Wholesale Name Brand Clothing Versus Non Branded Clothing

A customer called me recently and asked me whether I think he should focus on non branded clothing or brand name clothing.

His question is based on the following idea.

Brand name clothing is highly recognizable by customers because the brands spend millions of dollars marketing themselves. Non branded clothing, basically clothing by smaller labels or imported from overseas, have no name recognition. But the flip side is that non branded clothing can be purchased and resold for allot less than branded clothing.

So how do you decide between selling non branded and brand name clothing?

For starters you need to know who your customers are.

Although the following might not be politically correct you need to understand this.

Lower income customers might want brand name clothing but they cannot afford it. So even though they would love to have brand name clothing they will usually settle for non branded clothing.

On the other hand more affluent customers will want only branded clothing because they have more pressure in terms of keeping up with the latest styles.

Now the above is true in the theoretical world. But in the real world everyone wants brand name clothing.

So how do you as a reseller buy brand name clothing at prices low enough to sell to your poorer customers?

You need to purchase overstock clothing.

Overstock clothing consists of clothing which a department store did not sell within a set period of time. A department store wants to always have new merchandise on its racks. Whatever does not sell within a set period of time will be sold out as overstock.

Since the overstock consists of brand names you have a great opportunity.

You can get a hold of brand new clothing by leading brands at a fraction of the regular wholesale price.

Whats the catch?

When you purchase overstock clothing you will receive a wide assortment of styles and sizes. You cant specify the number of pants or skirts, or sizes for that matter.

So while this might discourage some people from purchasing overstock clothing, just think of the advantages of buying brand names like Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy, Liz Claiborne, Ecko, and Baby Phat, for a fraction of the regular wholesale price.

I stress on my site, closeoutexplosion.com, that customers will receive an assortment of brands and styles, and also the average retail price of the items that I have.

This way resellers can decide the merits of buying and selling overstock merchandise for themselves.

While overstock clothing might not work if you need a full range of sizes for a given item, it definitely works if you want to buy brand name clothing at the lowest possible wholesale prices.

Donny Lowy operates the following wholesale sites:

http://www.closeoutexplosion.com
http://www.salehoo.net
http://www.wholesalecloseoutforum.com

  ¶ 11:58 PM 0 comments

  State Repo Cars - 7 Tips for Buying State Repo Cars at a Price That's a Steal

Is it possible to find a swanky luxury car for a dirt-cheap price at a repossessed car auction? Yes - absolutely. But it's easier to buy a big lemon that you paid too much for. Still, there's no need to despair. Pay attention to a few details and you'll get a great car for a price that's nothing short of a steal.

Tips for Buying Repossessed Cars at State Auctions

1. Be prepared to pay in full
2. Use an assistant to run a Carfax check
3. Use an inspection check list
4. Check the VINs
5. Get an extended warranty
6. Use the Kelly Blue Book
7. If it doesn't look right, don't buy it

The No-Payment-Plan

Repossessed cars bought at an auction have to be paid in full. You can't work out a payment plan with them. It's all or nothing. So, before you attend an auction, make sure you have enough money available to pay for the car you bid on in full.

A Helper Would Really Help

When you see a car you like, you need to get a Carfax report done on it - pronto. This is where an assistant (a friend) would really come in handy. A cell phone would also come in handy here. Call your friend and give him/her the VIN of the car that caught your eye and have a Carfax report done right away. A Carfax report will tell you if it's a lemon or not and that's something you sure want to know. If everything checks out, you're ready to start bidding. And you won't run the risk of losing your car like the guy who had to go home to do a Carfax report.

Check it Off

At least 24 hours before you attend a repossessed car auction, create a vehicle inspection check list. Take your time and think about everything on a car that needs to be inspected. Bring the check list with you to the auction and check off each item, one by one, on the car you want to buy as you inspect it. This little check list could save you a lot of heartache.

Be a Matchmaker for VINs

Look at the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) tags on the doors, hood, trunk and dashboard. Each tag must have the same 17 digit number. Mismatched VINs could mean the car was stolen and the feds don't know it.

Extend Your Warranty

Sometimes even when you do your best, a problem will arise with a car won at a state auction. In that case you might want to buy an extended warranty for extra protection. Of course, some cars already have a warranty, but many don't.

Let Kelly Be Your Guide

The Kelly Blue Book is the guide to have when it comes to buying used cars. It gives a very strong indication of what a used vehicle is worth. It only costs about $10, so go out and buy one and take it with you to the auction. If someone drives up the value of a car above the Blue Book value, stop bidding on it. It's just not worth it.

If You Get Bad Vibes, Back Off

Take your time and give the vehicle you're interested in a thorough visual inspection. Make sure to use the check list previously mentioned. If something doesn't look right, if you get a bad feeling about the car, then don't buy it. Don't fall in love with it. Trust me; another used car will come along that will make your heart soar. It's a lot better than buying a lemon and then trying to get your money back by selling your "haunted" car on eBay.

Buying repossessed cars at state auctions can be a great way to buy an excellent car for a price that's so low it's a cellar dweller. But you have to be careful. Not all repo cars are worth owning. You have to separate the peaches from the lemons. All you need is a little education about repo car auctions and to do some homework about the cars that have caught your fancy. Then you can drive away in your dream car for a price that's a steal.

Did you know that 6 major factors control how quickly and easily you can find a car at a state auction? Find out exactly what they are here http://www.clicktek4u.com/staterepocar.html

Will Sharp is a free lance writer and full time researcher.

  ¶ 6:07 PM 0 comments

  Red Flags Preventing Small Business Success

Running a small business is everything but an easy task. If you are a small business owner, then you understand that you have to work hard to ensure that your business will succeed. One great way to achieve success is by actively monitoring the following red flags, indicating that your business might be in trouble:

1. Low Cash Reserves: If you do not have enough money to cover expenses, you and your business will quickly suffer the consequences. Prepare accurate financial statements (i.e. Income Statement, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Statement) on a monthly basis and review them frequently to anticipate any problems. The best way to maintain cash reserves at an appropriate level is to continuously monitor income and expenses. If you don't have time to properly manage your income, consider hiring an accountant or purchasing software such as Quickbooks.
2. Declining Sales: Monitor closely any decline in your sales and ask yourself: Why has there been a decline? Internal or external factors such as the ones listed below might be affecting your business.
• Internal: Decrease in quality of product, poor service, limited marketing/advertising, personal issues, limited resources to fill orders, or small staff.
• External: Weather, increased competition in the market, alternative products available, or a general decline in the economy.
3. Too Much Borrowing: Borrowing money to make payments of other loans or to pay off debts is almost always a red flag. Analyze the situation and try to find ways to reduce your dependence on borrowed funds to pay down your debts. Borrowed money should be used to invest in your business in such a way that will yield dividends down the road. Research should be conducted to verify that the funds from the loan will either save you money or increase sales.

4. Making Late Payments: If you are consistently making late payments, you are most likely experiencing problems with the cash flow of your business. Try to find ways to reduce your expenses and to increase your revenue, as the cost of late payments can add up quickly. If you are making regular payments but always a few days late, try cutting back in other areas to bring your account current and then continue making those regular payments.

Please visit www.accionusa.org for more information to help get your business back on track Tips to Get Your Business Back on Track:

• Be Honest. Always make sure to be honest with your suppliers and lenders. If you are honest with them, they will recognize your high level of responsibility and might be more willing to work with you to figure out a payment plan.
• Improve your Cash Flow: Consider ways to increase your business revenue and reduce all unnecessary expenses. Visit www.accionusa.org for some ideas about how to improve your Cash Flow.
• Build a recovery plan. Always make a plan outlining the steps you will follow to get your business back on track. Monitor the plan weekly.

Andrea Stiles Pullas has written a series of finance related articles. For additional information on related topics, visit http://yourmoney.accion.org

  ¶ 7:13 AM 0 comments

  Why Do People Perspire?

The human body is an amazing machine built to cope with almost any situation it finds itself in. One of the most common coping mechanisms is sweating. Most of us sweat almost every day, even if its just a small amount.

The reason why our body sweats is to help regulate body temperature. If youre too warm, your body will secrete sweat and when the sweat evaporates, it cools the skin, and cools the body. But for some people who suffer from a condition called hyperhidrosis, sweating isnt connected to normal body temperature regulation at all. With hyperhidrosis, the body sweats significantly more than it does normally. So, why do people perspire that have hyperhidrosis?

Hyperhidrosis, at the current time, doesnt have a pinpointed cause. Some doctors believe that there is a problem within the nervous system of people who suffer from this unfortunate condition.

Other doctors believe that it can be a problem connected to anxiety attacks that can seemingly come out of nowhere and affect the body. For years, people that suffered from hyperhidrosis didnt have a choice on how to treat their condition. They would wear black every day because it hid stains or they would wear much more deodorant than they would normally use.

I see people with sweat problems all the time that come up with new methods to hide their sweating problem. Large t-shirts in the right color and self made underarm pads to dry up the water are actually very common. Other wears mini-fans all the time, even during winter. This might help a little, but it is not a good solution to the problem. But even though the answer to the question of why do people perspire might not be known, a new treatment promises relief for folks that suffer from chronic sweat problems.

A new eBook called Stop Sweating and Start Living reveals the simple and affordable cure to chronic sweating and the social and mental awkwardness that comes with it. If you have suffered from this debilitating condition for years, dont suffer for another moment. Simply click here - http://victorshealthblog.blogspot.com - to learn more about this cheap, non-toxic and non-evasive way to treat your chronic sweating and hyperhidrosis problems once and for all. This isnt a quick fix or a money grab, but a sensible and reliable way to treat your condition for the rest of your life.

  ¶ 1:47 AM 0 comments

  Easy Way To Quit Smoking: Does Such A Method Exist?

The question on every smokers yellowing lip will always be Is there an easy way to quit smoking? The instant answer to that would be yes, as there is a mountain of anecdotal evidence to suggest it is possible. There are millions of smokers who can testify that they packed in a long-term habit overnight, and never desired another cigarette again. The real question then, is how did they do it?

The answer is simple: if you wish to quit smoking easily, then you need to change your mindset. After years of smoking, your brain will be configured to believe that smoking is an integral part of you. As a former smoker myself, I know full well just how emotionally connected the smoker is to the cigarette, and this is something non-smokers often overlook. Its not just a question of willpower - its about being able to sever the emotional links we have with the habit.

The fact is that nicotine is one of the least physically addictive drug substances out there. We can sleep for eight hours every night without our body waking us up in a cold sweat to smoke. Although this sounds like a big claim to make, the amount of anecdotal evidence mentioned earlier should be testament to this. The smoking habit is not the nicotine habit - it is the psychologically addictive habit.

The easy way to quit smoking is to shake up the beliefs you associate with smoking. Its not enough to simply say its bad for your health, because that is a rational fact. Smoking breeds irrational, emotional attachments, and it is those attachments which you have to perceive in a different way. No smoker is going to argue that smoking is good for their health, but many will claim that a cigarette helps them relax. Do you see the difference? Smokers have more irrational beliefs than they would think.

This calls upon a great deal of introspection. Head to the pub with a notepad and pen and start writing about how you feel about smoking. Compare smoking to a girlfriend or boyfriend, if you will, because thats the level of emotional attachment most smokers will feel towards the habit. Start assessing how you feel about smoking and make a list of all the positives you feel smoking brings to your life. Then try to detach yourself and question these positives.

Ultimately, if you want an easy way to stop smoking, then you need to realise that all that is really required is the re-wiring of your brain. You do not need gum, patches or any other gimmick. Such gimmicks only maintain your emotional attachment to the habit without the actual physical side-effect, but that is not enough. You need to beat both the physical attachment and, particularly, the emotional attachment. If I can do it, then so can you.

Jonty Smith is a former smoker based in the U.K.

After 10 years of smoking two packs a day, Jonty finally managed to quit in 2006. His story of how he managed to beat the habit is available for free reading at http://www.how-i-stopped-smoking.com

  ¶ 12:30 AM 0 comments