How to Start a Wig Store

Start a wig store by following these 10 steps:

1. Plan your Wig Store
2. Form your Wig Store into a Legal Entity
3. Register your Wig Store for Taxes
4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
5. Set up Accounting for your Wig Store
6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Wig Store
7. Get Wig Store Insurance
8. Define your Wig Store Brand
9. Create your Wig Store Website
10. 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.

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), and corporation.

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your wig store is sued.

You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.