It’s no secret that shoes in our country are goods in high demand. Due to the climatic characteristics of our country, every season we are forced to purchase new shoes, boots, sneakers, sandals. In this regard, many do not miss the opportunity to earn money by opening their shoe boutiques. It should be recognized that with the proper organization of a business selling sneakers or ankle boots, you can really get a good income.
Where to begin
What is needed for this? Firstly, the business plan of the shoe store, which was thoroughly thought out and drawn up on paper. And, of course, start-up capital, without which entrepreneurship is impossible in principle. However, before considering the business plan of a shoe store in more detail, it is necessary to mention some important features of this type of entrepreneurial activity.
Business Nuances
You must consider the fact that it is seasonal. Regardless of whether the batch of the winter collection has been implemented or not, when the summer comes, you need to buy shoes that are appropriate for this time of year.
The buyer should be able to not only purchase new models of shoes, but also choose them based on their foot size. And if you only have one or two sizes of shoes available, then the client can simply turn around to the exit and make a purchase from your competitors.
When developing a business plan for a shoe store, you must clearly determine which consumer "audience" it will be designed for. If these are people with a low income level, then it hardly makes sense for you to carefully monitor the latest collections of “shoe” fashion. They can become elementarily illiquid.
Wealthy clients, on the contrary, should not be offered models that belong to the budget category. Also consider what age group your shoes will be for. Perhaps you will focus on shoes for adults, it is possible that on children’s. In general, the choice is yours!
The above financial document must contain a detailed cost estimate namely: how much money you will need to start. You must rent a room, purchase goods, equipment for a shoe store (computers, cash registers, furniture), pay taxes and wages, etc.
For these purposes you will have to seriously spend enough money. In the above document, you should reflect the amount of your potential income, calculate how long you will be able to return your investment.
Many, primarily, are interested in the question of how much the initial costs of a shoe store will cost. It depends on a number of factors: the area of your outlet, its design and location, as well as the specifics of the trade equipment and product range. Your shoe store business plan should provide a comprehensive answer to the question about the size of your initial investment.
Documentation
In order for your entrepreneurial activity to be legal in nature, you need to get the relevant documents from government bodies.
In other words, you must register your shoe company with the tax office. In addition, your activity should be coordinated with supervisory structures, such as sanitary epidemiological stations, fire inspections.
In addition, you must have all the necessary certificates in your hands, which would confirm that the shoes sold are of high quality. Do not forget to get a passport for outdoor advertising and conclude a contract for waste disposal.
Equipment
It should be noted that the equipment for a shoe store can be the most diverse: here everything depends on the thickness of the wallet and the flight width of creative imagination. The main thing you should remember is that the buyer should have free access to the counters, which show the entire range of shoes. Without fail, provide racks for a shoe store.
It is much more pleasant to consider sneakers or boots on special shelves than when they simply lie on boxes of several tiers. Carefully think over the design of the room: decorate the shop windows as bright as possible, take care of the right lighting and the right air temperature in your boutique.
The customer should feel as comfortable as possible when entering your store. The design of your premises should "scream" that your business on the field of entrepreneurship, as they say, "go uphill."
Visiting your outlet, the client should be charged exclusively with positive emotions. If you manage to achieve this, then know: the volume of your turnover will increase significantly. Not sure how to properly equip the store’s interior space? Use the services of professionals.
Location
It is advisable that your shoe boutique is located in a residential area of the city with a high population density. The store should be located near the market and large supermarkets. Choose a territory where parking for vehicles is located near your outlet. Consider the fact that it would be convenient to get to your boutique by trolleybus or tram.
Also think about what to call a shoe store. It should be a harmonious, exclusive and easy-to-remember word or even a phrase. However, do not forget that in attempts to show originality, you can choose a name that is already used by your competitors. Of course, this cannot be allowed. Take an interest in what are called shoe stores located in the same area as your boutique.
How to choose suppliers
In the matter of how to open a shoe store, one of the key points is the choice of a shoe supplier. As a rule, there are no problems with bulk purchases. Alternatively, you can try cooperation with several Russian enterprises and companies that manufacture shoe products in neighboring states, for example, in Belarus. In RuNet you can find all the necessary contact information, both about small and large manufacturers of boots and sneakers.
It is better to establish a partnership with one or a maximum of two shoe factories and present on the shelves of your store a full assortment of shoes that they produce. Naturally, they must have an impeccable business reputation. Thus, you can minimize the risk of a defective product entering your outlet.
Considering the question of how to open a shoe store, it should be emphasized that your boutique must necessarily be something different from its competitors. Perhaps you will emphasize models of shoes of “non-standard” sizes: customers visiting your outlet must be absolutely sure that, except here, the 46th size is not for sale anywhere.
Staff
The question of how many workers you need in a shoe boutique is decided depending on the “potential” volume of goods turnover and the rented area of the hall. Even if you rented a small room (20-30 square meters), you will need at least two sales consultants.
Keep in mind that you will need a cashier who will conduct cash transactions with customers.Over time, when your business begins to generate more income, you can hire an administrator who will solve the problems of optimizing the work of your shoe store.
In addition, you will need an accountant who will prepare financial statements for employees of the tax office. Remember that a certain amount of money transferred to state revenue will be withheld from your income.
Use advertising
Every entrepreneur knows perfectly well that advertising is the engine of trade. So that buyers rush into your shoe store in a huge stream, you can’t do without it. You can notify your potential customers about the opening of a new shoe store through the media.
Some to attract buyers organize all kinds of promotions: the presence of exclusive models of shoes or selling goods at low prices. At the same time, do not forget that if, for example, you have publicly advertised that a discount system applies to suede boots, then the above promotion should be strictly observed in practice.
And of course, your store should have a high level of service. Your employees should meet customers with a smile on their face, advise them on all issues, and most importantly, be polite with them and in no case be rude! Not without reason in trade there is an unshakable rule: "The buyer is always right." And the shoe business is no exception. Only such tactics of behavior will “force” visitors to come to your store again.
Conclusion
Of course, it is not quite easy to organize a shoe business in Russia. Problems, of course, exist, and their scale cannot be called small. It is necessary not only to have very “serious” start-up capital, but also to have “strong” nerves enough to withstand administrative barriers. This is Russian reality. However, business practice shows that if you treat your business with great return, then it will definitely bring you substantial profit.
