Ideas for retail Unit?

[aigo]

Hello

We currently own a retail shop that is on a very busy road but doesn't have much walking traffic. We have been here just under a year and are struggling to pay the rent.

At the moment we sell things such as handbags, jewellery and accessories but we are really struggling to get people into the shop, once they come in they usually buy something but when we are only getting 1-2 people a day in it is hard to make any money.

We are considering trying something different as we think that we need something more unique that maybe offers a service rather than just selling something as this may attract more people.

Just wondering if any one had any ideas of something we could think about doing?

Thank you

Cheers

 

[kelvin1950]

My initial thoughts are:

What shops do you have around you?
What do they sell?
What level of trade do they do?
What can you learn from them?
What's the parking like?

That's a starting place, with that info then we, and you, might be in with a fighting chance.

 

[aigo]

Thank you for the reply.

There is a hairdresser next door and opposite there is a Waitrose but there is a restaurant in front of waitrose so you couldn't really see our shop from there. Then near Waitrose is the high street. It is a fairy small town we are in. I would say there is about 20 shops here. They range from clothes, cards, charity shops, framing, beauty salons, Nail Parlours, Barbers and few others.

Not really sure on the trade but they all seem to be doing much better than us but think this is because they are on the high street mainly rather than just off it.

The parking isn't great we have a car park round the back of the shop for one car which staff use but 1 customer could park behind the staff's car. Waitrose is an option for people to park but they charge a small fee and people seem too lazy to cross the road.

Thanks for your help.

Cheers

 

[Lunazzurra]

For what it's worth (and for what it costs - i.e. nothing) why not do some market research around the locality of your shop? Ask them if there is anything that is missing from the area. You'll no doubt get every kind of answer going but see if there is any kind of consensus from people.

Also why not try getting friendly with the hairdressers and beauty salons etc and getting their views - their customers are those that spend a prolonged time in these places and are therefore likely to moan/comment/chat to staff about 'lack of this' or 'too miuch of that' for example which can then be fed back to you.

Also let these establishments know what YOU do sell. Then this can be passed onto their customers in casual conversation. Maybe have a reciprocal or related offer such as 10% off to those customers for example. There seems to be an increasing trend for independants to have some arrangement like this as we are all realising if we do support each other then there is the greater chance that more of us will survive which in turn benefits other local trade and so on.

 

[Lentinus]

A bit "out of the box" but you could consider giving a market stall a try - if there is a suitable market near ish. Low cost, easy and if you have some interesting different products you might be astounded at the takings!
You will need to borrow a table and make up a nice display, this will not only shift a lot of product at the right market but you can also use it to promote your shop.
It is also invaluable for feedback on your products - you might suddenly find that you sell 10 of one particular item - and it might not be the one you think will sell!

Check out one of the worlds ugliest website's (but the people you need to know if you consider the idea) http://www.nmtf.co.uk/

 

[PrestonLad]

Before we think what else you could do with your premises, what could you do better now?

What does the outside of your shop look like? Would it make YOU want to stop and find a parking place?

What marketing are you doing... how cost effective would local paper ads be? Can you have a promotional event... If people aren't likely to walk past, then what are you doing to make them seek you out? I'm sure you'll be doing things... but have you reviewed them recently?

I must say that 'handbags, jewellery and accessories" sounds like the sort of thing that you need passing footfall... (not my area though, so don't give my opinion any particular weight). If you want to stay in this market, are there any niches you could fill?

Like perhaps do a hat-hire service, so you catch people who are going to weddings etc. I'm not sure if people hire out jewellery (or even handbags)... how about that? I went to a wedding recently, and it cost a fortune to buy dresses and hats and jewellery and shoes. OK... by buying them, we now have them in the wardrobe... but with cash tight, it would have been nice to have an option to halve the cash outlay by hiring.

Sorry, I'm just typing as I think, so this is rambling.... but you need something "different" to make people seek out your shop.... so do you think it could work to become a woman's "wedding guest outfit hire" service?. I have no idea if that's a common business... but offering to hire out some (or all) of the items people need to go to a wedding, or other special event. This could get people coming to you (if market research confirms a market requirement)...and you can still sell them a few accessories as well as hire them.

That might require a lot of working capital, so you might have to build it up steadily. Also, some clientelle might be happy to choose something that you don't have quite the right size... and so you could buy in things when you get an order (or more likely, when you get a potential order - so that the client comes back for a fitting of their chosen item).

I could go on.. but you get the idea. Sorry it's rambling, but I haven't got time to make it shorter. By the way, the idea of collaborating with the hairdressers is a good one... whatever you choose to do. (well, almost anything). Good luck.

 

[Stuart Bailey]

do you have an A board.

Try to affiliate yourself with other local shops ie provide discounts or vouchers.

Sell your items on the internet to bring in some extra revenue!

 

[Thinehost]

I take it you're doing the usual things to attract attention by flying flags or tying balloons or streamers to something outside your shop??

Why not publish a small leaflet and hand it to local tourist accommodation providers - there might be some lost souls who need a destination to distract them from the awful weather :O

Do you have any locally-produced goods on sale? Try running an event like "Meet XXX XXXXX - craftsman or woman - and learn how to ..... "

Do something really dramatic with your shop window.

The one thing you mustn't do is hide behind the counter; you've got to get the locals talking about your shop and you can't be a shrinking violet.

Hope this helps a little,
Margaret

 

[ScottishSte]

The problem with footfall is that you can't get people to get out their cars. Ideally you would have people come specifically for your shop, so advertising in local media and online will help. Facebook page, ensure you have shop listed on google maps etc.

I also think perhaps you could look at your costs and source good cheaper elsewhere, increasing your margins. Is there any local crafters that want to sell their stuff, offer them a sale or return basis and they will work hard at advertising for you aswell. People like local made stuff and its a great way for others to take on mantle of advertising for you and your cost is 0 for the new stock.

Good luck

 

[mhall]

Which town are you in? Waitrose would indicate you are in an area with potential but getting those people to cross the road is the issue. I can think of quite a few products but not if you are in the same town as we are

 

[spiritusuk]

Some good advice offered already.

If you already sell handbags then maybe consider a handbag refurb service for luxury handbags such as Mulberry.

Many women don't look after their luxury bags properly and I know there are some companies that specialise in restoring them.

 

[sarahjohs]

You might want to try selling some of your items online. It is likely to help your revenue. Also you could look at doing something to make people get off their cars and come to your shop. Maybe offer a free cocoa or any warm beverage for a week? You can chat people up and show them your merchandise.

 

[sam gamewell]

Hi,

Good Luck with your new venture.

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[boxcolo]

Is there a local traders association?

Can you get an A board and put it in the main shopping area.

Waitrose should bring in plenty of foot fall, but you need to get them BEFORE they go into Waitrose (no one will want to come in once they have a trolley full)

Ballons, music, sponsored sit in a bath of beans in the street on a Saturday morning - with comic releif coming up you can use this?

Keep your shop window fresh and well lit, if you can try and make a harrods style themed window rather than just hand bags on stands.

Good luck!

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Just specialise in one area where you can become the niche place to visit and advertise in the local paper

I would suggest you just sell handbags and small travel type bags but incorporate some larger up market makes like Radley or Kipling for mid range, being a shop of little stock but varied goods is little reason to cross the road but being full of one type of item and obviously being in a high spend area (waitrose) should tempt them over the raod

 

[HarveyH]

You may not like this advice but I think it may be the best thing for you...

From what it seems your are in a small town, with not many footfall customers and you are selling items which possibly not even make you a profit, I mean if you are only managing to sell 1 or 2 items every day then this would mean you are basically working for nothing...

Now this does have to be done in business at times(work for nothing) but not when you have very little sales and hardly any exposure apart from the limited amount of people in your town, add to the fact there is no parking it just gets worse.

You have two options now.

1. Spend money and time on advertising your business to the local people and bring in new products or go down a certain area.

2. Get rid of the shop, start an online business in the area you are currently trading in.

I would honestly go for option 2. within 1 day you would see more customers visit your shop(website) than you would with your brick and motar shop.

You will also have no silly rents to pay and you don't have to stand in the shop all day waiting for people to come in.

If you stay in the shop then it will not end nicely.

Hope this helps.

 

[nettech]

Hi,

This is my first post here.

I noticed that you said that you are based on a busy road. The question I wanted to ask is, do you have a website? The reason is that if your retail outlet displays a URL (web address) in the window then people are likely to remember this as they drive past.

I'm not sure whether you have an on-line shop or not but one of the simplest things you can do is setup a URL that points to an eBay shop which should at least get the ball rolling until you sort out a real shop.

Some great advice on the previous posts.

Thanks and all the best with anything. If you have any online based questions then this is my forte and happy to help in any way possible.

 

[PrestonLad]

Now that this thread has been bumped up... it would be good to find out the latest thoughts from the OP... assuming he or she is still monitoring the thread!

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

I like to read OP's thoughts after a couple of weeks/months - for some reason though there doesn't appear to be anything from anyone ever... Perhaps this should be a new feature from UKBF? - Send an email after 2 months for instance, asking if any input was helpful, any replies gave you food for thought... that kind of thing?

It would be interesting to see if other people's thought processes for other businesses helps them out, even if it is just a little.

Personally, I'd have spoken with the hairdressers and asked if it was possible to stick a rack/shelf in their studio and give them 5% of takings - even if it is to advertise the shop 5% isn't much but it's a gesture of goodwill to the hairdressers... or failing that sticking a poster in the window or business cards on the counter of each shop could help a little too.

 

[PrestonLad]

I like to read OP's thoughts after a couple of weeks/months - for some reason though there doesn't appear to be anything from anyone ever... Perhaps this should be a new feature from UKBF? - Send an email after 2 months for instance, asking if any input was helpful, any replies gave you food for thought... that kind of thing?

If it's not too difficult to code up, I think that would be a good idea.

 

[mhall]

Last activity from the OP is three days after the initial posting so I think we can assume they don't love us anymore ! Anything after post #11 they will have missed.