7 Ways to Start an Online Fashion Boutique for Free

If you’d like to start an online boutique from home, but you’re short on funds, keep reading. I have 7 easy ways for you to start an online fashion boutique for free!

Do you daydream of owning your own fashion boutique with piles of designer denim, trendy tops, and stylish jewelry and accessories? But where do you begin? Where can you find suppliers and inventory? What business licenses and permits do you need? What are the startup costs involved!?

For the majority of the population, starting a brick-and-mortar store is simply out of the question due to the costs involved. But even starting an online business is cost-prohibitive for many with web hosting, inventory, and advertising costs.

But guess what? Technology has made it possible for you to open your own online store in a few simple steps. And better yet — you don’t need any experience or money to get started!

Here are 7 easy ways to start an online fashion boutique for free!

1. CC Originals

Started in 2017 by Ashley Phyllis, CC Originals sells graphic t-shirts, tanks, and accessories. With this fashion business, you can earn a 20-30% commission on sales, plus bonuses for building a team. The opportunity is free for your first 30-days, then after that, it’s $9.99 a month for your website. CC Originals accepts Stylists from the US and Canada, and commissions are distributed weekly.

2. Jesper Nielsen

Former Co-Founder of Pandora, Jesper Nielsen, has branched out into the direct sales arena selling jewelry, watches, handbags, and accessories. With this business opportunity, you can sign up for free. I couldn’t find any reviews, information on the commission rates, or terms, so you’ll need to contact them for additional info. This opportunity is available to individuals in the US and Europe.

3. Stylevate

Share your love of fashion as a Stylevator with Stylevate; it’s free to join! With this fashion opportunity, you’ll earn a 20% commission for selling and sharing their clothes from fashion brands like Jones of New York and Tahari ASL. You’ll receive your own mobile storefront, and if you on-board another Stylevator, you will earn 5% on anything they buy or sell. I’m not certain how long the startup fee will be waived, so I’d hop on this now if you’re interested in joining.

4. Personal Shopper by Shop Your Way

This program is sponsored by Lands End, Sears, and Kmart. Through this program, you can sell clothes, shoes, accessories, appliances, and much more. Sign up for FREE, and then view the startup videos to get started. Simply share items via social media and earn a 5% commission for items you sell through your personal shopper link.

5. Teespring

Teespring allows creative types to design their own t-shirts, tanks, hoodies, sweatshirts, totes, throw pillows, and coffee mugs. Create an account for free and then start designing items for sale.

I have zero design skills, but I designed this t-shirt which costs $26.99, and for every t-shirt that is sold, I would earn $8.60 profit.

Payments are made via PayPal or Payoneer. With Teespring, they give you a free storefront that you’re able to promote on your social media profiles and email.

6. J Elizabeth Boutique

J Elizabeth Boutique is a direct sales company that sells printed tees, sweatshirts, tanks, and accessories for women, men, and children. Right now, when you join, your first month’s fee is waived, so you can sign-up for free. After the first month, it’s only $14.99 per month. With this opportunity, consultants earn 20-25% commissions on sales, plus additional commissions for building a team.

7. SQN Sport

SQN Sport is an affiliate opportunity where you can earn a 20-25% commission on activewear for women. You don’t receive a website with this opportunity, but you can sell on your social media channels, blog, or at pop-up shows. While this program is free to join, they do put a $400 hold on your credit card for merchandise that is used at pop-ups, and the hold is removed once you return the clothing. According to their website, “you’ll also receive monthly newsletters with special promotions, content, and codes that you can adapt for your own marketing efforts.”

My Thoughts About Free Business Opportunities

Remember, whatever business you decide to start, you must have a passion for what you are doing, and you should LOVE what you’re selling! Without enthusiasm and excitement, you’ll likely become bored, unmotivated, and ultimately it will fail. Just because it’s FREE doesn’t mean that it’s always a good fit.

I’ve also noticed that when people get stuff for free, they don’t have the same motivation and urgency as when they invest their hard-earned money into an opportunity. They sign-up, and then when sales don’t immediately roll in, they quit because they have nothing to lose. Whereas if you invest money into a business, you’re more likely to stick with it because of your financial investment.

Sometimes, it’s better to save your money and invest in the business opportunity you’re really passionate about instead of wasting time on an opportunity just because it’s free.

Conclusion

As you can see, you don’t always need a big budget to start an online fashion boutique! If one of these free business ideas speaks to you, start building up your leads and contacts through social media, and in no time, you’ll be earning an income from home in an industry that you’re passionate about.

Have you signed up for any of these free business opportunities? If so, we’d love to hear about your experience. If you enjoyed this post — please share it on your favorite social media site.

Originally published on March 12, 2015. Content updated on February 24, 2021.