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Vintage and second-hand clothing have been trending for quite a long time. Many customers will pay a hefty fee to acquire an authentic 70’s blouse or an 80’s shirt. If you are interested in selling vintage clothing, make sure to follow these tips to maximize your profits.

What Kind of Vintage Clothes are You Selling?

If you want to attract as many customers as possible to your vintage online boutique, make sure to study exactly what you are selling. You think you own a vintage dress? Research what year it comes from, who the designer was, or even the type of silhouette or label it carries. This way you can inform your customers as precisely as you can about the product you are selling as well as creating trust and leadership in your business. Today many items are labeled ‘vintage’ with no details whatsoever on what exactly it is or what area it comes from. Educate yourself and stand out from the crowd.

Be Specific

When you sell clothes for a profit, and especially vintage clothing, you need to ensure that you create a specific and clear collection. Don’t just ‘throw in’ a bunch of vintage-labeled clothes together: combine outfits which relate to each other. For example, if you like 70’s dresses, do not sell them with 60’s blouses. Be careful to also be consistent with your audience: do not include men’s vintage items if you plan on focusing on women’s clothing. Specificity also applies to how you sell your vintage merchandise. A lot of times, sizing for vintage items can be tricky. Make sure to include a detailed description of the length, width and other measurements of your item. Also include pictures and a ‘zoom-in’ option for customers to see exactly how the clothes will fit and what the texture or color is. Being honest about the condition of your merchandise is also a big plus. Of course, if an item is labeled ‘vintage’ one might think that it is also ‘used’. But how ‘used’ are your vintage clothes? Has it been worn once or more? Does it have holes, scratches, fading etc.? Lying about how well-worn your items are can have negative consequences in the future of your online vintage boutique.

Chose an Appropriate Online Platform

While choosing a platform to sell clothes online is usually quite easy, it can become tricky when trying to sell vintage items. Many customers prefer smaller online platforms than well-known online retailers when looking for vintage clothing. One way you can establish yourself as a credible vintage clothing distributor is to create your own website, or rely on an online platform which offers pre-designed and pre-formatted shops. This can be beneficial especially if you have little experience in web design and coding. You can also use smaller online platforms that focus on local merchandisers or artisans. Either way, ensure that the method you use to sell clothes is consistent with what you are selling and what type of audience you are trying to reach.

Market Your Vintage Clothes the Right Way

When selling vintage clothing, proper marketing is essential to maximizing your revenue. Pay special attention to photography and presentation, as it can either reinforce the positive aspects of your vintage item (exciting design, unique features) or  negative facets (‘old-looking’ appearance, quality issues). Make sure to also use all the resources available online to promote your vintage boutique. Many customers looking for vintage clothing rely on social media, blogs and smaller platforms to buy vintage items.

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Selling vintage clothing can be slightly different than selling clothes for the general public on the internet. The target market for this line of merchandise has specific expectations when buying vintage clothing and might use other methods to look for vintage items. Make sure to follow these tips to maximize your revenues with your online vintage boutique.

About the Author

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Mirko Humbert

Mirko Humbert is the editor-in-chief and main author of Designer Daily and Typography Daily. He is also a graphic designer and the founder of WP Expert.