Facebook. In contact with. Travels. Training. Internet professions. Self-development
Site search

Wholesale office supplies business plan. Own business: how to open a stationery store. According to minimal estimates, you will need such furniture items


* Calculations use average data for Russia

400 000 ₽

Minimum starting capital

1.5 years

Payback

13 %

Profitability

About 30% of the corporate segment of the market is occupied by small companies, and no more than 45 of them have a turnover of more than two million dollars a year. Thus, even under the condition of fairly high competition and the existence of large players in the market, newcomers have every chance to take their place in the market (even if initially small, but with the prospect of further development and expansion).

The assortment of most stationery stores includes products of both foreign and domestic production. The quality of imported goods often turns out to be higher than Russian ones, but the situation is gradually changing. Manufacturers (first of all, white paper products) are switching to modern equipment, develop new designs, use high-quality raw materials.

In the structure of imported stationery, the share of products from Southeast Asian countries is increasing, the design of which is often not inferior to European stationery, and prices are often lower. Additional advantages include a wide range and frequent change of the model range.

For this reason, in some product groups, the share of Asian products can reach up to 50%. However, from the point of view of Russian consumers, a product of Asian origin should be “cheap”, even if it is not inferior in quality to European or domestic products. For this reason, many large and medium-sized wholesale companies that sell stationery often order products in Asian countries under their own brands.

Profitability of opening a stationery store

The annual capacity of the Russian office goods market is up to 2.5 billion dollars. This segment is considered the most promising, along with the office for schoolchildren. The growth of the stationery industry, which is up to 45% per year, is mainly due to an increase in the supply of stationery for the office.

The following companies are represented on the stationery market: manufacturers, distributors or importers of certain brands, wholesalers or companies that resell branded products, companies specializing in servicing corporate clients, Retail Stores and large chain stores. The market leaders in terms of working capital are Komus, Regent, Ekort, Office Premier, ProBureau, Pharm, Bureaucrat, Chancellor.

Earn up to
200 000 rub. a month, having fun!

2019 trend. Intelligent entertainment business. Minimum investment. No additional deductions or payments. Turnkey training.

So, your stationery store can be targeted at a wide range of target audience(parents of preschoolers and schoolchildren, schoolchildren themselves, students and other buyers) or have a narrower specialization (products for creativity, for school, for the office, etc.). As mentioned above, office supplies account for more than 60% of total office supplies sales.

Profit in this segment is much higher than in the school segment, which attracts the attention of start-up entrepreneurs. However, it should be borne in mind that when working with office products, the format of an online store with a service for delivering goods to the office is more suitable. We are considering the option of opening a regular stationery store, where products for schoolchildren, preschool children, students and the widest audience will prevail. The bulk of purchases falls on the first two groups of buyers.

Stationery is classified as a general consumer goods. The demand for such products does not depend much on the season, as well as on the economic situation in the country, because even despite various economic crises, children continue to go to educational institutions and they need pens, notebooks, textbook covers, art supplies, etc. Although completely However, it is not worth excluding the influence of the seasonality factor on sales. Thus, the greatest demand is observed in the period from July to September, when parents begin to buy office supplies for the school. From October to July, the income of the stationery store is relatively stable (with some decline between May and July).

How to register a stationery store correctly

To open a stationery store, you need to register as an individual entrepreneur, which will be easier and cheaper than registering a company with limited liability. However, if you plan to do business with a partner or several partners, and also intend to engage in wholesale trade, it is recommended to register an LLC.

The type of activity of your company according to OKVED refers to "Retail trade in stationery and stationery" (52.47.3). No special documents are required to open a stationery store. The standard list of required documentation that you will need to obtain includes a Sanitary and Epidemiological Conclusion (issued by the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision) and a Fire Safety Certificate (issued by the Fire Inspectorate). Also, if you have a cash register, you will need to register it at the regional office of the Tax Inspectorate. In addition, from January 1, 2012, it is necessary that each of your employees have a medical examination certificate.

Decide on the location of the stationery store

Your stationery store should be located in a high traffic area. Many entrepreneurs are sure that the optimal location for such a store is the city center. In fact, this option is just the least preferable, because, most likely, the competition here will be much higher, as well as the cost of rent. But a busy residential area is more suitable, especially if you open your store near the mall, grocery stores, household goods stores, children's toys, etc.

You can also rent an area in the shopping and entertainment center itself, but there are a number of nuances here. Stationery is a small item, but its layout requires a considerable area (you need to lay out everything that is in your assortment, and so that buyers can see it). On the other hand, the smaller the item, the higher the likelihood of theft. If an ordinary store can be equipped with anti-theft systems, then it will be more difficult and expensive to do it in a small area. The best place to open a stationery store is on the ground floor of a multi-storey building on one of the busy streets. A prominent sign in itself will serve as an excellent advertisement.

The minimum area for opening a stationery store is about 6 square meters. meters. Keep in mind that the smaller the area, the more difficult it is for your store visitors to navigate the assortment due to too dense display of goods in the windows. In addition, on the territory of your store there should be a room for a warehouse where stocks of goods will be stored. It can be quite small, as stationery products are mostly compact in storage. As a last resort, it is possible to separate part of the retail space for a utility room, but this option is the least preferable. In your back office and there must be a low level of humidity in the trading floor, otherwise paper products will quickly deteriorate.

What is included in the assortment of a profitable stationery store

The range of a standard stationery store includes writing instruments, PP and PVC products (folders), cardboard folders, paper and cardboard products, glue and proofreaders, plastic folders, corners, horizontal trays, bookends, ring binders , sticky notes, stationery items (paper clips, buttons, etc.), staplers, notepads, notebooks, desk sets and other accessories, staplers, folders, adhesive tapes, scissors, etc. Value-added products are in the greatest demand. As such, quality, attractive design and functionality can act.

Consumers prefer multi-purpose products (such as pencils with erasers, staplers with anti-staplers, marker pens, corrector pens, etc.). They are willing to buy them even if the price of a functional item is not much different from the price of the same items sold separately. Of great importance are the color and design of stationery.

Ready-made ideas for your business

Children of preschool and school age, as well as students, prefer stationery in bright colors with eye-catching pictures. The adult audience is more restrained in their preferences, but modern design is of great importance for them. You should not buy exclusively cheap goods, hoping to attract as many buyers as possible. Modern consumers are becoming more and more picky and demanding about the quality of goods. However, expensive products also run the risk of stale on your shelves.

It is best to bet on goods of an average price category - high-quality and beautiful. For example, when choosing between cheap 12-sheet notebooks with green covers and more expensive notebooks with colored thin cardboard covers, give preference to the latter.

It will still be more profitable to buy cheap notebooks in various super- and hypermarkets, which can afford, thanks to a diverse assortment, to put a lower margin on some products and / or buy them from manufacturers at better wholesale prices. You don’t have such an opportunity yet, so it’s better to offer a wider selection of goods of the middle price category (3-4 varieties of the same type). You may not be able to compete with the big chain stores, but it is imperative that your prices do not differ significantly from those of direct competitors.

Ready-made ideas for your business

Even with a difference of 5-10 rubles per item, potential buyers may prefer another store. In addition, keep in mind that on the eve of school, parents buy the necessary stationery in large quantities, and saving five rubles on one item can eventually turn into a significant amount.

Stationery store sales and marketing

Experts advise constantly changing the display of goods. This will create a sense of greater choice and make it easier for you to find what you're looking for. Seasonal items that are most in demand in a particular season (usually school items) are laid out in the most conspicuous place. At the end of the season, part of the unsold goods is returned to the warehouse, and part is sold almost at the purchase price. Do not be greedy and hide it until the next season. Some products will simply lose their relevance (for example, calendars, diaries for a certain year, notebooks with this year's idols on the covers, etc.), and some after a long storage will no longer look like a new product.

If possible, try to expand the range of your store. You can include, in addition to stationery, educational and children's books, souvenirs and gift products, small toys, stickers, calendars, bookmarks, etc. All this will help increase profits (although you will have to invest a little more).

Smaller stationery stores tend to purchase products from wholesale companies. Choose 2-3 suppliers who offer goods at the lowest prices and with working conditions that suit you. Find out the terms of delivery in advance, even if the company is located in your city. In most cases, it will be more convenient if you do not drive for the goods, but the supplier brings them to you. Of course, it is much more profitable to purchase goods directly from the manufacturer, but most likely the minimum lot size will be too high, and the cost of delivery from another region may even "eat" all the benefits of purchasing directly.

To place the goods, you will need special commercial equipment, which includes showcases, racks, stands with hanging elements (shelves, nets, hangers, etc.). Some of the equipment can be made independently. You can also buy used equipment to save money. Separate racks will also be required for the warehouse, otherwise neither you nor your sellers will find the right product there.

It is also quite possible to make these racks with your own hands or purchase ready-made ones, including in non-specialized stores (for example, such as Ikea). Do not forget about a sign with the name of your store, posters or stickers on the windows, if it is not possible to make a beautiful showcase, pillar, where you will post ads about the store's assortment, ongoing promotions and discounts.

Stationery store financial calculations

To work in a small store, two salespeople are enough to work every other day. However, if the sale is not supposed to be in the “behind the counter” format, then a cashier and 1-2 sales assistants will be required to keep order, answer customer questions, replenish stocks of goods on the shelves, and arrange them. In addition, more service personnel will be required before starting school year, otherwise your two sellers may not be able to cope with the increased number of buyers.

Reading 9 min. Views 28 Published on 09/23/2018

There are many different product groups where the demand for products is not tied to economic conditions, market conditions, season and other factors. Stationery is one of the categories representing this direction. These products are in demand both among students of educational institutions and office workers. Creating a stationery store is a relevant and promising idea. In order to achieve a meaningful result, it is very important to choose the right assortment and choose the right location for the store. Below, we propose to talk about how to open a stationery store from scratch and discuss a few important nuances.

The main advantage of the business is the high demand for products, which guarantees a stable income.

Is it profitable to trade stationery

Starting entrepreneurial activity, the future businessman should carefully analyze the chosen niche. Estimating the demand for a proposal allows you to predict the amount of revenue and income. When conducting factor analysis it is very important to take into account the work of competitors. In order to get the most up-to-date information, the future point must be compared with those stores that have a similar concept. talking in simple words, comparison of a small store and a large supermarket will not be able to provide the necessary basis for the evaluation.

When studying competitors, it is necessary to pay attention to such parameters as the schedule and features of trading activities, as well as the content of the presented assortment. Such an analysis will reveal all sorts of shortcomings and negative aspects that can become one of the advantages of the future store.

According to experts from the field of marketing, the considered market segment increases annually by twenty percent. Such growth rates are due to the growing number of small firms. Every organization needs office supplies suppliers. In the case of students educational institutions there are seasonal jumps in the growth of consumer demand. However, such “bursts” do not have a negative impact on the level of business profitability.

The main advantage of this direction is the possibility of setting a high margin on the entire range.

As mentioned above, goods belonging to this group are used not only by schoolchildren, but also by other segments of the population. This factor can significantly reduce the level of influence of "seasonality". Another significant advantage is the absence of special requirements of control authorities for the storage of products. Based on all of the above, we can conclude that the creation of a stationery store is one of the classic areas that is relevant in modern economic conditions.

Aspiring entrepreneurs who want to work in this direction need to carefully develop a marketing policy that will help in the competition.


The target audience of the store are schoolchildren, students and corporate clients

Legal component of business

For organization trading business, the entrepreneur needs to obtain permission from the controlling authorities. First of all, you need to visit tax service and get registered with the government. Before creating a registration application, an entrepreneur needs to select one of the legal statuses. In the case of this direction, it is more advisable to open an IP. This choice will greatly simplify both the registration itself and further interaction with the tax office.

IP registration

The status of an individual entrepreneur allows an entrepreneur not only to engage in trade, but also to take part in various tenders. In addition, the official registration of the business provides an opportunity to interact with other firms.

To go through the registration procedure, an entrepreneur needs to fill out an appropriate application, and then contact the local branch of the Federal Tax Service. It is important to note that the registration authority accepts an application only if there is a package of necessary documents and a receipt for payment of the state fee. The period for issuing a registration certificate is five working days.

Required documents

Along with the completed registration form, the entrepreneur needs to give the employees of the Federal Tax Service a passport and a certificate of assignment of an individual tax number. You may also need a list of products that will be presented in the store and information about the working schedule. These documents must be certified by a notary. An application for the appointment of one of the special tax regimes must be attached to this package of documents.

When filling out the registration form, the entrepreneur needs to indicate several codes of economic activity. The code “62.20” should be indicated as the main direction, indicating the retail sale of stationery. The following ciphers are recommended as additional directions:

  1. "12.14.116"— sale of paper products intended for intaglio printing.
  2. "12"— sale of cardboard and paper products.
  3. "29.25"— sale of stationery made of plastic.
  4. "99.22"— sale of office supplies made of metal.

Stationery is used everywhere - in schools, offices, various organizations and institutions

Drawing up a business plan

In order to achieve guaranteed success in trade, it is necessary to carefully plan each stage of the implementation of the business plan. When forming this document, it is very important to study all the nuances associated with the chosen field of activity. A well-written stationery store business plan will identify strengths and weak sides project, as well as eliminate the found shortcomings. When compiling this document, many factors must be taken into account, from the product range to the duration of the work shift. Below we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the main sections of the business plan, which should be given maximum attention.

Location selection

A well-chosen location for the store location allows you to increase the number of potential customers. Location selection outlet has a direct impact on the trading format, pricing policy and many other factors. It should be noted that for each line of business there are specific features associated with the choice of premises.

In the case of a stationery store, an entrepreneur needs to take into account factors such as remoteness from large business centers and educational institutions. When choosing remote locations, it is recommended to choose only densely populated points. The selected property must be located near the highway. However the best place to accommodate such a store, is the first floor of one of the city's shopping centers.

To open a stationery store in small town, enough room with an area of ​​ten square meters. It is very important that a certain level of humidity is maintained in the selected room. Temperature control will help prevent damage to paper products.

Equipment and assortment

One of the advantages of this direction is the low cost of trading equipment. In this case, expensive units used to maintain the presentation will not be needed. One of the main requirements for commercial equipment is an easy access to the range. For displaying stationery, it is recommended to choose open racks and showcases. This step will allow each buyer to independently take the desired product without seeking the help of the seller. It is also recommended to purchase wall shelves and special cabinets for displaying various products.

When choosing equipment, you should take into account the specifics of the products available. Many entrepreneurs make a common mistake by purchasing a large number of shelves. Since most of the products presented in this group are small in size, it may give the impression of a half-empty store. It is these subtleties and nuances that should be taken into account when drawing up a business plan.


The stationery store will bring good profits to its owners at any time

The formation of the assortment is an issue that deserves special attention. In cases with highly specialized areas, it is very difficult to create a wide range. Before ordering the first batch from suppliers, you should carefully analyze the level of demand for specific products. All products presented in stationery stores can be divided into several separate groups:

  1. Stationery intended for schoolchildren and students - notebooks, diaries and other accessories.
  2. Stationery designed for office workers - diaries, calendars, pens, markers.
  3. Board games and printed publications.
  4. Maps, atlases and other educational materials.

Each of the above groups should contain several different types of products. When forming the assortment, it is very important to take into account the peculiarities of client traffic. Points located near educational institutions are most often visited by students. In this case, it is more advisable to focus on pens, pencils and notebooks. In addition, you will need to purchase several large lots of colored markers and pencils. The assortment can be expanded by reference books, encyclopedias, children's books and other printed materials. When forming the assortment, it is necessary to place the main emphasis on the quality of the goods. The low quality of the purchased stationery can scare customers away from re-visiting the outlet.

Hiring

A working day of ten hours is one of the best solutions to the issue related to the work schedule. This choice implies the organization labor activity in several shifts. However, before hiring sellers, it is recommended to trade on your own during the first months. This solution will allow you to carefully study the needs and desires of customers. The presence of this knowledge allows you to make corrections in the product line and study all the features of trading activities.

To work in shift mode, you will need to hire several sellers. The selection of candidates for this position should take into account both professional experience and personal qualities applicants. Such qualities as responsibility and accuracy are one of the main criteria for selecting applicants.

Financial summaries

In order to determine the profitability of the project, a number of calculations will be required. First of all, it is necessary to estimate the expected volume of primary investments. This article includes the costs of registration of activities, rental of real estate and the formation of an assortment. The total value of this article is about three hundred thousand rubles. In addition, you should take into account the monthly expenses in the amount of one hundred thousand rubles. This amount is enough to cover rent, staff salaries and utility bills.

Calculating the rate of return on investment is quite difficult to make. Here you need to take into account both the amount of client traffic and the assortment presented. According to statistics, the owners of small stationery stores receive a net income of fifty thousand rubles. Larger stores located in shopping malls and other places with high level client traffic, can bring about two hundred thousand net income. Achieving such a result is possible only if there is a large customer base. Based on the above, we can conclude that in order to recoup the investment, it will take about twelve months.


Most entrepreneurial gurus and seasoned trade professionals recommend that you create a business plan before starting a business.

Do I need a permit to open a stationery store?

No special permits are required to open a stationery store. The list of standard documents includes only an act from the fire service on the compliance of the premises with all established requirements. It should also highlight the need for contracts for disinfection of the premises and garbage disposal.

What additional services can be arranged

The introduction of additional services in this business will significantly increase the profitability of the project. Before including this or that service in your project, it is recommended to carefully analyze the specifics of the created store. As a rule, many owners of stationery stores install copiers on the trading floor. The document reproduction service is in high demand among office workers and students.

The presence of a computer and a color printer allows the entrepreneur to take orders for printing photographs. This service is also in high demand among potential customers. In addition, you can do the lamination of documents and photographs, which will increase the traffic passing through the outlet.

Conclusions (+ video)

The main advantage of the area under consideration is the high demand for the presented assortment. Every person, regardless of his social status, age or gender, is a consumer of stationery. However, in order to successfully enter the market, an entrepreneur needs to take into account many different factors. Attention to subtleties and details is the key to creating a profitable project.

In contact with

One of the types of products that are in stable demand are stationery. We see them everywhere around us: at school, in the office, and even at home. Pens, pencils, adhesive tape, paper of various sizes, erasers, hole punches, paper clips and various kinds of accessories - all these are the products that are usually sold through a stationery store. How preferable this type of business is, and what is needed to promote it, this will be discussed below.

What is good business selling stationery

Among the advantages of such a traditional business, the following points can be noted:

  • stationery is in demand among the general population, and not just students, as ignorant people might think;
  • they are quite profitable in terms of implementation, have a good margin;
  • despite a certain seasonality, there is a demand for such products throughout the calendar year;
  • they do not require special storage conditions, and there is no need to be afraid of regular inspections of the sanitary and epidemiological station;
  • along with the sale of stationery products directly, you can sell haberdashery, as well as provide related services related to the use of office equipment and so on.

Despite the listed advantages, there are certain difficulties associated with opening with. The main problem is that the places most promising for trade are already mostly occupied. At the same time, you can find the premises in which there was a retail outlet of a different profile, which is doing poorly. It is advisable to find a place that will be located on a site of intensive passenger traffic, and even better - near secondary and higher educational institutions.

On the other hand, the busiest streets and neighborhoods will require higher rents. In order for customers to quickly learn about the opening of your store, its doors should face the red line or a busy sidewalk. But the level of competition must be assessed soberly. If there is already a similar point with a “beaten” clientele in the vicinity, then it hardly makes sense to open another stationery store. Unless you can dump prices or offer additional services that are in demand.

Business districts with an abundance of office space are another profitable option for locating a stationery store. However, if you consider them as your regular customers, then the assortment should be selected accordingly. This will require specialization, which is somewhat different from the one that schoolchildren are guided by. But ordinary office paper and staples for a stapler must be present on the shelves too.

How does a stationery store make money?

What types of services can a stationery store provide to its existing and potential customers? The first and main direction is the retail sale of such popular office products as pens, paper, rulers, goods for students, cardboard, plasticine and much more. Not bad, if space permits, to expand the range through children's books and coloring books. People are in constant demand Greeting Cards. Therefore, 2-3 racks will be clearly useful.

No less turnover is brought by related services, first of all, photocopying and printing on A4, A3, A2, A1 formats. These services are traditionally in demand among students, among students of secondary schools and specialized educational institutions. Yes, and all other buyers periodically need to photocopy their passport, identification number or various documentation, print a book or a congratulation. Among other services, binding of books, diplomas, term papers, dissertations, etc. Part of the stationery store can be subleased to a photo studio or an entrepreneur selling mobile phones, accessories, and repairing such equipment.

Procedural registration, costs and arrangement of the point of sale

If it is not planned to immediately open a large store on impressive retail space, then the best solution in terms of registration should be opening individual entrepreneurship. As for taxation, we recommend choosing a single tax, and if it is not provided, then “simplified”. According to OKVED, retail trade in stationery is coded 52.47.3.

What additional permits and procedural aspects will be required? Permission to trade is confirmed by the fire inspectorate and sanitary and epidemiological supervision. The purchased cash register must be registered with the tax office at the place of registration or business.

It is not necessary at first to puzzle yourself with bright and modern renovations of the premises. It is important that the store has a prominent sign, and the space inside the outlet is clean and tidy. Much attention should be paid to the proper placement of all products. You will need to acquire glass showcases, shelving, photocopying and printing equipment. Of the staff, you will need at least 1, or even 2 sellers. Accountant and cleaning lady are invited hourly, part-time. The rest of the administrative issues will have to be taken directly by the owner of the store.

As for the purchase of goods, wholesale commodity bases are best suited for this. You can place orders via the Internet: in this case, the entrepreneur will even be able to count on delivery from the wholesaler.

As for start-up costs, the rent will depend on the city and area of ​​​​location. At least 50,000-70,000 rubles will have to be paid for repairs in the room and the purchase of shop windows. Photocopier, printer, laminator can be taken used, but in good condition. This is about 30,000 rubles more. Plus, initially you will need to purchase commercial products for at least 150,000-200,000 rubles. The shop pays off from 1 to 2 years, depending on how successfully the individual entrepreneur was able to organize such a business.

As you can see, if you approach the issue of opening a stationery store in a comprehensive manner, then this business can easily bring a stable average income. It is important to pay attention to the competent choice of the place of business, as well as to provide people with an expanded list of services. In this way, it will be possible to adequately withstand competition with existing outlets of other entrepreneurs.

The current entrepreneur Lyubov Kirilenko shares his experience of opening a stationery store. The author's article presents practical advice on organizing this type of business from scratch.

The stationery store sells school and office supplies, as well as some groups of goods for children, in some cases - educational literature and other related products.

All buyers of stationery stores can be divided into four groups:

  • Schoolchildren and their parents
  • Parents of preschoolers
  • students
  • Other

The first two groups make the lion's share of all purchases, which means they are our main customers. The products sold are classified as general consumer goods, demand for which practically does not change depending on the economic situation in the country. Each of us, more or less often, purchases stationery, and will continue to purchase as long as there are educational establishments, office work - in the end, until people forget how to read and write. That is why this type of business can be considered consistently profitable and not associated with serious risks.

The income from the stationery store is estimated to be average from September to July and high in August, before the start of the school year. Small wholesale at retail prices - this is how you can define trade in a stationery store at this time.

Organizational and legal form

We choose the form of doing business - it is most advisable in our case to register yourself as an individual entrepreneur. It will take less time and cost less than registering a limited liability company.

If you are going to do business together with a partner who contributes to the formation of start-up capital, and plans to receive part of the proceeds in the future, it is still better to register an LLC - legally formalize your business relationship by becoming co-founders.

To choose tax regime, go to the regional tax office and make sure whether retail trade in your region falls under UTII. Most likely, it will be so - then the problem of choice is not in front of you. If your activity does not fall under UTII, choose a fifteen percent simplified taxation system.

According to OKVED, our type of activity is classified as " 52.47.3 Retail sale of stationery and paper products».

Permissions

In order to open a stationery store, you need to obtain a Sanitary and Epidemiological Conclusion from the regional department of the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision, a Fire Safety Certificate from the Fire Inspectorate. The cash register also needs to be registered - at the regional office of the Tax Inspectorate.

Each employee must provide you with a certificate of medical examination in accordance with the Order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation dated April 12, 2011 N 302n ( entered into force on January 1, 2012 and canceled the order of August 16, 2004 N 83).

Location selection

A potential buyer will not go through half the city specifically for a pack of paper clips - it is more convenient for him to make all the necessary purchases while visiting a supermarket. This means that the neighborhood of our store with grocery departments, shops with household chemicals and household goods will be very beneficial for us.

We will also add departments with children's goods here, keeping in mind who our main client is. In essence, we will any retail space with high human traffic, but the neighborhood, say, with the department building materials will give us nothing: the main buyer of goods for repairs are men, and to mothers usually buy stationery for their children.

In multi-storey buildings worth renting rooms on the first floor. This is usually more expensive, but potential buyers will walk past your store all day long.

The size of the room depends on the expected number of goods. If you are starting a business from scratch, and obviously do not have unlimited start-up capital, the minimum required assortment can be placed on four square meters of the trading floor. However, ideally it is better to choose rooms 6-8 square meters: everything will fit, and in the future you can add several more groups of goods, while the buyers will not have the feeling that they are in a cramped closet packed to capacity.

The rented premises must have storage room. The larger its area, the better, but in fact, even three square meters is already not bad. If there is no separate room, you can and should install a partition, separating the trading area from the utility room.

Important: paper deteriorates from moisture, so damp rooms should not be rented.

Equipment

Minimum necessary shop equipment- a showcase counter in front of the seller and a wall rack behind him. If necessary, hinged elements are mounted on the walls - shelves, nets, brackets.

Order a bright, eye-catching sign with large letters, put something beautiful in the window - for example, desktop gift sets or globes.

For a warehouse, we purchase strong racks with sufficiently high (40 cm or more) and deep (30 cm or more) shelves so that boxes with goods can be placed on them. Make sure that it is convenient to bring them into the warehouse.

Staff

For a small store, one salesperson is enough, but if the retail space is large and customers move freely between the shelves, you will need a cashier and at least one consultant. He also brings goods from the warehouse, keeps order on the shelves, discreetly looks after customers to prevent possible theft.

Before the start of the school year, the number of customers will increase significantly, so even a small store will need additional staff. Hire students for one month - in August they are still free and gladly take on temporary earnings.

Range

Depending on the focus on one of the groups of potential customers, our point of sale can be specialized as a store for school supplies or stationery for business use. Full coverage of both sectors is very expensive, and you are just starting your journey to the first million, so let's focus on one thing.

Many aspiring entrepreneurs make the same mistake: they buy the cheapest product in the hope of attracting buyers with low retail prices. But cheap is rarely good, and as a result, Chinese products gather dust on the shelves. It is better to stick to the middle: customers are more willing to buy good things that are pleasant to use, but do not want to overpay for them.

Large stores with a large turnover have the opportunity to set minimum prices. You will not have such an opportunity at first: you need to distribute debts, pay rent, save money for new purchases of goods. Let low cost be what you need to strive for, but something else is more important: the prices in your store should not be higher than in the nearest competitor outlets.

Is it worth it to have a dozen varieties of a similar product? This is an overkill, three are enough: a little cheaper, a little more expensive and an average between them. Excessive abundance of choice will only puzzle the buyer, and it will cost you a pretty penny.

Exists a group of so-called seasonal goods, which are in use only before the start of the school year - for example, school bags. In September, everything that you don’t sell will have to be put into storage or sold at big discounts. The latter is in some cases more profitable, since bags that have lain in boxes for a year will no longer look new, and you still have to give them away cheaper.

Having among the assortment of the store educational and children's literature, calendars, gift-souvenir and other products that are not related to stationery, you will surely increase sales. This makes sense in all cases except two: lack of space in the store or severely limited start-up capital.

Supplier selection

You will purchase the goods at wholesale stores. Today it is more expedient to place orders via the Internet or by phone, rather than go to the base in person. Enter in the search box " stationery wholesale”, select several stores from your region, browse their catalogs, compare prices. Find out the terms of delivery, ask about the availability of quality certificates for the goods. Based on all the information received, make a choice in favor of the distributor, cooperation with which is most beneficial for you. Payment is made upon delivery in cash.

If the income from your store can be called consistently high, it makes sense to cooperate directly with the manufacturer: you buy goods at lower prices - accordingly, you can sell them cheaper. But then the delivery will become your concern, and the volume of purchases should be large enough.

For start-up businessmen, resale is a favorite direction. In this way, many manage to earn a fortune. For this future entrepreneur must study the consumer market and select a product for sale. Stationery is always in great demand, regardless of the economic situation in the country, so selling it is a win-win option for beginners. We will tell you how to open a stationery store from scratch and make a good profit from it.

Business profitability

The margin for office supplies starts from 50%, and for expensive branded products it can exceed 100%. Therefore, despite the relatively low prices per unit of this product, the money invested in the business quickly pays off due to high demand and turnover. And we are talking not only about schoolchildren who buy goods at the end of August. Yes, students spend a lot of stationery, but the main buyer is legal entities(more than 60% of sales).

Almost all enterprises have offices that cannot work if there is a shortage of printer paper, folders, paper clips and other stationery. Therefore, the store will have a constant flow of customers, and the profit will be stable regardless of the season. The sale of office stationery is also considered more profitable due to the annual increase in demand by about 20%. Observations show that a stationery store pays for itself in an average of one year of operation.

What is needed to open a store

If you want to open own store stationery, you will need to do the following:

  1. Raise start-up capital.
  2. Rent a suitable room, make repairs.
  3. Register a business, register with the tax office, obtain permits.
  4. Spend marketing research market.
  5. Make a sign and decorate a showcase.
  6. Select staff.
  7. Find suppliers and order goods.
  8. Run an advertising campaign.

Start-up capital

Before you open a stationery store, you must raise enough funds. Start-up capital can vary greatly, but its size depends on the following factors:

  • the size of the trading floor;
  • location of the future store;
  • the city where you plan to open a business (in regional centers, renting premises and equipment is much more expensive than in small towns and villages, and salaries for employees are several times higher).

Registration

At the first stage, you must register and register with the tax office. To open a stationery store, use the forms IP and LLC. The first is suitable for beginners to register small business, and the second - in the case when you have an investor or business partner. To register a stationery store, choose the OKVED code 47.62.2. Next, you need to register with the tax office - they recommend choosing a single tax on imputed income - and register a cash register. A shop window and a signboard as a means of outdoor advertising are also subject to registration.

Before opening a store, you need to obtain permits from the sanitary and epidemiological station, the fire department and the Chamber of Commerce. In addition, each hired employee must undergo an examination and receive a medical book. All Required documents must be in the store so that they can be presented in case of inspection.

Room selection

To entrepreneurial activity was successful, before you open a stationery store, you need to find a good room with a favorable location. The store should be located on the ground floor, in extreme cases - in the basement, preferably in the center of a city or district with a large number of offices, schools and universities. The size of the room can be different, but not less than 6 square meters. m. If the hall is large enough, you can put all the products on display. Otherwise, the store needs a utility room. Make sure that the room is not damp, otherwise it will damage paper products.

Necessary equipment

If you open small shop, you just need to purchase a cash register, shelves, racks and a glass showcase. It is advisable to choose open racks so that buyers can inspect the product, hold it in their hands and test it - this will increase the likelihood of a purchase. You must accurately calculate the amount of equipment needed, taking into account the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe outlet and the volume of goods. If you plan to open a whole chain of stores, the equipment should match your corporate identity.

Marketing research

Aspiring entrepreneurs specialize in the sale of one type of stationery - either office, or school and student. To choose a direction, you need to evaluate the target audience. Pay attention to the institutions that are nearby. It can be universities, schools or office buildings. Choose a range that meets these institutions. In the case of a neutral store location, you can trade all types of stationery by dividing the assortment into categories.

Purchase of goods

Next, you must find reliable suppliers and order goods. In large quantities, we need the most popular and cheapest supplies (pens, pencils, paper for printers), which account for about 70% of the turnover. Add to the assortment a few branded expensive items that make a big markup.

Buyers prefer products with the following characteristics:

  • high quality;
  • multifunctionality (pencil with an eraser, notebooks with a multiplication table);
  • special design;
  • novelties.

Recruitment

The next step is to recruit staff. The team of a large market should consist of a manager, several sales assistants, an accountant and a manager for the purchase and delivery of goods. If you are planning to open small shop, you can hire only one or two sellers (this already depends on the work schedule).

Advertising campaign

To lure more visitors to you during the opening, you need to advertise your store. First of all, you should choose a beautiful bright sign that random passers-by would pay attention to. One of the simplest and most effective ways is to distribute leaflets on the street. You can put up a pillar near the store and put up advertisements on city bulletin boards and in public transport. They often use advertising on radio and television, as well as billboards, but the latter is much more expensive and renting boards is either for large network stores represented throughout the city, or choose one billboard that is located next to your only store.

Recently, the role of the Internet and social networks has been growing. You can register a page or group on VKontakte, Facebook or Twitter, or create a store website with a complete list of goods and services. Keep in mind - the more advertising promotion methods you use, the more customers you will have and the sooner your business will pay off.

Delivery service

An additional service of the stationery store may be the delivery of products. If you want your store to have such a service, take care of the availability of a car, hire a driver and a manager. The duties of the latter will include establishing contact with customers, taking orders and issuing invoices. The manager must carry a product catalog with him so that the client can order everything he needs. When the customer base expands, it will be necessary to schedule deliveries.

For your business to flourish, pay attention to the following recommendations:

How to start a business from scratch: Video