A Plus for You

There are positive signs of a change in attitude towards plus-size women in popular culture. Some of this change is because of the message that plus-size women such as singer Adele and actress Queen Latifah, send about being comfortable with their bodies. This message tells plus-size women to be happy with yourself and dress to your best advantage. Finding nice clothes to wear though is still another story for plus-size women. There is a market available in plus sizes for women that has been ignored by a lot of retailers. Plus-size women do have money, and they are looking to spend it on fashionable clothes they feel are right for them.

Bringing in the Business

To find out if your area needs a plus-size store, you can go through the demographics and consumer statistics in your area. If there is a need, then you can fill it. If there is a plus-size store already established but you feel there is room for another one, then know your competition before you proceed. Find out what brands of plus-size clothing they are carrying and then offer something comparable.

When opening a plus-size department, your customer service personnel will have to have the necessary retail experience to handle the new lines of merchandise. They also need to understand the demographic. Consider hiring employees who have experience in plus-size women’s clothing, who will treat the customer as a fashion customer not as a large size customer. When making your selections from vendors, you can vary your choices from what is already offered by using vendors that specialize in plus-size women’s apparel. The plus-size clothing vendors also sell plus-size accessories, and shoes. They also sell hangers, clothing racks and plus sized mannequins for displaying your merchandise. Plus-size vendors can be found through SBA or through sites like Wholesale Central, Prime Time Clothing, or Clothing Showroom.

Downside of a Plus-Size Line

There can be several downsides to introducing a plus-size line in your store. You will need to have the extra floor space for setup and displaying the new merchandise if you are adding a new department. Existing dressing rooms may have to be altered so your clientele has privacy and comfort. The cost of the actual clothing will be higher because more material is used to make the garments, so you’ll be investing more capital. Your sales associates will have to be trained to sell to a plus-size customer with a different type of fit concern. You will need to develop a marketing and advertising campaign to push your new line to the front of your potential customer’s awareness.

Is It Worth It?

Plus-size women want style. Yes, their bodies change above a size 14, so the clothes are more expensive to make and to purchase, but women who are plus size still want a brand name to focus on fashion for them. They want color, stripes, form-sitting and tailored-to-fit clothes. Plus-size women want to be able to try clothes on comfortably before they buy them. They want to be able to cash in on bargains, and they are tired of feeling excluded from sales. The key to enticing these customers and having them open their wallets in your store is in the details and merchandise of the plus-size department you open.

Once the plus-size consumer has found your store and has had a successful and pleasant shopping experience, she’ll be back. With the right attitude and preparation, opening a plus-size department can be a profitable one.