Business Idea Gear Toward natural hair

[Word]

Hello Ladies I need your advice on a business venture someone called and asked me to consult on.

She wants to build a web site geared toward selling natural hair products. She also mentioned natural skin and cosmetic products as well.

My question to her was is there a market for this online I understand the hair care business is 1 billion(her info) or more but this kinda seems very nichie(is that a word). Are there women online who will purchase these products online. Thanks for your info.

Happy Valentines day ladies

 

[Adam Knows]

Hello Ladies I need your advice on a business venture someone called and asked me to consult on.

She wants to build a web site geared toward selling natural hair products. She also mentioned natural skin and cosmetic products as well.

My question to her was is there a market for this online I understand the hair care business is 1 billion(her info) or more but this kinda seems very nichie(is that a word). Are there women online who will purchase these products online. Thanks for your info.

Happy Valentines day ladies

this is coming from someon who already looked into it

NO.

too many reasons as to why it won't work to list. i would tell your friend to just raise the capital and find a location that's not saturated with ethnic beauty supply stores and open one up. there's still a lot out there. i found many locations in carolina where there are no ethnic based health and beauty aid stores for black women. and the sally's that are there mainly stock products for white hair with a lil itty bitty corner for ethnic hair products

 

[JofromthaNO]

Hello Ladies I need your advice on a business venture someone called and asked me to consult on.

She wants to build a web site geared toward selling natural hair products. She also mentioned natural skin and cosmetic products as well.

My question to her was is there a market for this online I understand the hair care business is 1 billion(her info) or more but this kinda seems very nichie(is that a word). Are there women online who will purchase these products online. Thanks for your info.

Happy Valentines day ladies

As Da Don said, a lot of local businesses, depending on where you reside, don't sell or cater to ethnic hair. HOWEVER, online, there is a market for it. I think a website that was a "central location" for many different products for African American women who had natural hair would be a nice thing. However, many women tend to go with the product they know and love, and buy it, no matter how expensive it might be, if the end product is what they love. I think there are way too many products out there to try and limit it to the ones, at your online store, that might sell PLUS some larger distributors (i.e., Macy's) has a hold already on selling products of a specific brand (i.e., Carol's Daughter) so you start getting into those issues as well...

 

[Adam Knows]

As Da Don said, a lot of local businesses, depending on where you reside, don't sell or cater to ethnic hair. HOWEVER, online, there is a market for it. I think a website that was a "central location" for many different products for African American women who had natural hair would be a nice thing. However, many women tend to go with the product they know and love, and buy it, no matter how expensive it might be, if the end product is what they love. I think there are way too many products out there to try and limit it to the ones, at your online store, that might sell PLUS some larger distributors (i.e., Macy's) has a hold already on selling products of a specific brand (i.e., Carol's Daughter) so you start getting into those issues as well...

the problem with online hair products as we've researched is convenience/accessibility. wait a week for something to come in the mail or drive around for 45 minutes looking for what u need that day.

 

[doggish_098]

not going to work man the Koreans already have the hair market on lock. like someone else said why wait a week when you can literally walk to your local retailer in most cases. As far as the other natural products there is already plenty of places online to buy those types of products.

 

[Word]

I agree brick and mortor stores are far too many I would say no right away to that. No matter where it is not an avenue I would advise someone with no business knowledge to go down. I looked around online and didnt see any natural products for any ethnicity didnt spend too much time but didnt see anything that says to me theres an opening.

Da Don youve looking into doing it online not a phycial store? What turned you around? Im a dude so there are no products that i cant get from the local kroger but women with locks or something else may want to buy some things online for price and convenance yada yada yada.

Also the niche market of organic products i thought about when she called.

Thanks for the help

 

[JofromthaNO]

the problem with online hair products as we've researched is convenience/accessibility. wait a week for something to come in the mail or drive around for 45 minutes looking for what u need that day.

I know sisters that will wait a week for a tried-and-true, good quality product to come in. For example, my sister used Miss Jessie's Hair Pudding on her hair...hard to find out here in Carolina, but she'll order it online. She tried just once to go with another product (that was cheaper and easily accessible here), but the results were not the same. So, she went back to her original hair product. The idea here is that women will pay and wait for a product they know works for them...cause you never know what results will occur if you go with another product. Same with hairdressers...I'll go all the way out of my way (30-45 minutes) to a good hairdresser than 10-15 minutes nearby to some other shop...cause appearance IS something we'll put extra money into...

 

[Word]

I know sisters that will wait a week for a tried-and-true, good quality product to come in. For example, my sister used Miss Jessie's Hair Pudding on her hair...hard to find out here in Carolina, but she'll order it online. She tried just once to go with another product (that was cheaper and easily accessible here), but the results were not the same. So, she went back to her original hair product. The idea here is that women will pay and wait for a product they know works for them...cause you never know what results will occur if you go with another product. Same with hairdressers...I'll go all the way out of my way (30-45 minutes) to a good hairdresser than 10-15 minutes nearby to some other shop...cause appearance IS something we'll put extra money into...

I agree with you but the larger question is there enough of your "sisters" out there to build a site around.

 

[JofromthaNO]

I agree with you but the larger question is there enough of your "sisters" out there to build a site around.

Depends on how you market it to people, I feel...plus, it's one of the reasons why the hair industry makes so much money... I mean, women with no substantial steady income flow will cater to the Asians 'round the block...they'll even PAY a good grip for what they're looking for. However, educated sisters, in my opinion, would cater to a site as such...again, it's all about how you market it...

 

[Adam Knows]

not going to work man the Koreans already have the hair market on lock. like someone else said why wait a week when you can literally walk to your local retailer in most cases. As far as the other natural products there is already plenty of places online to buy those types of products.

koreans have it locked in major metro areas.

 

[Adam Knows]

I know sisters that will wait a week for a tried-and-true, good quality product to come in. For example, my sister used Miss Jessie's Hair Pudding on her hair...hard to find out here in Carolina, but she'll order it online. She tried just once to go with another product (that was cheaper and easily accessible here), but the results were not the same. So, she went back to her original hair product. The idea here is that women will pay and wait for a product they know works for them...cause you never know what results will occur if you go with another product. Same with hairdressers...I'll go all the way out of my way (30-45 minutes) to a good hairdresser than 10-15 minutes nearby to some other shop...cause appearance IS something we'll put extra money into...

like i said if that product was available in nc it would sell faster and for a percentage more.

 

[BronxBomber]

Yea some good info here. I agree with there being a huge market but as some folks said to accessible. Opened a store in the mall week before xmas. Just introduced Shea Butter with fragrance added. Its killing. Sold like 13 jars in 1st day. Its great by the counter. But online? Waaaaaay to many big sites gonna drown her out.

All that being said Koreans and Arabs do have those shops on lock but if you have an official product that you created and you can pitch it right you can get them to carry your product. I got oils in the arab spots in the city which they have like 4 stores and like 3 in Ohio and 1 in St. Croix. When we negotiate its always who got the biggest balls and before I go see them I have a certain mindstate cause they dont give two shits about the product or the work you put in. Its all about the bottom line and will it sell.

Peace