I originally signed up to sell LuLaRoe in November of 2016.
After a six-week wait in the new retailer onboarding queue, I received my LuLaRoe call in late January 2017 to place my initial order and have been proudly selling LuLaRoe ever since!
It's been over four years since I decided to onboard and begin my LuLaRoe boutique journey, and things have changed a LOT since then -- especially when it comes to the sign-up process. I'm here to give you a simplified explanation of how much it costs to sign up and sell LuLaRoe in 2020, as well as additional costs & things to consider when setting up your own shop.
When I originally signed up to sell LuLaRoe, they required you to purchase one of several starter kits that came with a pre-set amount of sizes and styles. The starter kits were intended to set new retailers up for success with a fully shoppable, in-person boutique that would allow anyone to try a full range of sizes in any of the available LuLaRoe styles. These initial starter kits started at just under $5000 and went up in price from there.
As the world (and the company) has evolved, the LuLaRoe onboard starter kits have since gone away.
In 2020, new LuLaRoe onboards spend just $499 to become an official LuLaRoe retailer. That $499 cost includes complete access to the BUILD & BLESS ordering & sales platforms, a customizable inventory website, as well as 65 pieces of your choice from the LuLaRoe warehouse. New onboards have inventory set aside for them to ensure that they are able to order from the full (and current) LuLaRoe lineup.
There are several things other things you should also consider when you want to begin your LuLaRoe business.
Storage
You will need a space to store your shiny new LuLaRoe clothes! For example, my shop is currently the master bedroom of my house. Designate a room in which you can hang your clothes, and make sure you give yourself enough room so you can move around freely.
Additional Supplies
When you sign up to sell LuLaRoe, you are starting your own small business. As such, there are several supplies you will need to acquire in order to make sure your business runs smoothly -- and they are not included in your initial onboarding costs. Supplies you will likely want to order:
- Clothing racks. Your initial 65 pieces will easily fill a double standing hanging rack.
- Velvet hangers. I strongly recommend investing in velvet hangers on the front-end, as they keep garments from slipping and look extremely professional.
- A label printer, a package scale, shipping supplies, and a shipping program. Although you may not be shipping a ton of packages at first, you do not want to have to continuously drive to the post office to ship your LuLaRoe packages. I use the Zensales shipping platform to cheaply and efficiently ship my orders. I package each order in a clear plastic bag, and use fun and colorful poly mailers from UPakNShip. I currently use the Dymo 4XL label printer, but have heard great things about the newer Rollo printer. Then I use these thermal labels for shipping labels! Grab any package scale off of Amazon, but I do recommend grabbing one that can weigh a package at least up to 50 pounds.
- Ring light. Whether you plan on going live on Facebook to sell LuLaRoe or would rather post photos instead, a ring light will give you great, bright lighting for whatever you'd like to achieve. I have this Neewer 18-inch ring light that I use almost everyday.
- Marketing materials. You may want to wait to invest in marketing materials, but it's important to consider this cost if you decide to continue and grow your LuLaRoe business. VistaPrint often has discounts and promo codes, so I strongly recommend using them to make package inserts, promo code coupons, business cards, and more.
As your LuLaRoe business evolves, there are more supplies you'll likely want to add on. However, this is a great starting checklist.
Social Media
2020 has undoubtedly been the year of COVID-19, so a lot of LuLaRoe retailers have not been able to run the in-person businesses that they once used to. I have personally always bee a primarily online seller, and must to be willing to grow and adapt in order to find and serve my audience.
Facebook is the largest social media platform with over 2 global users. Although LuLaRoe is a United States-only company (for now), Facebook will be one of the best places to find new customers and serve existing ones. Many retailers utilize a Facebook VIP group as well as a Facebook business page to advertise their business and grow their community.
Instagram is likely the second most populated platform, but is far more visual. LuLaRoe retailers use Instagram to share how they style new styles, connect with new customers, and spread their brand message.
YouTube is important for creating longterm content such as sizing videos, styling videos, and even live sales when you hit a certain number of subscribers. YouTube is important because it is owned by Google, and makes your content much more easily searchable by people who use that search engine. Which is a lot :D
Pinterest is a highly-targeted search content engine, and a great place to post styling resources, blogs, and other shareable content. There are many LuLaRoe retailers who are on this platform, but few who use it efficiently for their business.
You are not required to use social media to share your LuLaRoe business, but I will always and without a doubt recommend it. Especially as more brick and mortar stores shut their doors, social media is becoming even more important in the growth of small businesses.
The LuLaRoe business opportunity changed my life, and is still changing lives. LuLaRoe is ENTIRELY what you are willing to put into it, and you must be willing to try and fail. A lot. No small business is instantly successful.
But if the LuLaRoe opportunity is something that interests you, please reach out and let me know. The $499 onboarding cost is so much more accessible than it used to be, so the LuLaRoe opportunity can be yours. If you want it. :)
For the year 2020, the average Retailer gross profit was $10,073.41 while the median gross profit was $1,444.65. For more information, please read the official LuLaRoe income disclosure statement here: https://www.lularoe.com/lularoe-income-disclosure-statement