Hey everyone,
Quick background: I run a small fashion brand based in Austin, Texas. Right now, we mainly sell through our Shopify store and a few local boutiques — it’s just three of us working part-time. We do about $300k in annual revenue, but margins are thin. After expenses, there’s not much left to reinvest.
I’ve been thinking about expanding to Amazon and TikTok Shop, but I’m completely new to this side of e-commerce. I’ve been reading forums and talking to people, but I still have a few questions I’m hoping you can help with.
Question 1 – Platform choice: As a complete beginner, should I start with Amazon or TikTok Shop? One is the established marketplace, the other is newer. How do I decide? I’m trying to figure out where to put my limited budget for the best ROI.
Question 2 – Product testing: What’s the simplest, most cost-effective way to test new products? I’m looking for something straightforward — not overly complex.
Question 3 – Metrics to watch: For a fashion item in the testing phase, should I focus more on impressions or conversion rate?
Question 4 – What counts as a “hit”: For a fashion product, how many units per day would you consider a true winner?
Question 5 – Inventory and seasonality: Fashion is seasonal. How do you manage inventory across seasons? For example, if a winter item keeps selling into spring, do you keep restocking as summer approaches?
Question 6 – Supply chain without developing products: I’ve heard manufacturers in places like China have fast turnaround, but I’m not sure how to find reliable ones. If I’m not designing my own products, where can I find good suppliers to work with?
Question 7 – When to scale production: I’m guessing at some point you move from small batches to bigger orders. At what daily order volume should I start thinking about larger factory orders?
Thanks a ton in advance. Any real-world advice would be huge.
Answers (7)
A few things from someone who’s been in your exact shoes:
Good luck — it’s a steep learning curve, but it’s worth it.
Factory MOQ (minimum order quantity) varies depending on:
A common starting point is 2,000 units. Some factories will go lower if you negotiate. Others require 5,000+.
Here’s the thing though: don’t even think about factory orders until your product is proven. Start with small batch production (a few hundred units), validate the product, then scale. Rushing into large orders before you have data is how sellers end up with warehouses full of unsold inventory.
For a winter item: by March, stop replenishing. Even if it’s still selling, the window is closing. Let inventory run down naturally. If you keep restocking into spring, you’ll be sitting on winter stock when summer arrives.
I watched a seller lose everything because he kept ordering winter coats into March. By the time summer came, he was stuck with two containers of product. Getting rid of dead inventory costs money — sometimes more than the inventory itself.
Use tools to track competitors. Look at how their sales trend over time. That’ll tell you when to restock and when to stop.
There’s no universal number. A “hit” in a large category (like women’s tops) might be 200+ units per day. In a smaller niche, 50 units per day could be a win.
Here’s the thing: if the product consistently hits your margin and ad spend targets, it’s a hit. Focus on profitability, not just volume.
I know a seller doing 600 units a day on yoga pants who still wants more. Another is happy with 30 units a day on a niche product with higher margins. Define your own target based on your costs and goals.
For fashion, conversion rate is what you should watch first. Impressions without conversion mean nothing — if people aren’t buying, Amazon will stop showing your product.
Here’s a benchmark I use:
If you hit these numbers, the product is worth scaling. If not, you either need to improve the listing (better photos, better copy) or move on. Don’t overcomplicate it.