Bathrobes
There is almost nothing more luxurious than having a hot relaxing bath and then climbing into a big fluffy bath robe before your bedtime cup of cocoa. Unfortunately bath robes never seem to stay big and fluffy for very long, which is probably why it is always a treat to find new ones when staying at a good hotel.
This is a product that needs no explanation; your customers automatically understand what it can do for them and the fact that this is a treat. As such you do not need to be the world’s best salesman to sell them, and you can start immediately with your existing network of family and friends.
Whilst you will be able to sell this kind of product online, you will find that it sells more easily when people can touch it and try it on. Luxury items are almost always an impulse buy and when you are buying something that should feel good you naturally want to touh it and check the quality.
Marketing suggestions are as follows: -
Networking
Local fayres, fashion shows etc.
Trade shows
Spas
Boutique hotels
The easiest place to start, as suggested above is you friends, family and colleagues. They will be excited by the fact that you have started something and even samples will look like a commitment to them. Invite as many people as you can to come over and have a look, get them touching and trying on the samples. You can explain sizing, order sizes and pricing whilst they are experimenting. The great thing about this is that you will get a lot of encouragement and make your first sales. Some of these customers will also buy for their family and friends as gifts; remember to re-contact everyone with a Xmas offer around October/November time.
Many communities hold events such as fetes, fayres, fashion shows etc that are as much a way to get the community together as anything else. Most of these events give local vendors an opportunity to sell their wares, so make sure you stay well informed of what is coming up, what a stand will cost at each event etc. Local newspapers are a good source of information, as are local bulletin boards and online forums. The great thing about these events is the local aspect; many people at these events like to feel they are helping someone in their community, try to reciprocate by offering a discount off of your normal prices for these events.
Trade shows are another good one, naturally anything to do with bathroom, or spa products is appropriate but you may also want to think about home-wares, hotel industry and other shows that are less obviously connected but where you may find buyers. Typically a stand at these shows cam be expensive but you can always take some fabric samples and brochures in a handbag and talk to people while you are there.
Spas are very popular right now and offer a double whammy of an opportunity. Firstly they need to keep a supply of robes for people moving between changing areas and treatment areas, and secondly many of them also have a shop which sells many of the items used in the Spa. If you can get them to accept your product for either use there is a chance that you can get them to take it for the other. Be aware that even if you get rejected at the first approach you should keep in contact every 6 months or so as robes will wear out and look tired fairly quickly with regular use.
Boutique hotels are another potential customer group who will have a retail element as well as being a customer. Note that these are small independently run hotels and not the big chains. The likes of Marriot and Holiday Inn will be sourcing in bulk from the same markets that you are looking at and probably be able to source cheaper because of their order sizes and regularity.
Don’t discount the idea of setting up a shop, selling online, or using direct response, but do so in conjunction with one or more of the marketing methods above if you want to build a sustainable business.
Remember that a decent bath robe is heavy and thus shipping by courier or even by air mail will be expensive. Look at sea shipping options; you don’t need to take a whole container as shipping agents can put your order together with other buyers.
When comparing suppliers look at domestic and overseas suppliers/manufacturers and compare the prices after shipping costs. It may be that a large wholesaler can get a better price for you than you can get on your own when you start out. As your volumes increase keep an eye on this, and make the change as and when you are ready.
Finding stock is relatively simple, either searching Google, or Alibaba or any of the other online marketplaces.
You will sell more heavy robes in the winter time so you may also want to carry summer weight robes.
Understand your order times, your family and friends will be happy to wait 2-3 weeks but won’t want you to promise a time and deliver late.
You will have some quality issues; address this with your supplier up front. Many suppliers will simply replace for free.