Nails are big business! With the growing popularity of press on nails and nail art, starting your own press on nail business can be a lucrative endeavor. If you’re wondering how to get started, you’ve come to the right place.<\/p>\n
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: research the market, get licensed and insured, decide on your press on nail designs and styles, find suppliers and establish partnerships, set up an ecommerce site and market yourself on social media<\/b>.<\/p>\nDo Your Market Research<\/h2>\n
Determine demand and trends<\/h3>\n
Conducting market research is crucial when starting a press on nail business. You need to determine if there is sufficient demand for press on nails in your area. Some ways to evaluate demand and trends include:<\/p>\n
Pay attention to nail art and design trends on Instagram and Pinterest. This will help you create stylish press on designs that customers want to buy.<\/p>\n
It’s important to analyze competitors selling press on nails both locally and online. Some key things to research include:<\/p>\n
Analyzing a few competitors helps spot unmet needs and smart ways to differentiate. You can then tailor unique press on nail offerings.<\/p>\n
Pricing your press on nails profitably requires calculating your costs and establishing reasonable retail pricing. Steps for determining pricing:<\/p>\n
Online marketplaces suggest handmade press on nail sets typically range from $15-$45 with an average of $25<\/b>. But pricing can vary widely based on materials, skill level, and design complexity. Run financial forecasts to ensure your pricing and expected order volumes will deliver needed profit margins.<\/p>\n
Adapt pricing over time as needed.<\/p>\n
Starting a successful press on nail business requires proper licensing and insurance to operate legally and protect yourself from liability. Here are the main legal and insurance considerations when launching your nails venture.<\/p>\n
You need a general business license to legally operate any business. This license is issued by your state, county, or city government to regulate businesses for tax and other purposes. Fees range from $25 to over $100 annually depending on your location.<\/p>\n
When applying for your business license, you must provide key details about your company, including formal business name, ownership structure, location, and industry categorization codes. The process takes 1-2 weeks once submitted.<\/p>\n
A seller’s permit, also called a sales tax permit, allows you to collect sales tax from customers and remit to state authorities. This permit is mandatory if you will be making any retail sales in person or online.<\/p>\n
Seller’s permit fees are generally $50 or less annually. You must display the permit publicly in your physical business location per legal requirements.<\/p>\n
Liability insurance protects your assets if customers ever sue your business for loss or damages associated with your products or services. It covers legal costs and judgements up to the policy limits.<\/p>\n
A basic general liability policy costs $500 to $2,000 annually depending on your business risks, location, and amount of coverage selected. Higher policy limits provide more protection but also cost more in premiums.<\/p>\n
As a best practice, aim for at least $1 million per incident and $2 million total annual aggregate coverage limits. This provides reasonable protection for most small businesses like a nail studio.<\/p>\n
In addition to liability coverage, also consider business property insurance, professional errors insurance, employee health insurance, and other policies as warranted.<\/p>\n
By securing proper licensing and insurance, you greatly mitigate risks in operating your press on nails business while also complying fully with legal requirements.<\/p>\n
When launching a press on nail business, one of the most important decisions is selecting the nail shapes you will offer. The most popular nail shapes tend to be round, square, almond, coffin, and stiletto. Consider carrying multiple shapes to appeal to diverse customer preferences.<\/p>\n
For example, round and square shapes tend to be conservative picks for the office, while coffin and stiletto shapes make more of a fashion statement. Be sure to choose shapes that align with current nail trends.<\/p>\n
In addition to shapes, offering various nail lengths is key. Standard press on sizes tend to range from short to extra long. According to industry surveys, medium length press on nails are the most popular, selling 4 times more than extra short or extra long varieties.<\/p>\n
Be sure to stock more medium lengths compared to extreme sizes. It’s also smart to sell press on nails in sets with a mix of lengths for convenience.<\/p>\n
No press on nail business is complete without a wide range of stylish colors. From nudes and pinks to whites and blacks, carry at least 30-40 solid color choices. Also be sure to offer French tip designs in various base colors.<\/p>\n
According to the site HarpersBazaar.com<\/a>, the most requested press on shades are various nudes, pinks, and classic reds, so be sure to overstock those timeless tones.<\/p>\n While press on nails with embellishments take more production effort, they allow you to charge a premium and tend to fly off shelves. Consider press on nails with rhinestones, glitter, striped accents, marbleized looks, metallic touches, lace overlays, and even press ons with pearls or charms.<\/p>\n Offering unique glam and bridal press on sets can also attract social media attention and sales.<\/p>\n For maximum variety, carry press on nail sets in solids, prints, and French manicures. Classic French tips remain staples in the press on nail industry. However, explore modern twists like inverse French tips, neon French tips, and French on colored bases rather than bare nails.<\/p>\n In addition, tap into current print and pattern trends with press ons featuring polka dots, florals, geometrics, animal prints, tie dye swirls and more. such variety allows you to appeal to diverse buyer interests.<\/p>\n Releasing themed press on nail collections is an impactful marketing technique in this business. Consider timely themes like major holidays, seasons, monthly colors, and events like New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, bridal showers, prom season and more.<\/p>\n You can even tap into pop culture with press on sets inspired by movies, TV shows, music artists and celebrities driving social media conversations. Limited edition sets create urgency around purchasing before stocks sell out.<\/p>\n When starting a press on nail business, it’s crucial to find high-quality nail manufacturers to partner with. Reputable manufacturers like Kiara Nails<\/a> and Opal Nails<\/a> offer a wide selection of press on nails in various shapes, sizes and designs.<\/p>\n You’ll want to sample several styles to determine pricing, quality and ease of application. Consider lead times for production and minimum order quantities as well. Building strong relationships with manufacturers is key to ensuring a reliable supply of products.<\/p>\n Along with great press on nails, creative packaging is important for making a good first impression with customers. There are packaging companies that specialize in boxes, bags and displays for beauty products. Paper Mart<\/a> has pre-designed packaging or can customize designs.<\/p>\n Uline<\/a> offers nail polish bags, boxes and acrylic displays. For eco-friendly options, check companies like Ecosoul<\/a> that use recycled and biodegradable materials. Order samples to see the quality firsthand before making large orders.<\/p>\nArt and embellishments<\/h3>\n
Solids vs prints vs French tips<\/h3>\n
Themes and collections<\/h3>\n
Find Suppliers and Establish Partnerships<\/h2>\n
Nail manufacturers<\/h3>\n
Packaging companies<\/h3>\n
Influencers and brand ambassadors<\/h3>\n