Slippers Types and Styles

Understanding slippers types and styles can help you offer the best selection

By Rhyah Fletcher
As a retailer, you must understand the different slippers types and styles so you can offer customers the best selection. Slippers have become as fashionable as high heels, with customers looking for trendy, stylish slipper choices. There are the typical bedroom slippers, but there are also ballet slippers, clog slippers, moccasins, sock slippers and kid's character slippers.

Slipper makers manufacture slippers for cold weather, warm weather, indoor wear and outdoor wear. By stocking all types of house slippers and outdoor worthy slippers, you can increase sales and profits. When considering the types of slippers to sell, keep these ideas in mind:

1. Slippers can be seasonal. It's important to stock seasonally appropriate slippers in order to make sales.

2. Dance slippers aren't sold everywhere, so a retailer with quality ballerina slippers can tap into that niche market.

3. Kids slippers are big sellers, but only if you stock popular characters. It's important to know which characters entice little kids to beg for products.

 

Stock women's slippers and men's slippers based on season

The most common type of seasonal slipper is the fluffy, warm slipper worn in winter. There are sheepskin slippers, fleece lined slippers, sock style slippers and non-skid fuzzy slippers that help keep feet warm in the winter. A popular warm weather slipper is the Chinese slipper. The Chinese slipper has a mesh toe and sometimes a design or decoration. These slippers have either a soft sole or a rubber sole.
Try: Endless.com offers a wide selection of winter slippers for women and men. Siamese Dream offers a variety of Chinese slippers, suitable for both indoor and outdoor wear.

Sell profitable kids slippers and baby slippers

Profitable kids slippers include those with cartoon characters or television show celebrities. Spongebob, Scooby Doo, Power Rangers, Dora the Explorer and Spider Man are all big sellers when it comes to kid products. Baby slippers are usually soft soled shoes with cute characters or designs on them.
Try: Zappos.com has a huge selection of trendy boy's and girl's slippers, including baby slippers. Crazy for Bargains has a selection of character slippers, including Bratz and Sesame Street.

Fill the shelves with outdoor and indoor slippers

Indoor slippers usually have soft bottoms that don't fare well in wet conditions or other outside conditions. Outdoor slippers usually have thicker rubber soles for support on outdoor terrain. Both women's bedroom slippers and men's bedroom slippers come in different types of materials. A highly efficient slipper is one that can go from the bedroom to the mailbox without fear of ruining the slipper.
Try: Shoebuy.com offers classic hard sole slippers for both men and women. Hammacher Schlemmer & Company offer outdoor waterproof slippers for both men and women.