Start A Flip Flop Brand - Business Ideas

Updated: September 15th, 2022
Start A Flip Flop Brand

Please note that the data provided in this article are estimates and may vary depending on various factors, and should not be considered as perfect or definitive.

The flip-flop business involves the design, production, and sale of open-toed sandals that are typically worn during the summer season.

As an entrepreneur in this field, your role is to oversee the creation of comfortable and casual styles that are suitable for a variety of settings, including the beach, poolside, and everyday wear.

It is important to utilize quality and durable materials to ensure that the sandals are long-lasting and meet consumer expectations.

With the world's population growing, launching a flip-flop brand is a great opportunity to tap into the surging demand for comfortable footwear, while keeping the startup costs to a minimum.

Starting a flip flop brand requires a great deal of effort, dedication, and most importantly passion.

If you're interested in how to sell flip flops, or selling flip flops online, you can use this page as a guide for everything you'll need to know.

Want to learn more? You can check out our full guide on how to start a flip flop brand ➜

Key Stats

revenue (monthly)
$270K
starting costs
$35.3K
gross margin
20%
avg product price
$4
time to build
300 days
growth
Email marketing
business model
E-Commerce
time investment
Side project

Startup Costs

Min Startup Costs Max Startup Costs

Office Space Expenses

$0

$7,000

Employee & Freelancer Expenses

$151

$352

Website Costs

$223

$7,215

Business Formation Fees

$5,600

$20,400

Equipment & Supply Expenses

$66

$700

Retail Business Expenses

$1,250

$11,650

Inventory Expenses

$350

$14,750

Software Expenses

$162

$3,094

Advertising & Marketing Costs

$75

$5,286

Total Startup Costs

$7,877

$70,447

Successful Businesses

Business URL Rank

Flipp

flipp.com

34,117

TKEES

tkees.com

42,591

FOCO

foco.com

57,945

Ardene Canada

ardene.com

62,720

Fit Flop

fitflop.com

87,734

Minnetonka Moccasin

minnetonkamoccasin.com

92,514

OluKai

olukai.com

92,559

VIONIC

vionicshoes.com

111,866

Flip Flops & Sandals

us.havaianas.com

125,362

Flip Flops & Sandals

havaianas.com

125,415

LANDFLIP.com

landflip.com

139,086

Pros & Cons

Pros Description

Flexibility

You can put as much time into the business as you'd like. If you like the work and have some initial experience, you can start small and manage all aspects of the business on your own.

High customer retention rates

Once a customer invests in your product, they've invested their time and energy to utilize your product/service which is highly valuable to them. Typically, your product or service becomes indispensable to your customer.

Easy to encourage "impulse buy"

In the flip flop brand, you have a much higher chance of encouraging your customers to buy on impulse - you can easily alter the price, placement, packaging, and promotional value to influence the decision of your buyer.

Unlimited income potential

With starting a flip flop brand there is no cap as to how much income you can make. The stronger your business skills and the more energy/time you put into your career, the more you'll make.

Amazing perks and discounts

Working in the flip flop brand comes with its perks! As a seller for these products/services, you typically also get to enjoy industry perks and discounts.

Predictable income stream

Your businesses income stream tends to be predictable based on the number of customers you have signed up. This makes financial planning and outlooks much more seamless!

Cons Description

Motivation of employees

If you plan to have a sales/content team on board, finding creative ways to motivate them can be a challenge. It's important that you're able to offer great incentives and a good work environment for your employees.

Low margins

The gross margins for your flip flop brand are typically around 20%, which can make it more challenging to incur new expenses and maintain profitability.

High employee turnover

In the flip flop brand, employee turnover is often high, which can be quite costly and time consuming for your business. It's important to try and avoid this as much as possible by offering competitive pay, benefits, and a positive work environment.

Taxes

As a flip flop brand, you typically pay self-employment taxes which can be quite high. It's important to understand what you will be paying in taxes each year so you can determine if the work you're taking on is worth it.

High overhead expenses

With starting a flip flop brand, there are overhead expenses that come with selling a physical product. You will want to make sure you strategically budget for these overhead costs. We discuss this more in the startup costs section below.

You may need to charge sales tax

If you are selling your products in various states, you may be required to charge sales tax. Although this may not impact your financials specifically, it can be a headache to create a process and procedure for this. To learn more about sales tax, check out this article

Marketing Ideas

  • 1

    Direct Sales

    Direct sales strategy implies a direct contact between a seller and a consumer without the involvement of any third party. Direct selling is popular in sectors where sellers communicate with their clientele personally. The sales technique occurs at non-store locations which include at home, work, or online.

    For direct selling to succeed, hire a few (or many) salespeople to support the sales conversion process. It's critical that you assign them specific roles and responsibilities to nurture the client and provide excellent support.

    Learn more about direct sales ➜

  • 2

    Word of mouth

    Word of mouth is when a consumers reflects their interest in a company’s product or service in their daily dialogues.

    Therefore, word of mouth advertising is essentially a free advertising triggered by the customers experience.

    According to Nielsen, 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family.

    Therefore, in today’s hyper-connected world, a single recommendation through a word of mouth can have a huge impact to your business.

    Learn more about word of mouth ➜

  • 3

    Social Media Advertising

    Social media advertising is the use of social media platforms to connect with your audience with the objective to build your brand, increase sales, and drive website traffic.

    According to Oberlo, approximately 48% of the global population use social media, and the number is ever-growing.

    Therefore, social media allows brands access to cost-effective advertising by enabling them to interact with a large audience.

    Learn more about social media advertising ➜