In this article we will talk about how to open an electrical goods store. This type of product is one of the most popular, since in every house, office or warehouse it is necessary to replace bulbs, sockets and other similar products with some periodicity.
Although at the moment the market has a sufficient number of companies of the corresponding profile, stable demand still allows entrepreneurs to compete mutually. Plus, a well-designed business plan for an electrical goods store will help you start from scratch and achieve your desired goal.
The first steps
Of course, the first step is to draw up an accurate guide with a description of all the points for creating and supporting a company. The business plan of the electrical goods store should contain many important details, for example: a description of the selected product range, the intended clientele, promotions, expense items, etc. All this should already exist in writing.
Many experienced entrepreneurs advise, before starting their own business, to work for some time in a large company of related profile. So, as a sales assistant, you will see with your own eyes the whole process of work. In one or two months you will begin to understand products, navigate prices and find out many hidden problems.
This approach will help you bypass many of the pitfalls that you are likely to meet when running your own business. As for the amount of investments, then, according to statistics, people invest on average from 700 thousand rubles. The payback period is from six months to one and a half years.
Room and equipment
The search for premises must be approached with full responsibility. If the assortment of an electrical goods store is aimed at wholesale buyers, then it is necessary to provide convenient parking for large cars in advance. You also need to make comfortable exit doors. Redecorating the room also does not hurt.
To the costs associated with the design of the store, you can add the purchase of various racks, shelves, display cases, etc. Prices for this type of equipment vary greatly, it all depends on the size and materials used. For example, racks for electrical goods cost an average of 6-10 thousand rubles. Glass-closed cabinets cost from 5 thousand. Nowadays, of course, you can not do without a computer. Such a technique will cost you 15-20 thousand.
Plus, you need to install licensed trade management software - 1C on your computer. Please add another 25,000 rubles to expenses. A lot of money is spent on security. This includes various protective grilles, alarms, blinds, etc. You can’t save on security. And the last thing to think about is the sign. Entrust your store’s outdoor advertising to professionals. They will be able to choose the appropriate design and design.
Documents
One of the most common questions that arise for a person who wants to have his own electric goods store: “How to open your own business and what documents are needed for this?” Collecting the necessary certificates can be considered the most difficult task in the process of organizing a business.You will need to get around many government agencies and get permission from them to open a store.
To get started, take a look at fire supervision and sanitary and epidemiological service. You must also obtain the status of IP, permission to use the cash register and much more. For this, go to the tax office. Naturally, hiking will take a lot of time. If the starting capital allows, then you can use the services of specialized companies that will collect all the necessary documents for you. It should also be noted here that it is necessary to have a bank account.
Costs and staff
So, the question on the agenda: “How to open an electric goods store?” First of all, you need to get acquainted with all possible costs. In principle, sky-high costs are not expected in this case.
Monthly expenses include utilities, rent, Internet, salaries for subordinates, telephone bills, etc. Depending on the place of residence of the entrepreneur, the total amount may vary, but on average it amounts to 50-100 thousand rubles per month.
Another problem is recruitment. To service a small store, you need only one person. But he must be able to handle the cash desk and computer equipment, as well as know the entire range of products and give competent advice to customers when choosing a product. As you can see, one person has too much responsibility.
And if the flow of customers is large, then constant queues can not be avoided, since it is unlikely to be able to serve everyone at once. The way out of this situation is simple - to hire an additional employee. As a rule, in such stores, one person stands at the checkout, while another communicates with customers.
Note that the sales assistant gets an order of magnitude higher. The cashier’s salary is 10-15 thousand rubles (again, it all depends on the region). The consultant can provide additional bonuses for the goods sold. It is not so rare that difficulties arise with cashiers dishonest at hand. Therefore, you need to choose personnel carefully.
Purchase of goods
You need to buy goods from wholesale suppliers. And it is better if you work with them directly. Otherwise, an extra margin cannot be avoided. The assortment of the electrical goods store is very diverse: all kinds of lamps, LED lamps, sockets and switches, low-voltage equipment, hand tools, cables, consumables, smart home systems and much more.
And from the very beginning you need to find out which category of buyers you will purchase the goods for. As the practice of experienced entrepreneurs shows, it is better to make your choice in favor of highly specialized products, since all sorts of little things are sold in ordinary hardware stores. At the first stages of its existence, you can bring in goods, so to speak, of a general direction, and only then adjust the assortment based on the needs of customers.
Do not despair if at first you will not make a profit. It can be said that this is normal. Given this fact, you need to properly distribute your capital, because, in addition to paying all expenses, you also need to fill the windows with new goods. It’s up to you to decide which margin to do, there are no strict rules. Shop owners overestimate the price by 20-120% (of the wholesale cost).
Advertising
The advertising of electrical goods is somewhat specific. In addition to advertisements in newspapers, handing out prospectuses, hanging posters, you need to somehow attract large buyers. Advertising will be required not only at the opening, but throughout the entire period of existence. Indeed, the competition in this area is very large, you need to somehow stand out from the general background. Television, the Internet, radio and other means of mass communication - all this will help you.
An advantageous solution would be to agree on ongoing cooperation with educational institutions, hospitals, offices, etc., since such organizations always need various electrical goods. Cooperation with them will bring you excellent profits. To get around competitors, offer discounts, favorable conditions or free delivery.
Cooperation
Special attention should be paid to cooperation with other companies. The market for electrical goods, let’s say, is oversaturated due to small entrepreneurs. To get around most of them, you need to conclude profitable cooperation agreements with companies involved, for example, in the installation of electrical goods.
Such companies set one main condition - ensuring timely delivery of all necessary products. You also need to be prepared to make various kinds of concessions. If you are asked to advertise their services or display a banner of their company, do not interfere.
Discounts and additional methods to attract customers
The question of how to open an electric goods store is almost completely open. It remains to talk about additional methods of attracting consumers. This information is mainly aimed at people who want to sell goods in large quantities. In order to build a profitable cooperation with wholesale customers, it is necessary to think over a system of discounts in advance.
You can make concessions, but in moderation. Discounts should not contribute to your ruin, the store should not cause losses. You need to feel the line between profitable cooperation and the banal use of company funds. All this comes with experience. The most important thing is not to rush or make hasty decisions.
Franchise
For the most part, this article has been dedicated to starting a personal business from scratch. Another development scenario is franchise work. We do not have the opportunity to describe all the subtleties of this proposal (the scope of the article does not allow), so we will describe it briefly.
By concluding a franchise agreement, you get a ready-made business with a well-developed brand and a well-thought-out business plan. You just have to invest some money and wait for the profit. Of course, not everything is so simple. Firstly, not every company operates on a franchise.
Certain conditions are put forward to the applicant, which are sometimes simply impossible to fulfill in your city. Their list includes the location of the outlet in densely populated places, often next to other construction stores. The room itself should have an area of at least 40 square meters. meters. The name of the electrical goods stores must comply with the contract. So such a turnkey solution also contains many pitfalls.
Conclusion
So we come to the logical conclusion of the story. Today we examined the main points that you should pay attention to when opening your own business. Of course, you can not organize your business, guided only by this information. Many other aspects need to be explored. And then the answer to the question “how to open an electric goods store” does not seem so difficult for you.