Plus size items are very popular and hard to find even on the web. In the last 10 years, a lot of imported clothing sold in stores seems to run smaller and smaller. An extra large size item may mean that it is a normal size 14. The average American woman wears size 14 and above. This makes it very hard to find cute fashionable clothing for women size 14 and above.
Another dilemma is that larger sizes of shoes for women are much harder to find also. When a store gets a new stock of shoes, they receive one pair of size 10 or higher. Thus, larger sized shoes are very hard to find also. Offering sizes that come in wide is a good idea too. These are items that usually do quite well on eBay also, because they are so hard to find. People are even willing to buy used shoes because they are so hard to find in these sizes.
If you start a business catering to the plus sized market you can also offer the everyday things that are popular too, such as umbrellas, bath accessories, scales, jewelry, socks, clothing, hangers, etc. This is a real good market to invest in, fill a need that isn't taken care of by many businesses. Make sure that you are able also to carry good quality items. Some product lines are offering larger sizes but have no idea how to make the sizes larger in the right areas.
In the jewelry department try to offer larger sizes that are typically harder to find. Rings, bracelets, necklaces, anklets, are all harder to find for larger people. If they find something they like, they have to pay more to have it sized and then wait for it. This can be very irritating.
Opening this type of business should do very well on the web. You will reach many people that are trying hard to find items in their sizes. Once they know that they can find these things in your store, they will be back. You will have loyal customers coming back often.
Advertise by offering some of your items on auction sites, this will help your customer base grow quickly. Word of mouth is helpful too, so offer to give a discount for customer referrals. Be sure to use a business name that explains well what your store sells too.
Make sure that your store web site is easy to find, easy to use, and easy to order from. Give good information on all of your products. Explain what the products are made of, what is required to maintain them, and the measurements of the articles of clothing will be helpful too. Give a generous offer for returns, if the clothing or shoes don't fit properly. Make the offer clear, and encourage them to return items quickly. Offer a helpful exchange policy too, this will help you sell more often to people that are afraid to decide on what sizes to order.
Resources:
http://www.amplestuff.com/
http://www.moretolovefitness.com/
http://www.junonia.com/home.htm
http://www.divnaboutique.com/
http://www.cherished-woman.com/
http://www.sizewise.com/docs/women.html
October 18, 2009
