Business Plans

[Dave S]

Hi Guy's,

I am considering starting up a retail shop, as I am doing nothing at all on Ebay, and Post Christmas sales on ebay were Dire sales-wise.
I have found that there is a local scheme where you may be able to move into a small retail unit for an incubation period of upto 6 months rent free, to see if things work out, (they even help with branding etc) and then help with finding suitable permanant premesis at the end of the Incubation Period.

I am looking for idea's and advise on business planning, I'm initially thinking of concentrating on Mugs, Mousemats, Coasters etc, and help or advice much appreciated guy's.

[mrs maggot]

Is the scheme backed and supported by the local business link ? if its not i would be wary. chances are by the time you have signed and moved in you will be looking at April - september will come round very quick - the offer to try and help find another place is that in the contract ??

if you are not in touch with business link i would contact them - its government funded and still free

http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/ac ... 5000501599

[Dave S]

Is the scheme backed and supported by the local business link ? http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/ac ... 5000501599

Supported by Business Link, Working Links and Leggi, the Units are in a Large Retail Mall with footfall of around 20,000 per day.

the offer of Branding and help to find permanant Premises is in all the blurbs I've seen, and I'll get clarification when I see the Business Link & Leggi advisors next week

[DREAMGLASS]

I am looking for idea's and advise on business planning, I'm initially thinking of concentrating on Mugs, Mousemats, Coasters etc, and help or advice much appreciated guy's.

Out of those potential 20,000 people, you have to ask yourself how many people are likely to venture into your shop and how many items per day you are going to have to sell a day, EVERY day, once that rent free period ends. You can go to any busy high street and see shops with no people at all in them, at any given time.

A lot of subli items are given as gifts, so Christmas is a busy time for most people. The period after Christmas remains a very quiet time as most people don't have the funds to go shopping. That is something that applies to all retail businesses, irrespective of what they are selling.

[jennywren]

I sell retail and I can say hand on heart you will struggle to make money on the these few items that you intend to sell, it will a no go starter, even if you had other gifts to sell it will be a struggle, I am surrounded by at least 80 different traders and shop owners and the view is the same, (trade is poor ) including website owners, trade is down and still going down, petrol, parking, packaging are just some of the factors that you have to think about, there is to many to mention as the list is endless. When I started. I traded 6 days for 18 months, but i work three nights in a nursing home to earn real money. What you have to realize is that although there is loads of money in my till now, most of them have to go on outgoings. I'm not saying don't try but taking a shop on with out testing the market some other ways is asking for trouble. I do not wish in any way to put you of and would love to hear a success story , you might be that one in thousands that make a decent living, i hope so, but in this climate i don't think so. Good luck if you do decide to go ahead.

[smitch6]

i wish you all the success
it is something i had thought about doing and would still love to do
but i used to have a greeting card shop selling cards and these sort of gifts and didn't even cover the rent of £70 a week
i ended up having to repair and sell mobile phones as a side line until i got mugged that was when i decided enough was enough
btw it was the phones they were after not anything else

as i said i wish you every luck and keep us informed

[NASH]

i have retail shop. i do digital printing,enlargements,poster prints,canvases,film developing,passport photos,photo restorations,albums,frames(all sizes),photocopying,cine film to dvd,vhs to dvd,sliding scanning,photo to cd and all photo gifts from cuhions,t shirts,mugs,mats,pendants,key rings,shopping bags,purses,wallets, VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING that you can think off.

And believe me i`m struggling

[Stitch Up]

Become a Bwanker. You'll get enormous bonuses, rip off millions of people who can least afford to be ripped off and get all the support of Government Ministers.

[Dave S]

Thanks for all the input people, I'll take on board all the comments, and see what the advisors say on Tuesday

[logobear]

I absolutely agree with jennywren and nash.
I have done imaging retail since 1987, and if I wasn't already in it with long established existing trade there us No Way I could create a retail business from scratch now.
It doesn't matter how many £10 mugs you do as one offs, your suggested offering us much too narrow.
If you can get two or more £100 plus sales per day then you have a business, otherwise, how much time and money have you got to waste?
Best of luck mate!
Phil