Online Beauty Supply Store or Storefront?

[ProfectivGirl]

So I am a cosmetology student interested in opening beauty supply stores. I absolutely love hair care products and my goal is to have a specialty of products lines like natural hair care products...mainly the goal is for me to sell products that promote healthy hair that you can't just walk in Walmart and buy. So after tons of research, I figured I'd come to the consumers for some advice. Would you guys rather shop online for your beauty products or walk into a store?

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[Leesh]

ProfectivGirl, I personally would like to go into the store, because Ima an ingredient reader. Now if I can easily and clearly find and read the ingredients online, it wouldn't be a problem.

By the way, good idea! Good Luck to you on your ventures!

 

[Truth]

For me its store front. Why? Cause I don't like waiting sometimes...if I learned to calm my happy wanna try my product now butt down I will be good with online.

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[DrC]

I think you should have both a storefront and a website.
PM please. I'm in Texas and stop in Austin from time to time.

BTW: godsflowerrr has her own natural product line.

 

[faithVA]

I prefer the storefront. I will order online if I can't get it close by. But I like going to the bss to see whats new and to browse the products. Often I will browse online just to get an idea and then go to the storefront to make my purchase.

Buying online can be ok if I plan far enough ahead or if I know exactly what I want. But if I'm not sure I like to browse. And I am more likely to impulse buy in the store vs. online.

 

[somewhereinbtwn]

I prefer storefront bss bc I hate paying for shipping fees. I only buy hair products online when I can't find them locally.

 

[SpicyPisces]

I prefer a storefront because I'd rather not have to worry about shipping. However, I think you should have both for people who may not live near one of your stores or for people who want to research products before going out and buying them.

 

[lilyofthenile]

Store front! If it was somewhere accessible or in a city where I lived definitely a store front. But if it was far away and it had specialised products or the most popular ones, definitely online. If it is possible and resources are unlimited - both.

 

[omegachick31]

Brick and mortar + on-line= $$$

 

[iri9109]

i prefer store front so i can read ingredients, smell the product, and see the consistency/texture...plus i hate, hate, HATE paying for shipping lol. i think you should try and open up locally for the customers in your area 1st, and then when thats up and running, expand to the internet to reach more people.

 

[greenandchic]

I prefer storefront because I don't want to pay for shipping and deal with returns if that were to ever come up. I guess I would have to move where curly/kinky/natural/black hair is more common than where I live now for that to happen though.

 

[tasha5951]

I prefer storefront but now 90% of my hair care purchases come from off line because none of the stores in my area sell them. The last time I went looking for something I wanted, I had to drive an hour to get it! So, even though I HATE paying shipping, I'd rather pay shipping than drive an hour. I agree that it would be great to have both a store front and an online store however, leasing space + overhead (utilities, shelving, employees etc) for that space is expensive (I'm in the process of leasing a space for a group fitness studio so I know), so maybe you can start out online and then open a storefront when you have the capital. Good luck no matter what you decide to do

 

[naturalmanenyc]

Storefront. I hate to pay shipping fees. I can find most products locally in NYC and only buy on-line if the shipping is free or the cost of the product+shipping works out to be cheaper than buying locally.

 

[PJaye]

I much prefer online shopping and the ease of purchasing items at my convenience without ever leaving the comfort of my home. If I can’t get what I want online (which is very rare), I will do without it and find a substitute.

I also never purchase products without seeing their ingredient lists, but fortunately the vast majority of them can be googled. I view shipping fees as an exchange for the luxury of making purchases at 2am in my PJs.

 

[Umm Ebraheem]

Definitely a store front. Online is great when it is something you can't get in a store, but most people would like to avoid shipping and wait times. You can always run and online side-by-side your store.