Yes, the world of e-commerce is getting stronger every day. But if you make a fashion line you still need to sell traditional brick-and-mortar stores to boost your sales and branding. Here are 5 tips to persuade fashion boutiques to carry your line.

1. Make sure your product is great!  While this sounds obvious it is surprising how  many people fall short.  This means having a product that is special and not like anything a store might already have.  It also means having samples that are made beautifully, in the right fabric and trim, that fit well.  If a samples isn’t well made it is a red flag to a buyer that you may have trouble with production.
2. Make sure your product has value and a store can make money with it.  Your line needs to price in line with your competition and have enough margin (the difference between the wholesale price and the retail selling price) for the stores to make a good profit. If it is priced too high for what the buyer sees as the products value they won’t buy it.
3. Visit the stores.  There is nothing like actually meeting the buyer in their store.  You get a better idea of what the store is about and how your line fits in the store.  Also you can bond at a deeper level with the buyer.
4. Have all your ducks in a row.  In other words make sure you have all your information at your finger tips.  Business cards, order forms, fabric content, fit information, delivery dates, and how you are going to produce.  This give the store confidence in your company.
5. Do not oversell an area.  Nothing upsets a boutique owner more than a line that sells their product to a competitor down the street.  Stores want their customers to think their stores are special and unique and do not have product that they can get anywhere.

What retailers want is to please their customers. If they’re convinced your product will help them in that quest, you’ll be well on your way to a fruitful partnership.