- Social Media (free)
- Marketplaces (different monthly fees/commissions)
- Own online shop (monthly fees/transaction costs)
- On events and markets (attending fee)
- Own physical shop (rent/personal/inventory/unexpected costs)
When it comes to deciding where you should start your Vintage business, there are many factors to consider. We will discuss all points in more detail in other posts.
The fastest and probably also most comfortable way to start is selling on Social Media platforms like Instagram, Facebook & Co. It has no fixed costs and gives you a wide range of customers. It is a great way to start and understand if your products sell.
Other good ways would be marketplaces like ASOS Marketplace, Depop, Etsy, eBay, and other platforms. Each of these platforms has its benefits (target groups, traffic) and costs (commissions/fixed monthly fees).
Creating an online shop sounds excellent and is also really important from a branding perspective. Still, getting traffic (customers) is challenging and often impossible without excellent website work (SEO) and advertisement. We anyways would suggest creating a website, because the monthly fees are doable and if you have some technical skills it can be even done by yourself.
You could also sell at events and markets, but if you don't live in a city where you have events regularly, it's not a stable basis for creating a business. It could be an excellent occasion to test and market your brand, but we often made the experience that we spend more than we sold.
Starting your physical shop is by far the most significant step and must be planned and executed perfectly. There are many factors to consider, and all of them should be written down in a business plan and checked by a professional (sometimes you think that you felt all aspects and don't see all the problems that can happen). A shop has lots of fixed costs like rent (depending on location), inventory (products), personal (if you don't decide to be a one-person show), and lots of additional costs like (consultants, software, etc.). Additionally, it is mandatory to be sure if you have an adequate continuous supply, which often can be difficult in Vintage.
https://www.balevintage.com/post/wherevintageshop
