You can’t go wrong with a great pair of blue jeans, but it can be hard for your customers to find a brand, style, fit and size that actually accommodates their particular body type. When it comes to women’s sizes, for example, jeans manufacturers don’t adhere to a strict set of guidelines for the measurements that make up, say, a size 10. Therefore, each set of jeans in that size, manufactured by various jean brands, can fit differently.

It’s important to understand this and other elements of jeans in order to provide a quality product for your customers. Another contributing factor to the jeans you offer is the price. Many consumers have an idea of the proper jeans pricing and costs, such as really inexpensive means cheap quality and break-the-bank expensive means name brand. It’s good to find a happy medium in the following options:

1. Invest in a multitude of styles if you plan to offer women’s jeans in your store.

2. Men love to wear blue jeans products everywhere they go, so you should probably offer them.

3. A jeans business that appeals to the entire family offers jeans for infants and children.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consider classic and name brand jeans for women

Women are the hardest to accommodate when it comes to clothing, because they come in such an assortment of body types. Therefore, you want to provide as many different styles of jeans as possible -- low rise, comfort fit, stretch, boot cut -- so that your customers are more likely to find what they're looking for.

I recommend: Use Zafu’s perfect fit finder to get an idea of the fit needs that women have and what brands of jeans accommodate those needs. The jeans they recommend are typically within the $50 to $150 per pair range. These are not, of course, wholesale prices and your best bet, as a retailer, is to buy jeans online from wholesale providers. Wholesale Fashion Square offers women’s jeans in bulk purchases, ranging from $8 to $15 per pair, and sold in groups of six to 15 with various sizes included.

Display men's jeans in sizes that will fit the average guy

The problem that many men find with the selection of jeans available is that the waist and length combination doesn't match their proportions correctly. For example 32x32 size jeans are much easier to find than 32x30 for the shorter fellow. As you look at the jeans you purchase, consider investing in more of the irregular sizes to accommodate more customers.

I recommend: BarginWholesaler offers a selection of name brand men’s jeans at wholesale. Purchase sets of six to 10 for $70 to $200, depending on the brand. For quality men’s jeans without the name brand price, purchase wholesale from Paris Fashion - ClothingIsland for an average of $8 to $15 per pair.

Become a jeans distributor for all children's sizes

If you plan to offer children's jeans in your store, then you need to determine what ages you'll accommodate. Obviously, this depends upon your store dynamic. If your store offers something for every member of the family, then the investment in children's jeans can be ample, based upon the fact that there are just so many different sizes that you need to offer.

I recommend: Island Wholesaler has a variety of urban style jeans and shorts for boys starting in groups of six for $8 to $20 per pair, depending on the brand. Penguin Kids Wear provides a variety of items for boys and girls ages infants to teens, such as these girl’s flair leg jeans, priced at about $80 for a package of 12 in varying sizes.

Jeans are no longer a simple wardrobe statement or an easy way out of deciding what to wear. Have you tried shopping for jeans lately? It can be as confusing to find the right style and size as it is to actually launch a new store in the jeans business.

It is important for a jeans distributor, or jeans sellers and business owners offering jeans products, to prevent their customers from becoming overwhelmed by their shopping experience and possibly losing them to online stores. With the right setup, customers will love shopping for jeans and they will love to do it in your store.

Jeans and jeans products have become more varied, quick to come and go, and more intimidating than anyone could have guessed at their invention, so finding the right pair is all the more rewarding and precious. And, good jeans are a good investment.

Here's how to help your clients choose what to invest in:

1. Look everywhere for jeans. Almost everyone wears them, so they'll be easy to find on people.
2. Ask what people like and don't like about the jeans they own, and ask stores which jeans sell the best. For example, American Apparel jeans may sell well, but customers may be generally less satisfied with them than they are with others, such as Cheap Monday.
3. Create the perfect place for customers to find your jeans and try them on, where they can be seen by others. Never underestimate a good picture, good lighting, or a great pair of legs in a great pair of jeans, as a key selling factor.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Stay up to date on the latest jeans information, current trends, and popular brands

If your store already sells blue jeans or blue jeans products, you may know the big brands of today. Quickly growing labels may become classics eventually, so it is always good to have the latest jeans available for those who demand them. But, old, recognizable labels from well-known jeans manufacturers and designers are almost always higher sellers in the long run. Check out the new stuff that old labels have to offer, and then look at the best selling new designs. Try to stay away from huge sales (they're probably on sale for a reason) and very cheap jeans. Jeans, like shoes and appliances, should be of a good quality. People want jeans that will last, and those with a very low price usually alert shoppers to poor design or inferior quality.

I recommend: Levi's and Gap jeans have never gone out of style, and Calvin Klein, Gloria Vanderbilt, and Ralph Lauren jeans have all made comebacks in the recent past. Look at shopping institutions, such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Bloomingdale's, for ideas. Actually, look at Target, too. Ignore the extremely expensive, however, as they're mostly novelty items.

Customize your jeans selection to attract the type of clients you prefer

Are you selling men's jeans and women's jeans? What about jeans for teens? Will you carry plus size jeans? Most of the above links have a wide range of styles and sizes available, but you will want to focus on only a few in order to keep your customers from being overwhelmed. When he or she walks into your store, you want the first pair of jeans they see to be the ones they want to try on. So, does your customer want to look sexy? Feel comfortable? Set trends? Considering questions like this will be the best way to narrow down your selection and create the atmosphere of a boutique or specialty store. Having a lot of options in a specific style is better than offering only a few options in every style. Trying on jeans is a lot less stressful when you know that the pair you're trying on isn't the only pair in the store that you like.

I recommend: Look at online stores like Topshop, Urban Outfitters, Hot Topic, Forever 21, and American Apparel. For name brand jeans, browse Tobi, SSense, and ShopStyle to see how you can appeal to a specific customer type by limiting the styles, while still offering lots of options within each style. Also, check out magazines and tabloids. Right now younger people want to wear what's in style with their favorite celebrities.

Help your customers shop for jeans

Another good thing to take from the above mentioned jeans distributors, jeans manufacturers, and clothing stores are the attitudes and experiences of their websites. Showing a pair of jeans on a real person in motion really helps to show what they can look like on your customer. Have your staff wear jeans that you sell, and have pictures of celebrities or models wearing them in magazines, either on display in the dressing rooms or in a look book on the counter. Read customer reviews of stores and jeans, and take them into consideration when setting up your clothing racks. Are all of your jeans easily accessible? Are the smallest ones in front of the larger ones? (Smaller jeans, off the rack, are naturally more eye-catching.) Are your jeans incorporated into attractive outfits on mannequins or models in photographs throughout the store and/or in the windows? Are the jeans a main focus point and not just an easy-ensemble maker?

I recommend: For inspiration, look at examples of creative merchandising by Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel. Don't be discouraged by the big names. Just because you are not a designer house does not mean you can't be as creative and eye-catching as one. Style.com is a great place to search for fashion trends because it is so widely viewed. Check out fashion shows for denim items, read articles and reviews of the best new jeans, or just find a jeans look book, like the one in the link.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Go shopping at the mall. See what you find tricky about trying to find, try on, and buy jeans. Apply your own findings.
• •  Try buying vintage. Go to resale shops, thrift stores, online auctions and clothing exchanges. If you have the time and the patience for searching for gently used name brand jeans, you might be surprised at what you find.
• •  Create your own store website. This might not be your main way of selling jeans and your customers may not actually buy jeans online, but it will serve to attract business and make you a more accessible store.

Being in the jeans business can be very rewarding. Blue jeans never go out of style, as they are the staple of most wardrobes and come in enough styles to meet the needs of all of your customers.

Blue jeans are a versatile clothing option and are always in high demand. As a blue jeans retailer, you have some decisions to make about which types of jeans to sell. When deciding what blue jeans to carry in your store consider the following jeans types and styles:

1. Keep your blue jeans business hip by offering a large selection of the newest trends in womens jeans.

2. Think about providing blue jeans for men in different washes to give your male customers many options.

3. Consider carrying jeans products for children so that your customers can shop at your store for their whole family.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Select a variety of blue jeans styles to offer your female customers

Styles are always changing and it is important for your blue jeans business to keep up with the newest trends in womens jeans. Look for blue jeans manufacturers that offer the hottest trends in styles and cuts.

I recommend: Check out 1 Fashion Clothing for your womens jeans needs. It has many to choose from including some with detailed pockets and patches. Jobber1 Clothing offers wholesale womens jeans in all the popular cuts and styles. Choose from the skinny leg, to a boot cut style, to colored and distressed. It has everything to meet the needs of your retail clothing store.

Purchase blue jeans for men in different washes

Look for a jeans distributor that can sell you mens jeans in different washes. Mens jeans don't come in as many styles as womens jeans, so offering them in many options of washes and colors is a must.

I recommend: ClothingIsland.com offers a large selection of mens jeans in different washes to give your customers a lot of choices. At Wholesale Clothing Site, you can buy wholesale jeans in mixed lots that give you a range of sizes and colors in bulk. A minimum order is 360 pairs of jeans, so be ready to buy in bulk.

Carry blue jeans for children

Make it easy for your customers to shop for the whole family at your store. Carry childrens brand jeans for both boys and girls in toddler sizes through older kids sizes, including juniors.

I recommend: Penguin Kids Wear sells girls jeans in four different washes. They come in packs of eight to help you stock your store with girls blue jeans. Rhinomart.com offers a large selection of boys and girls jeans, shorts and skirts for toddlers to juniors.

Although jeans have been consistent sellers in your retail store, staying on top of fashion trends can help you increase seasonal sales. Checking industry and fashion publications, websites and online retail stores can help you stay apprised of such jeans-related terms like “boyfriend cut” and “tummy control” and “acid washed.” Knowing this terminology will not only help you order the classic and cutting-edge jeans styles from manufacturers and vendors, but also discuss the garments with customers seeking specific looks.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Cropped

Appeal to customers looking for jeans to wear in warmer temperatures by stocking cropped styles that rise above the ankle or just below the knee. Also known as Capri jeans, cropped styles in stretch denim offer additional comfort.

I recommend: See cropped jeans styles in different colored denims and washes through the Nordstrom website.

Tummy-control

Customers can look extra lean in their jeans that feature a hidden tummy-control panel through the mid-section. In addition to featuring spandex throughout the pant for additional comfort, the mid-rise jeans can slim the belly with a mesh or spandex panel.

I recommend: Macy’s offers Capri and traditional lengths jeans in a variety of styles that feature the hidden tummy-control panel.

Skinny denim

Customers looking for a trendy look will be interested in skinny denim styles that hug the body from waist to ankle. Skinny jeans are popular with teens, as well as male and female fashionistas who like the slender profile or enjoy tucking jeans into boots.

I recommend: Urban Outfitters offers an assortment of skinny denim jeans, including styles with ankle zippers, high-rise waists and shorter Capri styles. The site also features skinny denim jeans for men.

Low-rise boot cut

Women customers looking for a longer, leaner look may appreciate low-rise boot cut jeans that elongate the leg. Consider stocking styles in tall, short and average lengths to accommodate different body styles.

I recommend: The Gap offers a selection of low-rise boot cut jeans in blue, black and white denim.

Boyfriend cut

For women customers looking for a boxier cut to their jeans, the boyfriend cut features a relaxed fit and straight legs. This classic jeans cut, also called a straight cut or easy fit in men's jeans, will hold wide customer appeal for years to come.

I recommend: Check out a selection of boyfriend cut jeans in various washes through the Levi’s Store website.

Stonewash

For a pre-faded look with natural variations in color and texture, look for stonewashed jeans for men. Available in dark and light styles, the jeans are ideal for more casual ensembles and for customers who want the aged look from day one.

I recommend: Check out stonewash men’s jeans in assorted relaxed styles through the Kohls website.