Many people wear wigs to either make a fashion statement or replace hair they’ve lost due to a medical condition. Wig store businesses are where individuals can go to purchase the wigs they want. According to IBISWorld, the wig and hairpiece industry brings in $224 million annually, and there are under 700 businesses in the industry.
Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? Tailor Brands is our top recommendation because it guides you through every step of the process with hands-on support.
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Start a wig store by following these 10 steps:
- Plan your Wig Store
- Form your Wig Store into a Legal Entity
- Register your Wig Store for Taxes
- Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
- Set up Accounting for your Wig Store
- Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Wig Store
- Get Wig Store Insurance
- Define your Wig Store Brand
- Create your Wig Store Website
- Set up your Business Phone System
We have put together this simple guide to starting your wig store. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.
Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.
STEP 1: Plan your business
A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:
- What will you name your business?
- What are the startup and ongoing costs?
- Who is your target market?
- How much can you charge customers?
Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.
What will you name your business?
Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Wig Store Name Generator
If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.
When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:
- Your state’s business records
- Federal and state trademark records
- Social media platforms
- Web domain availability
It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.
What are the costs involved in opening a wig store?
The startup expenses for a wig business are relatively minimal. The two largest expenses are for a storefront (either online or physical) and inventory.
Regardless of whether they’re opening an online or physical store, business owners have ways to keep their storefront costs low. Owners who are starting up online stores can find a user-friendly platform that lets them design the store themselves at a relatively low cost.
Owners who are opening a physical store can choose a location in a low-rent area. There aren’t a lot of wig stores, and customers who want wigs will usually seek out actual stores. For this reason it’s not necessary to be in a high-traffic and high-rent area.
A business’ inventory costs depend directly on how many wigs the business owner wants to carry. Online store owners can limit how many wigs they keep on hand by finding a supplier who offers quick shipping and who is willing to sell only a few items per order. With such a supplier, a business can keep just a few wigs on hand and order more as wigs sell.
Owners of physical stores can limit the number of wigs they have in the store by offering custom wigs. When offering custom-made wigs, businesses just need enough to show customers the different options that are available, and then the final product can be ordered once the customer has made his or her selection.
What are the ongoing expenses for a wig store?
The ongoing expenses for a wig store business include rent and utilities (for physical stores), website costs (for online stores), the price of additional inventory and any employee expenses.
Who is the target market?
A wig business’ ideal customer is someone who cares about their appearance, wants a different hairstyle and has discretionary income. Such as person not only is interested in wigs, but has money to either purchase one or more higher-quality products.
How does a wig store make money?
A wig store makes money by selling wigs to customers. Wigs are typically sold on a per-piece basis.
How much can you charge customers?
The price of wigs varies a lot. Luvme Hair, for example, has “ready-to-go” wigs that start at around $40. In contrast, medical wigs from Godiva’s Secret start at $149.
How much profit can a wig store make?
A wig store business’ profits depend on the price point of the wigs the business sells and it’s volume. On the high end, businesses selling custom medical wigs can bring in over $10,000 per month in revenue. Businesses selling $40 fashion wigs likely won’t have enough sales to make this much each month, but they can have a steady revenue—and they often see a significant bump in sales around Halloween.
How can you make your business more profitable?
A wig business can increase its average sale by upselling hair accessories to use with the wigs it sells. Businesses that sell high-end medical wigs may also offer to wash wigs, for which businesses often charge around $20.
Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!
STEP 2: Form a legal entity
One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your wig store is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.
This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.
In practice, this means that if your wig store were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.
Ready to Turn Your Business Idea Into a Reality?
Tailor Brands is our top recommendation because it guides you through every step of the formation process with hands-on support — from paperwork and compliance to devising a detailed plan to help you achieve your business goals.
Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our How to Start a Business guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best Business Formation Services review (for those opting for a professional service).
STEP 3: Register for taxes
You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.
In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!
You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?
There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.
STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card
Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.
When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.
Open a business bank account
Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:
- Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
- Makes accounting and tax filing easier.
Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.
Get a business credit card
Getting a business credit card helps you:
- Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business’ expenses all in one place.
- Build your company’s credit history, which can be useful to raise money later on.
Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.
STEP 5: Set up business accounting
Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.
Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.
STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses
Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.
State & Local Business Licensing Requirements
Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a wig store. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.
Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.
Certificate of Occupancy
A wig store business is generally run out of a wig store. Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.
- If you plan to lease a location:
- It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
- Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to a wig store business.
- After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.
- If you plan to purchase or build a location:
- You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
- Review all building codes and zoning requirements for your business’ location to ensure your wig store will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.
STEP 7: Get business insurance
Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.
There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.
Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.
Find out what types of insurance your Wig Store needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Wig Store.
STEP 8: Define your brand
Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.
If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.
How to promote & market a wig store
Social media marketing (SMM) is one of the most effective ways to advertise and promote a wig business. SMM costs very little, lets store owners showcase their wigs (both on mannequins and real people) and gives stores owners a way to specifically target the demographic they cater to.
How to keep customers coming back
A wig business can differentiate itself from competitors by offering superior quality wigs. To do so, it’s important to find manufacturers that make realistic-looking wigs that will last for a long time.
STEP 9: Create your business website
After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.
While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.
Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:
- All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
- Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
- Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.
Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.
Other popular website builders are: WordPress, WIX, Weebly, Squarespace, and Shopify.
STEP 10: Set up your business phone system
Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.
There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.
Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com
Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.
Is this Business Right For You?
Anyone who is passionate about hairstyles and enjoys interacting with people may be well-suited for running a wig store. The work requires a knowledge of current hairstyles, and business owners often work directly with customers who want wigs.
Business owners can start a wig store business while working another job full-time. Running a physical retail store while keeping another job likely isn’t possible, but business owners can start up an online store or offer in-home consultations. Both of these models could be managed during evenings and weekends.
Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?
Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!
What happens during a typical day at a wig store?
A wig business owner spends much of their time directly assisting customers who are looking for wigs. This may include:
- answering questions about different types of wigs
- showing customers wigs that are available
- making sure wigs fit properly
- demonstrating how to properly care for wigs
When not serving customers directly, business owners spruce up displays (for physical stores), take product photos, order additional inventory, market their store and complete administrative tasks.
What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful wig store?
In addition to the standard skills required to run a business, including salesmanship, financial planning, time management, and strong interpersonal skills, wig business owners must be abreast of current fashion trends. Subscribing to fashion magazines that are targeted to a store’s main demographic is a good and affordable way to remain current on trends.
For example, the owner of a wig store that caters to young women might want to subscribe to Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar or InStyle. An owner of a business that sold wigs to women who were a little older may want to subscribe to O, the Oprah Magazine.
Business owners who want to keep their operating expenses as low as possible can periodically visit these sites rather than subscribe to the magazines. Having the magazines in a store, however, may help a business owner show customers the latest trends and how their wigs match those trends.
What is the growth potential for a wig store?
Most wig stores have a single location, with some being just part-time businesses run by one person. In theory, however, a wig store could become a franchise with locations throughout a region—or even the entire country.
Take the Next Step
Find a business mentor
One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.
Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.
Learn from other business owners
Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.
Resources to Help Women in Business
There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:
- Funding
- Events
- Guides
- Support
If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.
What are some insider tips for jump starting a wig store?
In order to be successful, a wig store should find its niche within the industry. Typically, wig businesses sell either fashion or medical wigs. Fashion wigs are used to make fashion statements, while medical wigs are usually purchased by people undergoing chemotherapy to replace lost hair.
There are ways to further specialize within each niche. For instance, Allure & More specializes in offering different lace options to match different skin tones. (Lace wigs are used in the medical wig niche.) A fashion wig business might specialize in wigs from certain decades, like the 50s or 80s.
How and when to build a team
Many wig stores can be run by a single person. Business owners may, however, want to hire at least one additional employee to help with the day-to-day tasks of serving customers, so that the business owner can focus on growing the business. This employee can be hired once the business brings in enough revenue to pay them.