New (very) small business idea, I need help from you style mavens!

[emskaboo]

I'm thinking about starting a nearly new maternity clothes exchange, i.e. somewhere you could sellyour old maternity clothes and/or buy second hand clothes as there isn't one in my home town so...

Do you think this is a good idea?
Would you want to sell your clothes for a small amount or do sale or return for a bit more money?
What were your essential maternity clothesitems?

Thank you

[FluffyMummy123]

Message withdrawn

[Flier]

I think its a good idea, is it something you would keep low scale to start with, ie local to you, or would it be an online thing?

[ninedragons]

There is a place in Singapore that rents out maternity clothes. They focus on expensive suity-businessy-type things; the sort of thing you might think twice about before buying yourself.

Perhaps you could do that as well

[butwhybutwhy]

Already being done
But you can be an agent for them and have your own selling side.

I only know about them because they used to have a 5 min snip on Discovery health in between all the baby shows.

[cluelessnchaos]

There is a charity shop in the village I used to live who would offer a 50% return on all the clothes sold, if they werent sold within a certain time they were passed onto another charityshop.

[butwhybutwhy]

I forgot to say, something like this would do really well where we are because there isnt one shop in the whole town that sells maternity wear.

[emskaboo]

Thanks for all your feedback. The link was really helpful. My idea was to a local thing, not internet based as I think it is nice to actually see the thing you are buying, plus I'm a lazy moo and couldn't be doing with all the postage (looked after a friend's internet based business for them for six weeks and almost went mad!!)

[bubblerock]

Just do loads of research before you commit to a B&M shop - look at the costs involved and exactly how much you will have to make to cover these, you'll need solicitors fees when you take on a lease, deposit, rent, business rates, water, electric, phone.... then all the set up costs if you need to refit the shop, hangers, till, carrier bags, sizing cubes....

I'm looking at changing my B&M shop to internet based to get rid of the overheads.

[emskaboo]

Thanks Bubblerock, gosh yes loads to think of.

I'm planning on doing it from home to start with, sort of coffee morning style and then moving on to renting a rail from a dress exchange/maternity clothes shop or doing mornings in other places, what does everyone think?

[ten10]

I don't want to put you off but there was a little shop like this near us and it closed within a year of opening as she didn't get the trade she had hoped for.

but then I don't think the location was great, not enough passing trade. however anywhere with a better location would have cost alot more in shop rent.

[Nbg]

I do think its a good idea but this is coming from someone who lives somewhere with no maternity or baby shops.

Think about what you have in your area. Go through the yellow pages and check out all the maternity places and where they are.
One thing I noticed about the maternity exchange is that they offer appts till 8:30pm, so they are making it available to women who probably still work or maybe those who already have children but will wait for their dp/dh to come home from work so they can nip out and go shopping child free.

Do you go to toddler groups and such like?
If so, you could do your own market research and ask if they think it would be a good idea, would they use it, where would be convienient for them?

I know the toddler groups I have attended have let people come in and sell things too.
I'm sure if you asked they would let you bring a rail in for a small charge.