How to Start Your Own Shoe Company

How to Start Your Own Shoe Company

How to Start Your Own Shoe Company:

If you want to start your own shoe brand and design and sell your own shoes, you need to think about many important details. I have listed some key points for you to consider when getting your footwear brands started.

Target Market:

What is the target market for your new shoe company?  You will need to decide where your shoes will be sold; specialty shoe stores, discount shoe retailers, or will you sell directly to your end-user?  The answer to this will help you decide how many shoes you will need to make to get started.

Target Customer:

Figure out who the end-user is for your shoes? Business executives? Punk rockers with tattoos? High school kids?   Knowing your customer will help you set the price, look, and materials for your new shoe. What kind of shoe do you want to make? Casual, performance, fashion, or do you have a totally new idea?

Name Your Shoe Brand:

Based on your target customer it is time to select a name for your footwear brand and to legally set-up your shoe company. Contact your local city hall to register a Doing Business As (“DBA”) or Fictitious Name statement. Register your shoe company, get a vendor’s license, and a tax identification number. Don’t forget to check the names online for availability before you register them with the state. If you can’t get a website domain name that is close to your new shoes company’s name your customer may have a hard time finding you on the web!

Research and More Research:

Visit your target retailers and search online for the types of shoes your future competitors are selling and the prices they charge. Study the designs, logos, materials, and any other features these shoes have.  Ask yourself,  “What will make my shoe brand unique.”  If you can’t answer this question, STOP.  There are already thousands of shoe companies and the world does not need another “Me Too” brand!

Design your shoes:

Find a designer or design the shoes yourself. To design AND sell your own shoes is a big job, it’s okay to get help.  Get your research and brand image down on paper. You will need clean shoe renderings that communicate your ideas. Don’t be afraid to hire this out. The world has many hired guns that can bring your ideas to life. Without great designs your new shoe company is going nowhere. Now, stand back, do these drawings say, “This what my new shoe company is about?”

Find a footwear sourcing agent or Shoe Factory:

This may be difficult!  Search the web  or ask me. There are many firms that can help you get started. Visit the major shoe trade shows where there is always an area set-up with factories looking for new customers. Also, the website http://www.alibaba.com/ is a gold mine for finding factories!

How To Start Your Own Shoe Company PDFYour next steps:

Check out our new book:  How to Start Your Own Shoe Company
Read these articles:  Can I start a shoe company  and Finding a Shoe Sourcing Agent. 
Please visit our: Online Shoe School.