How To Start Selling Shoes

Learn More About Selling Shoes

• Where can I sell shoes?

  You can sell shoes online from your own store built with a platform like Shopify, on third-party marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, and on social media sites like Instagram and Facebook. There are also niche marketplaces for shoes, like StockX and GOAT. You can also sell shoes wholesale to other businesses. You can also sell shoes in your own retail store, in another retail store, to consignment shops, and at markets and events.

• How can I sell shoes online?

  You can sell shoes online by adding your products to your Shopify store.

• From the Shopify app, tap Products.
• Tap the shoe you want to sell.
• Under Variants, tap the shoe variant you want to put on sale.
• From the variant details screen, set the Compare at price to the product’s original price.
• Set the Price of the shoe to your new sale price.
• Tap Save.

How To Start A Business Selling Sneakers: Resources Included

This post offers a unique collection of over 100 handpicked resources related to starting and running a business selling sneakers. The resources are provided by various authors, benefiting you because youll get a broad summary of the sneaker sales industry.

Before you get to the resource section, lets go over a few considerations for you to review.

Figuring Out Shoe Rankings & Variation Differences

Selling shoes on Amazon has changed over the past few years.

Early Amazon shoe sellers arrived early in pre-coffee hours of the morning simply to wait in line at a shoe store with a going out of business sale.;

Or they spent hours weeding through shoe sales ads or even dragged themselves out of bed on the day after Thanksgiving to catch a Black Friday sale.;

These sellers did their research, but sometimes the shoes just didnt sell. And the sellers got caught holding the inventory and not being able to make a profit.;

With research and product sourcing tools, the days of randomly grabbing whatever is available in hopes of making a sale will soon be behind us.;

One of the best tools for an online seller to market potential customers is to check data reports such as sales rank history. However, when it comes to shoes, you also need to consider the variation differences in addition to seller rank.

Read Also: How To Clean Mold Off Shoes

Find Out What People Want

It is becoming more and more difficult for a small, independent shoe shop to survive in the face of competition from national chains, supermarkets, department stores, internet and mail order companies and other non-specialist outlets that sell footwear. It is very important that you make sure that there is a market for the range of footwear and other items you intend to stock. You could carry out some surveys of the people in your local area to find out:

• what sort of shoes they would like you to stock – for example local employers might be looking for a source of protective footwear for their staff
• if there is a demand for a shoe repair service or for any other services – for example a bespoke shoe making service
• what they think of your proposals in general
• what, if anything, they don’t like about the existing shoe shops in your area

The Approval Process For Gated Brands And Categories

Asking for approval is fairly easy. Its the waiting part, or the official denial, that is hard.

Take these four easy steps to ask for approval:

Once you ask to be approved, the next step is waiting. Sometimes, you may get approved immediately.

But, many people must submit required documentation in order to be approved.

Don’t Miss: Is Dhgate Com Legit

Shoes To Buy: Best And Worst Returns

Lets say you have;$100, and youre looking for a pair of shoes with a decent return on investment. Youre not going to be able to afford a pair of Nike Air Jordans, but there are other routes you can take.

Honjo says Jordan 1 Highs reliably turn a good profit, as do Adidas Ultraboosts. Either pair could potentially come in under $100 at retail. He recommends staying away from brands like Vans or Under Armour as they dont have the same resale value as a pair of Nike or Adidas shoes.

Adidas Yeezy is another incredibly popular shoe brand you might think would be great for resale. But Honjo says the market has become oversaturated, making the potential profit before overhead costs about $30 per pair.

However, if you hold onto your inventory for a while, Yeezys can become more valuable over time. Honjo estimates that if you hold onto a new pair of Yeezys for at least 12 months, you could see the sneaker resale profits creep up to anywhere from $60 to $100 per pair.

How To Start A Business Selling Shoes

Starting a retail business is not as easy as it sounds; there are many venues for it and there are a lot of things that you need to consider before you invest.

One of the best items to sell and to start a small business with are shoes. Shoes are a fashion component, but they are not just a want, they are a need. No outfit is complete without the right shoes!

Don’t Miss: Does Vans Make Steel Toe Shoes

How Do I Pay Myself As A Small Business Owner

Most entrepreneurs start a business to do something they love- but at the end of the day, you still have bills to pay .

But it’s important to strike the right balance – if you pay yourself too much, you could be putting your business at risk.

There are two common ways to pay yourself as a business owner:

1. Owner’s Draw

Many entrepreneurs pay themselves through an owner’s draw. This means that you are technically sean as “self-employed” through the eyes of the IRS and are not paid through regular wages.

At the point that you collect money from the draw, taxes typically are not taken out – so make sure you are prepared to pay these taxes once you file your individual return.

As an owner who takes a draw, you can legally take out as much as you want from your equity.

This type of compensation is suited for Sole props, LLCs, and partnerships. If youre an S corp, you can pay yourself through both a salary and draw if you choose.

2. Salary

If you decide to pay yourself a salary, you will receive a set and recurring amount. This will be taxed by the federal government and the state you reside in.

The reality is that it can be really complicated to set your own salary, so we have some tips for you to consider:

To learn more about how to pay yourself and what is a reasonable amount, check out this article.

Write A Business Plan

Your business plan should include;

You can then take your business plans to different banks and investors so that you are able to gather funds to get your business rolling. Or you can start your shop on Shopify and dropship everything.

Read Also: Shoes To Wear With Mom Jeans

Sell Your Own Shoe Designs

If you consider yourself a shoe enthusiast with an eye for design, then you could potentially make some fast money selling your own shoe designs online. You dont have to be a pro or an experienced artist; all you need is motivation and have a desire to learn.

Here are the best places to start selling your own shoe designs.

How To Start Your Own Shoe Company

Related

• How to Break Into the Handbag Industry

Shoes hold a major fashion and practical purpose. If you are interested in shoes and have an entrepreneurial spirit, you might be interested in learning how to start your own shoe company. There are several aspects, from licensing to advertising, you need to take into consideration with a shoe company startup. Below are some things to consider when opening up your own retail shoe store.

Don’t Miss: Dhgate Delivery Time

Where To Sell Your Shoes In Your Area

One of the easiest ways to sell your shoes is to connect with buyers in your local area. Typically, a local buyer will be able to speed up the process. The faster they buy your shoes, the faster youll get your hands on some cash.

Selling to someone locally also means you wont have to worry about getting to the post office or paying for shipping.

Remember to be safe when meeting up with a local buyer. Although it is great that they want to buy your shoes, you should use caution when setting up a meeting spot.

Try to choose a well-lit, public place during the day to arrange the swap. It is also a good idea to bring a friend along.

Establish A Marketing And Sales Plan

With your supply chain in place, the last step before opening your shoe line is establishing your marketing and sales plan.

Your marketing strategy is what your business will thrive on. Base it on the extensive market research put into your business plan. Forbes has an excellent resource on developing a marketing strategy.

A sales strategy defines your approach to selling your product. Both plans are essential to revenue generation and should be two of your biggest investments.

If you dont have experience, consider hiring a marketing and sales consultant through a freelancing site like Upwork.

Don’t Miss: Where Can I Buy Tieks Shoes

Get Press Coverage For Your Sneaker Reseller Business

The more buzz around your brand – the more the phones ring, the more traffic to your website, and the more customers as a result.

Here are a few ways you can get press for your business:

Press releases:

Press releases are a great way to share big announcements or news, but in order to get any traction, you’ll need to find a way to make your press release stand out amongst others.

Try to convey a story that really matters, not just to you, but to the reporter and to their audience.

Here are some things to consider when submitting a press release:

• Craft a catchy subject .
• Acknowledge the journalist’s past work and interests – this is key!
• Include the main point of the story in the first paragraph, heck, even the first sentence. Reporters want to hear the juice first and foremost.
• Focus on the facts and try to limit the amount of jargon used.
• Pitch yourself! Help them put a face to the story.
• Make sure your topic is newsworthy. If it’s not, find a way to!
• Try not to include any attachments of your release!

Email is one of the most effective and preferred way to send your press release, so as long as you keep your pitch brief, interesting and personalized , you should stand a chance!

Get Press Using HARO

HARO, otherwise known as “Help a Reporter Out” is an outlet for journalists to source upcoming stories and opportunities for media coverage.

Here are some tips when crafting your pitch:

Plan a Publicity Stunt

Here are a few tips for creating a great publicity stunt:

Special Offers And Discounts

Shoe shops traditionally hold sales during the year, usually in early summer and in January and these provide an excellent opportunity to clear out old stock. There has been an increasing tendency in recent years to hold sales almost all year round because the market has become so competitive – and because poor weather often hits sales during traditional peak periods. The Black Friday discounting promotion in November has recently been introduced but some retailers think that this then affects sales in the peak December period.

Shoes can go out of fashion very quickly and if you are unlucky you can find yourself with money tied up in shoes that nobody wants. Regular discounting of items can be an effective way of shifting stock although if your periods of discounting are too frequent, you may find that customers simply wait for these rather than buying shoes at the full ticket price.

Recommended Reading: What Are The Best Dress Shoes For Wide Feet

Step : Define Your Brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren’t feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners, we’ll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

Recommended: Get a logo using Truic’s free logo Generator no email or sign up required, or use a Premium Logo Maker.

How to promote & market a shoe store

How to keep customers coming back

Customers, by and large, will be attracted by your products. Your stores reputation will grow if it offers well-priced, reliable shoes. To;retain;customers,;youll need to incentivize return visits. Shoe shopping is a rare occurrence, so youll need to be independent of your competition.

Still unsure about what kind of business you want to start? Check out the latest Small Business Trends to help inspire you.

Where To Sell Shoes For Cash Near You

In addition to online consignment shops, you might want to consider selling your shoes through local marketplaces. This can be a faster way to sell shoes, and you receive cash instantly instead of waiting for funds to transfer to your account.

Plus, theres no chance of you having to refund a customer because they didnt like the shoes.;

Here are some of the best local places to sell shoes for cash.

You May Like: How To Get White Shoes

How To Become A Sneaker Reseller To Make Extra Income

Sneakers are a fashion statement. The kind of sneakers you wear describes the sort of person you are. But do you know, you can make a tremendous amount of money reselling sneakers?

Already, several entrepreneurs are making an astronomical amount of cash. Its a great way to avoid work from home scams and get into a real entrepreneurial business.

If youre also planning to start your own sneaker reselling business, here is a complete guide for you. I use Personal Capital to track all my side hustle income and money earned online.

Its a great free way to keep everything organized, so I can focus on growing my businesses. Read more about it in our Personal Capital review.;

However, before we get started, lets have a quick look at the sneaker reselling market.

How To Start A Sneaker Reseller Business

Start A Sneaker Reseller Business

When it comes to starting a sneaker reseller business, you may find yourself in a place where you have to make some big decisions.

You may be asking yourself:

• What’s the first step in establishing my business?
• How much will it cost to start my sneaker reseller business?
• How do I price my sneaker reseller business?
• How do I market my sneaker reseller business?
• … so much more!

We walk you through all of the steps; from idea starting launching growing running your business.

The purpose of this guide is to act as an outline for the steps you’ll need to take to get your business running successfully!

Also Check: Is Dhgate Legit For Shoes

Wheres The Best Place To Resell Shoes

Ive done;most of my reselling on eBay, but it seems like apps like GOAT and StockX are picking up so Im selling on those more now as well.

Still, I love the feeling of doing in-person deals either through Craigslist, sneaker conventions, or Facebook/Twitter groups.

Obviously, selling in person requires extra precautions, but if you use common sense and deal with good people through networking, youll get the best prices from in person on the buying side because online sellers are paying for shipping and fees to the platform that theyre selling on.

How Do You Deal With Fakes

Although there are plenty of fakes on the market, there are also plenty of resources that will educate you on fakes and how to spot the differences.

As a buyer, you can ask for detailed, tagged pictures and compare them to the numerous tutorials on YouTube or on sneaker forums that will give you a good idea of whether theyre authentic or not.

Also, if its a new release, only deal with people who include the receipt from the store that they purchased. That way youll know theyre real and also if its your intention to turn around and resell them, then you can prove to buyers theyre the real deal as well.

Another issue when dealing with fakes is selling authentic shoes but having the buyer try to claim that theyre fake. This can be solved by including a receipt as mentioned previously, or you can take detailed pictures as youre shipping to prove that you are in fact shipping authentic shoes.

Be sure to include tracking with signature required and insurance so the buyer also cannot claim that he or she never got the kicks.

Read Also: Is Dhgate.com Legit