Ok i am kicking around an idea that more than likely has a 99% chance of never developing into anything more than just an idea in my head but I wanted to consult with the women to see what you thought and hopefully offer some suggestions or insights since I only really know one side of the equation being a guy.
My wife is currently pregnant with our second and this time more than the first she is having the hardest time finding clothes. This seemed really weird to me since their is typically a plethora of clothes for all types of women and virtually nothing for men (a pet peeve of mine). What we have noticed more this time than the last is that more and more shops are no longer even carrying maternity clothes in store. Old Navy, Gap have both moved online exclusive. Target and Wal-Marts sections are shrinking. Second hand stores like Once upon a child are moving away from second hand maternity and really I think it will be gone very very soon. Motherhood and its various off shoots seem to be the only place a women can buy maternity clothes but there is a problem there as well as the clothes are often expensive.
So there seems to be a need for a place for woman to buy clothes while pregnant. I know my wife will not buy anything online b/c she has no clue how it will fit her and her current stage of pregnancy. I feel like she wants a store she can go to, to get clothes for cheap that will fill this brief stage of her life.
So this is what im thinking and please fire away and tell me that its the stupidest idea you have ever heard if thats the case.
My idea is to open a retail shop that would focus solely on secondhand maternity clothes. More or less copying the model that plato's closet and once upon a child use. This seems like a good idea to me because my upfront costs would be considerably lower than a regular retail store since my stock would be used and not require a ton of upfront capitol. However it scares me to think that I would venture into something without really knowing what kind of stock I would initially have to sell.
However this does not seem like enough to me. There are a couple of key things that I think I would need to make happen in order for the shop to work.
1.) I would have to make the environment something that a pregnant woman would WANT to come there. My gut tells me the clothes alone are not enough of a draw.
2.) It would need to be a place that would be comfortable for the woman to be at. Ample seating for guys and a place to occupy kids so mom can shop.
3.) The clothes I think would have to be presented well. Not just on the rack but pressed or steamed so they did not look or feel like secondhand clothes.
This might be spreading things to thin but it also seems to me that having events for women to come too would also be a good idea. Prenatal Yoga, new mommy boot camps that type of thing. Like I said before another reason to get people into the shop for a reason other than shopping to foster relationships and build some loyalty to the shop.
So how crazy does this sound? It just seems to me that there is a huge need that is just sitting unfilled, however I also realize that there are many more enterprising people out there and that if no one else is doing it and downsizing what they are offering there are reasons behind that as well.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
________________________________________________
God's in his heaven, alls right with the world -Nerv
My wife is currently pregnant with our second and this time more than the first she is having the hardest time finding clothes. This seemed really weird to me since their is typically a plethora of clothes for all types of women and virtually nothing for men (a pet peeve of mine). What we have noticed more this time than the last is that more and more shops are no longer even carrying maternity clothes in store. Old Navy, Gap have both moved online exclusive. Target and Wal-Marts sections are shrinking. Second hand stores like Once upon a child are moving away from second hand maternity and really I think it will be gone very very soon. Motherhood and its various off shoots seem to be the only place a women can buy maternity clothes but there is a problem there as well as the clothes are often expensive.
So there seems to be a need for a place for woman to buy clothes while pregnant. I know my wife will not buy anything online b/c she has no clue how it will fit her and her current stage of pregnancy. I feel like she wants a store she can go to, to get clothes for cheap that will fill this brief stage of her life.
So this is what im thinking and please fire away and tell me that its the stupidest idea you have ever heard if thats the case.
My idea is to open a retail shop that would focus solely on secondhand maternity clothes. More or less copying the model that plato's closet and once upon a child use. This seems like a good idea to me because my upfront costs would be considerably lower than a regular retail store since my stock would be used and not require a ton of upfront capitol. However it scares me to think that I would venture into something without really knowing what kind of stock I would initially have to sell.
However this does not seem like enough to me. There are a couple of key things that I think I would need to make happen in order for the shop to work.
1.) I would have to make the environment something that a pregnant woman would WANT to come there. My gut tells me the clothes alone are not enough of a draw.
2.) It would need to be a place that would be comfortable for the woman to be at. Ample seating for guys and a place to occupy kids so mom can shop.
3.) The clothes I think would have to be presented well. Not just on the rack but pressed or steamed so they did not look or feel like secondhand clothes.
This might be spreading things to thin but it also seems to me that having events for women to come too would also be a good idea. Prenatal Yoga, new mommy boot camps that type of thing. Like I said before another reason to get people into the shop for a reason other than shopping to foster relationships and build some loyalty to the shop.
So how crazy does this sound? It just seems to me that there is a huge need that is just sitting unfilled, however I also realize that there are many more enterprising people out there and that if no one else is doing it and downsizing what they are offering there are reasons behind that as well.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
________________________________________________
God's in his heaven, alls right with the world -Nerv