewelry offerings, which always brings quick, easy sales. In fact, sales across the country are increasing on boutique jewelry. Even as consumers tighten their purse strings, women are always looking for something to complement a new outfit. Boutiques across the country are turning to costume jewelry suppliers for fashionable and trendy boutique jewelry that fits any budget. You can get high margins and quick sales with these lovely boutique styles, most items which will retail for $19.99.

We asked Cool Jewels what makes so many of their buyers come back year after year. The reply was, “We take the time to answer any questions on the phone, and we collect data that shows which styles sell quickly and easily. Buyers appreciate the information and our friendly service.”

With over 34 years of experience serving the fashion industry, Phillips International is a respected and leading supplier of Souvenir, Fashion and Trendy Jewelry. Cool Jewels has a knowledgeable customer service department that is always happy to help and offer advice for buyers’ fashion jewelry needs. Call any time at 1-800-432-3636.

by Claudia Bruemmer

If you’re looking for chic fashions and accessories in all the latest styles, Clothing Showroom offers beautiful merchandise at huge discounts. In fact, they deliver the latest fashions and the best quality at 30 to 80 percent below wholesale prices! This wholesale clothing distributor is located in Los Angeles in the heart of the garment district. Their warehouse is loaded with fashions right off the runway. Now is the time to order fall fashions and evening wear for the coming holiday season.

 Clothing Showroom has been providing quality goods and support to hundreds of thousands of customers for many years. They have daily new arrivals so they always provide the most up-to-date fashion clothing and accessories for women, men and kids. Just look at all the clothing items they stock.

• Tops
• Dresses
• Plus Sizes
• Bottoms/Jeans
• Dancewear
• Junior Fashions
• Maternity
• Playboy
• Jackets/Sweaters
• Kaelyn/Max/Ava
• ActiveWear
• Swim Wear
• Intimate
• Handbags
• Candles-Diffusers
• Jewelry
• Belts
• Nail Polish
• Fragrances
• Cosmetics
• Sunglasses
• Mens Apparel
• Kids Apparel

And that’s not all; they have deals and sale items from which to choose. Buyers can do all their clothing and accessories shopping in one place and get the best prices and terms.

We asked Jonathan of Clothing Showroom how the company manages to successfully satisfy thousands of customers day in and day out. “We are dedicated to customer service excellence and we provide experienced sales representatives. We also provide cooperative marketing and sales operation programs for our customers,” said Jonathan. “Not only that, we offer customer service via phone, email and live chat to better serve our customers,” he added. “In fact, we have a full staff of people dedicated to making shopping at Clothing Showroom a satisfying and convenient experience,” said Jonathan.

Clothing Showroom provides the best fashion merchandise along with the convenience of shipping the same business day to their customers’ home or work. They are always expanding their inventory and offer more than just wholesale apparel. From trendy fashion accessories to cosmetics or jewelry, they offer a full line of merchandise. With the holidays coming up, they have a variety of scents to their lineup that includes candles, diffusers, room mists and potpourri.

Clothing Showroom has been distributing wholesale clothing and accessories since 2004, and they sell to boutiques and websites around the world. If you are ever in Los Angeles, they encourage their customers to take a tour of their warehouse to see how they operate.

You can check out their daily new arrivals that include hot wholesale tops, dresses, denim jeans, skirts, leggings, swim wear, and plus size clothing. They also carry a large selection of wholesale fashion accessories including handbags and purses, fashion jewelry, belts, trendy fashion sunglasses, fragrances, sandals, and nail polish — all at competitive prices.

You can visit Clothing Showroom online or in their Los Angeles warehouse for all your needs in wholesale apparel and wholesale fashion accessories at bargain closeout prices.

With Mardi Gras coming up in just about a month from now, there is a lot of preparation, expectation, and excitement about this new year and a new beginning… so what better way to get in the mood than to enjoy the celebration of “Fat Tuesday” with thousands of other people across the world? Of course some of us will be in New Orleans, and most of us will not (like me!) but the fun doesn’t have to stop there! If you’re planning to supply your customers with the best in this year’s holiday fun, be sure to check the pages of Toptenwholesale.com to see what’s shakin’ in the world of the wildest masks, costumes, and festival accessories to be found throughout the wholesaler network. On the other hand, you could see what other companies and wholesalers are doing to commemorate the event, by promoting fresh new themed goods.

Katydid Collection is one of the apparel wholesalers who will be making the most of this year’s Mardi Gras, by offering a carnival-inspired motif on an exciting new line of V-necked Tees that are sure to turn heads and add to the fun! Just in time for the season, these shirts are available in purple, yellow, black, and white, with a vibrant screen-printed fleur de lis (stylized French lily) design on them. Along with the amazing bold graphics comes the popular Mardi Gras festival motto Laissez les bons temps rouler, which translates to “Let the good times roll!”

You’ll find crystal rhinestones trimming the fleur de lis image on the front and back – and as with all products made by Katydid Collection – the quality is top-notch. It’s worth noting that repeat customers typically return for the exceptional quality of these garments, and the company insists on the highest standards for the label. As an added thought, the entire apparel line is made in the USA, which ensures the highest level of quality control, without the compromise. These fitted, cotton tees retail for $29.95 with women’s sizes available from small to XXXL, and exact tee measurements can be found online, if there’s any doubt about how to market these beautiful pieces to your customers. The Mardi Gras women’s tee is available for retail purchase beginning today at katydidcollection.com or for wholesale purchase by contacting info@katydidcollection.com.

Katydid Collection is a Dallas-based women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing label which includes casual tees, tanks, dresses, handbags and accessories. The national lifestyle brand, featuring popular motifs mixed with unexpected patterns, is sold online and in boutiques across the USA… so why not make this a product that helps you in your quest to bring big sales in with the new year as you Find it. Source it. Profit!

Nielsen Online’s latest green marketing study measured buzz in social media/blogs who focus on sustainable business: Production Process, Waste, Fair Labor/Trade Procurement, Sourcing and Shipping’s carbon footprint across the globe. That may sound a little crunchy granola to wholesalers focused on price points, breaking lots, shaving dropshipping costs, etc. But aggregate consumer demand for greener lifestyles is marching up the supplier chain, to manufacturers above us and retailers below.

Nielsen’s green buzz report helps us understand what’s important to consumers, by pulling opinions and searches on sustainability from over 70,000,000 blogs, message boards, review sites and communities in Sustainability Through The Eyes and Megaphones of the Blogosphere. Here are highline tips on Green Marketing, from Nielsen Online’s report and other green market watchers. Sustainability blog Triple Pundit says, “For too long business thought of itself as separate.”

Source fairly but use a small voice. In the Food and Beverage category of Fair Trade (sourcing commodity coffee beans), social bloggers applauded Dunkin’ Donuts’ soft voice in sourcing beans that are 100% Certified Fair Trade. But they are skeptical of the loud self-congratulations used by Starbucks for its identical fair trade purchasing. (Starbucks was too greenwashy, covered below.)

Country-of-origin product sourcing IS an issue. Ask pet food, toothpaste and children’s toy importers in 2007. Lead-paint and toxic contamination of toys imported from China became regular product safety warning news stories. While the largest toy resellers (Dollar Stores, specialty toy merchandisers) tested import toy lines to soothe buyer fears, brand China took a big hit. U.S. toy buyers were stunned by a fact of global free trade: Domestic toy makers – Hasbro, Lincoln Logs – had shut U.S. manufacturing sites the previous five years for cheaper, offshore production.

Forbes editor for China Robyn Meredith suggests DIY quality control. For American companies who buy Chinese goods and put American brand names on them, the import market is still Buyer Beware. Meredith says China’s product safety laws are not enforced, and the business environment among Chinese suppliers to U.S. factories is “cutthroat.” She notes that 30% of the world’s toys came from China in 2000; but by 2005, 75% of ALL toys were Made in China. And the reality is that wholesalers and resellers must track import safety. Health and safety standards are not currently enforced by either government … or it only comes after-the-fact, when bad news has already tanked sales.

Honesty is the most sustainable policy. It sounds like anti-marketing, but what about a clothing manufacturer that set up its corporate web site to Pro/Con rate its own products, warts and all? That’s exactly what Ventura, CA-based Patagonia clothing company did with its Footprint Chronicles. Under “The Good,” Patagonia shows its Wool 2 Crew sweater: Wool from well-run New Zealand sheep ranches; Dyes free of heavy metals; Fair Labor sewing factory. Next to it, under “The Bad,” Patagonia lists the long carbon/energy footprint this Wool 2 Crew leaves through four countries, from commodity wool shipments to dyeing and sewing to Port of L. A. and a Distribution Center in Reno, NV … a 16,200-mile hegira from sheep to shopper; design to delivery. Not sustainable.

Just what you’d expect from an up-brand, high-priced clothing manufacturer, right? But this is by design. Patagonia states: “Our reason for being is to make the best product and cause no unnecessary harm.” Bloggers in the search marketing world hear echoes in Google’s corporate mission “To index the world’s information” and “To do no evil.”

Using technology for transparency. Google announced in Fall 2007 that it could pop up at neighborhood gas stations with driving directions to local sites, merchant ads and compared gas prices. Sounds user friendly. Some bloggers suggest instead that Google use that muscular localization technology to track the carbon footprint of, say, food products, expanding the “locavores” (locally-produced-food eaters), using tech for sustainable, local farms vs. factory-farm agri-business.

A network of “environmentalists, ecological economists and green entrepreneurs” that calls itself Adbusters.org wants this same use of online technology to build a better bar-code scanner for cell phones, helping us make green purchase decisions: Pick a product, swipe the code, get Green light (sustainable product) or Red light (manufactured with sweatshop labor or pesticides.)

Bottom line is: Look at carbon footprints and sustainable ops down the entire manufacture-to-sale chain. Even warts like Patagonia’s 16,000-mile sweater get points for transparency and honesty.

Color sustainable clothing green. Demand for nontoxic clothing and sustainable design grows as part of the apparel industry’s buyer decision path. New green demands have to do with how clothing was made, from fibers to sewing shops, herbicides to non-toxic dyes. See: Summer Rayne Oakes, an Alternative Resources major who turned fashion model and eco-style icon. Her consulting firm SRO found a 50,000% increase in eco-aware clothing designers since 2002 … not counting musician Bono, whose organic clothing line Edun appears in traditional trade show spaces (NY Fashion Week).

Speaking of green apparel trade shows: The Global ECO — Environmentally Conscious and Organic — Apparel Trade & Fashion Show debuted in Las Vegas barely a year ago (May 2007). ECO is an Environmental Wholesale Trade Show, focused on earth-friendly fashionable clothing designs, sustainable textiles, eco products and green information. (Another ECO mission is to help conventional retailers convert under-performing retail space into green boutiques.) Pioneer ECO exhibitors include Bamboo Eco Wear, Fiberactive Organics, Organic Cotton Company, Paper and Nature Products. See www.globalecoshow.com for info about ECO Las Vegas in August 2008.

Greenwash peels. Greenwashing is a business’ attempt to mislead about its environmental practices or benefits of its products/services. Sometimes it is in-your-face, such as a multinational oil company claiming it is eco-friendly, using flower power images in corporate ads. (Nielsen’s qualitative assessment of greenwash threads tagged this “Incongruous with Company/Industry.” Ahem.)

In the Retail category on reducing excess product packaging, Nielson’s tracked bloggers gave credit to Wal-Mart for at least trying with a plastic bag reduction program; but this green action was viewed with suspicion when consumers weighed other parts of W-M policy, such as labor and healthcare, or its sometimes predatory relationships with its own suppliers. (Competing retailer Target was rated more green – not greenwashed – for the same plastic bag recycling action.)

Suspect greenwashing spills over to non-profits, whose motives are clear (Breast Cancer Research), but whose co-marketers are not, such as promising donations to girls’ health if we buy the retailer’s personal care products. As noted above, both Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts source Fair Trade coffee beans. But Starbucks is judged to use “excessive PR” to broadcast its “Doing Good.”

This final tip to wholesalers goes back to transparency and consistency in green marketing. As Jessica Hogue, Nielsen Online’s research director put it: “Bloggers are a highly skeptical consumer group. They are quick to condemn greenwashing when they suspect companies misrepresent their environmental impact with aggressive PR campaigns.” Still, green is the way the world goes.

Former One Direction member Zayn Malik has teamed up with Italian designer Guiseppe Zanotti to create a new line of men’s shoes.  The R&B solo artist has long been known for his affinity for high end, fresh off the runway styles, and the fashion world isn’t surprised to welcome this collaboration.  Though Malik has risen to stardom through his music, he’s quickly become recognized as a man with an eye for fashion, even winning GQ’s “best dressed” Play-Offs. In an interview with GQ, he described his style as “scruffy”, but has also worn such designers as Valentino and Versace.

Malik has created a line of four shoes for Zanotti. Each shoe is embossed with a “Giuseppe x Zayn” logo, and styles include a military-style sneaker boot, a thick-soled sneaker with side zipper, leather ankle boots with front zipper and a heavy leather boot with side zipper detail. All are suedes or leather, and all are neutral or black.

Zanotti has described Malik as a “fashion icon”, and described his style as having an “easy coolness” combined with “modern rebel”.  While it’s obvious that renowned designer Zanotti has an appreciation for Malik’s own sense of style, it would seem that this respect is mutual. Zayn Malik has compared his own music to Zanotti’s designs, stating that both were bold art created by artists unafraid to say what they needed to say.

Zanotti recently completed a design project with Jennifer Lopez.

The much anticipated line of shoes will be available on January 28, and will range in price from $795 to $1295. Zanotti’s creations are available in select boutiques worldwide, but shoe connoisseurs can also find them at giuseppezanottidesign.com.

TopTenWholesale News would like to welcome the Founder of www.OnlineBoutiquesMBA.com—Viktoria Kanevsky—as a guest author. Viktoria is an apparel industry veteran in the online retail space and has created a curriculum to follow for those who are starting and running a B2C website on a small budget or limited resources and becoming profitable.

Starting an online store seems like a no-brainer – purchase merchandise, snap a product shot, upload it on the website and watch the money flow in. After over ten years of full-time jobs and clients’ consulting, I start our conversation with these non-negotiable statements:

• The online fashion/accessories/beauty business is like a puzzle. Even if one piece is missing, the picture will never be complete. In turn, I can guarantee you results only if you follow my recommendations from A to Z.
• If you don’t have: a budget, resources, basic retail/online marketing knowledge or ample free time- maybe consider to start another kind of business. Or you could always marry rich.

Some clients call me “The Money Fairy.” But, before becoming one, mistakes were made, money was lost, some jobs failed and tears were shed.

Here is a list of things I wish I had known before I started my online business

1. Don’t go into business without knowledge & experience.

• My friend who owns a wildly successful restaurant, told me once that he can do any job, except singing. I completely agree with this concept. If you run a small business you have to have knowledge regarding every aspect of it, otherwise someone will rip you off.

2. Drop shipping vs. Inventory Stock

• Buying and keeping actual inventory is a risk. However, when you spend money on marketing, have a successful sale, but can’t fulfill the order because your vendor was “sold out” its bad. Now you are out not only money, but also a new customer. If you cannot fill a new customers’ order, you’ve lost them.
• Large retailers tend to have very strict drop shipping contracts so their vendors always have an extra stock for them. But, if you are a small guy, you won’t have that same luxury.
• Majority of time you won’t see the product beforehand, so you cannot guarantee quality. Flying blind is not good for consumer goods’ based business.
• When you have actual product on-hand, you have full control over photography and styling.

3. Too much inventory

• A couple of years ago I was working with top Hollywood PR Company while putting together a campaign with YouTube talent. The campaign manager suggested overstocking product because she thought the YouTube diva would sell a lot, but she did not. Lesson learned.
• If you are not sure if the product will sell, start by buying couple of packs at first.
• Be honest on your site, tell that this item is the only one available.
• Make sure that your inventory management system (or your assistant) will remove the product from the site immediately after it is sold.

4. Product selection- how well do you know your customer?

• Remember, what you like and what your customers want are two seperate things.
• Don’t pretend to serve everybody and go too broad. Pick a small niche segment.
• If you know who your customers are, but don’t know they think, like or want, hire a buyer with experience. Once, my marketing team spent two weeks tracking down our customers on social media and putting together a customer profile. After we understood who our customers  were and what they wanted, sales increased overnight.

5. On-demand production – avoid at any cost

• Nowadays large retailers deliver the same day. Production on-demand takes time and leads to customers’ loss.
• Production costs of single units are high – be aware of your profit margins and competitors’ pricing.
• Marketing efforts do not pay off for production on-demand
• Use production on-demand ONLY if you sell unique product that can’t be found elsewhere. Than specify exact production time.

6. Influencers’ choice & collaboration

• Make sure that influencer’s audience and your customer niche are matches.
• Negotiate in advance down to the detail. You have the right to know what the content influencer is going to post. But, let them create content in accordance with their own personal brand because that’s what their audience wants to see.
• Each big influencer considers themselves a superstar, so be prepared to deal with a “star attitude.”
• Sign a contract in advance, and be prepared to pay in advance as well.

7. Business Loan / Personal business card financing

• Start paying your Small Business Loan the next month after taking it. Unless you have a list of established customers who are waiting for your product or you presold something, stay as far as possible from a small business loan.
• Think several times before putting business expenses on your personal cards
• Don’t take money from friends and family unless you are 99% sure of what you are doing.

8. Friends in the workplace

• Hiring friends or making friends with your hires is not a good idea.
• You have to hire fast, dedicated, willing to learn people who you can replace on the spot if they don’t perform to the level you expect them.

9. Small budgets & limited resources

• Budgets can be small. But, you have to have up to six months of living expenses, marketing and inventory budgets.
• If you spreading yourself thin and are unable to sleep at night or feed your family, you will constantly be stressed and miserable. This usually leads to failure. Happiness, courage, and passion will lead to success.

10. Online Retail is a profitable business and fashion is fun

• This is a major misconception. Yes, your business can be profitable if your margins are high and overheads are low. But, your product must be more or less unique. You will need a list of existing customers and to know what you are doing.
• Fashion is fun, but running online retail store has lots of tedious tasks that have to done on daily basis and chances are pretty high that you have to be doing them yourself.

To sum it up – calculate carefully all your pros and cons before jumping in “fun” business with “easy & fast” money.

Finding your niche is an arduous task. Some people go on sabbaticals, many spend their youth trying on every job for size and others never find it at all. Yet, for a business person, this is one of the most crucial tasks one must complete. A business without a direction is a ship with no sail and is destined to not go far. And, there is no one size fits all model. Instead you must determine which avenue will be most successful for you personally. Many entrepreneurs have decided that the wholesale business for them is the most fruitful.

So you have determined that wholesale will generate the most profit, now determining the specialization is key. Fashion has always been an aspirational industry and one that touches the lives of every person everyday. Now everyone knows that to generate a healthy bottom line, you must provide consumers with a product or service that they both want and need. That is why apparel can prove so successful.

 So You Want to Be in Fashion?

Maybe you’ve dreamed of owning your own boutique. As a child you would peruse boutiques with your mother and loved being able to touch and interact with garments in endless colors and unique fabrics. The store owner was always so sweet and from her conversation with you to and her inviting interior, she made you feel at home. Now, you’ve decided to create the same experience for others by opening your own brick and mortar store.

Maybe instead you are a a tech savvy guru who lives and breathes everything digital? What excites you is the challenge of creating a sleek and aesthetically pleasing website that is intuitive to your consumer. They can be brought into your world from the comfort of theirs. Either way you choose to do it, wholesale is the heartbeat of your business.

Buy Low, Sell High

“Buy low, sell high,” is basically the first commandment of any wholesale business. Apparel is no different. So how do you maximize your profit margins? The answer is buying inventory with prices low as possible. And, one of the easiest ways to do that is by buying in bulk. A good apparel liquidator or wholesale supplier is your best friend. What do best friends do? They have your back of course. In the wholesale business, having your back is not only in the form of low prices but also in providing you with the right quality for your brand’s price point.

Getting the quality that you and your customer deserves, is best accomplished by creating partnerships with liquidators and distributors that specialize, or have a strong selection of apparel. If you go with a broad-based supplier, you run the risk of them having a relatively low selection of apparel. Since it is not their only offering they may only have a few channels in which they receive it. On the other end of the spectrum, one that specializes in and/or one in which clothing makes up a large part of their business, will yield best results. It is through them that you can use discretion in finding what you need and also allowing you to buy large quantities.

So you think you’ve found a supplier. Their niche is apparel and they have product categories ranging from infants, to kids, to menswear, to womenswear. You think your job is over and it is not until you’ve taken some time to investigate their standing in the business sector. They say that reputation is everything and they’re right. In regards to your supplier, their reputation can and will directly affect yours. If your wholesaler does not complete deliveries on time, sells damaged goods, has poor quality items, then your business will not be one consumers can rely on to meet their needs.

This also goes both ways as a relationship is a two-way street. If you do not make your payments on time, cancel orders and bids last minute and basically lack any sort of business etiquette or tact, you wont go far. It is best to find suppliers that suit your needs and create lasting and loyal partnerships. Many distributors will even offer benefits such as lower prices on pallets and on shipping to their most trusted partners.

Profiting Big.

As we touched on earlier, a key to a profitable company is in meeting consumers wants and needs. So what can your business do to be more profitable? Meet more of their needs by offering more products! Diversification is key to this as long as it is on par with your brand. A clothing retailer has a great opportunity to do this because it can offer items for the whole family under one roof. Womenwear, menswear and childrenswear does not have to be mutually exclusive. Some of the most successful brands such as Old Navy, The Gap, H&M and more have turned themselves into a one stop shop.

This is clearly an an article filled with clichés and here comes another- “Timing is everything.” This is true when it comes to relationships, opportunities and of course fashion. Fashion literally comes out in seasons making time be of utmost importance. Cashing in this business requires awareness of the lifecycle of a season. As a consumer who is in the market for a classic trench coat would find the best deals not at the height of winter but instead as Spring is approaching and stores are trying to clear shelves for new merchandise. As a retailer you can employ the same tactic with your supplier. When doing this though, be mindful of trends. Holding onto and storing trendy pieces for next season is a risk in the fickle fashion industry. This is best reserved for classic pieces that stay in style year after year.

Like any area of business, wholesale has its ups and downs, highs and lows, and its pros and cons. And in the fashion aspect and your taking on the nuances of a whole other industry. Armed with a clear brand identity, some research on the industry and target customer and you’ve got yourself a business. Add in a few reliable and trusted suppliers and now you’ve got yourself a success. Direct Liquidation is a trusted and reliable supplier with a large variety of product that includes clothing. They carry quality product that is ready for the rack once it is received by you. They have 6 locations placed in the US and Canada, your business will quickly receive shipments to its stores or headquarters.

Get started online today or call for more information at 1-800-679-9451.

Post from guest author Viktoria Kanevsky. Originally published on vkecom.com

Download FREE Fashion & Lifestyle Business Plan Workbook

How to get traffic to your website is the number one question every online store owner/manager has. Two main ways to get targeted traffic from new customers (acquisition) and returning ones (retention) are organic traffic and paid advertisement.

When I was running E-Commerce for large companies, we invested in each organic and paid method. Also, when I started my boutique, I still ran each channel on a tiny budget and resources. Smaller online fashion and lifestyle stores & boutiques with limited budgets and resources need a channel roadmap that works precisely.

HOW TO GET TRAFFIC TO YOUR WEBSITE TO AQUIRE FIRST TIME CUSTOMERS

ORGANIC TRAFFIC 

So what is organic traffic? It is when potential customers find your website via search engines and social media channels without you paying for advertisement. I want to make it clear that organic traffic does not mean completely free. You will need either to hire a professional to set everything up or to teach yourself.

SEO is the number one method. Unfortunately, it is the most mysterious process. Every boutique owner or manufacturer knows SEO is a must, but very few people know what it is, how it works, and what needs to be done.

SEO is the set of techniques that help people to find your website on Google by typing particular words. SEO can be complicated, but here are the essentials:

There are three main parts of SEO: On-Page, Off-Page, and Local

1) On-page SEO is the set of techniques implemented inside of your website. You optimize text, images, and meta tags as a minimum. There is a long on page SEO elements, but it’s a topic for the separate SEO article.

On-page SEO is an original keyword-based text for each page of your store. You research keywords, create a list and “plant” keywords’ based text in store’s categories, subcategories, and product pages so you will receive steady traffic over time in the future. Each image on your website must have a keyword based name and pages have meta tags. It is the simplest way to describe your on-page SEO.

Using keywords in product descriptions, you let Search engines know what you are selling so they can show your products to potential customers.  For example, three years ago I accidentally bought several crown shaped mirrors at the gift show. I researched related keywords and created an original product description for this mirror. Now my store is showing up on the first page every time someone types in Google “Crown-Shaped Mirror”)

2) Off-page SEO is the combination of backlinks and Social Media signals. It is when quality websites link back to your store (inbound links) and people like, comment, and share your content on Social Media. Linked websites’ quality determined by how much a site is related to your store (for example if you sell apparel, you want fashion blogger link back to you) and Domain Authority (DA) metric. Large agencies charge up to $500 of one backlink with domain authority 21-41, $1000 for domain authority 42-57, and $2000+ for one backlink with domain authority higher than 58.

Implementing influencer marketing is a fantastic idea because when bloggers/YouTubers link back to your site, you will receive not only sales but lifetime organic SEO.

Social Signals such as likes, shares, and comments you receive via Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. are also indicators that your site will show up higher in Search Engines.

3) Local SEO (even if you don’t have a B&M) location is a must. As a minimum, you have to create Google My Business page and optimize it with local keywords (keyword+ city). Also, you have to add identical NAP (name, address, phone) to citations (websites and directories). And then to optimize for Bing Local, Apple Maps, Yelp (if you have a B&M location) and all other applicable sites

ORGANIC TRAFFIC FROM BLOG AND SOCIAL MEDIA

Your Blog. Want to get traffic to your website from your blog? You have to create keywords based posts and images. The difference between a store and a blog content is that blog should be more informational and entertaining. You have to write texts for both humans and search engines. You should write about something that provides your customers actual value. For example, styling guides, wardrobe tips etc. Successful blogs have high quality for both your visitors and search engines

Social Media. Different channels perform differently for every company.

Instagram – it works better if it is organic and followers are super engaged. Then they will go to your store to shop. Nowadays you can convert people to customers only if they are engaged. If they are just hanging in there, it is a waste of time and your time is limited.

Pinterest – is a search engine more than a Social network. Setting it up is time-consuming, but once it works, traffic source will be steady.

Facebook Groups – this is the goldmine if your group members like you, your brand, and your content. They will become your most loyal customers.

PAID ADVERTISEMENT TRAFFIC 

When you decide to get traffic with paid ads, the first thing you need is a test budget. You should run tests for each channel and understand what works the best for your store.

Before you invest, you have to have keyword research on hands and know precisely who your target customers are.

1) Advertisement with Google, Pay Per Click (PPC) – it works well for long- tail keywords. PPC is the channel I suggest to outsource to professional because running Google Ads is a specialty. A specialist will always do better on such a competitive field as fashion & lifestyle products.

2) Advertising in Google Shopping Feed

3) Paying Influencers to promote your store (or you can negotiate to do it for free, in exchange for products). This is one of my favorites because with the right influencers for your target customers, you will be successful in the long run with traffic and sales.

4) Buying ads from Social Media

5) Facebook Ads – there are three kinds of FB ads:

-raising awareness (brand awareness, local awareness and to maximize reach)

-Consideration (drive traffic to your site)

-Conversion – this is the kind of ad you need – these are ads that increase the conversion of your online store, advertise specific products to users who have interacted with your shop before or get people to visit your local store. Conversion campaign objectives require you to add a tracking pixel to your site.

FB ads can target by location, demographics, interests, behaviors, connections, and to be custom (my favorite one is Lookalike Audiences – people who are similar to your existing customers).

6)  Instagram Ads –Same as FB ads they have similar objectives: brand awareness, reach, traffic, and engagement with your posts, video views and conversions on your website. Conversions require to implement the tracking pixel on your site.

As much as you need sales, you should remember that successful campaigns do not sell products or advertise significant discounts, but carefully balance the information and the inspiration value to make the community to like, comment and share their ads. Instagram offers the same targeting options like Facebook.

7) Pinterest is now providing only one advertising kind to entrepreneurs in the USA, Canada, and the UK; it is The Promoted Pin. Promoted Pins optimized for three different campaign objectives: awareness, engagement, and traffic.

Pinterest target by location, languages, gender, devices, keywords, interests, and audience (target people who visited your website, existing customers, people who engaged with Pins that are linked to your site or act-alike audiences that behaved similarly to your existing audiences.

8) YouTube – Lots of people have great success with YouTube ads. YouTube can be a much better source for the organic, keyword-based traffic.

HOW TO GET TRAFFIC TO YOUR WEBSITE BY GETTING FIRST TIME CUSTOMERS BY MAKING EXISTING CUSTOMERS RETURN

1) Email marketing usually responsible for 30+% of all sales. You have to treat each email address as gold by sending stylish informational and promotional messages with well-crafted subject lines.

2) Retargeting is an excellent way to contact people who already visited your store and remind them how great your products are.

Depending on the size of your business, it will be up to you to decide which traffic channels to implement. I would recommend setting up each organic channel possible. After that, allocate a budget for the paid ads and test what works better for your store/products in particular.

Post from guest author Viktoria Kanevsky. Originally published on vkecom.com

Download FREE Fashion & Lifestyle Business Plan Workbook

Wholesale suppliers for your boutiques are one of the most crucial parts of your business, as they are responsible for quality, quantity, and the uniqueness of your product mix.

Before choosing any supplier and placing your order, you have to have desirable product mix plan and budget. Don’t purchase what you love instead of what will appeal to your customers; unless your clients follow your recommendations and move those products.

SUPPLIER CHECKLIST FOR AN ONLINE BOUTIQUE

• Quality – what you see in pictures and what you touch and feel in person might be two different things. If you position your business as a boutique, it translates in customers’ mind as great quality products.

• Uniqueness –if you are the only one (or one of a few) carrying the product, you can price it higher. Side note- when selling online, you should sell something people are looking for to buy. If so, using the right SEO keywords will allow your store will pop up in the top results in a search engine.

• Pricing – always leave a sizable room for markups and promotions. For example, if you know that your established customers buy average $70, your wholesale spend should not be more expensive than half of it, unless you are planning a marketing campaign to reach new customer segment.

• Product availability – if you pre-buy, you might end up not receiving the product if the supplier did not project correctly and manufactured less product than received orders. In this case, product will go first to larger stores and repeated retail buyers.

• Shipping fees – Add them into your pricing.

• Supplier reviews – it’s always a good idea to find others experiences with each supplier. However, you should make your judgment. Sometimes bad reviews can be reflecting something other than product quality and prices.

ORDERING

Overseas suppliers.

If your boutique is relatively small, scratch the idea of ordering overseas because quality might be poor and minimum orders tremendous. Also, your merchandise can get stuck somewhere on the border for days or even weeks while you plan to have it for new arrivals or holiday season.

However, if you already have established suppliers with high quality who you can trust, go for it, because prices will be lower.

The “Big Guys” – Well – Known Brands

If you a completely new to this game and want to sell recognizable names, start contacting brands one by one and see if they are willing to sell for a boutique. Usually, they want to see which brands you already carry and unless you can show them a proof (written orders from other brands) the answer will be no.

For example, Joor is the largest big-brand name marketplace to source from. They will ask you for three purchase orders from already established brands. If you show it to them, they will accept you to the network. Otherwise, you won’t receive a response.

Big brands usually want to make sure that their products are displayed at well-established retailers so their pricing policy won’t be violated in any way. The solution is going to trade shows, meeting them in person, and building relationships personally. Or keep knocking at their doors.

Personally, I don’t think that selling big names is a good idea for boutiques because other companies sell them from already established and trusted online retailers. Usually, larger retailers can provide faster shipping, an easier return policy and better customer service. Their established name has already won customers’ trust and loyalty.

FINDING UNIQUE PRODUCTS

Going toward the year 2020, unique niche products sell the best. If you mix great quality merchandise with relatively one-of-a-kind inventory, you can have higher margins and better prices, more interesting mix and better chances to sell.

Different stores have product sourcing strategies; this is what has worked best for me:

Living in Los Angeles, it is easier to go directly to manufacturers.  I do research online, schedule my shopping days (actually, this is one of my most favorite part of running my boutique) and buy merchandise.

If you are not from LA and don’t have a traveling budget, you can order your inventory online.

Just make sure that when ordering from the supplier the first time, you get the bare minimum to see the quality. The majority of suppliers won’t do returns unless there is something completely wrong with the product. Many of them do not excel in customer service either.

Wholesale Sourcing Checklist

• Major fashion marketplaces – for women, men, kids, accessories, shoes, lingerie, beauty, and gifts. All four are trusted and reputable (they pre-screen their vendors well), but you can’t see goods in person till you receive them.

• LAShowroom- LAShowroom provides order consolidation (when you buy from multiple vendors, you will receive one package) and private label (you can put your name on merchandise for very cheap).

• Fashiongo.net- FashionGo provides order consolidation as well.

• Orangeshine.com- I suggest signing for all of them because while some vendors/suppliers list overlap, you can find different new arrivals, brands, and designers in each.

• Poshmark.com – personally I’ve never bought from Poshmark wholesale, but I saw the same brands as on above marketplaces, plus more upscale merchandise, well-known brands, and super cute unique products. If you sell on Poshmark and meet their requirements, you can sign for their marketplace.

• Vendors’/suppliers’ websites– After you find what you want in the marketplace, you can buy either directly from them or your favorite vendors’ websites. Majority of vendors sell wholesale online. Usually prices are a bit less (a few dollars per piece/pack) when you buy directly from them, but web selection might be different (all depends on how much of in-house resources vendors have to run their website). If you can’t find their website, call them and ask for line sheets.

• California Mart & Cooper buildings – apparel, accessories, shoes, décor, gifts showrooms.

• Apparel/Accessories Tradeshows- for fashion.

• California Gift Show and LAmart – for gifts.
• San Pedro Mart – my favorite place, sourcing gem. Over the years, I spent days walking around finding the merchandise my customers love.
• Etsy – if you have a small boutique and like one-of-a-kind items, you can research Etsy and order wholesale from there.