Opening a new clothing shop
By Carlos Silva
Director of operations for Rio & Co., a new Brazilian/American apparel store in Worcester.
As told to Cory S. Hopkins, Worcester Business Journal Staff Writer
10. PRICE, QUALITY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE ARE KEY
It takes a long time to find a customer, but it’s very easy to lose one.
9. CONSUMERS LOVE COUPONS
We initially offered 10 and 15 percent off coupons to keep the customers coming back.
8. FILL THE VOID
We’re located on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, which is mostly restaurants. We thought, ‘Why not try to attract new people here, too?’
7. INVENTORY IS EVERYTHING
Make sure you have a big inventory with a lot of items from a lot of different brands.
6. FIT THE SEASON
Brazil is a country of summer. But it’s cold here. We try to be stylish like Brazil but practical like America.
5. BRING SOMETHING NEW
We’re trying to get attention from Americans, while still keeping our Brazilian customers. We have designers here that are popular in Brazil, but nobody in Massachusetts knows.
4. ACCESSORIZE
We make sure the customer can get a full outfit here.
3. LISTEN TO CUSTOMER FEEDBACK
Change their tastes and change with their tastes.
2. TIMING IS EVERYTHING
We had this planned out for two years, but wanted to open just in time for the holidays.
1. DON’T PROCRASTINATE
Setting up our phones well in advance helped us start marketing two months before we opened, which built momentum.
