Wanna Start Up A Boutique, Anybody With Idea Of The Cost?

Okay, first you need to decide what you want to sell in your boutique.

Figure who your target market is. Are you targeting everyday Nigerians who will buy regular quality stuff or wealthy Nigerians who want high end luxury?

Also, you need to find a building/shop, and negotiate rent

Then you either need to find a wholesale supplier (inside or outside Nigeria)

Depending on what you are selling in your boutique, you need to figure out how you are going to handle importation and customs

Then there's the question of how many people you will employ, how you are going to drive customers to your shop, advertising costs, etc,


Figure out all this stuff and try and write a business plan, and project how much you expect to sell per month, and if your projected profits can cover your overhead costs, then it's a good idea

First of all, depending on what part of Lagos you stay, you can make good money. If you stay in the suburbs- oshodi, mushin, ipaja, ajegunle and the likes, its best you stock your shop with clothes made and imported from China.

If you stay in highbrow areas-ikeja, lekki and the likes, then clothes from Europe and US should be what should be stocked in your shop.

All you need is a small shop(you could consider using 'container'), a carpenter to construct small racks for clothes, a little corner as changing room. Make sure you also install good burglary proof iron bars around the shop to forestall robbery attacks.

I will advice that you do not get a sales boy or girl yet until you've found your feet in the business. Those people most times could be dishonest.

You want to place AC in your small shop? Lol. Have you considered the epileptic electricity supply? The cost of a generator that will power at least 1horse power generator? The cost of purchasing diesel or fuel? Save all the luxurious for later when the big money start coming in. You could install an AC but i suggest you buy those small 'tiger generators' to power your standing fan and bulbs.

Mandillas at Lagos Island is the best place to buy in wholesale price and quality clothes imported from China. The big time importers bring their cargo straight here. Ask how i know-i have a Ibo friend that is into the China import business. At mandillas, you will get variety of wears.

You can also get quality and original Italian wears on the Island as well. There are mini-warehouses located in some buildings along Broad street and environs. But they do not come cheap oh!

Excluding the cost of renting your shop, with 100-150 thousand naira, you can purchase your first set of goods at Lagos Island.     

@naijacutee
Thank you o jare.

@wafijoe
You seem not to have read my post very well and you practically want to be spoonfed.

Are you expecting us to tell you the wholesale cost of one dozen of jeans or the rent payable for a shop at Badagry?

You have to go out and get these info yourself. Its called 'market survey'. I have already told you that with 100-200 thousand naira, your shop should be fully stocked.

You can decide to open a shop around the neighbourhood you stay. This allows you to open your shop for longer hours, on sundays, avoid traffic, etc.

john, i was looking into that kind of business myself but it will be very hard to bring name brand product from china to america. i was looking into opening a boutique here. will $20,000 buy me a full container of goods to sell in nigeria and do you have any idea if people will buy those stuff in bulk. i don't want to open a shop, i just want to be able to  use that money to buy stuff from china to make money because i want to use that money to buy a land in lagos.

@funkybaby,

I like your business sense. I will send you an email.

@wafijoe, that is why i am looking for something to invest the money , i want to use the money to make a little bit of extra so i can buy a land in december and fence it.