Shoe business: how to open a shoe store. Business plan for a shoe store: equipment and documents for starting. How to open a shoe store from scratch and not go broke Shoe retail

There will always be a need for clothes and shoes, and this can be said with great confidence. Despite the crisis in the country and difficult economic times, shoe stores do not cease to exist. Therefore, we cannot ignore this profitable idea business, like opening a shoe store from scratch. In today's article we will share with you the secrets of success in the modern shoe business.

Each of us buys shoes and clothes all the time. Even a family with a small budget spends on average about 30% of their monthly earnings on clothes. People buy new shoes for a variety of reasons. Firstly, this is seasonal; you won’t wear boots in the summer and shoes in the winter. Secondly, this is fashion, many people follow it very carefully and constantly update their wardrobe. In addition, you will have to buy a new pair of shoes if the old one has already been worn out, and in the case of children's shoes, has become too small. Thus, we can draw obvious conclusions that even the most frugal people still have to buy a new pair of shoes or boots from time to time. Therefore, opening a shoe store can be considered great idea business.

How to open a shoe store from scratch?

Surely every aspiring entrepreneur is wondering where to get money and how much does it cost to open a shoe store?

Everyone understands perfectly well that opening your own business from scratch is quite difficult, so there are not so many people trying to start their own business. In the case of a shoe store, a considerable amount of start-up capital is required in order to purchase goods, rent a store and pay employees. But do not despair, because there are no unrealistic tasks, there is only wrong thinking.

Where can I get money?

Bank loan. You can get the necessary amount to open your business from the bank by providing and filling out all Required documents. But it is worth noting that this option for receiving money is not very reliable, given all the risks that may arise when organizing your own business. I recommend that you think carefully about everything before deciding to take such an important step.
Help from the state. There is a specially developed program of cash assistance for young entrepreneurs from the state. To receive money, you need to be registered with the employment service as unemployed, draw up a business plan and submit all the necessary documents for the accrual of this state assistance.
Joint opening of a store. If there is a shortage starting capital, you can find yourself a partner who will invest part of his money in development general business. This way you will have required amount for a start, which is enough to open a shoe store.

Business registration

In order to start your activity, you need to register your business. To do this, you will need to collect and complete the entire package of documents.

Documents and permits for opening a shoe store:

Certificate of state registration enterprises (individual entrepreneur or LLC);
Registration of the type of activity in tax service;
TIN certificate;
Charter of the enterprise, in case of registration legal entity(OOO);
Space lease agreement or certificate confirming ownership of the premises;
The range of goods sold agreed with Rospotrebnadzor;
Permits from the fire department to operate the premises;
Permits from the sanitary-epidemiological service confirming that the premises and equipment comply with all sanitary standards.

Certificates for goods sold

It is worth noting that every special shop shoes must have certificates confirming the quality and safety of the products sold. In accordance with legislative norms, mandatory certification The following types of shoes are subject to: rubber and leather, both for children and special ones.

The following footwear is subject to declaration of conformity:

Rubber (except for children);
Sportswear (sneakers, moccasins, etc.);
Yuft and chrome shoes (except for children);
Products with a textile upper (felt), synthetic leather, with the exception of military leather;
Casual shoes with faux leather upper.

Video on the topic

Shoe store format

Before you plunge headlong into business, you need to decide on the format of your point of sale, so to speak, choose a direction. Naturally, you can sell children's, women's and men's shoes at the same time, but in this case you will have to sacrifice something, and, as a rule, this is the quality of the goods.

Children's shoe store

Opening a specialized children's shoe store from scratch is a great business idea that deserves detailed analysis. To make it more clear to you, I will give you several arguments that will convince you of the profitability of this direction.

Why is it profitable to sell children's shoes?

The child’s feet grow very quickly, so you have to constantly buy a new pair of shoes;
Children's shoes, unlike adult ones, are most often not repaired, but new ones are immediately purchased;
On average, even a small child has much more shoes than an adult: boots, boots, sandals, slippers, sneakers, shoes, spare shoes, and this is an incomplete list.

Thus, we can conclude that even people with average incomes regularly spend a certain amount of money on purchasing children's shoes. It's no secret that adults will often sacrifice themselves, but they will buy the things the baby needs. Therefore, the conclusion is obvious: selling children's shoes is a profitable business.

Women's shoe store

Women's shoes are very popular at any time of the year. Unlike men, ladies will not stop at one pair of shoes or boots and, if possible, will definitely add a new model to their wardrobe. Therefore, opening a women's shoe store is no less profitable than selling children's shoes.

Men's shoe store

If you decide to open a men's shoe store, you should know that the demand for them is much less than for children's or women's. But this does not mean that this area is unprofitable; its only disadvantage is the longer payback period for the business.

Having decided on the format of the outlet, you can begin choosing its location.

Where to open a shoe store?

Attracting customers is the main task of any entrepreneur. What needs to be done to get buyers? That's right, get them interested in profitable promotions, attract their attention with a bright sign and a good location of the outlet.

It is best to open a shoe store in crowded places with high traffic. For example, it is profitable to open a retail outlet in a central or business district by renting space in a large shopping or entertainment center.

Square. If possible, it is advisable to rent an area of at least 40 square meters. m., in order to place a large assortment goods.

If you don’t have money to rent a place in the center, then you can open a shoe store at the local market or in a residential area of the city; usually in such places there is quite a lot of traffic. When choosing a location, consider the ability of buyers to pay. Agree, it’s stupid to open a luxury shoe store in a residential area.

Equipment

The store must be properly equipped so that customers have access to the goods, they feel comfortable moving around the store and trying on the shoes they like.

Necessary equipment:

Showcases are a place where product samples will be displayed;
Shelves for boxes with shoes;
Shelving;
Upholstered furniture (sofa, poufs for convenient shoe fitting);
Mirrors. They need to be placed at foot level so that the buyer can evaluate the model being tried on from the outside;
Equipped seller's place (table, chairs, cash machine, computer).

Hired personnel

Depending on the area of the store, select the required number of employees to serve customers.

If you open a small retail outlet, it is enough to hire one or two sales consultants to work in shifts.

If you are opening a large store, then it is additionally worth hiring a manager, a cleaner and a security guard if necessary.

Your profit and retail outlet traffic directly depend on the work of sales consultants. Therefore, be responsible when choosing staff. A sales consultant must be pleasant in appearance, have excellent knowledge of the product range, be attentive and friendly towards his clients.

How to open your own business? How to compose? Where to begin? What should you pay attention to first of all, so as not to make common mistakes? These and many other questions are asked by many aspiring businessmen. We know that opening any business, especially if it is done by an inexperienced person, is associated with many problems, difficulties, and incomprehensible situations. In this article we want to tell you how to open your own shoe store, and also give some tips on how to create shoe store business plan.

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But before you read the article further, you must clearly understand that any business in the trade sector faces very serious competition. Don't expect any profit for the first few months. It’s very good if you can work without losses, but this doesn’t happen often. Alas, but this is reality modern business, and there is no escape from them. Of course, maybe you are lucky and lucky with the location of the store (in a large shopping center in a very accessible place), or you put in a super new product that is in great demand. Or perhaps you will have a good seller who can even sell sand on the beach. Yes, there are lucky people who start working at a good profit already in the first month. But this is most likely an exception to the rule, and a very big luck. Don't count on luck when you start own business. Most likely, the realities will not be so bright, and the calculations presented in the business plan of a shoe store will not always coincide with what will actually happen. You will have to work very hard to build credibility, a client base, and trust from buyers.

Documents required to open a shoe store

The first thing you should start with is collecting the necessary documents that will allow you to do business and run your own business. Such documents include:

Document on state registration of the subject entrepreneurial activity. Most often, to open a shoe store, I register an individual entrepreneur. In rare cases, if a chain of stores is planned, you can register a legal entity.
Registration with the tax service and receipt of relevant taxpayer documents. You also need to decide on the taxation system. Most often this is single tax. If you have a large turnover, or you are going to open several stores, then you can consider other taxation options that will best suit your business plan.
Lease agreement, or documents certifying ownership of the premises.
List of products that will be approved by Rospotrebnadzor.
The fire department's conclusion that the premises are safe for both workers and visitors. In order to obtain such a conclusion, you need to comply with all fire service standards, install sensors and fire extinguishing systems.
Conclusion from the SES that the premises meets all norms and standards and does not pose a threat.
An agreement with a company that removes solid household waste.

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If you are planning to rent a store in shopping complex, then the list of documents required to conduct business may be wider. This is due to the fact that shopping center owners often require additional evidence and confirmation of the legality of your business. But, as a rule, collecting such papers is not difficult, and it will take no more than an hour.

I would also like to note that some shoes require mandatory certification. That is, you should always have a quality certificate that confirms the best properties, safety, and environmental friendliness of the product offered. These shoe categories include:

Children's shoes that are made of leather or rubber
Rubber and textile sports shoes
Children's felted shoes
Yuft shoes
Chrome shoes
shoes, the upper of which is made of textile materials, felt or felt
shoes whose uppers are made of synthetic leather (except army leather);
shoes, the upper of which is made of artificial species skin

It is advisable to have documents for any product that will be presented in your store. Although buyers are not often interested in such documents, regulatory and inspection authorities will definitely ask for their availability. If you do not have certificates, you risk receiving a serious fine.

If you plan to purchase goods from foreign partners, then you should also follow a number of rules and submit the necessary documents. We also advise you to familiarize yourself with the law on consumer protection, and pay special attention to the light industry.

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When opening a shoe store, conduct market research

Opening any business involves conducting detailed marketing research. If you only rely on your feelings, on the advice of friends, or on a fashionable trend in the development of one or another line of business, then the business may end before it even begins. What works for someone in a neighboring city or even region may be completely unclaimed in your case. We recommend conducting the following research:

First you need to study the demand for the product you sell. Fortunately, there is always a demand for shoes, and it is unlikely to decrease.
Analyze competitors. Explore the most popular and large shoe stores in your area. Their assortment, pricing policy, ways to attract and retain customers. You can study the flow of customers, conduct some kind of survey among them, determining what they liked and what they didn’t like about this store.
Explore the area. Choose the best location for your future store. The store should be located in a crowded place, with a good flow of customers, and should be visible from different points, and attract the attention of passers-by.
If possible, conduct a large-scale study, surveying several thousand area residents about where and how they shop for new shoes. You should be more interested in what format of stores people prefer - discount stores, with big discounts, but not high quality, stores in the middle price category, or stores with goods whose price is above average.

Next, based on a comprehensive study, you need to make a decision regarding the rationality of starting a business. Will you fit into the existing market model? Will your product be in demand? Can you compete with existing stores? Are there any prospects for the development of your shoe store? If the answers are positive and you see real opportunities, then you can start looking for premises and really start developing your business.

I would like to note that such marketing research is not cheap. But it’s better to spend $2,000 on data collection than to open a shoe store blindly and lose ten times more.

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Choosing premises for a shoe store

So you're done marketing research, realized that the business has good prospects and the product is in demand. Now you can move on to choosing a premises for your store. Let's look at several options for the location of your store, and highlight the main pros and cons of this choice.

The first thing that comes to mind when you think about a shoe store is shopping mall. Surely get retail space in the center is big success. The advantages are obvious:

Big flow potential clients who come to shop and hope to find something interesting, inexpensive, and fashionable. Many people simply come to go shopping, but often such “walks” end in successful purchases.
The shopping center provides you with ready-made premises that require a minimum of investment. All communications have been carried out, the entrance group has been decorated. You just need to take care of the interior, making it in your signature style.
Many expenses are reduced to zero. For example, there is no need to hire security guards, install alarm systems, install surveillance cameras and fire protection systems. The shopping center has already taken care of everything.

But renting in a shopping center also has a number of disadvantages. Firstly, it is not so easy to get a place in a big and famous mall. Of course, if you are not a representative of a global brand or a famous trademark. Even if you somehow manage to agree on renting a store, will it be profitable? The price is what may put you off. Renting a square meter can cost like a pair of very expensive shoes. And the store is at least 30-40 square meters. Another disadvantage is that you will have to adapt to the rules and regulations of the shopping center, and this may not always be convenient in terms of doing business.

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The second option is rent commercial premises somewhere in the city center, or on “living” and “passable” streets. You can decorate the store in your own style, you will not depend on the shopping center’s opening hours, you will be able to manage your time and all the rented space at your own discretion.

And the third option is rapidly developing and built-up residential areas. It would seem that opening a shoe store in a residential area is a little illogical. But if you see that a dozen multi-storey buildings have already appeared in the area in a year, and the same number are in the process, this means that there will soon be many potential buyers here. You can place a store on the first floors of new buildings.

Necessary equipment and personnel of a shoe store

In terms of equipment selection, the shoe store is not very picky. You won’t need a lot of different interior items, and if everything is arranged correctly, in a minimalist style, then the costs will be minimal. The store must have:

Racks and shelves on which shoes will be displayed. If you want to earn additional income, then you should place shelves with socks, shoe care products, and other necessary little things near the racks.
Try-on areas should be equipped with rugs and poufs. There should definitely be spoons there so that the buyer can carefully try on new shoes. It is considered good practice to have disposable socks that need to be put on before trying on. This is especially true in the summer, when many people do not wear socks, or wear shoes that do not need them.
Mirrors should also be in your store. It is advisable to supply them in several different types. The first ones are small, where only part of the leg will be visible. The second ones are large, where the buyer will see himself in full growth.
Also, do not forget about cash registers that need to be registered with the tax office.

That's the entire minimum set of equipment. Further arrangement of the store depends solely on your vision and design imagination. You can use some unusual lamps, backlights, glare, reflectors to give the store and products a more interesting and unusual look.

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If we talk about personnel, then their choice should be approached with special attention. The success of trade depends on the professionalism of the seller, on how he knows how to present the goods, how he understands the psychology of the buyer, how he can understand what a person wants and offer him exactly that. If you are opening a serious store, targeting middle- and high-income buyers, then do not be lazy to choose good worker, and motivate him with a decent salary. For small store, up to 30 square meters in size, one sales assistant, who can also be a cashier, is enough. If the store is medium or large in size, has several departments, and is located in a busy place with a large flow of people, then you need to hire three or more salespeople, and a separate cashier. No client should have to wait for a consultant, and everyone should be given due attention. The staff must have a commodity specialist who also performs the functions of a specialist in purchasing goods; an accountant is desirable, but his work can be performed by the entrepreneur himself, as well as communication with the tax office. The positions of security guard and cleaner may be optional.

Advertising and work with customers

Advertising is the engine of trade, and you can’t argue with that. Without thoughtful and competent advertising, you will not be able to win the race against your competitors and attract new customers. Therefore, do not spare money on various methods of advertising your shoe store. But here the question arises: what advertising methods are the most effective?

Internet advertising. If you have your own website, and you should have one, and you are engaged in sales not only in real world, but also through the network, then it would be logical to advertise on the Internet. Now it is not a problem to deliver goods throughout the country in the shortest possible time, while significantly expanding your sales geography. But if this seems very troublesome for you, then you can simply promote your store using regional queries like “Buy shoes in Ryazan”, or “shoe store Ryazan”. Select the most popular and most in-demand queries, and bring your site to the TOP for them. search engines. This way, you can attract many new, potential buyers via the Internet.
Advertise in local newspapers and magazines. If you have any fashion magazines in your city, you can try advertising there. But here you need to look at the reach of the audience, its age, and ability to pay.
Advertising on regional internet portals. Very often, cities have local news resources or websites that talk about city life. They offer banner advertising on the pages of their portal.

It is important to create an information bomb in the first weeks of opening a store. A similar effect can be achieved by posting leaflets, through ordered banners near the store, billboards, through promotions and other methods of street advertising. Declare yourself loudly, declare yourself effectively.

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Now a few words about working with the buyer. It consists in meeting the person correctly, paying due attention, presenting the product competently, and helping with the choice of a pair of shoes. You also need to use some secrets from sales techniques that will help to attract the buyer more and “help” him make a purchase:

According to statistics, 95% of shoppers walk through the store from left to right. Therefore, the most interesting, beautiful, and attractive models should be located to the right of the entrance. This is done so that the person walks in a circle, looks at the entire assortment, and does not stop immediately as soon as he enters the store.
All products should be located no higher than the eye level of a person of average height. The buyer should not lift his head to look at something, much less stretch and stand on his toes to get the pair of shoes he likes.
Products must be clearly grouped based on season, gender, age, size, etc. There must be a clear pattern, and no chaos.
It is necessary to organize convenient places for fitting, and calculate them in such a way that even with the maximum flow of clients, there is enough space for everyone.

Where to buy shoes

And the last thing I would like to talk about is suppliers. The best option is to purchase directly from manufacturers' factories. In this case, you will have to sign a supply agreement and take a certain volume each season. On the one hand, this is convenient, because you get shoes at a very good price, and without extra markups from intermediaries. But on the other hand, you oblige yourself with a contract, which is not good.

You can also consider the option of supplying shoes from abroad. If you need something cheaper and of lower quality, then this is China, Türkiye, Thailand, India. If you want to sell more expensive ones, then it’s the same China, only a different price category, or shoes from Italy. By the way, don't be surprised about China. The guys there do absolutely everything and of completely different quality. If you pay $10, you will get boots worth that amount of quality. If you pay $100, the quality will be much better.

One of the most popular is opening your own store. For example, how to open a shoe store from scratch? Not everyone knows where to start their own business, what authorities to contact and what funds will be needed for this.

Sample business plan for a shoe store

First you need to determine what exactly you will sell. Dear or cheap goods? Or maybe exclusive designer models that can only be purchased from you?
You need to think about what exactly your shoe business will be. Wholesale or retail? Or are wholesale and retail sales possible?
It is important to correctly calculate the competitiveness of your project. Your shoe business simply has to be something different from the rest. Exclusive high quality product, low prices, high quality services, wide the lineup or any other parameters must make your store, albeit small, but the best of its kind, stand out.
How to open your own store if you don’t have suppliers of goods? No way. Therefore, before you start calculating anything or looking for a suitable place for your business, you need to find at least one supplier. To do this, you just need to go to the Internet and type, for example, the following phrase - “shoes from China wholesale.” There are also specialized exhibitions, where wholesale companies present their products. It is worth considering the fact that each supplier has its own requirements for the buyer. Usually this is the signing of an official contract with the supplier (for this you need to have an already opened individual entrepreneur or LLC), compliance with the RRP (recommended retail price) and purchases from a certain amount(you can buy goods in bulk, but only in batches starting from 50,000 rubles). It must be remembered that the store has the right to set prices for goods higher than the RRP, but not lower than this indicator. Otherwise, the supplier has the right to stop working with you.
A person just starting a business should read the contract with the supplier very carefully. If you have any questions regarding documents, it is best to consult with a lawyer ( free consultation You can get it from a lawyer online).
The location of the store plays a huge role in promoting this business. Need to choose passable place. What it is? It's simple. Where would you rather go? To a store that is located next to the metro (train station, bus station) on a busy street or far from the metro and in courtyards? It is much easier and simpler to go to a store that is prominently located. Stores with exclusive goods are an exception - customers will come to them regardless of location.
An exclusive product is most often first searched for on the Internet. In any case, whatever the chosen premises, you will have to make repairs and purchase equipment (racks, cash register, mirrors, etc.). It is advisable to call several construction companies and agree on the cost of repairs to the premises, as well as find out the cost of everything necessary equipment. If your goal is an online store, this item is not for you.
Advertising. You shouldn't forget about her. She's just not needed grocery stores. People will come there anyway. But any other business needs correctly delivered and well-designed advertising. Advertising comes in different types.

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Types of advertising for a store

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Website

When a person is looking for something specific, most often he just goes to the Internet and looks for this thing there. Therefore, the site on the first page of the search engine is the most effective advertising even for . It is very difficult to rank first in a search engine; it can take several years and a lot of money.

For such cases, we have our own site promotion program. This is Yandex.Direct and Google Adwords. They are available online on the Internet. Only those who have their own officially opened business can register in these programs. A special “company” is being created to promote the site. From the very first day of using these programs, your site will be in first place for your search queries. It is worth noting that the use of these programs is not free and requires constant monitoring on your part.

It is best to create an online store so that a site visitor can immediately navigate the store’s assortment. It will also be convenient for the client to place orders via the Internet with pickup or courier delivery.

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Advertising on TV and radio

It is quite expensive, which a beginner businessman cannot afford. When opening, you can’t count on such advertising for the first 3-4 years. For opening a store (where you will already invest a lot of money), this type of advertising is simply inappropriate.

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Advertisements in newspapers and magazines

Quite a worthy way to attract your first customers. You just have to indicate that on the opening day of the store they will provide big discounts. Advertisements are submitted in advance, about a week before the publication of the magazine. A regular line ad may not be noticed, so it’s worth making a beautiful, attention-grabbing picture.

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Leaflets, business cards and booklets

Cheap and cheerful. Place a promoter in front of the store. Pay him for the number of booklets distributed. And most importantly, if the promoter brings a real buyer to the store, he will receive additional money. It's pretty good motivation for the person you hired. Maybe this person wanted to pass by, but then came in and bought goods for 10,000. And this happens.

Now you know the basic prices, you know how much the product, rental (purchase) of premises and advertising cost. Next you need to sit down and calculate a few things.

We are offering to you detailed guide how to open a shoe store from scratch. Useful tips, ready-made calculations and tables in the article.

♦ Capital investments – 450,000 rubles
♦ Payback – 6 months

Reading history books, many are horrified at how it was possible to live in those days when you had to wear boots or shoes to holes, and only then buy another pair.

Why go far: our grandmothers, and some even mothers, remember the Soviet era, when it was impossible to buy beautiful shoes, everything was somehow the same and eerie.

Today, the abundance of shoe boutiques is pleasing to the eye.

It is not for nothing that entrepreneurs often think about how to open a shoe store, because this startup can be turned into a profitable business.

Shoes are a hot commodity, no one walks barefoot these days, and every fashionista has a couple of dozen different types of shoes in her closet.

Conclusion - people will buy shoes regardless of the economic situation, which means you can open a shoe store from scratch.

All you need is to collect start-up capital, carry out specific calculations, think through all the nuances and avoid the main mistakes of novice businessmen.

Features of opening a shoe store

Don't start new business without understanding all its nuances.

In this way, you can avoid the main mistakes of entrepreneurs who have suffered financial failure.

Owning a shoe store has its own characteristics:

According to statistics, it is women who most often visit shoe stores, even if they purchase shoes not for themselves personally, but for their husband or child, so in no case should we forget about the aesthetic design of the interior of a shoe store or display windows.
Think through the concept of your shoe boutique from start to finish and stick to it in everything: choosing a place to sell, assortment of goods, pricing policy, etc.
For example, if you dream of becoming the owner of a shop where expensive Italian shoes will be sold, then you should not rent a tent at the market.
Despite the high traffic of people in this place, you will not find customers for your product.
It is very important to create the right product range, taking into account the latest statistical data on consumer demand:
60% – women’s shoes, according to the season,
20% – children’s,
15% – male,
5% – out-of-season shoes.
Design your store windows correctly.
Place the most interesting samples in windows that are visible from the street, this will encourage buyers to come to your boutique.
Many shoe store owners expand their product range with bags, hosiery, and belts.
This makes sense, but remember that the star of your store is the shoes, so they need to be given the main place in the windows.
Don't overprice.
Remember that it is better to increase turnover due to a large number of pairs of shoes sold, and not due to a high markup on one pair.
Reasonable prices will attract more customers to you.
To sell shoes, you need to have quality certificates for different groups of goods and provide a guarantee to buyers.
If the shoes do not pass the test in guarantee period, then you are obliged to refund its cost to the client or give him another pair.

Disadvantages of Opening a Shoe Store

Shoe store owners can't always turn a startup into a profitable business.

Quite often they have to close their shop because they failed to make it profitable.

Indeed, this business has its drawbacks:

It is quite difficult to make a store opened from scratch a popular shopping destination for residents of your city;
high level of competition in this sector - take a closer look and you will see how many shoe stores are located in shopping centers, markets and other places;
the profit from the sale of shoes is not always enough to cover both the entrepreneur’s livelihood, the maintenance of the business, and the purchase of a new batch of goods;
it is difficult to calculate which particular product will be in demand among buyers, so often the utility room is filled with leftover shoes, which have to be sold much cheaper, just to get back the money spent on the purchase;
difficulty in choosing a concept: what kind of shoe store to open so that it makes a profit: women's, men's, children's, combined.

Competitive advantages and advertising of a shoe store

No formation competitive advantages and carrying out a successful advertising campaign, a business related to trade is impossible, the same applies to owning a shoe store.

You should think about both before you decide to open a boutique.

Competitive advantages

The level of competition in the shoe sales industry is incredibly high. There are so many shoe stores that it is difficult to attract customers to your own.

But if you don't, you will experience financial ruin.

The competitive advantages of a shoe boutique can be formed as follows:

Maintaining a reasonable pricing policy.
The price of the product you sell must correspond to the quality and financial condition your regular customers.
Serving all clients without exception at the highest level.
Your salespeople must be extremely polite to customers and answer their questions competently.
Giving out regular customers discount cards, encouraging them to visit your store.
Being honest with clients.
There is no need to tell you that Chinese sandals for 800 rubles will be worn for ten years.
It is better to say honestly that the shelf life of such shoes is short and, if the client is interested in wearing sandals for a long time, then it is better for him to take a closer look at higher quality, but more expensive samples.
By locating your store in a place with the highest foot traffic, which will increase the number of random customers.
We regularly hold various promotions and shoe sales - all customers love it.
Constantly expanding the range of products in connection with the tastes of our customers.

Advertising for a shoe store

Interesting fact:
Mongolian men were among the first to wear high heels to prevent their feet from slipping out of the stirrups while riding.

The turnover of goods and capital in such a shoe center will be large-scale, therefore advertising campaign will pay for itself.

If you open a very modest shoe boutique with one trading floor, with an area of 20–30 squares, then the following actions will be sufficient:

order a bright sign that will immediately catch the eye;
print business cards to hand out to new clients;
register on the city forum and on social networks under the guise of a satisfied customer who has already made a purchase;
print small Flyers and distribute them in some public place not far from your outlet.

Schedule plan for opening a shoe store

How quickly you can launch a startup depends on the scale of your plans.

If you open a huge market, it will take about six months to receive your first visitor.

If you decide to open a small shoe store in a shopping center, then in 3–4 months you can start working.

Stage	Jan.	Feb.	March	Apr.	May
Registration and obtaining necessary permits
Rent of premises and repairs therein (if necessary)
Purchase of equipment and furniture
Recruitment
Purchase of the first batch of goods
Opening

How to open a shoe store: the beginning

Opening a shoe store from scratch consists of several mandatory steps that you should follow: registering a business, choosing an area and premises for trading, recruiting staff, purchasing the first batch of goods, etc.

Start with registration, while simultaneously searching for suitable premises.

Registration

In order to open a shoe store, it is enough to register as an individual entrepreneur, although if you wish, you can draw up all the paperwork as an LLC.

Then you register with the tax service and choose a form of taxation, for example, a single tax on temporary income.

If you are going to open a shoe store in a separate room that you own, then get ready for long trips to the offices of the fire service and the SES.

This is why opening a shoe store in a shopping center looks so attractive.

The owner of the building takes on all the difficulties.

Location

It is very important not only to find a suitable retail space, but to locate your shoe store in the right place with high traffic.

It is not so important whether you open your market in the center or in a densely populated residential area.

The main thing is that the range and price policy your product corresponds to the standard of living and tastes of the people living in the area.

If you are opening a store from scratch and doubt whether it is worth doing it in a particular location, then it would not be a bad idea to conduct a small survey.

Interview as many residents of the area in which you are going to open your shoe store as possible about:

what shoes they would like to see;
at what price;
how often do they buy shoes;
what should and should not be in your shoe store, etc.

Analyze the answers.

If people living in this area only buy Chinese consumer goods at a price of 800 rubles per pair, and you want to open a designer shoe store, then you should look for another place for your store, somewhere closer to the center.

Room

If you do not have a large start-up capital, then a room of 35–50 square meters will be enough for you to start with.

The most suitable premises for opening a shoe store:

trade stall at the market;
pavilion in a shopping and entertainment center;
a small room with a separate entrance on the ground floor of a multi-storey building.

It is advisable to choose a room that does not require major repairs or remodeling, which will help you reduce costs.

The ideal option is to rent a space that once housed a shoe store.

You should not open a shoe store next to a shop selling the same range of goods. You will have to fight for each client, which will negatively affect your profits.

But the proximity to grocery stores, pharmacies, boutiques and bus stops will be a blessing.

What else is needed to open a shoe store?

If you have already completed the registration procedure and rented suitable premises, then you should move on to at least important stages opening a shoe store: equipment, hiring staff, purchasing the first batch of goods.

We will explain how much all this costs and exactly how to proceed, using a specific example.

Let's say that you decide to rent a pavilion with an area of 40 square meters. meters in one of the shopping and entertainment centers in your city (not the capital).

The product range includes women's and children's shoes made in Russia, Poland and China, as well as expanding the product range to include belts and bags.

Pricing policy is average.

Equipment for opening a shoe store

One of the reasons that encourages businessmen to open a shoe store is that they do not need to purchase expensive equipment to set it up.

There are enough display cases and hanging cabinets located around the perimeter trading floor, a rack for storing goods in the utility room, plastic or glass display cases for windows so that the goods can be seen from the street, poufs for customers, mirrors and a table with a chair for staff.

You will also need a cash register.

Expense item	Amount (in rub.)
Total:	100,000 rub.
Showcases	40 000
Shelving	10 000
Hanging cabinets for accessories	8 000
Mirrors	5 000
Poufs for clients	4 000
Staff table and chair	7 000
Cash machine	8 000
Other	18 000

Shoe store staff

Before scheduling an interview with potential employees, decide exactly how your store will operate.

For example, if a shoe store's operating hours are 10:00–20:00, seven days a week, it is better to hire two salespeople to work in shifts.

To encourage them to make more sales, you should assign them a minimum fixed rate + a percentage of sales.

For example, assign sellers 5,000 rubles per month + 5% from each pair sold.

When it comes to cleaning your shoe store, you can hire a cleaner to clean the store every morning, or you can arrange for sales staff to clean the store before each shift for a fee.

If you decide to hire a cleaner, your monthly expenses will increase by another 6,000–8,000 rubles.

Shoe store assortment

It is very important to bring into your shoe store the goods that will be in demand among consumers.

Very often, businessmen take those shoes that suppliers sell cheaper in the hope of earning more, or even rely only on their own taste.

This is wrong, because it is the client who should formulate the assortment of your boutique.

Here are some tips for creating a shoe store assortment:

Look closely at what is in demand among customers.
Follow fashion trends to be the first in the city to bring sandals or shoes that will be worn this season.
Don't be afraid to reduce the price of shoes that are not in demand among customers.
This will help to constantly expand the range.
Take for sale not only high-heeled dress shoes, but also more comfortable models, so as not to reduce the number of customers.
Don't forget that not all women wear shoes size 37-39.
There are those who need a size 35, as well as those who are even less fortunate and have a size 42 feet.

We invite you to watch the video

from an interview with the owner of a chain of shoe stores,

in which he shares his knowledge and experience.

Cost table for opening a shoe store

If you open a shoe store, how quickly will it pay for itself?

This is very complex issue, which cannot be answered unambiguously.

The success of your business depends on many things, the most important thing being the intensity of your turnover. The more pairs of shoes you sell, the more you earn.

Let’s say that by selling the entire first batch of goods purchased for 300 thousand rubles, you managed to earn 800,000 rubles. You sold this product in 3 months.

From this amount should be subtracted:

That is, you are left with 600,000 rubles.

You take 300,000 rubles from this amount to purchase the next batch of shoes, and 300,000 rubles is your profit.

If you manage to make your shoe boutique popular in the city, you will recoup capital investment already in six months.

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Before drawing up a business plan for selling shoes, you need to decide which manufacturer’s products and in what price segment to deal with. It is better to start trading with inexpensive universal models with a large coverage target audience . Over time, you can diversify the model range according to modern trends

. Taking into account the growth of shoe sales via the Internet, creating your own website will be a big advantage.

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Relevance

The relevance of this business idea lies in the fact that shoes are one of the essential items. According to research, in Russia, the monthly expenses of one family (of 3 people) on shoes average 3,000 rubles.

The change of seasons forces consumers to regularly exchange winter boots for spring sneakers and summer shoes. As for children, their feet grow very quickly, forcing parents to make purchases every season.

Market description and analysis

The shoe market can be characterized as follows:
The peak of sales is observed in the autumn-spring months.
Since 2016, the footwear market has been trending towards an increase in sales volumes. This is due to an improvement in the well-being of the population and a reduction in the cost of goods.
In 2017, sales increased by 17%. This is partly due to covering needs during the crisis of 2014-2016.
According to research, every adult buys at least 2 pairs of shoes annually. On average, purchases are made every month and a half.
Due to changes in the dollar exchange rate, the cost of some imported products increased by 30%. This resulted in a 25% reduction in consumers of expensive shoe boutiques.
Since 2017, Russia has seen an increase in demand for domestic shoes with an increase in sales volumes by 10%. It is predicted that within 2 years, the share of Russian and imported shoes in percentage terms will look like this: 35 versus 65%. At the same time, there is a reorientation towards universal types of products.
70% of purchases are made by women aged 18-50 years.
During the crisis, the departure of small shoe businessmen was noted, with the niche being taken over by large chains.

The largest shoe manufacturers are the following:

Technoavia;
Ralph Ringer;
Yegoryevsk-footwear;
Unichel;
Bris-Bosphorus;
Yaroslavl RTI plant.

The target audience

When opening a store, it is more profitable to focus on the following consumers:

women aged 20-50 years;
mothers of children under 7 years old (active leg growth);
teenagers from 14 to 20 years old (gender does not matter).

Competitive advantages

The following competitive advantages when organizing your own business include:

3-5% discount on the second pair;
a gift when purchasing 3 pairs of winter boots for the whole family (for example, an electric dryer);
cumulative points system;
additional discount or gift during holidays;
the ability to order a fitting of 3 pairs of shoes at your home or office;
free delivery by courier or carrier when purchasing online.

Advertising campaign

printed materials - brochures and business cards;
banners in crowded places;
product catalog sent to the offices of large companies;
advertising on radio and television;
development of your own website;
Internet Marketing.

The following advertising methods should be used for Internet marketing:

contextual advertising;
paid clicks;
accounts on popular social networks;
cooperation with bloggers;
own channel on Youtube.

Types and range

A shoe store can be presented exclusively online or as an offline project. Stores differ in what they fill - it can focus on one type of product or several.

Basically the range looks like this:

sport shoes;
men's;
women's;
children's;
mixed;
classical.

The following modern models are distinguished:

sleepers;
Birkenstocks;
shoes;
mules;
oxfords;
brogues;
espadrilles;
monks;
loafers;
top siders;
ankle boots;
boots;
sneakers;
sneakers.

Based on the material used, shoes are divided into:

leather;
rubber;
felted;
textile;
synthetic.

Online store

Step-by-step instructions for opening an online store look like this:

Selecting a domain. You need to come up with a name for the online store that will be displayed in the search engine. It should be memorable and consistent with the business idea.
Site development. An entrepreneur can develop it independently or with the assistance of specialists. The main requirement for a website is ease of use and regular optimization. Both the owner and the employee can fill it with information and accept online orders. In the latter case, you will need to pay a salary, which will consist of a salary and a percentage of sales.
Design of an online store. It is important to ensure that the photographs of the goods sold and the general background are in harmony. All sections must be filled out as much as possible (registration certificate number, contact numbers). It is advisable to indicate the size chart and describe the materials from which the products are made.
Agreement with suppliers. You can find shoe manufacturers via the Internet and enter into an agreement with them. According to the agreement, the seller is provided with a discount and quality studio photos. The second option is selling foreign shoes. This could be China or England (the most popular destinations).
Resolving issues with payment and delivery. There can be a lot of options. In order to protect the seller and the client, you can use the Internet integration service. In this case, the client transfers money to the account of, for example, New Mail, which forwards it to the supplier after the customer receives the goods.
Marketing and promotion. Your own website needs to be advertised, just like an offline business. It is better to use Digital marketing, i.e. available types of advertising via the Internet.

The main costs that an online business owner will face include:

website development ($500-1000);
payment to the site administrator (10,000-25,000 rubles);
advertising (from 5000 rubles).

The business can be registered as an individual entrepreneur or LLC.

Review of ways to promote an online shoe store. Taken from the gkhtopograph channel.

Offline business

This type of store organization is more expensive. Need to invest own funds or resort to outside help. The main thing is to prepare a high-quality business plan for selling shoes with financial calculations. This will help attract investors. You can enter into an agreement with the franchisor, which is important for large cities.

Step-by-step instructions for opening a shoe store

After drawing up an estimate and approving a business plan, opening a store from scratch includes the following steps:

Decor.
Renting premises.
Redecorating.
Purchase of furniture and equipment.
Purchasing shoes.
Hiring.

Studying the reviews of successful entrepreneurs in this field, we can draw the following conclusions:

advertising activities must be started in advance - before opening the store itself;
Racks for storing shoes can be purchased used.

Documentation

The implementation of a business idea includes the following organizational aspects:

To register as an individual entrepreneur you will need to provide One-stop center register your passport and fill out an application. It is preferable if the store is not online. In this case, you will need a Charter. Registration can begin online.
After receiving the state registration certificate, you will need to register with the Tax Service.
If there is a premises, it is important to contact the fire department, which will issue a conclusion allowing you to work.

Room and design

The choice of premises should be influenced by the size of the starting capital:

if you plan to launch big project— it is better to rent premises in a shopping and entertainment complex;
a small store can be located in the central part of the city or a residential area.

The main thing is cross-country ability and convenient access.

It is better to locate a shoe store near:

metro stations or stops;
large stores (supermarkets);
retail space;
railway station.

The area of the sales area should be 30-40 m2. Renting such a premises will cost from 15,000 to 25,000 (in the city center).

The design of the premises must correspond to the products offered. For a shoe store, it is enough to make cosmetic repairs (about 15,000).

Equipment and inventory

Equipment you will need to open a store:

shoe racks;
seating ottomans;
carpets for fitting;
shoe spoons;
mirrors;
table and chairs for staff;
cash machine.

Shoe racks Ottoman for visitors Try-on mat Mirror for trying on shoes

You can install an additional stand to sell related products:

shoe care products;
socks.

The approximate cost of a complete set of new equipment will be 170,000 rubles.

Staff

The number of personnel, requirements for the candidate and his responsibilities are given in the table:

Thus, the salary fund per month will be 130,000 rubles.

Financial plan

Calculations were made for a shoe store located near the center of Moscow and include:

cost of opening a store;
regular expenses;
income.

How much does it cost to open a shoe store?

The cost of opening a shoe store is presented in the table:

Thus, the starting investment will be 655,000 rubles.

Regular expenses

The list of regular costs is presented in the table:

Income

On average, 15 pairs of shoes are sold per day at a cost of 500 rubles. The markup can be up to 300% (let's say it is 100%). Thus, the monthly income is 450,000 rubles. Net profit— 60,000 rubles.

Calendar plan

The calendar business plan for selling shoes looks like this:

Stage	1 month	2 months	3 months	4 months	5 months	6 months	7 months
Market analysis	+
Preparation of a business plan	+	+
Preparation of a package of documents		+
Search and rent premises		+	+
Redecorating				+
Equipment				+	+
Purchase					+
Recruitment					+	+
Opening							+

Thus, it will take 7 months to organize a business.

Risks and payback

Among the risks are the following:

theft among sellers;
significant increase in the cost of goods;
models are out of date in style or do not correspond to fashion;
seasonality of business;
competitive fight.

The business will pay off in about 10-11 months.