Even in a difficult economic situation, people do not spare money on gifts for family and friends. During numerous Russian holidays, souvenirs are especially relevant. It's inexpensive, suitable for everyone, and you don't have to worry about it. Increasingly, private companies are ordering memorable gifts for partners, clients and employees. Before releasing souvenir products, it is necessary to develop a business plan for the production of souvenirs. It will help assess the profitability and prospects of this business.

Project Summary

The gift market in Russia began to take shape more than 20 years ago, when it became possible to import goods from abroad. At first everything was quite spontaneous, and various goods of poor quality were imported. Now the souvenir market has a civilized appearance, with more and more domestically produced goods appearing. The demand for high-quality, designer goods, business souvenirs with logos, and goods made from natural materials is growing.

The idea of ​​the business is the production of souvenir products from wood (plywood) using laser cutting, engraving and full-color printing. Items made of wood attract consumers with their naturalness, elegance, and they look more presentable than plastic ones. Laser technologies make it possible to produce exclusive badges, magnets, key rings, wall and table calendars and clocks, photo frames, boxes, pencil cases and other promotional souvenirs according to an individual design.

The project pursues the following goals: making a profit through the development of highly profitable production, developing the production of souvenirs, improving the consumer qualities of products, their design, increasing employment in the real production sector.

Project objectives: production of products, introduction of modern technologies to reduce production costs and increase their quality, organization of systematic production and sales of products in Russia, return of invested funds.

The project at the initial stage will require starting investments in the amount of 604 thousand rubles. These will be the personal funds of the business organizer. The funds will be used for company registration, equipment purchase, test development and advertising. A business plan for the production of souvenirs with calculations shows that the project is profitable and brings an annual profit of 673.6 thousand rubles. The payback period for the project will be 12 months.

Since the company plans to work not only with private clients, but also with other legal entities and consumers of advertising and souvenir products, it is necessary to register an LLC. No license required. The concept of “souvenir products” is not included in the all-Russian classifier, so the OKVED code will be selected based on the product category: 16.29 “Production of other wooden products.”

Project implementation stages

1. Business registration.
2. Searching for premises, arranging rent.
3. Room renovation.
4. Equipment purchase, installation.
5. Purchase of raw materials.
6. Search and hiring of personnel, training.
7. Start of production.

Concept

Souvenirs are a popular product among private clients and company owners. For the former, this is an opportunity to show attention to friends, colleagues and distant relatives. There is no way to spend money on expensive gifts, but anyone can afford a souvenir for the New Year, women's or men's holiday. In the business world, a souvenir is a demonstration of attention, respect, loyalty, gratitude to partners and clients, encouragement of employees, and a reminder of oneself.

Plywood was chosen as the main material for souvenirs. This is a pliable material that is usually used in the furniture industry, but in recent years has become popular among manufacturers of souvenir products. Plywood is a natural, environmentally friendly material, products made from it look original, as if made by hand, they are light and inexpensive.

The project involves the production of custom-designed and branded badges, magnets, key rings, postcards, personalized or logo calendars, clocks and frames for a table or wall. The company's assortment will include decorative elements and useful accessories: boxes, pencil cases, notebooks with wooden covers, stationery stands, business cards and tea. Wooden toys for the holidays, prefabricated souvenirs for holidays and themed events, props for the holidays: photo props, letters and numbers made of wood, blanks for creativity and decoupage.

The engraving business does not place high demands on premises, but since the products will be sold not only via the Internet, but also through offline trading, it is planned to rent premises in a large residential area in a shopping center. For production and storage of products you will need a room of 20 square meters. meters and a platform for selling products and communicating with customers. Total area: 25 sq. meters. The premises must comply with sanitary and fire regulations and good lighting.

Market analysis

Hundreds of years ago, engraved items were popular: family watches, personalized spoons or antique jewelry. Thanks to technological progress, engraving has become more functional, more sophisticated in execution and easier to use. Laser engraving stands out for its decorative appeal, high-quality and durable image, which does not wear off over the years and is not washed off with water.

Such properties of laser engraving make it very popular among craftsmen, and products made using laser cutting and engraving techniques – popular among clients. Currently, wood products are gaining popularity; this material attracts consumers with its naturalness, environmental friendliness, and pliability. Craftsmen can make products of any complexity according to individual designs. At the same time, such a souvenir will cost the client an affordable price, since wood is cheaper than metal or glass.

The business of making souvenirs is subject to seasonality; the main peak in consumer demand is observed on the eve of the New Year, from about mid-November. Then there is a slight decline, but by February demand is increasing again. Consumers buy souvenirs for February 23 and March 8. In summer, demand drops by 50% compared to pre-New Year sales. For this reason, the company is scheduled to launch in October.

There are many companies on the market that offer engraving and cutting of products from various materials, including wood. They try to attract customers with low prices, original designs and speed of work. However, the demand for such goods exceeds supply, and still a small percentage of the Russian population and city residents know about such products. There is also a growing demand for wooden souvenir products from companies that want to surprise partners, employees and clients with an original corporate gift.

Target audience of the project:

• Corporate clients: companies with their own image, brand, staff of 20 or more people, companies with multi-thousand and million-dollar turnover.
• Young people from 20 to 35 years old who want to surprise their friends with original gifts, decorate their interior, or present an unusual souvenir for a wedding, birthday, or the birth of a child.
• Wedding salons, event agencies, photo studios, creative workshops, decorators, designers.

Organizational plan

Laser engraving technology allows you to work without special blanks, clichés, or printing forms, and therefore does not require additional equipment or maintenance personnel. To organize the production of souvenir products, an operator is required who can work with graphic programs. His responsibilities include drawing up cutting programs, cutting plywood according to instructions, developing new products, completing orders, and servicing the laser machine. Requirements: knowledge and experience in Adobe Illustrator, Coreldraw or Autodesk AutoCAD, experience in equipment and production for at least one year, ability to learn, responsibility.

To operate a company, you will need to hire a designer whose tasks include developing souvenir products, creating layouts, and developing the design of the company’s website and social networks. He must be proficient in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator graphic editors, understand modern design trends, be independent, proactive, and be able to multitask and work in a team.

The key employee of the company will be a sales manager for production services. His responsibilities: active sales of products through cold calls, attracting new clients, preparing commercial proposals in accordance with client needs, conducting negotiations, presentations over the phone and at meetings, forming a client base, supporting and consulting clients, preparing documentation, implementing a sales plan. Requirements: at least one year of experience in sales, communication skills, independence, ability to organize your time, knowledge of cold calling techniques, negotiations and active sales. The salary will be small, motivation will be through a high bonus without an upper limit.

Staff members:

Outsourced accountant and cleaner.

Production plan

The process of making souvenir products from plywood begins with preparing the original layout in vector format. It is developed by a designer, and the complexity of the pattern does not matter, since the laser can handle any pattern. Next, the operator cuts out a workpiece of a certain shape along the contour, and then laser engraves the desired depth.

Necessary equipment: laser engraver, mesh cutting table, computer with software, scanner, computer desk, office chair. The consumable material is a laser needle, which is enough for 30 images (one piece costs 600 rubles).

One laser usually lasts for 20 thousand hours. When working for 8 hours daily, the device will last for 7 years, when working for 12 hours – for 4.5 years. Typically, one square centimeter of finished work costs 15 rubles.

Monthly expenses:

• Laser needles: 12 thousand rubles.
• Rent: 25 thousand rubles.
• Payroll fund: 160 thousand rubles + insurance contributions 33% = 52.8 thousand rubles.
• Services of an accountant and cleaning lady: 10 thousand rubles.
• Website operation, promotion in search engines and social networks, advertising: 30 thousand rubles.
• Other expenses: 14 thousand rubles.

Total monthly costs project: 303.8 thousand rubles (for the year 3.645 million rubles).

Tax payments: (income – expense) x 15% = (360 – 303.8) x 15% = 8.43 thousand rubles.

Expenses for the first year of operation: 604 thousand rubles + 3.645 million rubles + 8.43 x 12 = 4.35 million rubles.

Marketing plan

No business can prosper without effective promotion. You need to show potential clients samples of your work. A bright sign and mobile advertising structures that can be installed near a shopping center or other points of large crowds of people will help with promotion. Other opportunities include participating in trade shows and city festivals.

To expand the customer base, the development of online trading will be required. To do this, you need a website, search engine optimization, setting up contextual advertising, advertising on social networks: VKontakte, Instagram.

To increase customer loyalty, you should organize competitions and promotions with prizes, develop a system of discounts for regular customers, and conduct an audience survey to identify needs and topics of interest.

Financial plan

The return on investment of the project will depend on many factors: the popularity of the selected services, the flow of clients, the advertising campaign, and the work of the sales manager. Typically, laser engraving has a high return on investment due to its wide range of applications, and the cost of the equipment is offset by the small costs of renting the premises. The quality of the equipment affects the profit: the more expensive it is, the more productive the work.

Project variable costs: 604 thousand rubles.

Fixed costs of the project: 312.2 thousand rubles/month, or 3.75 million rubles/year.

Average customer bill: 700 rubles. Number of clients per month: 515, per day – 17.

Monthly revenue: 360 thousand rubles.

Annual revenue while maintaining indicators: 360 x 12 = 4.32 million rubles.

Break-even point for the first year = (revenue x fixed costs) / (revenue - variable costs) = (4.32 million x 3.75 million) / (4.32 million - 0.604 million) = 4.36 million rubles.

Profit for the month: 360 thousand rubles – 312.2 thousand rubles = 47.8 thousand rubles.

Profit for the year: 57.7 thousand rubles x 12 = 573.6 thousand rubles.

Profitability= profit / revenue x 100% = 573.6 thousand / 4,320 thousand x 100% = 13,2% .

Payback= starting investments / profit for the year = 604 thousand rubles / 573.6 thousand rubles = 1 year.

Eventually

The business of producing souvenirs from plywood looks quite promising; it does not require large investments and rental costs. Engraving items was popular with consumers decades ago, and now the fashion for engraved items is making a comeback. In addition, buyers prefer to decorate their home or give gifts to loved ones from natural materials, in an original and high-quality design.

The developed example of a business plan for the production of souvenirs from plywood showed that the project will require 604 thousand rubles at the start, and the payback will occur in a year. To implement a business, you will need to rent a premises of 25 sq. m. m in a shopping center in a large residential area, purchasing equipment and raw materials, hiring qualified personnel. Monthly expenses: 312.2 thousand rubles, monthly profit will be 47.8 thousand rubles. The plans include increasing the company’s income by increasing the average bill and the number of clients.

Every year Russians buy small gifts for family and friends, during the year there are several national holidays, as well as personal occasions for congratulations. Companies are paying more and more attention to corporate gifts and souvenirs; this is an opportunity to express loyalty, respect and gratitude to partners, employees and clients.

• Where to begin?
• Legal registration
• Creative approach and advertising
• Expenses

We all believe in miracles and dream of visiting a fairy tale at least once. In real life this is impossible, so you should think about how to create a fairy tale with your own hands. A great way to bring this idea to life is to open a gift shop from scratch. A souvenir shop as a business is not only an opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of childhood and magic, but also a great way to make good money. Such a store collects an incredible amount of various souvenirs and memorable trinkets from all over the world and always attracts the attention of customers with original and amazing things.

Where to begin?

Opening a souvenir shop does not require numerous initial investments, but you will still have to spend money. Even if you are planning to open a business in which you will make some of the souvenirs yourself, keep in mind that you will have to buy materials for this. You can also buy unique and interesting items from craftsmen. To make the purchase more profitable for you, pay attention to unknown craftsmen - their products will cost an order of magnitude lower. Be sure to check out the master’s works and visit his home, if possible. Usually, the homes of craftsmen are richly decorated with their own creativity, so you can understand whether the master makes his souvenirs himself or simply makes money from resale.

Legal registration

If you decide to open a gift shop from scratch, the next important point will be its legal registration. If you are planning to create one sales department, then you can register the business as an individual entrepreneur - an individual entrepreneur. If you plan to subsequently open several more retail outlets, then it is better to create an LLC.

The location of the outlet will also be important. The ideal places for successful trading are busy streets and large shopping centers. Although the souvenir shop will be quite relevant in the areas of airports, train stations and stations. People coming and going often buy simple gifts for their friends and handmade souvenirs for themselves. In residential areas, on the contrary, children's goods will be in greater demand than unusual souvenirs and gifts from distant countries.

* The calculations use average data for Russia

1.Project summary

The goal of the project is to open a souvenir store in the city of Taganrog for the retail sale of souvenir products. This business plan has been drawn up to justify the effectiveness of the project. The business idea is to create a souvenir shop with a unique assortment of souvenir products, equally aimed at both citizens and city guests. It will include handicrafts, designer interior and decor items, art objects, dishes, symbols, costume jewelry, textiles, accessories and much more. As a competitive advantage, it is expected to abandon the “one supplier” policy and establish contacts with designers, artists and folk craftsmen of the city and region in order to dominate the range of handmade goods.

The cost of the project to open a souvenir shop will be 2,078,000 rubles. Funds for opening will be taken from personal savings without borrowing. Payback period - 23 months. The preparatory period before the start of sales is 2 months.

2.Description of the industry and company

Today, the gift and souvenir market is a ramified industry with many directions that belong to two main segments: advertising and souvenirs and consumer. The first includes promotional souvenirs, business souvenirs, and VIP souvenirs related to the activities of companies. The consumer segment includes products that are in demand by customers in retail trade. In recent years, the market has seen a tendency for retail stores to gradually abandon cheap manufacturers (usually Chinese) in favor of domestic or expensive foreign ones. More and more players are opening up in the country with their own production and clearly defined product offerings, which helps them conquer unoccupied niches. The main places where gifts are concentrated are large cities and tourist centers. A special feature of the industry is that almost all groups of the population are consumers of gift products. The main demand for gift products is recorded on the eve of the holidays: New Year, Christmas, March 8, February 23, Valentine's Day. In principle, absolutely any items can act as gifts. However, from retail sale, the goods sold require originality and a “sales legend”: the store consultant must be able to interest the buyer in the gift and explain exactly what makes the item purchased unique.

The goal of this project is to open a souvenir store in the city of Taganrog to sell souvenirs. The store's competitive advantage is expected to be a wide range of handmade goods, which will outnumber mass-produced goods. This implies a rejection of the “one supplier” policy, which is common among ordinary souvenir stores, and the organization of active work on cooperation with designers, artists and craftsmen of the city in the region. The store's assortment will include handicrafts, designer interior and decor items, art objects, dishes, symbols, costume jewelry, textiles, accessories and much more.

The store itself will be located in the Central district of Taganrog, in the historical center, on a street with high traffic, a large number of attractions and places of trade. The target audience of the project will be citizens who want to buy an unusual gift and city guests of various ages who decide to leave a memory of their visit to Taganrog. Taganrog, located on the shores of the Azov Sea, is a city with a developed tourist infrastructure; the city has highly developed cultural traditions (the legacy of A.P. Chekhov), which annually attracts tens of thousands of tourists to the city and helps to increase sales of souvenirs.

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A 30 m2 retail space will be leased for the store on a long-term basis, the façade will be repaired and finished, and the necessary equipment will be purchased. The gift shop will have daily operating hours from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The work of sales personnel will be organized in shifts. At the initial stage, the store will have two salespeople on staff. The work of organizing procurement, searching for new suppliers, and strategic business planning will be entrusted to the entrepreneur. The organizational and legal form of the store is individual entrepreneur. The simplified taxation system chosen is 15% (income minus expenses).

3.Description of goods in the gift shop

The souvenir products that will be presented in the store will relate to various types of goods, including handicrafts, designer interior and decor items, art objects, dishes, symbols, costume jewelry, textiles, accessories and more (more information about products and price ranges for main product groups - in Table 1).

Table 1. List of products

	Name	Description		Cost, rub.
	Souvenirs with symbols/memorable places of the city		Magnets, keychains, plates, mugs, spoons, flasks, watches, coats of arms, pennants, table figurines, badges, T-shirts, hats, engraved knives
			Books about local history, gift editions, books dedicated to famous citizens
	Printed products		Calendars, diaries with symbols, guidebooks, maps, photos, paper bags, postcards, certificates
	Paintings/icons		Landscapes, still lifes, portraits, icons, icon cases, panels
			Wooden dishes, ceramics, Gzhel, porcelain
			Soft toys, ceramics, nesting dolls, rag dolls
	Interior items, decor		Clocks, figurines, jewelry, candles, candlesticks, piggy banks, designer decorative items, chests, globes, vases, caskets, frames, table lamps
	Board games		Chess, checkers, dominoes
	Textiles and accessories		Pillows, scarves, bags, wallets
	Bijouterie		Beads, bracelets, earrings, pendants, designer jewelry

The store will operate in the middle price segment (average bill is 1,000 rubles) and target a wide audience of customers. Products will be purchased in small wholesale from local souvenir manufacturers, and designer goods will also be purchased from city artists and designers. Both finished products and their designs will be purchased from them to transfer orders to small businesses. To prevent problems with instability of demand, the store’s assortment will be replenished with themed goods for the New Year and spring holidays.

4.Sales and marketing

The target audience of the gift shop is not limited to any narrow category and is aimed at people of different genders, ages, and social status. The concept of the store contains the main requirement of modern, sophisticated customers - the originality of the gift. According to research by the COMCON company in the field of consumer preferences of residents of Russian cities, the top three most popular gifts are original souvenirs (74%). Next come alcohol (72%) and stationery (69%). The opening of a souvenir shop is indirectly facilitated by the reduction in outbound tourism in favor of domestic tourism. According to Rostourism, at the end of 2014, an increase in domestic tourism of 30% was recorded. These trends dictate new economic realities: it is much cheaper for Russians to vacation without leaving the country. This fact plays into the hands of both the development of domestic infrastructure and the souvenir industry, since tourists are among the most active buyers of souvenirs.

Today in Taganrog there are about 40 stationary souvenir shops that position themselves as gift shops. However, in most cases we are talking about clothing, leather goods, cosmetics, perfumes, etc. Souvenir products can be found in 14 stores. As can be seen from Table. 2, the format of stores and their assortment matrix can vary significantly. It is worth noting that only two stores have a wide range of local souvenirs and actively collaborate with local designers and artists. In other stores, souvenirs specific to the city and region are often limited to magnets, calendars and other products with prints and do not exceed 20%.

The largest number of competitors in the city's souvenir market operates in the lower and middle price range. Their product range is based on domestic and Chinese products. The above-average segment includes chain souvenir stores located in shopping centers and stores with the most original types of products (ethnic souvenirs, jewelry). These stores do not bear any specificity of Taganrog or the Don Territory. In addition, there are non-stationary retail outlets that open during the warm season. The number of souvenirs offered in them is significantly lower, while the goods are not unique and are designed for impulse purchase.

Table 2. Analysis of current competitors

Competitor	Format	Range		Schedule	Location
Competitor 1	Specialized shop for local souvenirs	Books, framed photographs, ceramics, souvenirs, postcards, magnets, castings, porcelain, crystal, paintings, calendars, guidebooks, Russian folk crafts (Khokhloma, hand weaving)	Average, below average	Every day from 10:00 to 18:00	City center, separate room, 1st floor
Competitor 2	Fun and gift shop	Comic gifts, gifts for the New Year, cash souvenirs, plaques, pennants, frames, cubes, mirrors, mugs, trays, textiles, 3D frames, medals, watches, gifts for Valentine's Day, erotic gifts, anti-stress, making gifts with symbols /photo to order	Average	Every day from 10:00 to 20:00	City center, commercial building
Competitor 3	Anti-stress toys store	Anti-stress toys, bolsters, headrests and pillows made of polystyrene granules	Average	Daily from 10:00 to 22:00	City center, 2nd floor of shopping center
Competitor 4	Supermarket for stationery, souvenirs and gifts	Stationery, souvenirs, gifts, household goods, cosmetics. Assortment of more than 20,000 items	Above average	Daily from 10:00 to 22:00	City center, shopping center, level 0
Competitor 5	Shop of talismans and amulets (2)	Talismans, amulets, amulets, meditation objects of various peoples of the world, Feng Shui souvenirs	Average	Tue-Sun. 9:00-19:00, Mon. - closed, Mon.-Sat. from 9:00 to 19:00, Sun. from 10:00 to 19:00	City center, Western district of the city, separate premises
Competitor 6	Shop of designer jewelry and handmade jewelry	Designer jewelry and handmade jewelry	Below average, average	Mon.-Sat. 9:00-18:00	City center
Competitor 7	Gift and Jewelry Store	Gifts, souvenirs, jewelry, perfumes	Average	Every day from 10:00 to 19:00	City center, room on the 1st floor of a two-story building
Competitor 8	Local and Russian souvenir shop	Painting, graphics, sculpture, photo, ceramics, a wide range of designer and vintage jewelry, batiks, rag dolls, ceramics, plaques, porcelain, boxes, Khokhloma, Gzhel, Semyonov toys, metal products, Zhostovo painting, mugs,plates, magnets, posters, calendars, books	Average	Every day from 10:00 to 19:00	City center, 1st floor of office and commercial building
Competitor 9	Network store of gifts and souvenirs	Board games, toys, dolls, dishes, interior items, boxes, stationery	Above average	Every day from 9:00 to 20:00
Competitor 10	Online gift store	Gifts, souvenirs, dishes, porcelain, lamps, boxes, figurines, binoculars	Below the average	Every day from 8:00 to 20:00	City center, separate building
Competitor 11	Custom souvenir shop	Photo souvenirs, applying photos to various products	Average	Every day from 10:00 to 20:00	City center, separate building
Competitor 12	Online gift store	Travel and picnic goods, knives, crossbows, accessories, auto gifts, designer interior items, clothing	Average, above average	N/A	City center, shopping center, Eastern district, shopping center
Competitor 13	Store goods from India	Souvenirs, textiles, cosmetics, handmade goods, seasonings, interior items	Average, above average	Every day from 9:00 to 18:00	City center
Competitor 14	Souvenir and wedding goods store	Magnets, figurines, wedding items, jewelry, piggy banks, lighters, paintings	Average	N/A	City center

As the experience of competitors shows, the most effective format for selling souvenirs is not selling through the barrier of a counter, but presenting the product “in person” on the principle of self-service. In the souvenir shop planned for opening, all products can be “touched” and “twisted” before purchasing. A sales consultant who knows the assortment and history of each item will help you make your choice. The main methods of promotion on the market will be: printed handout advertising (leaflets, flyers, etc.), maintaining groups/accounts on social networks (VKontakte, Faceebook), outdoor advertising (signboard).

5.Production plan

Location of the souvenir shop - Central district of Taganrog. The store will be located in the historical center of the city, on a high-traffic street with a large number of attractions and places of trade. The retail outlet will be clearly visible and illuminated in the evening and at night. Car parking will be available for gift shop visitors. The area of ​​the room will be 30 square meters. meters. For the renovation of the premises and facade work, you will need 60 thousand rubles, 188 thousand rubles. – to equip the store with the necessary commercial equipment. In Table. Table 2 shows the main costs of equipping a souvenir shop.

Table 2. Equipment costs

	Name	price, rub.	Quantity, pcs.	Cost, rub.
	Wall rack
	Wall panel
	Island rack
	Lighting equipment
	Security and fire alarm
	Cash machine
	Cash counter
	Split system
	Outdoor sign
Total:				188 000

To operate a gift shop, you will need 2 full-time sellers (see Table 3). There are no strict experience requirements, but experience in retail sales is preferred. The main criteria when selecting personnel are communication skills, the ability to work with people, responsibility, decency, friendliness, and the desire to develop professionally. There will also be requirements for a good knowledge of the history of the Don region and the city of Taganrog, illustrious fellow countrymen, since for the success of the business all personnel must have a direct keen interest in history, art, and handicrafts. The staff work schedule is 2/2 shifts.

Table 3. Staffing and wage fund

Considering the average check for a souvenir store is 1,000 rubles, 120 customers per month (4 customers per day) will be enough for the store to make a profit. The level of threshold revenue that ensures the company's break-even will be 120,000 rubles. The planned sales volume will be at the level of 20 customers per day, which will allow us to count on a net profit of 100,000 rubles. This business plan contains a relatively pessimistic development scenario, in which the sales plan will be achieved by the 8th month of the project. The costs of the main period of operation of the store will include: rent (25 thousand rubles), wages to sellers (52 thousand rubles with deductions), replenishment of the product range, transportation costs, advertising, utilities, security services, etc.

6.Organizational plan

The preparatory period for the project will be 2 months, which will be needed to complete registration procedures, establish partnerships and establish contacts with suppliers of souvenirs (most of the contacts are already available), recruit personnel, repair and equip the premises. Management responsibilities will be assigned to the individual entrepreneur. He will be responsible for all organizational aspects of the business, negotiations with the landlord, ensuring control over the work of sellers, engaging in strategic promotion of the company, purchasing goods, and searching for new supply channels. Responsibilities for the daily operation of the gift shop will be assigned to two sellers who will be involved in sales, consulting, and working with cash registers.

7.Financial plan for a gift shop

Investments in opening a souvenir shop will amount to RUB 2,078,000. Funds for opening will be taken from personal savings. The main items of investment costs are presented in Table. 4. The store’s indicators for project revenue, fixed and variable costs and net profit are presented in Appendix 1. Conditions accepted in the calculations:

The average bill for souvenirs is 1000 rubles;

Increase in employee wages by 20% for the 3rd year of store operation;

Increase in the number of customers over time due to the increasing popularity of the store.

Table 4. Investment costs

	Cost item	Amount, rub.
Investments in real estate
	Room renovation and facade work
Room equipment
	Equipment set
Intangible assets
	Registration procedures, obtaining permits
	Costs of searching for supply channels (transport, telephone conversations, etc.)
Working capital
	Working capital
	Starting product content

8.Evaluation of project effectiveness

The calculations carried out allow us to say that the project is commercially profitable. In Table. 5. main performance indicators are reflected.

Table 5. Project performance indicators

9.Risks and guarantees

Gift shops are a well-established form of retail trade. As the experience of Russian entrepreneurs shows, the success of a business largely depends on two main factors: the degree of uniqueness of the product range and the desire of the entrepreneur to invest in business development. The concept of this store will be based on these two postulates. An active position on constantly updating the assortment, surprising the client, searching for new channels for the supply of unique handmade goods, as opposed to letting the business take its course and collaborating with a limited number of suppliers, is embedded in the concept of the store. However, in the course of its activities, the store may encounter predictable and unpredictable external risks that may cause difficulties in the operation and development of the store. Analysis of the main risks - in Table. 6.

Many people would like to visit a fairy tale. But few people know how to get into it. Maybe you should create this fairy tale yourself. A souvenir shop is a fabulous place where different things are stored from all over the world. Or not from all of them, but also quite amazing and unusual...

A souvenir shop does not require a lot of capital, but even here you cannot do without investments. Even if at first you make souvenirs yourself. The material costs money. If you don’t have the inclination to make souvenirs, you can turn to the craftsmen. For smaller investments, unpromoted craftsmen are suitable.

Before placing an order, do not be too lazy to look at the work and preferably not only from the photograph, but to come and see it in person. Judging by the situation in the house, you can tell whether the manufacturer does his work himself or is also a reseller.

Finally, we decided to open a souvenir shop. How to register it? An individual entrepreneur is an individual entrepreneur who has no restrictions on creating an LLC. If you plan to have more than one store, then most partners will trust the LLC. Another advantage of an LLC is that its participants are not responsible for the store’s property, but only for the capital that they invested in the business.

Profit will go faster if the store is located on a busy city street - these are the central streets. Although it is possible that you can also get promoted near airports and various train stations. After all, people who come want to get a piece of a temporary new home in their pocket. You can also place a souvenir shop in a large shopping center.

How to make your souvenir shop noticed?

First, you need to look at the market in this area. Take a look at what your competitors are offering. If, for example, in one shopping center there are already two souvenir shops with exotic goods, then there is no point in installing a third one. It can be built in contrast, for example, with national color.

But if there are competitors with an assortment from all over the world, then you can take a completely different path. For example, bouquets of sweets or clothes for newborns. It is much easier to compete with a product that is not available than with one that is abundant on store shelves.

People love to be unique, and the more exclusive goods there are, the more people will come to your souvenir shop. The location of the souvenir shop must also be taken into account. If these are train stations, airports, then there is a chance that a store with goods from all over the world will attract more attention than with children's surprises. But in a residential area it’s just the opposite.

Advertising is also important. To minimize costs, you can post it on the Internet or print out a flyer and, before opening the store, either distribute it in crowded places or stick it on entrances (if the store is located in a residential area). If you put it in mailboxes, there is no guarantee that the flyer will be noticed and not thrown out with all sorts of garbage.

To begin with, you don’t even have to hire staff, but work as a salesperson yourself. And if, at first, you open only a rack in the sales area, and not rent a full-fledged store, then you can save on the services of a premises cleaner.

Of course, depending on the theme of the store, the main income will be during the holidays. After all, it is very pleasant not so much to receive a gift as to give it. And if it is exclusive and beautiful, then such a gift will not leave anyone indifferent. But in addition to the gift, you need to pay attention to small nuances, such as packaging and postcards. To make your return pleasant, you shouldn’t forget about these details. They can also be exclusive, made with your own hands.

Now an approximate analysis of how much a souvenir shop will cost:

You will have to invest somewhere between 400-600 thousand rubles or more in a souvenir shop. The approximate profit will be 100-200 thousand every month. This is if the average price of the product is about 60-120 rubles per piece.

How long will it take for the souvenir shop to start generating income? If no obstacles arise, the profitability will be 15-30%, and after 6-12 months of successful trading it will begin to make a profit, fully paying off.

Therefore, to begin with, it is cheaper to choose a small point, and when you feel that you have reached the level, open a store or even several. The gift shop is one of the most minimally spent stores available today.

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Some enterprising people make a profit using their imagination and creativity. The production of souvenirs is a fairly promising area of ​​activity. Such products are in demand even in difficult economic conditions because people never spare money on gifts for family and friends. If you want to open the production of souvenirs as a business, you should understand in more detail all its nuances.

Where to begin?

Before starting the production of souvenir products, you should decide on your goals. It is important to understand whether this activity will become a source of additional income for you, or whether you want to make it your main activity. In addition, you need to know whether you will sell retail souvenirs in a small store or whether you are more interested in large orders from different companies and enterprises.

Business registration

At first, in order not to spend money on renting premises, you can work from home. In this case, you don’t have to register your business and, accordingly, don’t pay taxes. When the business begins to develop, it is advisable to open an LLC and choose the production of souvenirs. Thanks to this, you will have the opportunity to enter into agreements for the supply of goods with legal entities. This line of activity is not licensed, so you do not have to obtain any additional permits or approvals.

Room

To save money at the start, you can initially work in a garage or any other heated room at home. By the way, souvenirs are one of the most promising. If you do not have a suitable place at home to install equipment for the production of souvenirs, you can rent a room on the outskirts of the city. This will allow you to significantly reduce costs. When your business begins to develop, you will need a spacious building for production workshops, warehouses and offices. It is desirable that the production and sale of souvenirs be carried out in one place. To do this, you can open a small shop near the enterprise.

Types of souvenirs

To make souvenirs, you can use different materials:

1. Products made from acrylic strongly resemble amber jewelry. They are produced in two ways: mechanical and casting. The first method is used to make tombstones and logos. The pouring method allows you to place different objects inside the material. The result is unusual, original souvenirs;
2. Metal products are always in great demand. But their manufacture is a rather labor-intensive process that requires certain skills. Souvenirs are made of brass, aluminum or bronze. Finished products are polished and then decorated with engraving, inlay or enamel;
3. The stone is usually used to make ethnic souvenirs. The master must fully feel the material so as not to disturb the natural design. This type of work requires great patience;
4. Glass souvenirs are made using complex innovative technology, consisting of several stages. Laser art design and 3D images on glass are in greatest demand;
5. Tree. Craftsmen who have already worked with wood can easily manufacture custom souvenirs. You can earn decent money on original products made of natural wood;
6. Business souvenirs are the most serious and responsible matter. Such products should contain maximum useful information. The production of souvenir products with a logo must be treated very responsibly, since it is a marketing ploy of the company. To keep corporate customers satisfied, you need to hire an experienced craftsman and a professional designer. Such souvenirs can be made from any materials - stone, glass, wood and others.

Equipment

Before purchasing equipment for making souvenirs, you need to decide what products you will offer to customers.

In any case, it is much more profitable to purchase Chinese equipment. This is a fairly successful option, which is distinguished by affordable prices and decent quality. Such machines are designed for six months of intensive, continuous work. During this time, you will be able to understand whether it is worth investing heavily in these popular businesses. If business begins to flourish, you can purchase better units. For example, it is best to buy milling machines for the production of souvenirs in Germany.

Sales market

If you are manufacturing souvenirs at home and produce them in small volumes, the products can be sold to stores located in crowded places.

Solid production requires more serious distribution channels. It is advisable to conclude contracts for the production of souvenirs with large companies and enterprises. In this case, you will be guaranteed to receive a stable high income.

Business profitability

Experts believe that making souvenirs as a business is quite a profitable activity. In order for the income to be tangible, it is necessary to include advertising costs in the business plan. If you constantly apply effective marketing tools, you will soon have many regular customers. But the best advertisement is the quality of the product.

The easiest way to determine the profitability of a business is by example. A small wooden box costs 3 thousand rubles. Its production costs 500 rubles. If you make products to order, you can earn even more. usually have high profitability, since entrepreneurs do not spend money on renting premises and salaries to staff. In addition, materials for the production of souvenir products are inexpensive, which can significantly reduce the cost of production.

Expenses

To start your own business producing souvenirs you don’t need a lot of money. If you plan to work independently, you need to invest 60–150 thousand rubles. These are expenses for the purchase of equipment and advertising. A craftsman who has all the necessary tools and machines only needs to find 20–30 thousand for advertising and consumables. , it’s up to you to decide, but you should remember that souvenirs bring good income even during a crisis. In addition, this is a very exciting creative activity. If things go well, you can eventually open your own souvenir shop and hire experienced craftsmen as a staff.

Making souvenirs from high-strength cast stone

Advantages and disadvantages

Experts characterize this area of ​​activity only on the positive side:

• The product price is 3-4 times higher than its cost;
• Minimum expenses;
• High demand for products allows you to receive a stable income;
• A business can be organized right at home, which allows you to significantly save on renting premises.

The only drawback that scares away novice entrepreneurs is seasonality. Sales volumes increase significantly before official holidays - New Year, Christmas, March 8 and others. But this does not mean that production will be idle the rest of the time. If you sign contracts with corporate clients, there will be more than enough work. In addition, you can engage in other activities during the off-season. , just like the production of souvenirs requires a creative approach and a flight of imagination. Therefore, you can try your hand at this area. Photo books to order are a new area of ​​business activity, but despite this, this service is already extremely popular.

Let's sum it up

Handmade souvenirs are always unique and therefore very attractive to foreign tourists. If you produce aesthetically beautiful products from environmentally friendly materials, they will always be in great demand. Such a business brings good profits and is highly profitable. But to work in this direction, you need to have talent or appropriate education.