Business model overview: an island in a shopping center. My island of sweets

Opening a shopping island is an attractive idea for small businesses. This is an economical type of retail that does not require high initial investments. One of the less risky options is to operate a franchise.

 

In search of an economical, but convenient and functional place for sales, many entrepreneurs pay attention to the island in the shopping center. This interest is quite understandable: if there is not enough money to open a store in a separate room, then a great opportunity to start a business without significant start-up investments is the installation of a light modular structure in the central part of the hall, in the gallery or aisle of the shopping center, where there are most visitors. However, practice shows that this type of retail trade has its own characteristics, which should be taken into account by those who are thinking about opening it.

Pros and cons of islands

Like any business, shopping islands have their advantages and disadvantages, which future owners should be aware of in advance.

Pros:

• Compactness (on average from 2 to 15 sq. m), which allows you not to overpay for rent
• The possibility of selling a wide range of both food and non-food products and services. Here are just a few of them: ice cream, sweets, gadgets, perfumes and cosmetics, express manicure (nail bar), accessories, coffee, leather goods, watch repair, express payments, pawnshop, jewelry, etc.
• Convenient location in the "passing" places of supermarkets
• Ease of assembly and dismantling, mobility (with a wheelbase)

Minuses:

• Lack of storage facilities, fitting rooms (which narrows the range of goods for sale)
• Limited display space (in case of miscalculations with the definition of demand for products, there is an excess of unclaimed positions)
• Rigid standards for the type of commercial structures, which are often introduced by the landlord.

To minimize risks and unplanned investments when opening a trade on an island, you need to carefully study the terms of the lease, analyze the patency of the selected point and the presence of a target audience for your type of goods and services.

Location selection

When designing large stores or multifunctional centers, as a rule, the layout of free space already takes into account the presence of shopping islands. In the process of putting the facility into operation, their number may change, but only slightly. On the one hand, this allows future tenants to look in advance for the best places to open their own "point", on the other hand, it becomes necessary to take into account the interests of the landlord, who often puts forward requirements for the owners of the islands to work in accordance with the general concept of the center.

An important criterion for choosing a place for a trading island is the passability indicator (see Fig. 1)

But it would be a mistake to make a choice, guided only by the popularity of the shopping center. It has been noticed that in the most “passing” supermarkets, islands representing recognizable brands with big names are more successful: branded brands of watches, ice cream, cosmetics, and jewelry. If there is an original, but “not familiar” manufacturer next to them, the visitors of the shopping center begin to “banner blindness”. It is difficult to influence it without special marketing tricks that require additional costs.

In addition, the more “serious” the landlord, the more conditions he has. For example, the Arena shopping and entertainment center (Voronezh) requires islands not to exceed 160 cm in height, be transparent and equipped with internal lighting, so as not to disturb the perception of visitors to the main shopping galleries.

Representatives of centers with "famous names" often wish to receive a colorful booklet from the retailer upon agreement with a detailed description of the shopping island and many of its images in the interior of the hall. This is an additional expense: design bureaus estimate such an order at 60-70 thousand rubles.

That is why experienced entrepreneurs advise beginners to “start” in less pretentious and large trading enterprises, while choosing places with high traffic, but with a minimum set of counter conditions from the landlord. This will allow you to show maximum imagination in decorating a shop window, product presentation, etc. Yes, and you will compete with neighboring kiosks mainly due to the originality of the idea and the profitable presentation of your product.

What product to choose?

One of the first questions a future retailer has is: what to sell on the trading floor on the islands? What do you prefer: edible products or non-food products? On whom to bet: the consumer-oriented public, or the discerning buyer of the exclusive?

Journal “Practice of trade. Trade equipment” in 2014 published a forecast for the retail market until 2016 (see Fig. 2)

As can be seen, the markets for food and non-food products almost do not differ in dynamics: the economic difficulties of recent years are making themselves felt. Consider examples of successful projects from the TOP - 25 most profitable franchises of 2015 according to forbes.ru.

Tea Funny Point cocktails

The original food brand for pedestrian areas. Based on the Taiwanese-invented "bubble tea" cocktail, which includes tea, milk, syrup and jelly-like balls with juice inside.

Advantages:

• the shopping island takes up little space - about 4 m²
• royalties of 4% of revenue are paid from the second year of operation
• start-up capital (about 0.8 million rubles) can be obtained from Rosbank under the Successful Start program
• The design of the shopping island and equipment placement was developed by the franchisor and successfully implemented in large shopping and entertainment centers, which helps to avoid additional approvals with landlords.

Designer t-shirts Provocation

Many visitors of the largest supermarkets remember the bright showcases of the islands of the Provokatsiya brand, where you can buy T-shirts with hooligan prints. Store owner and franchise creator Hasmik Gevorkyan recalls that a buyer “threw” this good idea to her. She opened her first store in Kursk, and now she presents the brand's products in large Moscow malls, another 91 points are the result of partnership with franchisees.

• Estimated amount of initial investment- 0.55 million rubles.
• Profit: 3.57 million rubles.

Auto device for "advanced" buyers

Those who plan to open trading islands in trading floors draw business ideas from successful projects. This is exactly what the business of the Nizhny Novgorod entrepreneurs S. Seregin and M. Vakhrushev can be considered. In 2009, they began selling automotive electronics: navigators, video recorders, radar detectors and accessories under the Autodevice brand.

Today it is one of the most profitable franchises, according to Forbes. The cost of initial investments is 0.9 million rubles, profit is 2.1 million rubles. The offer of Avtodevice for franchisees is interesting in that the lump-sum fee is minimal - only 39,000 rubles, and there is no royalty.

Summary: the main rule when choosing a product for sale in the format of a shopping island is targeting the target audience. For success, not only the idea is important, but also a well-executed concept, attractive window dressing, accounting for running and slow positions, and a clear promotion strategy. All these requirements are met by franchises that have already established themselves as a profitable business. Using them, you can minimize the possible risks.

What to consider when opening a shopping island?

Before you start your business, use the advice of experts to help you avoid embarrassing mistakes:

• When choosing a place to rent, do not limit yourself to the simplest solutions (“acquaintance”, “closer to home”, “largest store”, etc.), arrange a small “tender” for landlords, indicating your wishes on the Internet. Better to choose from several offers - less likely to miss
• Explore the audience of the shopping center! Where the public, who came to buy products or furniture, lives, gadgets are unlikely to be in demand.
• Do not hope that the business will start working without your participation: at least for the first time, you will have to control the hired sellers. Consider the travel time factor to and from the store. For example, the owners of the Madrobots shopping island in the MEGA Belaya Dacha shopping center in Moscow calculated that it took them 4 hours a day to do this.
• Be extremely careful when choosing a contractor for the production of an island! Study the reviews about it on the forums, get "live" recommendations, read the contract and project documentation in advance. You must be sure that the terms of delivery and launch of the finished module will be met and that the supplier will not lose interest in you if you notice a design defect and ask for it to be fixed.
• By approaching the organization of your business with due attention, you will receive a competitive business that brings you satisfaction and profit.

Russians love sweets!
8 out of 10 people consume something sweet every day. It is not surprising that the capacity of the Russian confectionery market third in the world after the USA and China, which makes it simply a paradise for confectioners.

In 2014, more than 1.1 million tons of confectionery, including chocolate, and, according to experts, the demand for them will increase for the next four years. According to forecasts, by 2017 the demand for sweets in Russia will increase by 8% . At the same time, useful and functional confectionery products will become more and more in demand. In general, such trends spur the development of the "sweet industry".

Paradisaic delight

It is known that the consumption of sweets has a positive effect on the emotional state of a person, brings pleasure, a feeling of joy and peace. Sweet is soothing. Mother's milk, so familiar to us from childhood, has a sweet taste. No wonder the word "pleasure" has the same root as the word "sweetness", and sometimes a loved one is affectionately called "sweet".

Lollipops, marmalade, oriental sweets, marshmallows, candied fruits, cookies, caramel, cotton candy, sherbet, dried fruits, nuts, halva... and this is not a complete list of what sweet tooth chooses in such attractive windows.

The widespread opinion that the sale of sweets is designed exclusively for the children's segment is erroneous. Scientists have proven that the consumption of sweets reduces the level of stress hormones in the human body. And stress, unfortunately, has become part of the everyday life of an ordinary consumer.

Great start

Organizing an island with sweets in a shopping center can be a great start for an aspiring entrepreneur.
The optimal form of doing this business is the registration of individual entrepreneurship.

With proper organization, an island of sweets in a shopping center brings a stable income, and the net profit can be over 40 thousand rubles. in a day. The payback period for an island of sweets is 7-12 months. The volume of sales naturally increases on holidays, holidays, weekends, and somewhat decreases in the summer, when soft drinks and ice cream are more popular. The average trade margin in this business is 25-35%. In the future, increasing the scale of activities and business profits, you can develop a network in different shopping centers.

In addition, the island can be placed in a limited area. (2—6 m2). The size of the island will largely depend on the breadth of the product range you plan to support.

Sweets do not belong to the category of perishable products, which simplifies their sale, but there are still nuances of organizing an island of sweets.

Create an island

Depending on the wishes of the owner, the island of sweets provides for the need for means of production, you will need:

• racks, slides;
• showcases;
• refrigeration equipment (if the products require storage under special conditions);
• electronic scales (if products are sold by weight);
• checkout area.

The cost will also include the cost of consumables (disposable tableware, napkins, bags).

Some islands may include a client area, actually turning into a miniature cafe. But in general, the interior of the island should be quite simple and restrained, since the products presented in the windows are always diverse in shape, size, and color. An island of sweets overloaded with decor can look tasteless.

It is important to form the optimal assortment for sales management. For example, parents who cannot buy sweets for their children because of their high cost can be offered something cheaper, and for a child prone to allergies, sweets without preservatives, dyes, containing fructose can be offered.

For high-quality supplies of goods, a reliable supplier is needed, who independently delivers the order to the outlet. Due to this, there are no costs associated with the need to hire vehicles or operate and maintain a personal car. It is often possible to negotiate with suppliers to provide deferred payment, which reduces the need for initial investment.

Gems sparkle

The main rule for an island of sweets is cleanliness! The materials and constructions used should allow easy maintenance of cleanliness and removal of contaminants. The sweet environment is very favorable for the development of pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, when buying sweets for their children, parents will never forgive you for your negligent attitude to order and sanitation, and, ultimately, to the health of little sweet teeth.

Particular attention should be paid to lighting the island of sweets. The use of incandescent lamps to illuminate confectionery products can lead to their heating and the occurrence of photochemical reactions, which will lead to a deterioration in aesthetic and taste qualities. It is recommended to use light sources with a low color temperature that provide a warm, golden light, such as fluorescent lamps with a color temperature of 2700-3000K, special sodium lamps (White sun) with a color temperature of 2500K, or LED lighting. The use of "warm light" helps to sell sweets, and the dynamic change of lighting will draw additional attention to the shop windows.

The use of mirrors is justified both psychologically and economically. Optically, they give the impression that there are much more sweets than in reality. In this way, you can maintain a smaller assortment without losing the attractiveness of the island and ensuring the supply of fresher products. At the same time, you can save on lighting, as mirrors will increase the level of illumination of shelving and showcases.

High-quality lighting and mirror surfaces can turn a piece of caramel into an attractive sparkling gem. What can we say about the impressionability of children, for whom each such island resembles a fabulous gingerbread house!

In the field of view of staff and competitors

Having organized an island for the sale of sweets in a large shopping center, it is important to remember about competition, because often the assortment is approximately the same for everyone, then the price level should be the same. A small difference in price can be justified by a higher level of service, but then it is necessary to adamantly maintain a high quality of service.

Don't skimp on staff. Only at first glance it may seem that this type of activity does not imply the need for any special knowledge and skills. In fact, the seller of sweets should be a friendly and contact person, be responsive and decent, have the ability to smooth out conflicts, help overcome the whims of the children and the haste of their parents. Often children pull their parents to the island of sweets not only for a lollipop, but also for the smile of such an understanding and friendly staff.

Keep in mind that large shopping centers work about 12 hours a day, so it is optimal to hire two employees, with the possibility of shift work on a 2/2 schedule.

With the right organization of the island of sweets, you can quickly gain the trust of the sweet tooth and find your loyal customers.

• Suppliers
• Recruitment
• What OKVED to indicate when registering a candy store
• What documents are needed to open
• Do I need permission to open
• Sales Technology
  • • • Similar business ideas:

Step-by-step plan for opening a candy store

The Candy Store is a retail outlet that specializes in the sale of candy, marmalade, caramel, smoothies, ice cream, and other sweet foods. The number of sweet shops has been steadily growing in recent years. There are objective reasons for this. Firstly, this is facilitated by the growing demand for sweet goods against the backdrop of growing purchasing power of the population. Secondly, opening a candy store does not require special knowledge and financial capabilities of an entrepreneur. Plus, there are a number of proposals to start a similar franchise business. Investments in this case will amount to no more than 300 thousand rubles.

It is an outlet that specializes in the sale of candy, marmalade, caramel, smoothies, ice cream and other sweet foods.

The number of sweet shops has been steadily growing in recent years. There are objective reasons for this. Firstly, this is facilitated by the growing demand for sweet goods against the backdrop of growing purchasing power of the population. Secondly, opening a candy store does not require special knowledge and financial capabilities of an entrepreneur. Plus, there are a number of proposals to start a similar franchise business. Investments in this case will amount to no more than 300 thousand rubles.

What is a modern candy store. The assortment of the sweet shop consists of such goods as: piece sweets and caramel; bulk ice cream; chewing marmalade; milkshakes; oxygen cocktails; chocolate; fresh juice; lollipops.

The markup on goods in a candy store is at least 200%, and for some items even 500%. The average cost of goods is 20%. Approximate pricing policy: marmalade - 70 rubles / 100 gr., loose ice cream - 45 rubles / 50 gr., milkshake - 70 rubles / 400 ml., freshly squeezed juice - 100 rubles / 200 ml.

Choosing a store location

As in any similar business, the profitability of an outlet depends on its traffic. In this regard, the most advantageous location for a sweet shop is shopping and entertainment complexes. The ideal store format in such places is an "island" of 10-15 m2.

Due to the fact that the occupied area of ​​the retail outlet is no more than 15 m2, rental payments will not be so high - from 15 to 30 thousand rubles per month, depending on the region. For questions about renting retail space, please contact the administration of the shopping center. Of course, they need their own approach. The first thing that is important for the landlord is what you will sell and how your outlet will "fit" into the design of the shopping center.

A big plus of indoor placement (SC) is year-round operation and the absence of seasonal influence. In winter, marmalade and caramel are sold well, in summer - ice cream and cocktails. December and January are generally considered the most profitable months. What can not be said about the placement of a retail outlet on the street, where the opening hours are limited to the warm period of the year.

How much money do you need to open a store

1. Purchase of equipment and commercial furniture - from 150 thousand rubles
2. Purchase of goods and ingredients for making cocktails and juice - from 50 thousand rubles;
3. Rental deposit (1 month) - from 15 thousand rubles;
4. Registration of activities, transport and other expenses - from 30 thousand rubles.

The total investment in the point of sale is from 245 thousand rubles.

What equipment to choose for a candy store

To operate a sweets outlet in the "island" format, you will need to purchase the following equipment:

• Commercial equipment for the sale of marmalade (slides with dispensers), piece sweets, chocolate and caramel;
• Racks for the sale of oxygen and milkshakes;
• Oxygen concentrators, cocktail mixers, ice makers;
• Freezer showcase and freezer for ice cream storage;
• Blender, juicer;
• Bar counter;
• Trade furniture "island";
• Cash node.

The total cost of a set of equipment is from 150 to 250 thousand rubles.

Suppliers

In addition to equipment, it is necessary to resolve the issue of timely delivery of goods. You can, of course, get your own transport and deliver goods to points of sale. But this is not always profitable, as there is a need for additional control and hiring of drivers. Therefore, when working with suppliers, it is recommended to cooperate on the terms under which the supplier delivers the goods on its own. It will not hurt to receive from them a deferred payment for 7-14 days.

Recruitment

To operate one outlet, you will need to hire 2 sellers. Large shopping centers usually work from 10:00 to 22:00, so the ideal work schedule for sellers is 2/2. To increase labor motivation, a wage system should be applied - salary + percentage of daily earnings.

What taxation system to choose for a candy store

The optimal organizational form when opening a candy store is individual entrepreneurship. The advantages of IP are obvious - low registration costs and a minimum of documents. As tax systems It is advisable to use a single tax on imputed income (UTII). Switching to this special the taxation regime is carried out upon a written application of an individual entrepreneur. It is advisable to submit this application immediately after registration of the activity.

How much can you earn by opening a candy store

The estimated net income of one outlet is 50-100 thousand rubles. As you understand, these are not the numbers that satisfy the appetite of many businessmen. Therefore, to increase income, it is necessary to develop a network of sweets stores, consisting of at least 3 outlets. This is especially true for large cities, where there are many opportunities for the implementation of such goals.

There are good ones and bad ones. If successful stories inspire, then unsuccessful ones usually do not attract us very much. But it is from bad experiences that the most important lessons can be learned. We believe that a negative experience is also an experience. Therefore the magazine I.Q. Review opens a series of articles on how not to do business with this story. It's like a thousand other stories. The difference is that it is replete with details that a stranger will not tell you about. We pass the word to the heroine, who will tell the whole truth. Read and learn.

How I opened the candy island in the mall

If you live in a small town with a population of no more than 250 thousand, then the problem of consumer choice is not acute - for the simple reason that this choice simply does not exist. Stores of local shopkeepers, which have not seen renovation and renovation since the collapse of the Soviet Union, offer us the same type of goods and Chinese consumer goods at inflated prices. The rebuilt shopping centers also do not elevate the city to a new level, because they are made in the image and likeness of the same shops with the same assortment, but larger.

Finding an idea for a business in a small town

I live in one of these cities in the suburbs of Rostov-on-Don. My decision to start my own business came by accident. My name is Anna, I am 27 years old, I am a mother on maternity leave, and I had no business experience. None of my family and my husband's family has ever been in business either, we are all ordinary workers.

And already here, at the stage of the birth of the idea, I encountered the first difficulties. At the initial stage, support is more important than ever - someone or something that gives strength and inspiration. Ideally, this is a person who has already achieved some success in the chosen field and is able to give the right advice. It can be either a person from the environment or a stranger from the online space. In extreme cases, you can find a like-minded person from among friends or relatives.

I had to do without it. The idea was new within my city, and this is what gave me confidence and hope for the success of my enterprise.

Franchise "Tasty Help"

An offer to purchase a franchise of the Tasty Help brand popped up in the form of contextual advertising. I was hooked by the name, numbers and payback percentages.

The company promised a markup of 100-200% on its product and payback in 3 months at a cost of only 100 thousand rubles. When I went to the site, a light bulb in my subconscious lit up.

These were sweets, but not just sweets, but European sweets sealed in jars of 50, 150 and 250 ml with stickers on which beautiful wishes flaunted. The general concept of the brand is a jar of sweets instead of pills as a cure for sadness. In addition to sweets, the assortment included 90s chewing gum, fortune cookies and ready-made gift sets. On the promo page, all this looked spectacular, bright, on the photo - examples of successful points. I had a desire to give my city a similar island of joy, to give people the opportunity to acquire something similar.

Pros and cons of a franchise

I refused the idea of ​​buying a franchise, especially since the company provided the opportunity to purchase goods in bulk. Yes, and there were less pluses than minuses. At a cost of 250 thousand rubles, the franchise only gave me the right to a 3% discount on an order and the mythical “support of managers”, as well as the status of an “official representative”, which, nevertheless, did not allow me to be the only representative in my city. I also lost the right to trade in other goods at my discretion, and for my own money I drove myself under close supervision, which I considered a huge minus.

Sweet shop business plan

Sweet shop

Starting capital for opening a store

I didn't have any money. But there was a credit card with a limit of 120 thousand rubles. I figured this should be enough.

The promised mark-up, however, did not appear. With a retail price of a large jar of 290 rubles, the purchase price was 162 rubles. That is, the markup is 80%, in ruble terms - 128 rubles per sold unit of goods. For chewing gum and smaller jars, the margin ranged from 50 to 60%.

I found a rather successful, in my opinion, place in the shopping center, in which the anchor tenants of the companies Detsky Mir, Letual and TsentrObuv were. Price 1 sq. meter was 5 thousand rubles, and the total cost of 3 square meters I took. m. - 15 thousand per month.

Payback period calculation

According to my calculations, with an average daily income of 1 thousand rubles, I will recoup my costs in 8-10 months. That was my whole business plan at the time. And it was this mistake that caused all subsequent problems. I did not take into account the important factors that are the foundation and the first bricks in the construction of a successful project.

I placed an order for 100 thousand rubles. The order was dominated by individual jars, a few chewing gums, a box of Petushki lollipops. I paid at the bank by transfer from the card, which automatically added 4% of the commission to my debt, and this is no less than 4 thousand rubles. Delivery by a transport company added another 2 thousand rubles to the initial costs.

After searching for a place and signing an agreement, I came across the concept of “deposit”. This meant that I needed to pay for two months at once - the first and last under the contract, in other words, to make a security deposit. My 15 thousand turned into 30. I had to add from the family budget.

The next step was ordering windows. They cost 30 thousand. I borrowed this money from a friend. Little things in the form of designing an individual entrepreneur, a consumer corner, a chair, an office devastated my already meager budget by about another 4 thousand.

Thus, the opening of a small point with sweets cost 170 thousand rubles. This significantly increased the payback period compared to the original calculations. But it was too late to retreat.

Business in numbers: sales, revenue, profit

The point began its work on June 1, 2014. At the initial stage, I decided to trade myself, without hiring sellers, in order to study the demand and “paint a portrait” of a potential buyer. I must say that the product really aroused great interest.

What is in demand and gives a turnover

To my great surprise, the goods of the 90s were in the greatest demand - chewing gum "Love is", "Turbo", instant juices "Yuppi" and "Zuko", they bought a lot of lollipops for children.

The attitude towards Tasty Help was very wary, but it aroused constant interest. Every second had to explain that these are not dietary supplements, not medicines, not food for fish. When a person understood that these were sweets, the question arose about the high price. Indeed, at a price of 290 rubles per 250 grams, the price per kilogram exceeded 1,100 rubles. In response to this, I argued that these sweets were unusual, exclusively of European production. The emphasis was on the gift packaging and unusual wishes, which made the sweets both an independent present and a pleasant addition to the gift.

As a result of all the vicissitudes, the revenue for the first month amounted to 70 thousand, which was more than double my expectations. My joy knew no bounds.

During this difficult first month, I made such disappointing conclusions.:

1. For a successful startup, however, activities that are familiar to most consumers are more preferable. Just enough to make it a little better. And if the products are in great demand, then there will always be demand, even with minimal promotion.
2. It is preferable to develop new types of business only if you have a reserve of finances, a lot of free time and work experience as an advertiser, or at least a fluent language.

Expansion of the range of outlets

After paying the rent for July, having decided to replenish the greatly depleted stocks of goods, I ordered something that disappeared from the shelves almost immediately - Petushki chewing gum and candies. I had regular customers who asked me to add to the goods of the 90s the famous drink “Dr. Pepper. I found suppliers of a real American drink, and placed an order for about 20 thousand. After all the costs of repaying the loan, there were 25 thousand, of which I contributed 17, as I decided to treat myself to new clothes and several trips to a restaurant.

The second month of work brought 60 thousand rubles in revenue. Running positions ended, slow-moving ones hung like a dead weight. Of course, I wanted to sell, so I ordered cans of Tasty Help, Yuppies and chewing gum for about 30,000. Ordered "Dr. Pepper sold out, but taking into account the small markup (30 rubles) and the cost of delivery, the real benefit was almost zero. At the beginning of the second month, I advertised a vacancy for a salesperson, as elementary fatigue from working for a month without days off from 10.00 to 21.00 made itself felt. With a schedule of 2/2, the seller's salary "ate" 8 thousand of revenue. Of course, I also did not take this into account in the initial cost calculations.

The second month led to the following conclusions:

1. Starting any business that involves the use of employees, you need to gain basic knowledge in the field of personnel management. I tried to give preference to girls aged 25-30 with work experience. But this did not save me from unpleasant situations associated with incompetence and banal irresponsibility.
2. Poor people are harder to manage. The desire to save on wages leads in most cases to a decrease in the seller's performance and the desire to "serve the hours."

In the third month, sales also went well, but at the end of the month they dropped to 50 thousand. It would seem that during these three months it was possible to pay off the debt or at least significantly reduce it. Indeed, half of the debt was paid. But the shelves were empty again. In addition, September came, sales fell. I tossed between the desire to quit everything, find another place (there are not so many in our city) or go for broke. Thoughts about the approach of the New Year were relentlessly pursued, which meant a large purchase.

Sale of sweets during the holidays

Hopes for everyone's favorite holiday justified themselves. I bought a lot of New Year's sweets worth about 40 thousand, they looked very beautiful, elegant, festive. I made sets, tried to work more myself, did not trust the sellers. Everything sold out in December. Revenue on December 31 was very pleased - 12 thousand. The windows were completely empty. What I invested in this purchase was returned to me. But no more.

After the New Year holidays, inspired by the pre-New Year sales, I assumed that the February and March holidays should also bring good profit. But here I already miscalculated. Another pre-holiday purchase practically did not interest buyers. The holidays were over, the shelves were full of goods, people no longer had money. The daily income ranged from 50 to 500 rubles, which could not even cover the rent and salary.

As a result, my debt to the bank not only did not decrease, but even increased. The total bank debt amounted to 140 thousand, this also included interest - about 4 thousand rubles for each month. I also did not pay my friend a debt. Invested 170 thousand remained outstanding. At the end of April, I closed the outlet.

What conclusions did I draw during the operation of the outlet and, mainly, after its closure?

1. The capital invested in equipment and the initial filling of the store will never return. This is an investment that needs to be included in the business plan, regardless of the return.
2. A business plan is the main springboard to a successful project.
3. In addition to offline sales, it is imperative to conduct online trading in parallel. It can be a page in social networks, a simple one-pager or a full-fledged website. For many people, shopping on the Internet is preferable, when you can think for several days, again returning to the product you like.
4. You need to learn to delegate work. It is impossible to be an ideological inspirer, seller, loader, and at the same time become a successful entrepreneur. And this certainly applies to young mothers.
5. You should never follow the advice of people who know nothing about business in general and about yours in particular. In addition to confusion and confusion in thoughts, this will lead to nothing.
6. Do not get hung up on your project, even if it is the first and only one. You need to be able to leave the rented place on time, not forgetting the possibility of scaling, if funds allow.
7. The main thing is self-confidence; without it, any, even the most promising, undertaking will fail.