Before You Create Another Thing, Here’s What Successful Indie Retailers Are Really Buying for Their Shops

If you’re an enterprising designer-type, one question you’re eternally asking yourself is what do boutiques really want to buy?

First, take heart. There’s a market for anything if you look high and low enough. No matter what you make, it’s possible to find someone who will buy it.

But if you want to sell to successful retailers – the savvy ones who are plugged into the market and their customers, who have great relationships with their vendors and whose product turns over regularly – then you want to know what they’re buying.

Here’s the insider scoop on what indie shops really buy, straight from the brains of savvy boutique owners to the talented designers who want to sell to them:

Stuff That’s On-Trend

Boutiques crave regular injections of the year or season’s hottest color, shape, pattern, or motif. And because it’s a trend, it’s likely to be fly by night, so it better not be high priced. Even in high end shops, the trendiest stuff is not necessarily the priciest. Take note of what similar designs are going for online or in local shops and price to sell through in one season.

Stuff That’s Traditional

This sounds like a contradiction after the last point about stuff that’s on-trend, but this is a prime example of retail’s push-and-pull. Shop owners need their store to say We’re current and you’re in style when you shop here, but also, We get that you don’t want yourself or your space to look overly trendy. You want something comfortable that won’t risk making you look like a Style Don’t. There’s always a market for timeless, tried-and-true stuff that people never get tired of and feel secure investing in, especially when it’s particularly well-made.

Stuff That’s Seasonal

Not every store appoints itself for seasonal holidays, but every store needs to turn over its merchandise four to six times a year. Shop owners are perpetually scouting the next influx of seasonally-appropriate scores. Successful retailers often plan their buying nine months ahead of the calendar year. For smaller, pick-me-up items, approach shops at the end of the previous season. {Example: Selling Spring scarves? Approach at the end of Winter.}

Stuff That No One Else Nearby Carries

Successful boutiques are so partly because of their unique mix. Every shop owner’s dream is to have a well-stocked store full of goods their customers can’t find anywhere else and that sell like hotcakes! Help your favorite shops keep their edge by only selling to one store in an area at a time. Be upfront and open about who else you’re selling to.

Stuff That Their Customers Are Asking For

Savvy shop owners listen to their best customers and take note of the most popular requests. If you come along at the right time bearing designs on their To Find list, there’s a good chance you’ll make the sale. It’s your job as a maker to keep your finger on the pulse of design markets. Read the trade and popular magazines, watch design TV, and snack regularly on industry blogs like Vianza. Shoppers develop a taste for what they’re being served.

Stuff That’s Captured Others’ Attention

Did your creation take Best In Show? Was your line featured on Design*Sponge or written up in a crafting mag? These are selling points. Create an attractive counter card to go along with these pieces. Retailers find it much easier to sell handmade work when a compelling story accompanies it. Don’t be shy about touting who else has noticed your talent – just don’t be a braggart. Social proof sells!

Stuff That You Believe In

Say it’s your bestseller? Say you can vouch for its sell-through or you’ll replace or take it back after 30 or 60 days? Successful shop owners appreciate good terms from their vendors and are often more willing to do business with a new one when there’s a guarantee. Plus, if you’ve had great experience selling an item you design, chances are they will, too. If you love your work and share it with excitement, retailers will respond.

Stuff That’s Priced for Value

Savvy retailers need to see that their vendors understand what the market will bear. Shop owners don’t want to gouge their customers with overpriced goods, but they also understand about pricing for value. If it’s better designed and better made that most of its competition, it can swing a higher price tag. Don’t undervalue or undersell your goods, but be aware of what similar goods go for in the marketplace.

Stuff They Can’t Live Without

Successful shop owners trust their instincts. They usually have an immediate yes or no about work they’re evaluating, and it’s not always linked to the actual quality or value of an item. Retailers’ job is to know their market intimately and judge each item against its fittedness for their shop concept and customers’ buying habits. If a retailer absolutely loves your work, chances are she’ll pick it up regardless of price. Don’t be discouraged over a no. When matching a line to a store, the fit is just as important as when matching romantic partners. A wrong fit doesn’t mean either vendor or shop owner isn’t up to snuff – it’s just not the right chemistry at the moment.

Indie retailers, what are you buying for your store these days? What should indie designers keep in mind when creating and selling their work to you?

Indie designers, what have you noticed about the buying habits of successful retail shops?

This is a guest post by the brilliant Abby Kerr. Abby is an ex-indie retailer of a nationally award winning lifestyle boutique. She’s a brand editor who helps entrepreneurs rule their realm and up their addictability factor. Find her at Abby Kerr Ink and on Twitter @AbbyKerr and @IndieRetailWhip.

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.