{"id":249767,"date":"2018-03-15T19:00:46","date_gmt":"2018-03-15T16:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1870c24557.nxcli.io\/?p=249767"},"modified":"2018-03-15T19:00:46","modified_gmt":"2018-03-15T16:00:46","slug":"how-to-start-a-mitumba-business-in-kenya","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.careerpointkenya.co.ke\/2018\/03\/15\/how-to-start-a-mitumba-business-in-kenya\/","title":{"rendered":"Start Your Very Own Mitumba Business With These Easy Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Lilian Wamaitha<\/strong>
\nMy friend Alex is one of a kind.
\nWhen I met him, almost five years ago, I was by then living in Thika. If you have been in Thika or any other town for that matter, you know how busy the streets are especially in the evenings, lined up with hawkers merchandizing all kinds of goodies.
\nAlex was one of them and at that time he used to sell sending hand clothes commonly known as mitumba. He would wake up very early in the morning to go to Gikomba to buy stock.
\nFast forward, that young man just out of school who found passion in business<\/a> no longer sells mitumba but is the proud owner or two majorly stocked electronics shops in Nairobi and Kikuyu.
\nHe now imports his things from other countries and even has links with the likes of Sayona and Samsung where he gets his stock from.
\nMost people like Alex, have used Mitumba business as a catapult to something better.
\nIf you don\u2019t have a lot of capital to start a business, I strongly believe that a mitumba business is one of the most profitable businesses<\/a> you can venture into.<\/p>\n

So what some it take to start a mitumba business in Kenya today?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

According to a report by Reuters, Kenya exports approximately 100,000 tonnes of second hand clothes every year creating not only revenue for the government but millions of jobs for the youth.
\n1. How much capital do you need?<\/strong><\/span>
\nA small mitumba business can cost you anywhere from 500 to 1000 shillings.
\nA medium venture will require somewhere from 20,000 to 100,000 shillings and if you are looking for a large mitumba business, you will need more than 100K.
\nAs you can see, the amount of capital you need, depends on the size of the business.
\nIf you are just starting off, you can go for a small or medium venture.
\nYou Must See This<\/span> >>> <\/span><\/em><\/strong>8 Profitable Businesses You Can Start In Kenya With As Low As 5-10K<\/a><\/em><\/strong>
\n2. Determining your market<\/strong><\/span>
\nThis is one of the initial processes in starting a second hand clothing business.
\nYou can go ahead and create your own target market. Could be your colleagues or neighbors and then you can become the go to person for whatever they need.
\n3. Determining the location<\/strong><\/span>
\nFor most people starting a business, I would advise that you create an online market first before thinking about a physical shop.
\nThe good thing about an online shop is that you don\u2019t have to stress about things like city council licenses or paying rent.
\nCreate a Facebook page, use maybe 1K or less to promote it to reach the target people and you are in business.
\nInstagram is also a popular site for those who want to sell things.
\nEnsure that you market you stuff in the best way, provide advantages like free delivery within a given area and be aware of the competition since you are not the only one selling.
\nOnline selling is about what makes your products unique.
\nIt could be you delivery fee or the quality of your items.
\nAll in all choose a powerful selling point and that is how you will keep people coming.
\nHowever, if you have the money to set up a physical shop, go with a place that has high traffic and be wary of when you open.
\nIf you are working, it would be set to combine both online and physical selling.
\n4. Where to get stock<\/strong><\/span>
\nConduct your research on the most reputable suppliers before you even begin.
\nYou can either buy stock in bales or select desired clothes at a wholesale price.
\nFor a small business it\u2019s always advisable to go for the latter.
\nEnsure though that the supplier you use is reputable and sells their clothes at a reasonable price enough to guarantee you profit at the end of the day.
\nMost of the people who venture in mitumba business in Nairobi get their supplies from Gikomba and Muthurwa markets or Eastleigh.
\nIf you are in another town, conduct your research and even ask around where other sellers get their stock.
\nBuying stock in bales<\/strong><\/span>
\nSome people opt to buy their stock in bales rather than going to the market and selecting the desired clothes. It is not only cheap but you get way more stock.
\nMost mitumba clothes sold in Kenya are imported from developed countries like Canada, Australia, USA, UK, Japan, Germany, and China among other European countries.
\nMost traders in Gikomba will tell you that the best quality is from the UK which also makes it a bit expensive. However, you can still get quality from Dubai at a cheaper price.
\nMost of the clothes shipped from Canada are oversized but will do well when adjusted.
\nA bale of children\u2019s clothes for instance from Europe can go for as much as 30K, while one from China will go for 10K. The only difference is that the European ones are more quality that the Chinese ones.
\nMost people who deal with importing children second hand clothes admit that it is the most profitable because the bales will come with so many other goodies except for lighter clothes.
\nHowever, if you choose to be buying your own bales, depending on the capital you have you can ship from any country or just go and buy the entire bale from Gikomba.
\nThis Will Interest You\u00a0<\/span>>>> <\/span><\/em><\/strong>5 Tips On How to Get Rich in Kenya Today<\/em><\/strong><\/a>
\nMost people are shy to venture into mitumba business they thing that it\u2019s saturated but there are a lot of profits in it. Surprisingly if you have 1K, you can start selling mitumba clothes<\/a>.\u00a0 With this kind of business, you can be assured of at least 500 shillings in profit at the end of the day. Isn\u2019t it better than just sitting at home waiting for someone to notice your application letter on their desk?
\nLilian is a Communication Officer at Career Point Kenya? Got any business related questions? Email them to lilian@www.careerpointkenya.co.ke.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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