Stationery - seemingly trifles: pens, pencils, paper clips, scissors, files, paper ... And they are sometimes so necessary for each of us! Considering stationery as a business, many do not understand how trade in such "small things" can produce tangible profits. However, if you organize the business correctly, this type of trading will bring you a stable income. Let's see what it takes to open a stationery store. What you need to know about this case?
Initially, for this we need, at least a simplified, but a business plan. A stationery store will require you to take a comprehensive, attentive approach to this type of activity.
Benefits
Nowadays, it will be quite difficult to find a person who would never use office supplies in his life. Only somewhere in the hinterland, and even that is not a fact! Everyone needs pens, pencils, notebooks, paints. Each of us goes to kindergarten, goes to school, college, works, for example, in the office. And everywhere these little things are needed. And the success of your enterprise directly depends on this, one might say, universal demand. Therefore, the organization of such a store will be quite promising.
Location
So, how to open a stationery store, and most importantly - where? Best of all in the city center, in business districts, close to institutes, schools, office centers. The trading room should not be crowded. In addition, a small warehouse is desirable where it will be possible to store stocks of goods.
At first, it is best to use a rental, you can with the right to buy out when things go uphill. Take care of the equipment of the trading floor. It should be as transparent as possible, since the stationery itself is sold in bright, mostly boxes and wrappers. Showcases should not block the room. All goods then seem affordable and beautifully located.
Assortment and quality
Take care of the variety of goods sold. For example, pens should not be of one firm, but of several brands at once. At prices they will differ: cheap, medium and expensive (prestigious). Do not forget about quality. Check product samples for expiration dates for bulk purchases for your store. They should not be "hot", but have a margin of time for implementation.
Ideally, a good store "starts" from a thousand items and above! However, for starters, you can get by with only the most popular positions. Which ones? Try to have all kinds of office supplies presented. Again, conduct intelligence with competitors, ask the end consumers themselves: children, students, office workers. Communicate more, it will benefit your cause.
The business plan “Stationery store” provides for a meticulous selection of assortment, well-adjusted pricing policy of the enterprise, determination of demand and main categories of customers. And another tip. In many of these institutions, souvenirs, children's toys, gifts, "jokes", postcards are successfully sold. You can build a special department for the sale of such goods. This will bring you additional income.
Suppliers and competitors
To successfully enter the stationery market, you need to study the price lists and purchase conditions from all wholesale companies selling similar products in your city, region. Compare, analyze. This will help you ultimately save up to ten percent.Accordingly, make purchases of goods on the most favorable terms. Talk about deferred payment.
Some manufacturing companies willingly give their goods for sale. Then you pay money to the supplier only after the products were sold without investing your “money”. This is an ideal option. However, there may be intermediate ones: partial payment, consignment.
Carefully study demand, competition in this area. If there is a store somewhere nearby that is similar to yours, regularly monitor prices for the main types of goods. Try to make your competitors become allies. This is not so difficult to do, because there will always be a basis for cooperation.
Potential clients
As a rule, visitors to such stores are students and their parents, students, office workers, relatives and friends of “preschool”. In kindergarten, a child’s school must be collected! At work, you need to write something and something. So attendance, as a rule, does not depend too much on the economic situation.
If there is less purchasing power, choose "budget" options. But in any case you have to send the kid to school! And until people stop reading and writing, stationery will be sold! We will continue to draw up our business plan. A stationery store will also require careful staffing.
Employees
If for one small point one salesman is enough, then at least a couple of sales consultants and a cashier will have to be hired in a store (with an area of over 25 square meters). Remember that at the end of summer the number of customers increases, so for a short period, hire additional employees, for example, students.
This will be beneficial to both parties: to you - as help, and to them - part-time work and additional funds. Try to ensure that employees are primarily communicative and, if possible, understand at least a little what they have to sell. The consultant also should not be too intrusive - we all remember a lot of parodies of annoying sellers!
Orientation
A sales outlet can position itself both as an “Everything for School” store and as an office for office work. Covering these two segments is usually quite difficult. This will require a lot of effort and money. Choose one at the beginning of the path. Then you can combine and add, expand the range. So you are more likely to implement your business plan. Stationery store involves a fairly clear specialization.
The main mistake
Do not buy the cheapest products, trying to attract customers with very low prices! Cheap is rarely good. “Drekovoi” goods will then gather dust in your warehouses and shelves for a long time to come. Choose an average price category designed for a large segment of the population, and then you are guaranteed success! Feel free to dump, arrange sales, promotions to attract a mass buyer.
Advertising
Print the handout. Post flyers in the area, not far from your store. You can put a student at the nearest intersection who will offer promotional products. Remember the "local scale" of your institution.
Potential buyers are residents of nearby homes. Make advertising personally for them - at home, in a kind way. You can distribute leaflets in the mailboxes of nearby houses. This will also produce some effect. Do not be afraid to advertise yourself.
Design and documentation
Thinking about how to open a stationery store, receive registration documents in accordance with applicable law. A simplified tax system is best suited. Remember that the children's office is supposed to have the appropriate certificates of quality, the conclusions of the sanitary and epidemiological station - otherwise you can’t do without fines. In general, the more “pieces of paper” you provide to regulatory authorities, the better.
Summary
At the stationery store, of course, you won’t earn millions. However, a stable good income for small and medium-sized businesses is provided. The main thing is to think through everything to the smallest detail and not be afraid to take risks. Good luck!
