Of all types of trade, the shoe store can be called one of the most reliable business projects. If we take into account all the features of this type of entrepreneurship, then the payback period may not exceed 2-4 years.
Like any business, starting a shoe store should start with a business plan. You should not entrust this work to third parties - it is much more useful for the result to perform all the analytics on your own.
The success of a business plan largely depends on the objectivity of the entrepreneur's views and the accuracy of calculations. In order not to be mistaken with the numbers, you should focus on two key issues: assortment and rent.
A successful shoe store is distinguished by a wide assortment, affordable prices and a constantly updated model range. It would seem that this formula could be simpler? In practice, this plan is not easy to implement.
To ensure a stable consumer love, as well as recognition from dozens of other shoe stores, you need to find regular suppliers of goods. It is best to establish cooperation directly with manufacturing plants. Everyone is in sight - domestic and foreign factories of famous brands, completely unknown manufacturers and newcomers to the market.
You can find information about potential suppliers on the Internet, at specialized exhibitions, as well as in newspaper ads.
Suppliers should ask which trading companies they work with in the region or city where the store is planned to open. If there are none, then perhaps the partners were in the past. In this case, the prudent businessman should find out why the relationship was terminated - the insolvency of the store, low demand for products, or something else. If the supplier begins to evade, then most likely the products were simply of poor quality, which was accordingly reflected in the turnover.
The success of a shoe store largely depends on the traffic of the location. This textbook truth is known to competitors and landlords, therefore, it is worth preparing for a "place in the sun" as for a duel.
First of all, you should create a list of all attractive places for rent, distributing them into groups:
- Most preferred. This group includes large shopping centers with high traffic, which is reflected not only in the commercial offer, but is also clearly visible in the stable work of anchor tenants.
- Average. District shopping centers with average traffic, the presence of clothing, footwear and leather goods stores. The more stores of related goods on the territory of the shopping center, the better.
- Low. Small shopping centers, stationary shops with free space.
To draw up a business plan, it is enough to determine the range of proposals.
The study should begin with the first group. Applications with a request for the allocation of a rental space are formalized by official requests on behalf of an LLC or individual entrepreneur, certified with a seal, signature and sent to the general director of the shopping center or manager. You should be prepared for the fact that the landlord may make special requirements in the form of successful experience in trade, work experience of a legal entity, etc.
If the experience requirement is prevalent for the landlord, then purchase of an existing legal entity may be considered. If not, you can safely register a new individual entrepreneur or LLC with OKVED 52.43 "Retail trade in footwear and leather goods."
But even those entrepreneurs who do not meet all the requirements of the lessor should not despair - an application must be sent in any case in order to become a reserve.
While the first group is being negotiated, it’s time to deal with alternately options from the second and third groups. Information on the number of positive responses will gradually provide a picture of the offer from tenants. Based on it, you should decide on the lease.
Shoe trade is a narrow specialization for personnel. Finding the perfect shoe and sandals seller is tricky. Therefore, it is best to take the time and money to train your dream trading team.
Practice shows that the main motivation for salespeople is financial incentives for high-quality and effective work. It will not be superfluous to establish a percentage payment for each pair sold or for the fulfillment of the monthly plan.
It is important that shoe sellers demonstrate high quality products by their appearance. Do not spare staff discounts - let the salespeople get the models they like at a discount, in installments or as a salary. This will allow employees to demonstrate the high quality and aesthetic benefits of products by their appearance. In other words, consumers do not like it when a girl in frayed sneakers is trying to sell them expensive shoes.
