How To Start Clothing Business In Nigeria- Are you planning to start clothing business in Nigeria? Then you should pause and read this. It is not enough to have interest or passion to do a business, you must have the right knowledge, else you may be tending towards failure. In this article, you will discover some crucial tips on how to start clothing business in Nigeria.
How To Start A Clothing Business In Nigeria
1. Do market survey
Find out about people that are already into the clothing business, prices they sell and the category of clothings with good prospects. Don’t sell any category of clothing just because you like such but because others like and desire such.
2. Get a business name and register it
Be sure to use a unique business name, one that can easily tell what your business is all about. Once you have ascertained the business name, go ahead and get it registered. By registering the business , you secure that name and can be used officially .
3. Create a unique logo
Have a professional graphic designer create a unique logo for you. Your logo is your identification, your badge , make it stand out.
4. Decide on the type of clothing you want to sell
Decide on the category of clothing you want to sell. The different categories of clothing will be discussed in subsequent paragraphs.
5. Search for reliable suppliers
Make up your mind on how you will be sourcing for your good. Note that in selling online, do not compromise quality . Its only a matter of time and customers will start trooping to your store, once they know they can get quality from you.
6. Clearly define your target audience
You should clearly define your target audience, this would be determined by the kind of clothing you choose to sell. For instance, if you choose to sell baby clothes, then your target audience would be nursing mothers and pregnant women.
7. Get a shop/store
Although this is not totally compulsory if you can effectively maximize the online space. But it is also an advantage if you have a physical store. There are some customers that will prefer to trace you to a physical location before they can buy from you.
8. Get into partnership with a logistics company
If you are selling online, you will need logistics companies a lot to do deliveries for you. Even if you have a physical store, you will still need to get goods across to some customers. Partner with at least two logistics company that can be readily available when you need them.
Taking Advantage Of Digital Marketing To Promote Your Clothing Business In Nigeria
It is not enough to just open a store or shop and start a clothing business in Nigeria. You must be very strategic about it. If not, you will close up the business in less than 12 months. Truth is this: competition is fierce and if you are going to make a headway, you must be able to soar above competition. One way to soar above competition is to take advantage of the online space to sell.
Another angle I want you to look at this critically is this: who are your targeted clients and where do they spend most of their time? We are fast moving from the age that people go to market every Saturday to buy stuffs. The markets are gradually becoming empty. A number of people most especially busy executives prefer to sit at home during weekends and shop online for items they need. They are not ready to face the time and stress associated with moving from stall to stall in the market to get what they want.
An average Nigerian has a smartphone which is enabled to accommodate popular social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, Twitter and TikTok. The implication is that if you sell online, you are likely to reach more people than just sitting in one corner of a shop.
Lets quickly look at some of the platforms you can do your clothing business in Nigeria:
Konga
Konga is one of the places to do clothing business in Nigeria. There are lots of traffic on Konga and it is quite easy to get registered there as a seller. It is a safe and trusted platform.
Here is how to start clothing business in Nigeria:
- Visit shq. konga. com
- Create your store
- List your products and their prices
- Start selling
Its that simple! Konga charges 3% on every successful sales you make.
Jumia
Jumia is another large market place for online selling if you want to start clothing business in Nigeria. The platform is well-known , safe and reliable.
Here is how to start selling on Jumia:
Visit https: // www. jumia. com. ng/marketplacevendor
- You will be required to fill a form
- Then watch a short training video
- Take a quiz after watching
- Your request will be processed
- You will receive an email that will guide you on how to set up a password
- After setting up your store , listing product and price , you can start selling
Jiji
It is another great platform to sell online and make good profit. One unique feature about the platform is that it is absolutely FREE. But if you want to create more visibility for your business, you can go for the PAID mode. Millions of Nigerians traffic this platform regularly to buy.
Here is how to sell on Jiji:
- Visit www. jiji. ng
- Create a seller account
- Fill in the registration details
- You will be required to confirm emails
- After that, go and ahead and upload your picture
- Then start selling
- For more visibility and better sales, you can upgrade to Top or Boost package
Facebook Marketplace
Facebook marketplace is another online platform to start clothing business in Nigeria. Here, you are allowed to place your goods/ services for FREE. One thing I like about Facebook marketplace is that you can upload your items in such a way that people in your axis/ local government can easily see your products. You know it is much easier to sell to people in your axis because you don’t have to worry about logistics. Infact, some of those customers can actually walk into your store to buy if you have one.
However, this platform requires a lot of caution. About 2 years ago, I was banned from buying and selling and up till date the ban is yet to be lifted despite all my appeals. I was banned because I ignorantly violated one of their guidelines. Before you start using the platform, you must make sure you read, digest and understand the guidelines.
Instagram is another place to start clothing business online. Ensure you get very lovely pictures of the clothes and then post such with some beautiful words. You can also subscribe for the paid adverts to increase your visibility.
Whatsapp is fast becoming a large global marketplace. You can actually sell your clothes via your status without running a physical store. But for maximum productivity, ensure you have enough people viewing your status daily if not, it will be a sheer waste of time. You must post clear pictures of your products and also be consistent with your posts.
Facebook Adverts
You can also do clothing business in Nigeria via Facebook adverts. Facebook adverts will help place your clothes before millions of people that are your target audience. You can do the ads yourself or contract it out to an expert in Facebook adverts.
What Are The Categories Of Clothing
Categories of clothing based on purpose
- Business attire- It is usually worn for work purposes
- Casual wear- these are conventional clothes worn on daily basis when you are not at work or in any formal gathering.
- Formal wear- clothing worn for events/ occasions like weddings, parties, etc.
- Lingerie- these include undergarments such as singlet, boxers, bra, corset, etc.
- Sportswear- these are usually worn for sporting activities
Categories of clothing based on gender and age
- Baby clothes- these include clothing worn by babies and toddlers
- Children’s wears- clothes are worn by children between age 2 and above
- Men’s wears- these clothes are worn by teenage boys and men
- Women’s wears- these clothes are worn by teenage girls and women
Categories of clothing based on types of garment
- Bloomers
- Body Suit
- Bra
- Bustier
- Cloak
- Coat
- Cardigan
- Caftan
- Corset
- Shawl
- Skirt
- Skort
- Sock
- Sweater
- Swimsuit
- Dungarees
- Dress
- Jumpsuit
- Jeans
- Jumper
- Jacket
- Kilt
- Kimono
- Knickerbockers
- Tracksuit
- T-shirt
- Waistcoat
- Leotard
- Leggings
- Legwarmers
- Petticoat
- Pant/trousers
- Panties
- Pajamas
- Poncho
- Playsuit
- Shorts
- Tops
- Tights
- Teddy
- Tie
Last Note
Aside all that have been said in this article on how to start clothing business in Nigeria, you must get into internship. Look for someone that is into a similar business and stay under the person for at least 6 months. There are some things you wont learn on the pages of a book, it is through on-the-job-training. For instance, how to identify fake notes, how to identify quality clothes and so on, may not be found on the pages of a book. But as you get to interact with experienced people, you learn those things.
Frequently Asked Questions
What constitutes clothing?
Clothing is simply any item you wear on the body. Wearing of clothing is peculiar to human beings and that is one major feature distinguishing us from animals. Aside from the garments that cover the body , clothing also include footwear covering the feet, gloves covering the hands, hats and headgear covering the head, etc.
Reference
- www. thecreativecurator.com -Types of clothes: A guide to clothing types
- www. forbes. com – How to start a clothing business: Everything you need to know
- www. insight. com – How to start a cloth business in Nigeria
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