# how to approch the customer or shopowner to get business?



## gvenket (Feb 25, 2009)

i have design some garment by own and like to get those design in to market so any can advise how to approch the customer or shopowner to get things done?


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## GraduateClothing (Feb 22, 2009)

post some pictures


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## sammyt25 (Apr 2, 2009)

i am interested in this thread because I am also new to the business and would like some ideas on how to get my shirts to the public.

thanks in advance for any help out there


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## davegarc72 (Sep 4, 2007)

I would try a full service site like zazzle.com cafepress.com spreadshirt.com to test out your designs and see what kind of response you get. Then you could move your most popular designs to some your own shop where you could potentially make a higher profit and have better control over your products.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

sammyt25 said:


> i am interested in this thread because I am also new to the business and would like some ideas on how to get my shirts to the public.
> 
> thanks in advance for any help out there


There's lots of great advice on how to market your shirts and get them in front of the public here:

marketing related topics at T-Shirt Forums

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/t-shirt-marketing/t20419.html

If you're trying to get your designs in retail stores, you should read these threads:

retailers related topics at T-Shirt Forums


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## sammyt25 (Apr 2, 2009)

I do not want big stores carrying my shirts, sounds stupid I know, but what I do want is boutiques to carry my shirts and accessories. I am not affraid to make a trip to Chicago or NY to approach these stores. My question is, is this plausible? and if I do walk into a store to sell them my shirts (other than samples) what will I need to bring?


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## ruch1v (Jun 9, 2008)

sammyt25 said:


> I do not want big stores carrying my shirts, sounds stupid I know, but what I do want is boutiques to carry my shirts and accessories. I am not affraid to make a trip to Chicago or NY to approach these stores. My question is, is this plausible? and if I do walk into a store to sell them my shirts (other than samples) what will I need to bring?



why wouldnt you want big stores carrying your shirts?


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## Pwear (Mar 7, 2008)

I used to make Fleece hats and sell them to small stores, mostly in hippy towns or ski areas. Basically I just walked in with a few sample hats and a line-sheet (listing every product, it's cost to them and the suggested retail price, with my contact information) and told them my name, what I do, who I try to sell to (they like to hear that you're approaching small independent shops) and showed them the pricing sheet. If they seemed interested I would suggest that they set up a dozen on a trial period and I would check back in a couple of weeks to see how it went.

If they were obviously not interested, I would still leave a hat and the line sheet and say have a nice day. Occasionally I would receive a call a week later asking for more information.

The trick is that usually the owners of these small stores work there too, and they love when people bring handmade items to them instead of buying from huge companies. The worst that can happen is they say they're not interested.


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## sammyt25 (Apr 2, 2009)

I want my shirts in small boutiques because I would like to develop a following I understand this takes time and I don't mind that. I would like to have a few shops carry my shirts and make most of my sales on line through our website. Plus I really don't have the means to handle huge orders from big corps. I would like to get into Chicago, LA, NY, as well as my small hometown. I think it is more authentic if your clothes are not everywhere. Your shirts are not cool if they are in JC penny, Hudson, Target, they are cool if a kid wears it and his friend buys one and they all go buy out the shop that is carrying your line, then look to your site for more items, or specials


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