How to Start a Fitness Clothing Line

The sports and fitness apparel industry witnessed sluggish growth during the 2020 pandemic but only to bounce back harder in the next two years. According to Statista, the industry is projected to touch global revenue figures of USD 248.99 billion by 2026 from USD 190.98 billion in 2022. With growing awareness among the masses for engaging in physical workouts, the market for sports and apparel goods (and also services) is thriving impressively. Asia Pacific remains the largest market. Prominent brands include Nike, Puma, Adidas, ASICS, Columbia Sportswear, etc.
In this communiqué, retail and eCommerce consultants, Your Retail Coach, addresses aspiring entrepreneurs and shares the contemporary fundamentals for starting a new sports and fitness apparel business.

Why sports or fitness apparel?
Entrepreneurs must not jump into a business based on general assumptions or hearsay. The following questions should help them gain clarity on their business idea:
· Why sports or apparel business?
· Do they have any expertise in this line of business?
· Do they already have a business or professional presence in this industry?
If there is absolute certainty and clarity in the answers to one or more of these questions, the next step should be market research. Otherwise, there is a need to explore the business idea on existing and near-future assessments.

Market Gaps

It is not difficult to spot market gaps in terms of product/service requirements. The problem is entrepreneurs make up their minds too soon. Business ideas that looked good on the surface may have to be revised in light of the market realities. One may have started with the idea of economically-priced track suits but the market assessment may reveal that the gap is actually in the premium segment. A market gap could come in any form - product type, price bracket, quality, channels, etc. It all depends on how a market is looked at and assessed.

Market Research

Solid market research is a prerequisite before starting any business. Sports and fitness apparel startups are no exception. As providers of sports and fitness clothing line consulting services ( https://www.yourretailcoach.in/industries/fashion-retail-clothing-consulting/ ), YRC always emphasise that every market research should be planned with the end results in sight. The end results are actionable insights with extensive coverage of the focus areas. These insights are critical for business planning, business model development, identifying market segments, brand positioning, pricing, counter-competition, etc. If required, startups should also consider using market research services ( https://www.yourretailcoach.in/ecommerce-market-research/ ) of retail and eCommerce consulting firms instead of going ahead with incomplete market knowledge.

Business Model Development

A good business model ( https://www.yourretailcoach.in/business-model-development/ ) should ambiguously define how the business will function, survive, and grow. In doing so, important aspects that must be covered include:

- Value propositions
- Value Chain
- Key Activities
- Internal and External Capabilities
- Key Partners
- Revenue Streams
- Costing
- Customers
- Channels

In the sports and fitness market, competition has intensified in the last decade. The major competitive concern for startups in this market is not the big brands but the hundreds of small and medium businesses that exist on online marketplaces.

Digital Marketing

Today, digital marketing is unavoidable in the sports and fitness apparel business ( https://www.yourretailcoach.in/fashion-business-consulting/ ). Even for offline stores, an appearance on search results has become necessary. Without a digital presence, it is challenging for startup brands to reach out to their audiences. And this is important because the ideal customers of sports and fitness apparel and accessories are young and working people who extensively use the internet, social media, and search engines for both work and personal reasons. In digital marketing, startups have to be careful with the ROI and CAC.

Financial and Commercial Planning

Financial & commercial planning constitutes a vital element of any business plan. These assessments are also used in pitch decks presented to investors. And if all goes as planned, these assessments serve as a roadmap for financial and commercial decision-making once the business rolls out. The key areas of assessments in F&C planning include:

· Sales Projections
· Inventory Purchase Planning
· CAPEX and OPEX
· Estimated Profit & Loss Statements
· Breakeven Period, ROI and ROC

For enquiries on YRC's retail & eCommerce consulting services, please visit the company's website: https://www.yourretailcoach.in/

YourRetailCoach
Pune, India-411016
Phone: +91-9860-426-700
Email: consult@mindamend.net
Empowering Retail & E-commerce businesses worldwide.

YRC is a Management Consulting Firm with its presence across India & Dubai.
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