The Ultimate Guide To Selling Vintage Clothing Online

Vintage clothing is a passion. Those passionate about it enjoy everything from the thrill of discovering a rare gem and being pleasantly surprised by the low price to trying on your vintage finds and mixing and matching them in the mirror at home.

It’s also so much more than the niche market many consider it to be. It is, in fact, one of the fastest-growing eCommerce market segments, and people around the world and from all walks of life love vintage clothing.

If you have a passion for vintage clothing and have always dreamed of turning your passion into a successful business, then you’re in the right place. So let’s take it back to the old school and begin the ultimate guide to selling vintage clothing online!

Find A Niche

You might already have a brick-and-mortar thrift store, and if you do, an online store is the ultimate way to take things to the next level. On the other hand, you might also be starting completely fresh with an online vintage store. Either way, you’re going to need to define or redefine your product offerings.

The best way to do this is to focus on what you love and are most passionate about. Vintage clothing has a lot of sub-genres and categories, and specializing in a specific era, style, or apparel type might be a great way to differentiate yourself from other stores.

Do your research and check out what online and physical thrift stores are selling. Research is the enjoyable part here, so take your time and check it all out.

After a while, you’ll have a good understanding of the types of vintage clothing items you want to specialize in.

Some of the more popular genres include:

• Vintage clothing rental;
• Decade specific;
• Pop-culture specific;
• Party outfits and occasionwear;
• Trend-oriented;
• Casual and sportswear;
• Jewelry and accessories;
• Collector’s item, niche, and deadstock.

Find A Supplier

This step largely depends on where you currently are in your vintage clothing journey – If you have a physical store, then you already have a supply, and you’re on your way!

You might not have a shop, or you might want to change direction from your current physical store, and if that’s the case, you’re going to need to find a supplier.

Some of the most popular options include:

• Thrift stores: Go and get your stock straight from the source! Of course, you need to have a keen eye for a bargain and know exactly what niche you’re looking for, but this is one of the most effective ways to build up an inventory!
• Vintage wholesalers: Quite a few vintage wholesalers operate online and in real life. Using them can build up an extensive inventory for a meager cost.
• Online platforms like eBay: Online platforms allow you to pinpoint your search, but you’ll often pay more. The key is to become a proficient searcher and know precisely what you’re looking for.
• Estate sales: This is a highly underrated platform to get some of the rarest vintage clothing items for excellent prices.
• Auctions and flea markets: Both of these platforms can be highly effective, but you need to have patience and keep regularly going to get the best items.

Build Your Business

So you know your niche, and you’ve found a decent supplier or two. The next step is to begin your vintage clothing marketing journey. You’ll need to cover all the online marketing basics, including:

• Defining your target market and personas;
• Developing specific messaging to appeal to them;
• Find your brand voice;
• Choosing your social media platform strategies;
• Develop funnel marketing strategies.

However, the most crucial marketing and platform decision is selecting an eCommerce solution that allows you to start your online store and take advantage of every available online marketing opportunity.

You might know your vintage clothing better than most, but to bring it to an audience of millions, you’ll need to trust someone who understands eCommerce and online marketing better than most.

Shoplazza is a one-stop eCommerce platform and marketing solution, and the best way to turn your vintage dreams into a very profitable reality. If you want to save the cost and try something new, you can always migrate your store from Shopify.

(Contributed by Aneeca Younas & Hermes Fang)