Getting into a trading business is a tempting idea for many aspiring entrepreneurs. At the beginning of the journey, there is a reason to try yourself in off-site sales or sales on the scale of a small retail outlet. Opening your own store is the next step.
Instructions
Step 1
First, assess your financial capabilities soberly. Opening a store is a costly process. Buying your own premises or renting, purchasing goods, recruiting personnel, taxes, marketing and advertising - all this will require significant investments.
Step 2
If you do not have cash, think over and calculate how much it will cost to attract credit resources (obtaining a targeted loan for the development of a trading business).
Step 3
A preliminary marketing analysis of the market situation in your chosen trade area is very important. Assess the sales prospects of your product by studying the sales market, the state of the competitive environment. Focus on those potential customers who will provide stable sales of the product with a minimum margin. Remember, sometimes it is more profitable to work with customers at the margins of your profitability than not to have a constant cash flow.
Step 4
Consider the future range of your products. In their lineup there should be, and so-called. high-margin product, but its quantity should be limited by the level of demand. In the future, you will have to regularly adjust the assortment, monitoring the market situation.
Step 5
Consider the following guidelines when considering trade margins:
a) set the maximum upper and lower level of the markup for the product;
b) in the selected range, determine the margin depending on demand;
c) set prices for the most popular products lower than those of competitors;
d) offer special discounts to regular customers;
e) provide bonuses for wholesalers.
Step 6
An important point is the selection of personnel. Services of a recruiting agency, inviting acquaintances, attracting ad specialists - there are many options. A rule of thumb: take people on probation. This will save you from the problems with the dismissal of "ballast", even for good reasons. Under the Labor Code, for example, it is difficult to fire a permanent employee (especially a single woman raising minor children).
Step 7
Do not forget that both the opening of the store and its work in the future must be supported by advertising and PR. For these purposes, from 5 to 35% of the total costs can go. If you do not rely on your own competence in this area, hire professionals to "promote" your store.
Step 8
Please note that successful sales in your store from day one will depend on the quality of the goods. The golden rule: "Don't sell what you wouldn't buy yourself." Take care in advance of mutually beneficial cooperation with reliable suppliers.
Step 9
When planning to open a store, be sure to study all the taxation systems that can be used when organizing trading activities. Perhaps you will be engaged in both off-site trade and online trade. Information about the upcoming tax burden must be analyzed in advance.
Step 10
If, when renting a retail space, you find it difficult to determine whether it will be a full-fledged store or just a retail space, refer to the Tax Code. In Art. 346.27 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation gives the main features of a store as an object of trade. Among them - the presence of auxiliary, administrative and amenity premises, as well as premises where the goods will be accepted, stored and prepared for sale.
