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Opening a shop



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 1st 03, 04:41 PM
H. J. Corney
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Default Opening a shop

Hi all,

I am contemplating opening a jewellery shop it will sell my own work and
other designer-jewellers work whom I admire.

I have never operated a physical shop before as I have sold via galleries
and direct from my workshop. The shop is in a quiet but slightly touristey
village location in the Southwest of the UK. I do not expect masses of
passers by dropping in, but hope a physical shop will give me more
credibility. I expect to have to attract people to make a special journey to
visit.

So does the group have any advice you are willing to share with me? What
should I look out for? What are the pitfalls? what are the things you wish
you had done and the things you wish you had not?

best wishes,

Hillary
--

Hillary Corney
Designer Silversmith and Jeweller
http://www.designersilversmiths.com



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  #2  
Old September 1st 03, 11:44 PM
Adrian
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Hi Hillary

You need to do your 'homework' regarding the costs of running your projected
shop. Your shop will cost you money - even when you aren't selling anything.
My parents ran a small gifts / jewelry / gemstones shop down in Cornwall - and
while it generated enough revenue to provide them with a living and put my
brother & I through college, it never made them a fortune.

Lots of the people who visit your shop will be there 'just to look' (or
because it's raining!) - rather than actually buying anything. If you're
trying to make items as well as run the shop then you may find that the two
don't sit too well together.

Watch out for the people who will help themselves to your stock without
paying....

Hope this doesn't seem too negative - but you need to look carefully at the
down-sides as well as the positives. I'm not sure exactly what 'credibility'
gains you expect from having a shop rather than allowing visitors to come to
your workshop.

Hope this helps
Adrian
Suffolk UK

  #3  
Old September 2nd 03, 02:50 AM
NE333RO
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So does the group have any advice you are willing to share with me? What
should I look out for? What are the pitfalls? what are the things you wish
you had done and the things you wish you had not?


The best advice I can give is to make sure you have enough money before you
open, to run the business for six months to a year with nobody walking through
the door.
Next, don't stint on advertizing. If you can't get people into your store,
you can't pay the bills (profound huh ) ).
Last I would recommend hiring a professional sales person to sell for you.
It's been my experience that most jewelers are poor sales people. They also
tend to get too emotionally involved with their own jewelry to sell other
pieces.
Just my 2 cents and worth every penny it cost you.
  #4  
Old September 2nd 03, 06:35 AM
Fishbre396
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Default

Excellent advice. I would only add that you should not get discouraged if you
don't sell anything immediately. It takes time to build a clientel.

We opened a gallery (Midwest, USA) 15 months ago, and have made our rent,
utilities, advertising expenses, insurance and other expenses, but no profits
to date.
Not bad for a poor economy.


The best advice I can give is to make sure you have enough money before you
open, to run the business for six months to a year with nobody walking
through
the door.
Next, don't stint on advertizing. If you can't get people into your
store,
you can't pay the bills (profound huh ) ).
Last I would recommend hiring a professional sales person to sell for
you.
It's been my experience that most jewelers are poor sales people. They also
tend to get too emotionally involved with their own jewelry to sell other
pieces.
Just my 2 cents and worth every penny it cost you.



 




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