7 Ways to Start an Online Fashion Boutique for Free

I’ve often daydreamed of owning my own fashion boutique with piles of designer denim, trendy new tunics, and stylish jewelry hanging from eclectic jewelry stands. But where do you begin? How do you become a wholesaler? And my gosh, what are the startup costs involved!?

For the majority of the population, starting a brick and mortar fashion boutique is simply out of the question. But guess what? Technology has made it possible for you to open your own online fashion store. And better yet — you don’t need any experience or money to get started!

Check out these FREE business opportunities for fashion lovers!

1. Stylevate

Right now, you can join Stylevate's pre-launch campaign for free. With this fashion opportunity, you'll earn a 20 percent commission for selling and sharing their clothes which will be from big-name fashion brands. You'll receive your own mobile storefront, and if you on-board another Stylevator, you will earn 5 percent 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.

2. 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 percent commission for items you sell through your personal shopper link.

3. fibi & clo

fibi & clo is a direct sales opportunity that allows users to sell their sandals with zero investment. Fashion Ambassadors earn 15 percent commission on sales, plus additional commission when they build and support a team. Ambassadors are paid once a month via PayQuicker and when you sign up for this opportunity, you do have to supply a credit card number for incidental expenses.

4. 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 which you're able to promote on your social media profiles and email.

5. J Elizabeth Boutique

J Elizabeth Boutique is a direct sales company that sells printed tees, sweatshirts, and tanks, as well as 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 $10 per month. With this opportunity, consultants earn 20-25 percent commissions on sales, plus additional commissions for building a team.

6. SQN Sport 

SQN Sport is an affiliate opportunity where you can earn a 20-25 percent commission on activewear for women. With this opportunity, you don't receive a website, 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”.

7. Zindigo

This business opportunity is currently in the process of relaunching with an app-based system. I'm not sure when it will be up and running again, but, the below details are from when it was open to the public.

Open an online store (FREE for Beta members) and make 40 percent commission on all items sold through your shop. Personalize your boutique and promote your fashion finds using social media. Earnings are transferred on the 16th of each month to a Zindigo debit Master Card. Zindigo stores are created using Facebook Business Pages. They also have options where you can make 25 percent for sharing gift card offers with friends, and you can earn 3 percent by referring others to the Zindigo platform. Zindigo has been featured on Mashable and Venture Beat.

One Last Thought

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

The following fashion opportunities were free but have since closed their doors. If anything changes or any new opportunities pop up, I'll let you know.

Keaton Row – closed up shop in March 2017

Keaton Row is a FREE business platform that allows you to create personalized style books for women that you know. For each item that is purchased from your website or lookbooks, you’ll earn a commission. Besides your monthly sales commissions and incentives, stylists can earn trips, exclusive access to fashion shows, and additional cash bonuses. Stylists are given a free website, along with marketing tools and training opportunities. Payments are made via direct deposit.

NUMARI – closed operations

NUMARI is a FREE online boutique that allows women to create custom tailored dresses and scarves. Style Ambassadors can earn 30 percent commission on all items sold, unlimited team commissions, and personal discounts on clothing. Clothing can be sold online or via in-home shopping parties. Their website doesn't have a lot of details, so you'll need to contact them for additional information.

Kitsy Lane – closed their doors

Kitsy Lane is a FREE e-commerce platform that allows you to create and curate your own online jewelry and accessories boutique all at no cost, completely risk-free. Customize your own online storefront, choose pieces you want to sell, give personal shopping advice, and promote fabulous finds across your social networks. Earn up to 25 percent in commission for every item you sell and earn additional commissions on sales from your team. Payments are made monthly via check and direct deposit. Kitsy Lane offers a free website, marketing materials, and training videos.

Style Owner – closed down

Is a FREE platform where you customize your online store, choose different items for your store (clothes, shoes, jewelry, skincare products, makeup, gift items, and more) and sell them online. For each product that is sold through your storefront, you’ll earn a 10 percent commission. Featured retailers include Lord and Taylor, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Shoe Buy. Style Owner has been featured in InStyle, WSJ Blog, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Fast Company. I couldn't find any information on when or how payments are made. To sign up request an invitation on the website or email lex@styleowner.com with questions.

Brick & Portal – changed their business model

Brick & Portal changed its business model. It's now a smartphone app that allows you to curate outfits, but it doesn't offer any rewards or perks as it did before.

With Brick and Portal, you can build your very own online fashion boutique for FREE. Choose items for both men and women from a large variety of brands. For each item that you sell – you'll earn points ($1,000 in sales = 1000 points). Points are converted into cash (100 points = 1 dollar). While this isn't a lot of money, Brick & Portal is providing shopping data to brands and retailers so that they can identify influencers for further reviews and collaborations. Payment is made via check, direct deposit, and PayPal.

Lea Black – never relaunched their retail opportunity 

This opportunity was supposedly on hold, while they are restructured their website. But, it's been a couple of years now, and they still haven't relaunched, so I'm taking it off the active list.

Is a FREE Facebook Boutique where you can sell skin care products, fashion jewelry, accessories, and glamorous handbags. With this platform, you sign up for free on their site and then set up a Facebook Business Page. Once you’ve completed that step, you'll add the Lea Black store to your Facebook Page and sell products from there. On each product that you sell, you’ll earn 20 percent commission. I couldn’t find any information on how payments are made or how often … in fact this opportunity is very new. However, Lea Black herself is a mother, wife, philanthropist, author, television personality, political fundraiser, entrepreneur, and reality show housewife — and she too sells these products through her own website.

Conclusion. 

If you're looking for a work-from-home sales position within the fashion industry, there are many different avenues to explore. While many business opportunities require a substantial start-up fee, all of the suggestions on this list are free for the taking. 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 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.

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Originally published on March 12, 2015. Content updated on March 15, 2019.

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