Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Used Mannequins

Starting a new retail store is a very critical issue, it needs a large capital funds in order to set up everything in your store. For example, you need to spend money for decoration, you need to spend more on the merchandise you are selling and finally you need to spend money for the displaying fixtures.

Buying mannequins is one of the items that consume a lot of money. Some store owners would think of buying used mannequins but, is this good idea or not. Well, the answer for such question is not that easy because the word "used" includes several categories that come in different prices. Any store owner should make sure of what he is buying in order to be able to save money or else, he will end up paying more money than buying new mannequins.

First of all, you should inspect the quality and the status of the used fixtures and mannequins you are buying. It is imperative to get good quality mannequins or they won't be able to display the items you are selling in a good way. For example, imagine you are buying dented and scratched mannequins for a very low price and you are going to use such mannequins in your store, are they going to be good? The answer is definitely no.

If you are a retail store owner than you need to look at the liquidator stores in order to find those offering used mannequins with good quality. Try aiming for stores that are closing out and selling their stuff. This could be a good source of mannequins that are used but, with good quality. Avoid garage sales because all you would find there would be low grade mannequins.

Buying good quality pre-owned mannequins would save you a lot of money only if you are able to locate good quality ones. So, your primary goal is to find them and to make sure of the quality before you proceed with the purchase.

Before you start your search make sure that you determine how many mannequins you need, how many full length, how many upper half and how many lower half mannequins you need for your store. This is very important because most probably you won't find all what you are looking for in one place. This means you need to collect your mannequins from different stores and locations.

The last point is determining which type of mannequins you should go for. Wooden mannequins show wear and tear easily. A used one of this type would show many dents and scuffs if they have been used before. On the other hand, plastic mannequin is a better choice as they won't show the same level of wear and tear even if they have been used before.

Finally, make sure that you have checked the fixtures of your used mannequins as you may need to buy some new fixtures for the mannequins that you have purchased with a good price. Make sure you are getting a good deal for your mannequins and buy some extra ones as a reserve.

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