Retail storefront

[100%Natural]

Quite! When you take out cost of the bars themselves, the profit from 165 bars to pay the rent (and bills!) would suggest a lower rent than many people could find and/or a higher retail price than many could be able to charge in their area

In real dollars my overhead for the store is $1100...lol.

 

[JuneP]

Another idea

Besides rent, phone, electricity, advertising, insurance, you also have to consider all your time sitting shop or paying someone else to do that.

I've had two retails shops and I enjoyed the creativity of setting them up, but I hated sitting shop! I was never so bored!

Maybe you can looks for an existing shop (like a boutique, or craft store that sells handmade pottery, weaving, etc) that is selling things that would make a good match for you soaps and ask if you can rent a small space from them and sit shop one day a week or so as part of the deal.

June

 

[100%Natural]

My point with piping in on this thread was that it can be done. Do I think you could make a go of it with just soap? Possibly. The original post was directed to those of us who have managed to open up a retail space. Had I of listened to all of the comments and paid attention to all of the rolling eyes when I brought up my intent for the business, I'd still be selling at home and missing the opportunity to grab the attention of new customers. My business is a bath and body shop. I also support other carefully chosen handcrafters by buying their products from them at wholesale. The majority of my inventory is my own stuff but I can't possibly make everything I need for a full service bath and body shop all by myself. I have an amazing family that helps out as much as they can too. The 80+ hours a week includes having my family working side by side with me. We have some of the best conversations while working! My kids have learned that you can go against the odds, ignore the naysayers and follow through and reach your goals with hard work and determination.I was coming from the position of assuming that the original poster wasn't born yesterday and if they're seriously thinking of doing this then common sense would dictate doing your homework, preparing a business plan, market research etc. I really wish more of us would take the leap because there needs to be more readily available good for you bath products.

Don't sit and dream your life away. Make it happen!

 

[100%Natural]

100% Natural how do you meet your demand? Do you have people working for you? I just about keep up with what I'm selling and I don't have rent. I do this full time & there is no more time. I wonder what I will do if I get busier than I already am. Working 80 hours a week doesn't give one more time with their family.

I meet the demand by being several months ahead of the game whenever possible. My batch sizes have all been upped which was the best decision ever. Organization is key too. I have students come in and help with polishing and packaging whenever necessary. I also support other handcrafters by buying their stuff from them and selling it in the store. I can't possibly make everything myself!

I'm finding I actually get more quality time with my family since opening the store. The mad rush of the market season and that damn tent was motivation enough..lol. In retail the sales are spread out rather than all in one day. There is at least balance back in our lives!

You'd be amazed at where you can find time and energy.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

In real dollars my overhead for the store is $1100...lol.

You make $6.67 profit (excluding store costs, of course) per bar? Wowzers!

That aside, I agree with you - people can sit and wring their hands, thinking "what if.......?" and never taking the chance. As the saying goes, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take...........

 

[SplendorSoaps]

I love your tenacity, 100%Natural! Thanks for sharing your experiences with us here. It's clear that you have a strong business sense, which I think is where some can get into trouble when it comes to taking the business to the next level.

 

[100%Natural]

You make $6.67 profit (excluding store costs, of course) per bar? Wowzers!

That aside, I agree with you - people can sit and wring their hands, thinking "what if.......?" and never taking the chance. As the saying goes, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take...........

LOL I think the next stop should be a math forum...lol. I was using your analogy of bars to give you an idea of numbers without giving you actual numbers. If I made $6.67/bar I'd have store number 2 open already! I have very high margin products in the store as well so that boosts profits when others make less.

I've had a few what if moments in my life and decided after the last one that I'd not let that happen again. Turned off the naysayers and went about my life and here I am. Happy as a pig in poop!

I love your tenacity, 100%Natural! Thanks for sharing your experiences with us here. It's clear that you have a strong business sense, which I think is where some can get into trouble when it comes to taking the business to the next level.

Thank you, Splendor. Appreciate you saying that very much!

 

[cmzaha]

My point with piping in on this thread was that it can be done. Do I think you could make a go of it with just soap? Possibly. The original post was directed to those of us who have managed to open up a retail space.

Had I of listened to all of the comments and paid attention to all of the rolling eyes when I brought up my intent for the business, I'd still be selling at home and missing the opportunity to grab the attention of new customers.

My business is a bath and body shop. I also support other carefully chosen handcrafters by buying their products from them at wholesale. The majority of my inventory is my own stuff but I can't possibly make everything I need for a full service bath and body shop all by myself.

I have an amazing family that helps out as much as they can too. The 80+ hours a week includes having my family working side by side with me. We have some of the best conversations while working! My kids have learned that you can go against the odds, ignore the naysayers and follow through and reach your goals with hard work and determination.

I was coming from the position of assuming that the original poster wasn't born yesterday and if they're seriously thinking of doing this then common sense would dictate doing your homework, preparing a business plan, market research etc.

I really wish more of us would take the leap because there needs to be more readily available good for you bath products.

Don't sit and dream your life away. Make it happen!

Most can also not afford to take the chance and throw away money. I have no idea what the economic status is in Canada, could research and find out but not going to, but in the US the economic status for many have gone down to critical levels. For awhile it was worse for the West Coast but has also expanded to the East Coast. Sorry, but 2 yrs in business is hardly a good ruler of what may come, and maybe you do not have a store that sells B&B products around every corner. Also I could not rent a building for $1100 a month, let alone cover insurances, advertising then we get down to the monthly bills. Just not going to happen. To many here have seen dreams crushed, huge losses of money that can never be recovered. It is nice you shared your success story, but very few here will ever get to see that happen. Do not think I do not know business at all, I had a very successful manufacturing company, owned my beauty shop for 30 yrs (before I quit to work in our manufacturing company, and had a construction company (asphalt) that we started up for our kids FAIL big time during our economic crash. Still digging out of that mess. Took it 4 yrs to fail but fail it did. Competition in large US cities tends to be brutal. Also one needs to have at least 3 yrs money backing them up. I have lived the dream, with all the goodies to go with big money, but it has a nasty way of going back to reality.

 

[100%Natural]

I digress. I'm finished defending myself regarding opening up a store and encouraging someone else to do so.

Best of luck to anyone who takes the leap. It's a ride and a half!

 

[Lindy]

Canada is a different market and depending on where you are will determine the amount of success you will achieve. When I was running my Brick & Mortar I went in underfunded, that hurt. I also didn't choose my location well, so even though I was starting to break even I shut it down because there wasn't a better location available. When I was running the store I was always making product in the back to keep up with demand, Christmas of course being my busiest month.

Can it be done, you bet. I know of 3 other Canadian soapers who have succeeded opening a B&M but they had the same tenacity, vision and confidence that 100% natural expresses.

My opinion, and it is just mine, is do your business plan, find out where your competition is and determine what it is that makes your product more desirable than theirs. Usually the thing you have that no-one else does is you. So you have to figure out if you can cut it, do you have that bubbly personality that does retail well? You will have a lot of hats to wear but if you have that passion, the business sense and are a good front-line person then go for it. Wondering if you missed an opportunity leaves regret.

 

[navigator9]

100% natural, yours is the kind of enthusiasm and entrepreneurship that breeds success. Plus lots of hard work and sacrifice. Much success to you!

 

[100%Natural]

100% natural, yours is the kind of enthusiasm and entrepreneurship that breeds success. Plus lots of hard work and sacrifice. Much success to you!

Thank you!