Setting up your new shop can be extremely stressful as you’ve got a million and one things to think about, and you have to buy a lot of essentials.
If you’re struggling to stick to your budget, check out these helpful tips below to help you save some money when setting up a shop.
1. Ask people you know for help.
From the first day you started your business, you’ve probably met a lot of people a long the way. These people can be very helpful, they may be able to give you advise on the best places to go for essential equipment. They may even be able to help you for free, if it’s their own business!
They might have an old till in their backroom you can use or know a great removals company that will help empty the previous owners belongings.
2. E-Commerce.
Whilst you can’t sell products in store, why not sell your products online. You could do this using amazon or eBay. This could be a huge help as any extra money in this time can help you purchase more essentials for your new shop. If your brand is quite well known in your area, you could create a free online store from sites like big cartel to sell your products from your own website. This will take some time out of your day but if you’re making sales, it will be a great help.
3. Try and buy as many items on your list from one place.
You’re going to have to buy a lot of furniture for your shop so why not get it all from one place and try and get a bulk deal. For example, if you’re buying plastic shelving and you’re also looking at getting a display made, you could look at a company that sells a range of plastics for a variety of uses like Simply Plastics. As you’d be buying multiple different products from them at once, you may be able to discuss a deal. This would be a lot cheaper than shopping around at multiple locations.
4. Spread the Word.
Your advertising may not be as big as you’d like it to be when moving into your new shop so you’re going to have to do it the old fashioned way. Word of mouth. Tell everyone you know about the new shop opening and get him or her to tell everyone they know about it! You could even have a small opening party, which will attract a few curious future customers and bring them into your shop.
5. Buy Used Equipment.
As much as you’d like to have the latest and greatest technology in your shop, you may have to look into purchasing refurbished or second hand equipment. This isn’t a bad thing, as refurbished equipment will work like its brand new if the company itself refurbishes it. Purchasing second hand equipment is also a great idea, as you might be able to get a till or printer for a quarter of the price you’d pay from a electronics shop if you bid on an auction site like eBay.
Alternatively, there are sites where you can buy things at a discounted rate; that way you can get new equipment without paying the full price.
