Clothing Accessories Stores Revenue Benchmarks
The average clothing accessories stores business in the United States generates $2.2M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 3,657 clothing accessories stores businesses in the U.S., employing 51,340 workers with an average profit margin of 4.0%.
What Does a Clothing Accessories Stores Business Actually Do?
Specialty retailers of belts, ties, hats, scarves, gloves, and other accessories.
Who buys: Consumers accessorizing outfits, gift buyers.
Average Revenue
$2.2M
per year
Profit Margin
4.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$159K
per year
Total Businesses
3,657
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$89K
small business avg
Labor Cost
20.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
N/A
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
1.1
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Clothing Accessories Stores Charge?
Accessories retailers (belts, ties, hats, scarves) earn 100–250% markup on impulse purchases.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Everyday accessories markup | 100–200% |
Premium/designer markup | 150–350% |
Average transaction | $25–75 |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete clothing accessories stores business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a clothing accessories stores business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the clothing accessories stores industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost of goods sold | $57 | $1.3M | Wholesale cost of merchandise purchased for resale. Retail's biggest expense. |
Wages & benefits | $20 | $446K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $8 | $169K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $85K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $8 | $169K | Utilities, POS fees, shrinkage, insurance, store maintenance. |
Net profit | $4 | $89K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
7.19%
openings/year
Closure Rate
6.3%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+0.2%
annual
Businesses Closed
3,155
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Clothing Accessories Stores Business?
Startup Cost
$75K – $400K
Break-Even
32 months
5-Year Survival Rate
48.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a clothing accessories stores business do?
- Specialty retailers of belts, ties, hats, scarves, gloves, and other accessories. Consumers accessorizing outfits, gift buyers.
- How much do clothing accessories stores charge?
- Accessories retailers (belts, ties, hats, scarves) earn 100–250% markup on impulse purchases. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average clothing accessories stores make per year?
- The average clothing accessories stores business generates $2.2M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $89K per year at a 4.0% profit margin.
- How many clothing accessories stores businesses are there in the US?
- There are 3,657 clothing accessories stores businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 51,340 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a clothing accessories stores business?
- Startup costs for a clothing accessories stores business typically range from $75K to $400K, with a 5-year survival rate of 48.0%.
Industry Growth & Survival
The clothing accessories stores industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of 0.2%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 7.2% and 6.3% respectively.
Approximately 72% of clothing accessories stores businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 3,155 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The clothing accessories stores industry has declined 18% since 2000 (from 36,842 to 30,324 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Clothing Accessories Stores revenue with other industries: