One of our new customers just called me looking for help with the following question:
We are wanting to open up a new store in our neighborhood. To get started, we are wanting to sell these products on Ebay to raise the money needed for rent and other start up costs. Is this the best way that you know for us to get the money that we need to get started?
My answer is that there are probably some better things to start with first, and here's why.
If your goal is to open up a store, the main thing that you will need to succeed is not the start up money; it's not the merchandise; it's the customers. If you are opening up a new retail store, focus your efforts on getting new customers who would come to the store after it is open.
Look for the people who are most likely to be good customers for your store. These would probably be people in the general neighborhood where the store is going to be located.
Look for people who are the most likely to be repeat customers, so finding people who are interested in the products you sell would be important to me.
Also look for people who buy things in stores instead of through catalogs or the internet.
There are a lot of reasons that different people have for buying from a store; buying on the internet; or buying in other ways. You don't need to figure out all of the reasons why people like to buy different ways. The only thing you care about is that they do. If some people prefer to buy on the internet, don't try to change them. You will spend less effort for more sales if you focus on the people who already buy things from businesses like yours..
This does not mean that you should not have a website or printed materials for your customers. Having a website or a catalog to help promote your store is not only helpful. it can be crucial. Not only are more and more people using the internet to find the type of store that they want; but having a catalog or other printed literature to leave with prospective customers helps them to remember you when they are ready to buy something.
There are lots of people who are tremendously successful in their internet business. The customers who you meet on the internet probably live a long ways away from you and your store however. Only a small percentage of the people who become your customers on the internet will ever visit your store. Unless your business is large, you will normally have the greatest success focusing on a smaller group of potential customers who can be customers for your store.
Author Resource:-
Wayne Kiltz is the founder and owner of Africa Imports. which supplies hundreds of small stores and other businesses with unique product ideas. Find products that customers can't find anywhere else at africaimports.com
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