FAQ

  • What are your operating hours, and are there any days when the service is unavailable?

-Sew What? Alteration Service operating hours are from Mondays to Fridays 9:00 am to 6:00 pm only. We’re closed every weekend.

  • Do you offer the specials designs for kids?

– Currently, we don’t have a special design for kids.

  • Do you iron the clothes after the alteration?

– No, we don’t offer ironing the clothes.

  • Are there any options for urgent or same day alterations?

– Yes, I offer rush or same-day alterations depending on how busy the schedule is. Customers just need to message me in advance to check availability.

  • Are there any discounts or loyalty programs for frequent customers?

-We don’t have any discounts. However, if the business will be recognized from the community, we will offer a discount or loyalty card.

  • Do you offer any guarantees or warranties on your stitching quality?

– Yes, I stand by the quality of my work. If there’s any issue with the stitching, I’m happy to fix it free of charge.

  • Are there any limitations on the types of alterations you can perform?

-Yes, we cater alter like hemming, resizing for clothes, jeans and kids’ clothes for the meantime since we’re only just started. But we can accommodate customer for rush or for immediate need if for repair services such as zipper replacement, patching and button fixes.

  • Is there any membership for the regular customers?

– No, our business doesn’t have any membership for any customer.

  • If I do not like the service done by you, will it be refundable?

– Yes, I offer refunds depending on the situation. If there’s a clear mistake on my part, like if I did the whole alteration wrong, I’ll either fix it for free or give a refund. But if the issue is not satisfied with the service, we can talk it out and find a fair solution. My goal is always to make sure customers are well treated.

  • Would you be open to expand the target geographic market to Thornhill and other nearby areas?

– Yes definitely, if I got a positive feedback from my target geographic audience. I will surely open for expansion for the nearby areas.

  • Will you be hiring staff or will you be the one doing the altering?

– For now, I’ll be the one who manage, operate and do the alteration and maybe if we have a lots of customer in the coming months or years, I’ll be asking for help of my grandma.

  • Are you considering doing everything by yourself or hiring more staff to maintain high service standards? What will make your service more excellent than other people?

– For now, I’ll be handling everything on my own as we are just starting out. However, as the business grows and gains recognition in the community, I plan to hire additional staff and possibly expand and rent a place. I handle each piece with care and do my best to keep my customers happy by giving reliable and consistent service.

  • Do you have any further plans to do partnership with someone?

-Yes, we will accept the partnership if there’s an opportunity or if someone wants to have a collaboration with us.

  • What specific sustainability initiatives are you using to reduce fashion waste?

– I help reduce fashion waste by fixing and altering clothes so people can use them longer. I also suggest turning old clothes into something new instead of throwing them away.

  • How will you be managing the increased workload and will maintain quality as the business grows in future?

– I will be managing bookings appointment to avoid overlapping clothing alterations workload each day and to maintain a good quality for each service.

  • How will you handle the workload alone?

– I manage my time carefully by setting appointments, so I don’t take in too much work at once. This helps me focus on each order and make sure it’s done properly.

  • As you are doing your business at home, not in the high- traffic area, how will you be able to attract and retain 100 customers monthly? What’s your strategy?

– Even though I’m running the business from home, I plan to attract customers through social media, word of mouth, and by offering affordable, high-quality service. I’ll make sure every customer feels valued, so they keep coming back and recommend me to others. I also plan to post before-and-after photos of my work and ask happy clients to leave reviews, which can help build trust and bring in more people over time.

  • Did you experienced any time where you faced the workload and how did you manage it alone?

– No, I don’t have any experience with that kind of situation. But, if we encounter that soon, I will focus on managing and limiting the bookings and appointments.

  • Did you research about your competitors in the market and how will you compete with them?

– Yes, as of now my main goal right now is to gain recognition in this town for my new alteration business that offers affordable services. I am not into competition as our business is just starting.

  • Do you have previous experience in clothing alteration business?

– Yes, I do. Back in the Philippines, my family had a clothing alternation business that runs for more than 10 years. So by then, something I’m the one who do the alterations if it is a simple one.

  • Do you know other people who provides this business in Terrace?

– No, but I know that there are 2 or more stores that offers alteration services.

  • Is the price displayed in your website penetration pricing or competitive pricing?

– It is a penetration pricing. I want to set a reasonable price to gain more customers and give a good service.

  • What is your pricing strategy for various alteration services?

– I want to start in a reasonable price so that I can easily be in the market of alteration. I set the price as $10 – $20 it depends on how simple it is and what kind of repair they need for their clothes.

  • Are there any specific permits or licenses required to operate a clothing alteration business in your area?

– Since it is a just a side hustle, I don’t think that I need to have a business permits or license as of the moment, but if I will expand or open up a store in the future, I will be get a permit or license if needed.

  • How much do you think will be the initial investment?

– I must say that it is around $300 to $800 from sewing machine and other materials that I need for the business.

  • How long do you expect it to take to reach profitability?  

– I think probably 3 to 9 months, depending on how engaging my business is and how do I introduce it to the market.

  • How much revenue do you expect to generate monthly/annually?

                 Monthly Revenue – $100 – $350

                 Annually Revenue – $1000 – $3000

  • What are the estimated start-up costs like equipment and tools?

– My estimated start-up cost for everything I need for this business is around $500 – $1200.

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