| Subject | Date Asked |
|
| Margin expected by up market UK retailers on luxury leather goods | 11/16/2009 |
Q: we will shortly be approaching up market retailers in the UK such as Liberty, Selfridges and smaller ...
A: Loren, Whew, lots of questions. I will answer a few as I make my living my answering most of these! ...
|
| specialty t-shirts | 11/6/2009 |
Q: I, along with my mom and sister, are interested in designing and selling specialty t-shirts. One of ...
A: Lisa, Yes, it would be illegal for you to sell any item with the likeness of any person living or ...
|
| Starting a business | 11/3/2009 |
Q: A pleasant day to you Mr.James Dion. I am Jeric Tibayan from the Philippines. I'm thinking of ...
A: I admire your willingness and desire to start your own business and as you are discovering it is not ...
|
| wholesale pricing | 11/2/2009 |
Q: I have a hand painted business that specializes in wine glasses. I am branching out to sell to ...
A: Donna, Retailers would like to make at least 50% margin on wine glasses. This is a percentage of ...
|
| Taxes and RN number | 10/30/2009 |
Q: Based on my research, clothing and footwear are not taxed under $100 in new york state. But not ...
A: Kai You would have to call the New York State Revenue Department to get the definitive answer to ...
|
| Looking for agents/distributors | 10/16/2009 |
Q: We have the global license of the very well-known brand Pierre Cardin pour Maxim's in the following ...
A: Angela, Not surprising that you have not had any response to what most view as spam and not ...
|
| Retail Pricing | 10/10/2009 |
Q: I have noticed over the last several years that a trend has developed with some of the large ...
A: Adam, Yes, unfortunately you are right with your observation and some customers continue to fall for ...
|
| Retail Pricing | 10/1/2009 |
Q: I buy wholesale from a supplier. Can that supplier MANDATE what I sell that producr for. ANSWER: ...
A: Leslie, If the company has a "MAP" policy (Minimum Advertised Price) they can enforce it as courts ...
|
| Retail Pricing | 10/1/2009 |
Q: I buy wholesale from a supplier. Can that supplier MANDATE what I sell that producr for.
A: Leslie, Two years ago I would have said no. A recent Supreme Court decision has changed that answer. ...
|
| copyright question | 9/25/2009 |
Q: I am looking to start my own business, but not sure if copyright laws would interfere. I make videos ...
A: Ashley, Any time you sell a song, video or any "mix" or "re-mix" of an artists work you need to pay ...
|
| Wholesale / Retail Pricing for Shoes | 9/21/2009 |
Q: I need to determine the retail margin / markup on lower end shoes. We are contemplating bringing a ...
A: Sharon, Most shoe retailers, even "discounters" (with the exception of Walmart) would like a 50% ...
|
| Wholesale Markup | 9/16/2009 |
Q: I recently readed a presantation about Market Trends in Fashion Insustry from 1985 to 2005. This ...
A: Not having seen the entire pdf file you reference and just looking at the above information I would ...
|
| Retail Pricing | 9/14/2009 |
Q: When taking a product to market, the cost to manufacture, package and ship is easily (relatively ...
A: Alan, Depending on the product the margin expectation of retailers could be from 40% to 65%. For ...
|
| Retail Pricing | 9/14/2009 |
Q: When taking a product to market, the cost to manufacture, package and ship is easily (relatively ...
A: Alan Generally a product is not completely new, in other words there are like products out there. ...
|
| Smart Card vs Magnetic Card Technology | 9/9/2009 |
Q: We have a start-up affinity program where customers will get discounts when they present their ...
A: Tim, Why would a retailer sign up for this? How are you going to sell 5 or even 500 retailers to do ...
|
| export of retail merchandise | 8/21/2009 |
Q: I hope you will be able to at least give me some directions in this matter.I am looking for any ...
A: Brad, If you are re-selling the items in Europe you do not need to pay sales tax in the US. You only ...
|
| export of retail merchandise | 8/21/2009 |
Q: I hope you will be able to at least give me some directions in this matter.I am looking for any ...
A: Brad, First you have to find customers in Europe to buy what you are selling. You can source product ...
|
| Boutique market In US | 8/12/2009 |
Q: I am interested in fairtrade in Pakistan for people making handmade crafts. I want to know if there ...
A: Maria, There is a reasonable market but not very large for the type of clothing you are describing. ...
|
| Liquidation | 8/8/2009 |
Q: I'm looking to buy truckloads of surplus,overstock,closeout,shelfpull,returns and salvage ...
A: Louis, Most retailers clear their old stock themselves through markdowns or moving the merchandise ...
|
| Pricing strategy | 7/21/2009 |
Q: I'm have been leasing space at an antique mall for 6 months. I'm well aware of the reasoning behind ...
A: Lisa, There has been research that shows that in the customers mind there is no indication in low ...
|
| Demographic information | 6/26/2009 |
Q: I want to open my own Internet Cafe business in Deltona,Florida. How would I go about finding out if ...
A: Ray, As Wi-Fi has become more available and internet in homes more available the whole business ...
|
| Markup/Import/Leather Goods | 4/30/2009 |
Q: I'm in the process of selling a luxury leather accessory to a major US company.The US company has ...
A: Anna, Your math calculations are correct but wrong! In the world of retail margins are always ...
|
| NSF Fees | 4/29/2009 |
Q: what amount should/can a business charge for a returned check fee in az?
A: To my knowledge you can pretty much charge whatever you want as a returned check fee. Banks are ...
|
| New Retail Business | 4/22/2009 |
Q: I have a client who is opening a retail business and is looking for a vendor to purchase merchandise ...
A: Ashley, It depends on the type of store. For example, most fashion is purchased in New York, ...
|
| selling online to Jamaica | 4/21/2009 |
Q: What kinds of taxes, restrictions, etc. do you think I should expect if I would like to purchase ...
A: Simone, You will have to check directly with the Jamaican Government about import duties and taxes ...
|
| Ideal wholesale margin | 4/1/2009 |
Q: I want to know if there is such a thing as an ideal or minimal wholesale margin, in other words, an ...
A: Jose, No, there is no standard wholesale margin, it does depend on operating costs and COGS but also ...
|
| expanding | 3/13/2009 |
Q: Mr. Dion, You helped me with a few questions last week. My business is selling products to ...
A: Lori, Yes you can send your brochures and order forms to retailers anywhere in the US as long as ...
|
| retail pricing and taxes | 3/9/2009 |
Q: I have created a product that costs me about $1.00 each to make, and I can make about ten in an ...
A: Lori, A design patent is very difficult to defend. If your product is successful you can expect that ...
|
| retail pricing and taxes | 3/9/2009 |
Q: I have created a product that costs me about $1.00 each to make, and I can make about ten in an ...
A: Lori, If the addition of the store name makes the item more "exclusive", yes it is worth quite a bit ...
|
| retail pricing and taxes | 3/9/2009 |
Q: I have created a product that costs me about $1.00 each to make, and I can make about ten in an ...
A: Lori, To answer your questions in the order you asked them, not knowing what the item is I cannot ...
|
| Starting a business in tough economic climate | 3/5/2009 |
Q: I am considering starting a "Paint your own pottery" shop in a very busy tourist destination. The ...
A: David, It has been said that the best time to start a business is on the last day of a recession! ...
|
| New Retail Store Design | 2/28/2009 |
Q: I am opening my first retail store and the space is a bit larger than ideal for a jewelry and gift ...
A: Be very careful about this larger space! You are right that you need to find ways to make less look ...
|
| Avg Household Spending | 2/21/2009 |
Q: I'm trying to find out what the average US household spends in on consumer goods (apparel, books, ...
A: Jim, You can find the answer to your question on http://www.bls.gov/cex/ which has 2007 data, the ...
|
| Approaching retailers | 1/15/2009 |
Q: I have a product designed and a factory that is ready to fabricate my product. What do I need to ...
A: Kori, It would take about one hundred pages to tell you what you need to know to be prepared for a ...
|
| Retail representatives - seller's reps | 1/5/2009 |
Q: Happy New Year! I currently sell a small line of housewares online and would like to find away to ...
A: Kori, The best place to find reps is in New York, Atlanta, Chicago or Dallas. You can contact the ...
|
| Questions on Pricing and Protection of Designs | 12/18/2008 |
Q: Could you please offer advice on several pricing questions on silicone bakeware and also questions ...
A: Yes, from your point of view you would not want retailers to sell below MAP however, unless you want ...
|
| Questions on Pricing and Protection of Designs | 12/18/2008 |
Q: Could you please offer advice on several pricing questions on silicone bakeware and also questions ...
A: Sandra, I will answer part of your question as to answer all of it would be giving away what I do ...
|
| stock to sales | 12/12/2008 |
Q: James, I am wondering how to plan out stock to sales levels for my specialty retail stores for all 3 ...
A: Stephanie, Understand that these three categories, based on different SKU intensity will likely have ...
|
| Used Mechandized Equipment - Liquidation | 12/11/2008 |
Q: I would like to know or discuss with you in detail how could i liquidate the used equipment exist in ...
A: Sebastian, As it is US based, you may be better off to use Craigslist for maximum possible recovery ...
|
| Used Mechandized Equipment - Liquidation | 12/11/2008 |
Q: I would like to know or discuss with you in detail how could i liquidate the used equipment exist in ...
A: Sebastian, There are a lot of variables that I do not know in order to answer your question fully. ...
|
| Rental Question | 12/2/2008 |
Q: Recently moved our 32 year ladies store to new center.Past rents were about 7% of gross. New rent ...
A: Robert, you are right on the edge with a 14% occupancy cost. You need to talk with the landlord, ...
|
| Travel Retail Growth | 11/26/2008 |
Q: What has been the overall sector growth of travel retail for 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007...trying to ...
A: Michael, The NRF has a publication called Retail Industry Indicators for $45 if you are a member. ...
|
| Travel Retail Growth | 11/26/2008 |
Q: What has been the overall sector growth of travel retail for 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007...trying to ...
A: Michael, I am not sure of what your question is. If it is "does advanced training of sales ...
|
| Travel Retail Growth | 11/26/2008 |
Q: What has been the overall sector growth of travel retail for 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007...trying to ...
A: Michael, There is no official sector called travel retail, and to attempt to lump sales of retailers ...
|
| retail outreach | 10/16/2008 |
Q: Do you know of any retailers who are actively reaching out to their customers via phone calls, ...
A: Gordon, Yes, many of my clients have an active customer out reach program that requires that sales ...
|
| seasonal orders | 10/15/2008 |
Q: can you give me an idea of when retailers usually start purchasing items for a given season (e.g ...
A: Kori, It depends on the category of merchandise! For example, shoe retailers as well as fashion ...
|
| Mark Up on International Exports | 10/13/2008 |
Q: James, Hi, I am currently working overseas and I have met several people who are interested in ...
A: Jason, Yes, the markups will vary wildly across merchandise categories and even within a category ...
|
| value addition | 10/5/2008 |
Q: in a niche market segmentation how do you think that we could add value to our customers specially ...
A: Ash, Almost impossible to answer this when I do not know what type of Department Store you are. Are ...
|
| Debating on Type of Clothing Store to Open | 10/1/2008 |
Q: I have been debating for quite some time on what type of women's apparel store to open. I realize ...
A: Jennifer, I would go for the plus size business as it has less competition than boomer clothing ...
|
| Masstige growth statistics in US | 9/30/2008 |
Q: I'm doing a report on the growth of "masstige" sector of the skin care market. Could you tell me ...
A: Susan, There is no common agreement of what the masstige sector of skin care is. The name/category ...
|
| wholesale markups | 8/9/2008 |
Q: I recently sought the advice of a fellow manufacture concerning wholesale prices. we have been on ...
A: Brian, You have a ceiling price of 99 cents and a cost of 19 cents. If you wholesale at 49 cents, ...
|
| wholesale markups | 8/9/2008 |
Q: I recently sought the advice of a fellow manufacture concerning wholesale prices. we have been on ...
A: Brian, You begin with the premise that I stated, you start with a realistic retail value of $10. ...
|
| distributing | 8/7/2008 |
Q: Dion, I am starting a business importing planters for hydroculture from Italy. What distribution ...
A: Toni, With no room for storage your distribution strategies are very limited to say the least. You ...
|
| wholesale markups | 7/31/2008 |
Q: I recently sought the advice of a fellow manufacture concerning wholesale prices. we have been on ...
A: Brian, Markups are always what the market will bear not always a specific percentage. You are also ...
|
| mark up and margins to retailers | 7/27/2008 |
Q: what is the typical margin/profit that retailers need to make for vanity sinks? if my cost is $100 ...
A: Ronnie, If it cost you $100 the retailer will need to make at least 40% if not more on retail so if ...
|
| How do I start a boutique with no money | 7/21/2008 |
Q: I am interested in starting a children and maternity clothing boutique in my hometown on the square. ...
A: Kelly, You could try approaching the small business centers located in larger cities in the U.S. ...
|
| Mark-ups | 7/21/2008 |
Q: What would be the mark-ups and/or margins for golf putters sporting equipment, from the manufactures ...
A: J.D. It would vary from name brand to name brand and to private label also. Most common is ...
|
| Wholesale/Retail | 7/15/2008 |
Q: I need to know what the proper percentage for wholesale mark up is. I am selling a plastic phone ...
A: Katie, The retailer would take the product and in most cases double the cost to arrive at a retail ...
|
| Wholesale/Retail | 7/15/2008 |
Q: I need to know what the proper percentage for wholesale mark up is. I am selling a plastic phone ...
A: Katie, Although wholesale margins can vary from company to company, you likely need to have at least ...
|
| opening an online boutique | 7/7/2008 |
Q: I am in the process of putting a business plan together for a womans clothing boutique. I decided ...
A: Vanessa, Your idea of starting on the web before you move to brick and mortar is a good one. ...
|
| Markup Costs?? | 6/19/2008 |
Q: Greetings, I would like to know if you can help me with an issue on markups. I have a patented ...
A: Ken, Most retailers are going to want to make at least 40% margin on an electronic product, so if ...
|
| student from india | 6/18/2008 |
Q: Respected sir, This is sriram, pursuing my MBA @ sri sathya sai ...
A: Sriram, I generally do not answer homework questions for school! You can find a good white paper on ...
|
| Boutique clothing store | 6/14/2008 |
Q: I am currently putting together a business plan for a university subject. My business idea is for a ...
A: Olivia, We have four seasons in Chicago too! I also will be in Melbourne in early September. As to ...
|
| A supermarket in USA with volunteer discount | 5/26/2008 |
Q: I've started a small community-shop-like minisupermarket here in Denmark, selling organic foods. The ...
A: Thomas, Yes there are similar concepts in the US, they are often called co-ops short for cooperative ...
|
| Specialty party supply ebusiness | 5/6/2008 |
Q: I am in the process of planning an ebusiness in which will provide ...
A: Maria, I just did a Google search on Christian Baptism Supplies and it returned over 1.5 million ...
|
| Specialty party supply ebusiness | 5/6/2008 |
Q: I am in the process of planning an ebusiness in which will provide ...
A: Maria, The first question you have to answer is why. Why would I or any other customer use your ...
|
| Paint Your Own Pottery | 5/2/2008 |
Q: In the paint your own pottery (PYOP) industry, there are a lot of theories on pricing. I would ...
A: Lisa, As I said in the first answer, generally retailers use a "what the market will bear" approach ...
|
| Paint Your Own Pottery | 5/2/2008 |
Q: In the paint your own pottery (PYOP) industry, there are a lot of theories on pricing. I would ...
A: Lisa, One of the oldest concepts in pricing and retail is to price what the market will bear. In ...
|
| Importing and distributing cosmetics | 5/1/2008 |
Q: My husband and I are negotiating with a cosmetic manufacturer in Israel to distribute their product ...
A: Marna, There are trade organizations for cosmetics, such as the International Esthetics, cosmetics ...
|
| Jewelry Wholesale / Retail | 4/14/2008 |
Q: I'm looking into starting a business to import and resell children's jewelry. Do you know of any ...
A: Adriana, Yes, there are regulations about the amount of lead and other potentially harmful materials ...
|
| wholesale profit vs retail profit | 4/10/2008 |
Q: I buy shoelaces from Korea at $.22 plus shipping. If I sold to retail chains, how much can I mark up ...
A: Tracy, the most common terms are net 30 which mean that they will pay you 30 days after the goods ...
|
| Selling in Europe | 3/30/2008 |
Q: I would like to know if there is a market in Europe for used clothing; especially Jeans. I am ...
A: Tahir, Sorry it took this long to reply. Their is not a large market in Europe for used clothing, ...
|
| How do I determine wholesale price in liquidation/buyout scenarios | 3/28/2008 |
Q: boutique brand children's clothing. I have uncovered an opportunity to buy directly from a ...
A: Geri, The only way to value any inventory is to start with the market value, not the original cost, ...
|
| licenses/permits need for home based online retail business Chicago | 3/22/2008 |
Q: I am planning to start a home-based online retail business selling apparell and accessories. I am ...
A: Lauren, You will likely need a generic City of Chicago Business license, it costs $250 for two ...
|
| EBAY STORE | 3/20/2008 |
Q: I set up an ebay store this January 2008...How can I get people into the store...Most sales have ...
A: Yamilette, I don't know what type of merchandise you are selling. If it is generic like jewelry or ...
|
| Franchising Vs. Business Oportunities | 3/20/2008 |
Q: My fiancee and I are torn between these two: Apricot Lane (Franchise) or Homes Stores Plus (business ...
A: Yamilette, Franchises offer a benefit to a owner when they provide something that the owner cannot ...
|
| Selling to Boutiqe Shops | 3/11/2008 |
Q: I've recently started an apparel line and have had inquiries from boutique shops interested in ...
A: Peter, Yes, you would not sell to them at retail value, Your wholesale price to them should be ...
|
| Selling to Boutiqe Shops | 3/10/2008 |
Q: I've recently started an apparel line and have had inquiries from boutique shops interested in ...
A: Peter, a. as you are the "retailer" as it applies to your web site, the 60% margin you earned is ...
|
| Regarding job post | 2/23/2008 |
Q: I am student of 2-years fulltime MBA Retail Management, what kind of job n post could i get?
A: Jesal, That depends on what type of retail you want to get into. Some large companies have ...
|
| Regarding the U.S and European markets | 2/20/2008 |
Q: What are the different seasons for the U.S market and the European market? When do the goods hit the ...
A: Sharon, Holiday is generally the Christmas season and in fashion it is both special occasion as well ...
|
| calculating markdowns | 2/19/2008 |
Q: I am in the process of gathering information to do my financials, budgets, open-to-buy. I am ...
A: Robin, There is no industry averages for markdows by month! It totally depends on what type of ...
|
| calculating markdowns | 2/19/2008 |
Q: I am in the process of gathering information to do my financials, budgets, open-to-buy. I am ...
A: Robin, You do not need to add markdowns as they are at retail value and have no material effect on ...
|
| Merchandise from China | 2/7/2008 |
Q: I met a man from China who is going to college here in the USA who sales items his family makes in ...
A: Diana, That is a completely different situation. Are you prepared to hold inventories? Assume ...
|
| Merchandise from China | 2/7/2008 |
Q: I met a man from China who is going to college here in the USA who sales items his family makes in ...
A: Diana, Does he sell these items to companies who then re-sell or use them? Or does he sell direct ...
|
| Wholesale | 2/6/2008 |
Q: James, I guess in regards to my last question I have found a price point where I will obtain a 60% ...
A: Terrance, Sorry for taking so long to reply. I thought that this was just a follow up answer from ...
|
| Wholesale | 2/6/2008 |
Q: James, I guess in regards to my last question I have found a price point where I will obtain a 60% ...
A: Terry, Unless your name is Armani or Lauren you are not likely to get 50% on wholesale! Much more ...
|
| Clothing retail markups | 2/6/2008 |
Q: I am looking into creating a clothing label which focuses on luxury mens dress shirts. I will be ...
A: Terry, A better question would be, why would someone pay you $190 for the shirt? Is it a name brand? ...
|
| Licensing for online retail store and E-Bay sales | 2/3/2008 |
Q: I'm trying to open a online store and sell my products on E-Bay. I'm not sure about licensing that ...
A: Harold, Unless you are carrying some very specific items (guns, ammunition etc.) you should not need ...
|
| Price justification | 2/1/2008 |
Q: Today we had a customer come in who complained about the price of a particluar item. She saw it ...
A: Robert, You are so right. She is buying Travel Essentials and all that you do for your customers. Do ...
|
| i need help | 1/29/2008 |
Q: how will i go by starting my own clothing store financial wise?
A: Malcom, It depends on what type of clothing and if you will be in a mall or storefront. You can ...
|
| CPA's | 1/27/2008 |
Q: Dion, Christina again. I am meeting with some CPA's this week and was wondering if you can tell me ...
A: Christina, About $60 to $80 per hour is what you should be looking at for a good CPA. I would limit ...
|
| EIN | 1/23/2008 |
Q: I have another question about the EIN. Why do I have to have both a tax ID number and an EIN? Can't ...
A: Christina, Some suppliers will accept a tax ID number (which is often issued by the state) but many ...
|
| EIN | 1/22/2008 |
Q: My husband and I are opening a small clothing store in Tennessee. We will be the only employees. Do ...
A: Christina, Are you setting up the business as a corporation? As an LLC or partnership? I would ...
|
| Which to do and how? | 1/21/2008 |
Q: I would like to open my own business. I have never done so before and would like some advice about ...
A: Rose, Starting a retail business today is not very easy. Banks almost never loan money for new ...
|
| cost of lease and % of sales | 1/18/2008 |
Q: Ok so I'm in the process of completing a business plan for retail childrens store. I have looked at ...
A: Julie, There is no way that 36% is acceptable. You will set yourself up for bankruptcy in a very ...
|
| Margin | 1/17/2008 |
Q: When you refer to margin of 60 % for retailer do you refer to mark up on cost (meaning the gross ...
A: Denis, Margin in retail is always expressed as a percentage of retail selling price, never cost. So, ...
|
| Starting a Home Accent Boutique - Start -up Question | 1/13/2008 |
Q: I am in the planning stages of opening a Boutiqe that sells artwork, lamps, rugs, and hand crafted ...
A: the highest concentration of home suppliers is in New York and Chicago. You can search them out on ...
|
| 6 Month Merchandising Plan / Open to Buy | 1/12/2008 |
Q: I'm in the process of opening a childrens retail shop. I'm having some trouble completing my 6 month ...
A: Julie, Your EOM is decided by you based on what inventory turn number you are trying to achieve. ...
|
| Is Restaurant Business a Retail Business? | 1/9/2008 |
Q: The question is quite simple - does owning some restaurants mean I'm in a "Retail Business"? If not ...
A: Ash, Technically you are not in the retail business, you are in the restaurant business. Although ...
|
| Getting Retail Stores as Clients by Mail Out from Australia | 1/4/2008 |
Q: I am producing a line of New Age oriented art bookmarks I'd like to get sold in retail stores across ...
A: Nelson, you have a very interesting business plan, unfortunately for every 100 you mail you will be ...
|
| math homework need to b answer asap | 12/31/2007 |
Q: What is the difference between markup and markup rate?
A: Danielle, Markup is the amount added to cost to determine selling price (the technical definition) ...
|
| clothing question | 12/28/2007 |
Q: Good morning. My name is Craig Almaguer. I've started a clothing line geared toward the active ...
A: Craig, I am sorry for the delay in responding, I am traveling in Italy at the moment. When you say ...
|
| Wholesale to Retail Markup | 12/19/2007 |
Q: I am importing a new product into the US market. It's an electopneumatic jack. An automobile jack ...
A: Roly, A retailer will expect at least a 35 margin on this item (that is 35 of selling price) and ...
|
| Diversity in Fashion Merchandising | 12/13/2007 |
Q: Mr Dion, I am currently a Fashion Merchandising student and I am working on a project trying to find ...
A: Cassie, The concept of diversity in fashion is more around inclusion of people of color or race and ...
|
| inventory | 12/12/2007 |
Q: I don't have any experience in the retail business and I am learning a lot here. Is there an ideal ...
A: Lisa, Be very wary, most stores carry way too much inventory and much of it is not even salable. ...
|
| Market Research | 12/3/2007 |
Q: My question is two-fold: A) I am in the process of writing a b-plan for my apparel store. I am ...
A: Jennifer, There are few retail business that have a higher failure rate than womenswear. Having said ...
|
| fashion sells in Europe | 12/2/2007 |
Q: I would like to export clothes to Europe ( Ireland) , I would like to know : - when do they launch ...
A: Joana, Depends on what you mean by launch. Retailers generally buy their fall collections about six ...
|
| Retail mark up | 11/27/2007 |
Q: i am thinking of buying wellness oils from the U.S. to sell to retail customers in Australia and ...
A: Penny, The whole purpose of a distributor is that they add value, if you do not stock the item then ...
|
| Retail mark up | 11/27/2007 |
Q: i am thinking of buying wellness oils from the U.S. to sell to retail customers in Australia and ...
A: Penny, Good observation! Most wholesalers have an exclusive arrangement with suppliers to keep ...
|
| Retail mark up | 11/27/2007 |
Q: i am thinking of buying wellness oils from the U.S. to sell to retail customers in Australia and ...
A: Penny, generally speaking it will depend on how much infrastructure you need to set up for this ...
|
| Retail markup by industry | 11/18/2007 |
Q: How can I find a list of retail markup % by industry? My husband won't let me buy new lamps because ...
A: Deb, If you go to www.retailowner.com and go to the financial tools and tips page, you will find on ...
|
| wholesale price of my item for the retailers | 11/13/2007 |
Q: I am planning on buying shower curtains from a manufactures in CHINA to sell in AUSTRALIA in major ...
A: Eugene, a 1.5 cost and a 15 retail sounds a little out of whack. The 2 cost you describe, is that ...
|
| apparel markup | 11/8/2007 |
Q: Is there a "fairly typical" markup in apparel from wholesale cost to retail price that is a general ...
A: Michele, Depends on the style! If it is a basic item, no markdowns due to fashion, then a 45% ...
|
| re: markups | 11/7/2007 |
Q: Is it better to sell a product through a distributor and get access instantly to alot of sellers and ...
A: Matty, go with your gut. An exclusive arrangement generally means high quantities and to co-brand ...
|
| re: markups | 11/7/2007 |
Q: Is it better to sell a product through a distributor and get access instantly to alot of sellers and ...
A: Matty, a distributor will not guarantee you instant access, they may not even show your items to ...
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| re: markups | 11/5/2007 |
Q: I want a concrete example: say hypothetically speaking i sell pencils- it costs me 30 cents to ...
A: Matty, If you have exclusivity you can charge what you like. At a $3.50 retail the wholesaler would ...
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| Vendor contact | 11/5/2007 |
Q: I have written a book about weight loss, actually it is only one page, says "Eat less food." It ...
A: Jim, all great ideas, produce some with all the pages filled with the same phrase, and some with ...
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| Best Business Entity for Clothing Store | 10/28/2007 |
Q: I am opening a women's apparel store in Chicago. The long-term goal is to have multiple stores ...
A: Jennifer, I would argue to establish a new LLC or even a corporation, either a full C or an S. If ...
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| mark up for cosmetics - creams and lotions | 10/26/2007 |
Q: I am currently working on buying health and wellness products, (lotions, creams, aromatherapy ...
A: Sue, The "normal" markup for this type of product is in the 50% range, even more if possible, as ...
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| keystoning and retailers | 10/24/2007 |
Q: I'm bringing a laptop computer accessory (mechanical) to market soon. I wanted to know what the ...
A: Marie, On computer accessories the "big box" retailers like to make at least 40% on selling price ...
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| Makeup Store | 9/7/2007 |
Q: my wife and I own a makeup boutique in a high end retail district. We have only opened a three ...
A: Hovick, One of the best ways to get customers in is to offer free makeup consultations, give free ...
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| Clothing mark up and leasing question | 9/4/2007 |
Q: I am considering opening an upscale woman's fashion boutique and I have some questions/concerns. I ...
A: Don, There are so many variables in your question that it is hard to answer. Generally a high end ...
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| sales tax charged on e-bay purchase | 8/31/2007 |
Q: I purchased $310.99 of cosmetics on e-bay from a seller in Georgia. They charged me sales tax at ...
A: Sue, If they are not answering your emails that is not a good sign. However, sales tax has to be ...
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| Why won't certain brands sell to me? | 8/29/2007 |
Q: I own a retail store in a very wealthy area. My closest competitor is 8 miles away in a not so ...
A: Andrew, I have bad news for you. These brands are completely within the law in choosing who they ...
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| Sign the lease or obtain merchandise agreements first? | 8/24/2007 |
Q: My brother and I are in the process of starting a men's retail clothing store geared to the 16-28 ...
A: Dominic, A picture of a vacant store simply will not work with Brands. I asked you if you had a ...
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| Sign the lease or obtain merchandise agreements first? | 8/24/2007 |
Q: My brother and I are in the process of starting a men's retail clothing store geared to the 16-28 ...
A: Dominic, There is something going on here that you are not disclosing. I have been in Men's clothing ...
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| Sign the lease or obtain merchandise agreements first? | 8/23/2007 |
Q: My brother and I are in the process of starting a men's retail clothing store geared to the 16-28 ...
A: Dominic, Manufacturers of brands have a very keen interest in making sure that their brand is sold ...
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| retail failure | 8/23/2007 |
Q: Is it true that retail has a high percentage of failure in relation to other forms of businesses and ...
A: Dimitris, I am not sure that retail has a higher percentage of failure than other businesses. If you ...
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| Pizza Delivery Charges | 8/22/2007 |
Q: The trend lately has been to tack on a few dollars to the driver. I can accept paying for the value ...
A: Jim, There is no standard on this. Many companies add a delivery charge that fully covers the cost ...
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| Opening a retail Business | 8/17/2007 |
Q: I have an idea for a retail business but I still need to do much research. I am thinking of having ...
A: Lori, I understand what you are saying, but the addition of these items, although they may ...
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| WHOLESALE PRICING | 8/12/2007 |
Q: I was wondering what the typical mark-up is from wholesale to retail for consumer houseware products ...
A: Dan, Depending on the source, where it is made and which brand, anywhere from 30% to 50% for the ...
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| Retail Mailing List | 8/4/2007 |
Q: I once owned a maternity store and received a lot of mail from wholesalers advertising their ...
A: Carlene, likely they bought the list from a mailing list company that got your name from what are ...
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| Selling wholesale to retailers | 8/4/2007 |
Q: my question is im planning to sell my mercahndise wholesale to retailers and I want to know how much ...
A: Lyle, Finding retailers to buy your product will be the challenge. They will expect at least a 50% ...
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| manufacture-wholsale-retail markups | 8/3/2007 |
Q: Can you recommend any relatively current dated books/websites/references that reveal estimated % ...
A: Dale, The variance by item can be so much that there is no solid rule of thumb. I the scenario you ...
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| difference between markup and margin in retail bss | 7/4/2007 |
Q: what is the difference between markup and margin in pricing in retail business
A: Ralph, technically they are the same, markup is the amount you add to cost to determine the selling ...
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| Buying a business | 7/1/2007 |
Q: I am interested in buying a business in the supplement industry and a new mall is being proposed ...
A: If there is a significant chance that the new mall would contain a direct competitor this could be a ...
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| Wholesale markup | 6/11/2007 |
Q: I have just started a jewelry business to sell retail. I purchase directly from the company. What ...
A: Dena, Retail margins are a percent of selling price not on cost! So if you want a 60% margin, your ...
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| Wholesale markup | 5/31/2007 |
Q: I have just started a jewelry business to sell retail. I purchase directly from the company. What ...
A: Dena, the desired mark up for jewelry retailers is 60%, so if you are selling to retailers and you ...
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| Book business start-up | 5/30/2007 |
Q: James, I hope you can give me some advice. I have NO experience in this field whatsoever (and ...
A: Blue, The first question you have to ask is why would people buy a book from you and not Amazon or ...
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| Retail Profit | 5/14/2007 |
Q: I'm stuck on this one... Markup for retail clothing..I'm sure you get it all the time. I'm ...
A: Darla, If you buy it for $30 and sell for $60 you get $60 from which $30 is used to pay for the ...
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| retail mark-up for jewelry & boutique listings | 5/10/2007 |
Q: I am starting an upscale jewelry design business. Normally, what percentage mark-up will an upscale ...
A: Anna, Usually a Jewelry store will require a 65% markup on items, especially new ones. So on a $300 ...
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| fashion sales in Europe | 5/2/2007 |
Q: I would like to know what are the selling seasons for apparel market in Europe? What is the best way ...
A: Ruta, are you looking to sell fashion? I am not clear on your request. Your first and follow up ...
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| fashion sales in Europe | 4/28/2007 |
Q: I would like to know what are the selling seasons for apparel market in Europe? What is the best way ...
A: The selling seasons for apparel in Europe are very similar to the US, there are warm climates in ...
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| Retail markup and breaking even | 4/13/2007 |
Q: If a person is just starting out like my husband and I are, how do you make a profit when, the ...
A: Jami, retail margins can vary from 14% (Costco) to 65% (Abercrombie). Most retailers do not even ...
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| Retail Business Information Please? | 4/12/2007 |
Q: My name is Michael, and I need to know, because I'm stuck on this one is that... What are the ...
A: Michael, I don't understand most of your question. The resources for a retail business are the same ...
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| US Retail Apparel Segmentation | 10/12/2006 |
Q: James, I have seen global data with regards to apparel segmentation on the basis of womenswear, ...
A: Eric, Yes, there is data available on these breakdowns but it has to be purchased! Womens Wear ...
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| Retail | 9/10/2006 |
Q: ------------------------- The main area I am focused on is Colorado and Im focused on urban fashion ...
A: For that area of the country and age group the outlook would be very good. Colorado has a younger ...
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| Retail | 9/10/2006 |
Q: Can you tell me what are the buying trends in the US and is the retail market increasing or ...
A: Jerrica, The answer to your question on buying trends would take a few hours. The question is far ...
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| fashion design | 9/5/2006 |
Q: I am so lost. I want to come out with a shoe and clothing line and have no idea on where or how to ...
A: Nicole, As to your question about Russell and Sean, no as far as I know they did not attend any ...
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| International expansion strategies and models for ecommerce | 1/28/2006 |
Q: I manage an ecommerce social enterprise that distributes donated and discounted technology products ...
A: Rebecca, This is somewhat outside my area of expertise in retail! I would suspect that there are ...
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| CUSTOMER TRENDS WITH WRAPPING PAPER | 12/7/2005 |
Q: Mr. Dion, I'm trying to find out if experts in the retail industry think that customers would ...
A: Nicole, There would be a market for this product if it was priced right and also carried an ...
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| US Apparel Market | 10/6/2005 |
Q: Could you please tell me what the market shares are for the 10 top US retailers? I am only ...
A: Allison, there are no accurate statistics available for what you are asking. The top retailers, ...
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| Business in Pharmacy | 9/19/2005 |
Q: I will end my pharmacy education within the mid. of the next month. Then i want to start my own ...
A: Usman. You do not say if you want to stay in Pakistan. There is a shortage of Pharmacists in the ...
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| market saturation study in my area | 8/25/2005 |
Q: I am interested in opening a diagnostic center, specializing in MRI's and CT's. I want to know how ...
A: Wow, I am afraid that that is outside my area of expertise! I am a retail consultant! But the same ...
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| market saturation study in my area | 8/25/2005 |
Q: I want to open my own business. I want to be sure that the market is not already saturated with ...
A: Virgina, What type of business? I am assuming that it is retail as you asked me the question. If it ...
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| business | 7/12/2005 |
Q: i am apart of the state farm business camp and me and my group have to make a business plan and then ...
A: Roy, I appreciate that you are in a tight spot, but what you request would take almost a book! What ...
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| international business | 6/13/2005 |
Q: My name is ali alibakhshi and I live in Tehran capital of Iran. I start a business and I have bellow ...
A: Ali, You did not state any of your credentials, why would a company want to use you for their needs? ...
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| trends/demographics in USA re: donut business/kids | 2/19/2005 |
Q: Jim: Just thought I would take a chance and run by you the following: I am a professional business ...
A: John, Although any business has a chance of working, with the current climate towards feeding kids ...
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| money | 1/9/2005 |
Q: How much money did walmart make in 2004? and how much money did target make in 2004? how much money ...
A: John, As these are all public companies you can go to www.hoovers.com and look up their annual ...
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| Fashion | 12/12/2004 |
Q: I am planning to create my own brand name, start selling 'purse' I designed, I found several ...
A: What you are asking is what I do for a living! I am not opposed to answering questions, but what you ...
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| hello | 10/22/2004 |
Q: http://www.cioinsight.com/article2/0,1397,1456958,00.asp Thank you so much! by the way do you also ...
A: The article is about the use of technology at 99 cent stores and how they use a special software to ...
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| changes in values, interests | 8/26/2004 |
Q: James, Currently, I'm working on a business plan for a company that will publish and distribute ...
A: Rebecca, sorry for the delay in answering you. First you have to define your target market by age, ...
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| Retailer attitudes about direct response advertising | 6/25/2004 |
Q: I'm a freelance writer working with Response Magazine (trade pub for advertising executives) on what ...
A: Doug, I don't think that most retailers are particularly aware of direct response TV if it is the ...
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| Are salespersons born or made? | 5/29/2004 |
Q: Mr. Dion, I have started reading a excerpt from your book "Retail Selling Aint' Brain Surgery It's ...
A: Michael, Sorry for the delay in answering this! You submitted it on a Saturday and I just saw it ...
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| halloween retail sales | 11/22/2003 |
Q: I'm trying to find data about how Halloween is becoming big business in this country, including ...
A: Karen, Sales figures by month are available on the US Commerce site or the NRF.com site. These only ...
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| % increase of sales | 10/8/2003 |
Q: James, Historically when non-food retail sales are up 5% do you know how much % increase the ...
A: Benji, If retail sales are up 5% so also wholesale will be up the same percent. Even though one is ...
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| Retail Sector - DIY/Furniture/White Goods | 9/10/2003 |
Q: Can you give me an idea as to who are the leading US companies in the above retail sector and what ...
A: Mike, The top three are Home Depot, Lowes and Sears. Secondary players would be Menards and other ...
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| Startup amount | 1/13/2003 |
Q: Im looking to open up my own retail store specailizing in trendy womens clothing. I just wanted to ...
A: Depending on the type of store and location it will cost you from $80,000 to $170,000 to open the ...
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