need help

[miziz2be]

i am looking to open a bridal salon in brooklyn, new york. i am unsure of how to start. i know that i can apply for an sba loan but what about inventory? how does one become an authorized dealer, how do you obtain the sample dresses? if anyone knows or can place me in contact with someone who can help that would be great!!

[kimjerpixie]

I would start by deciding what niche you are going to be in (couture, moderate, bargain) and what size salon you want to be. Do you want to sell only bridal? Maids? Flower girls? Prom? Tuxedos?

Do a little research and see what designers are out there, what lines they offer, and what their price ranges are. Go to their websites, view their collections and where they have retailers. The Knot and Wedding Channel.com are great places to start.

Decide which manufacturers best fit your business plan and see if they have an opening in your territory. You can usually get their contact information from their website. Have a sales rep come to you and show you the gowns. Or attend one of the industry trade shows. Gowns look and feel different in person.

Most manufacturers will require you to purchase a set number of gowns each season (minimums). Know what you can afford to spend each year. If you are staring out, you may want to concentrate on a few lines and buy deep (more styles, more sizes). Look for manufacturers that have bridesmaids sample programs.

You cannot be everything to every bride, so pick manufacturers you feel comfortable working with, ones you can afford and designs you think you can sell.

Good luck!!

[miziz2be]

first let me start by thanking you for your response! i am looking to carry bargain-moderate designers and will begin my business by only marketing to brides. eventually i wish to branch into bridesmaids, flowergirls and mother's but i figure better learn to crawl first. ;-) i am pretty aware of the designers and the popular styles. i need to find out about trade shows, how do salons get their samples, and how does one go about being an authorized retailer. you state that most manufact. require you to purchase a set # of gown each season but if the salons have stock why is it that they say they have to order the gown for the bride and it can take xxx amount of weeks? how does that work?

[kimjerpixie]

The two big shows for bargain-moderate are the Chicago and Las Vegas shows. There is one in New York, but they focus mostly on couture and upper end lines. The manufacturers and sales reps are there with the season's newest styles and it's a great opportunity to network with other salons. If you do a websearch you can find the websites.

If you can't get to a trade show, go to the designers websites and look for contact information. I'm sure they will assist you in getting an appointment to see the samples and meet a sales rep. Sometimes they will mail the samples to you directly. You order stock every season so the most current styles are in your store and it keeps your account current with the manufacturers.

Some manufacturers do stock their gowns for quick delivery and some don't even cut the fabric until you place an order - it all depends on the manufacturer. Most of the manufacturers in the bargain-moderate range have them made overseas, so that can impact delivery time.

You get to decide if you want to do special orders or sell from your floor samples. If you sell from your samples, you will need to purchase a larger quantity of gowns so you do not empty your store everytime you make a sale. If you take special orders, then you only purchase the styles you want to sell.

Please contact me personally if you would like to talk more.

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