You start with smaller independent retailers. I know the mark up of clothing. If one is a manufacturer-retailer they have a lot to play with. Right now there are quite a few smaller companies hurting for sales. I have talked with many, they are ready to do what’s necessary to survive and prosper.
Of course different companies have different margins, but we can work with them on an individual basis. I advocate starting small and working up to the big boys. What I need to know is how to bring this together technologically. If anyone wants to help with that or has suggestions, I’ll be happy to hear them.
You’re talking fairly sophisticated e-commerce, to be able to track clickthrough and purchase, back through to the referring site or party. Plenty of companies do it, though, from Googe AdSense, to Amazon, to a number of multilevels, so it wouldn’t be reinventing the wheel. An existing solution is out there.
In my experience, the cost of producing and mailing a small direct mail catalog is fairly comparable to setting up a good e-commerce site, from around $10K on up to $30K and beyond, depending upon the number of SKUs you’re going to sell on the site. If you’re not looking to throw a lot of money at the startup, partnering with someone who has a strong background in the tech side of e-commerce would be one way around it.