oldcrow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,828 
Location: Ontario,Canada
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Post by oldcrow on Aug 16, 2014 19:17:30 GMT
were to open near you what would you want or expect from them as a store? What sort of stock? What sort of perks? What kind of store hours? Whatever.
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scrapaddie
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,090
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If a LSS
Aug 17, 2014 2:35:36 GMT
via mobile
Post by scrapaddie on Aug 17, 2014 2:35:36 GMT
Great stamp variety with a vip or frequent buyer program. Dies. Good classes
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garcia5050
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,773
Location: So. Calif.
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Post by garcia5050 on Aug 18, 2014 15:24:07 GMT
Consistency with hours. If you post that you will be open from x to x on x days, then please be there. A lot of smaller, now defunct LSS in my area were very lax about being open during their stated hours. A good local one keeps current stock. They probably don't have anything older than a year (other than plain cardstock).
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Aug 18, 2014 16:34:53 GMT
Local STAMP store or local SCRAPBOOK store?
Well, either way, I'd want consistent hours. Weekend hours are especially good for those who work all week. A night when they are open until 8pm would be marvelous.
Stock things that the big box stores will not carry. Like it or not, I am going to buy where I can get things cheapest, with a coupon, or where things are unique. Be the unique because you will never be able to compete with the big stores' prices on basic cardstock, adhesive, etc.
Have a discount keychain card or card that gets punched after every $5-$10 spent. (I once frequented a sb store that had a keychain card for discounts, but they'd only punch it for every twenty bucks spent. Being on a budget, I often wouldn't spend twenty at a time, though I'd probably spend fifty any given month. I always felt cheated in a way, like my purchase didn't count).
Have a GREAT, up-to-date website with accurate information.
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Post by woodysbetty on Aug 18, 2014 16:58:20 GMT
America as the other posters plus.... I need to want to go there.....it needs a warm atmosphere with people that love being there.....i need to feel connected to spend my $$$ locally....not sure if that makes sense...
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scrappington
Pearl Clutcher
in Canada
Posts: 3,139
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Post by scrappington on Aug 18, 2014 18:03:49 GMT
Hours..I work, you need to be open weekends. Or at least one late night during week. And by late I mean just till 6pm or 7. 5pm doesn't cut it.
Have a sale to get rid of old product so you can get more product in.
Be consistent with your newsletter. Either every 2 weeks, or every week.
(sorry I may be venting about the small local LSS--only one for miles)
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Post by anniefb on Aug 19, 2014 2:04:05 GMT
Hours, type of product you can't get in big box stores, classes & crops, knowledgeable & helpful staff.
I do most of my shopping online and like the convenience so it's the 'personal' touch that I'd be looking for in a brick and mortar store.
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eastcoastpea
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,252
Jun 27, 2014 13:05:28 GMT
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Post by eastcoastpea on Aug 21, 2014 4:09:33 GMT
When you're sitting at the register near the door, and not doing anything, say hello when I walk in the door.
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Post by christinebk on Aug 21, 2014 11:42:49 GMT
America as the other posters plus.... I need to want to go there.....it needs a warm atmosphere with people that love being there.....i need to feel connected to spend my $$$ locally....not sure if that makes sense... Definitely a warm atmosphere as woodysbetty said (plus coffee would be nice!) |
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oldcrow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,828
Location: Ontario,Canada
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Post by oldcrow on Aug 21, 2014 14:37:28 GMT
I retire from my job next June and I want something to do with my time. I have worked my whole adult life which means I equate income with work so volunteering is not what I want to do.
For about a year or so I have been considering opening a paper craft store when the time comes. To answer some of your choices:
- All stores should be open posted hours and hours should be posted.
- Having current stock is easy to start off with, maintaining that might be more difficult. But would be high on my list of things to try to do.
- I love paper crafting so I would be loving what I do and hopefully that would be evident. I have always worked in people oriented businesses and do for the most part enjoy dealing with people.Of course there are always some that you just can't make happy, I can accept that.
- I would be open weekends but not late on weekdays. That is related to where my store would be located.
- I would have a buyer incentive card. It would be done the way a favorite store of mine(several hours drive from my town) does it in that if you did not buy enough today to get it stamped you could save up your receipts until you did have enough.
- I would offer classes.
- As to stock I think having a good variety of each item is good, being able to offer say stamps for several different styles rather than a lot for just a couple of styles. That might have an influence on the number of different things I could offer. I have been in stores that have tons of stamps but I didn't buy any because they were not my style.
- I would like to have a store that appeals to all types of paper crafters. I have been in several stores that were almost unfriendly to card makers, they considered themselves to be scrapbook oriented and made that clear. I will educate myself in scrapbooking because for all the paper crafting I do that is not one of them and it is a big part of the business.
This is running really long so I will end it here. But please give me any advice you think would be helpful to me while I ponder the situation.
BTW not too sure about coffee in a paper store.
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paperanthology
Junior Member
Refupea#3258
Posts: 79
Location: New Jersey
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Post by paperanthology on Aug 21, 2014 15:32:16 GMT
I have a Keurig machine in my store...the customers love it!
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oldcrow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,828
Location: Ontario,Canada
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Post by oldcrow on Aug 21, 2014 16:33:40 GMT
I have a Keurig machine in my store...the customers love it! Have you ever had an accident with the cups of coffee. That would be my fear. |
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paperanthology
Junior Member
Refupea#3258
Posts: 79
Location: New Jersey
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Post by paperanthology on Aug 21, 2014 19:27:36 GMT
Nope, not ever! I have a shelf for mugs and several of the ladies have brought their own mugs to keep at the store.
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Post by woodysbetty on Aug 22, 2014 22:36:59 GMT
I retire from my job next June and I want something to do with my time. I have worked my whole adult life which means I equate income with work so volunteering is not what I want to do. For about a year or so I have been considering opening a paper craft store when the time comes. To answer some of your choices: - All stores should be open posted hours and hours should be posted. - Having current stock is easy to start off with, maintaining that might be more difficult. But would be high on my list of things to try to do. - I love paper crafting so I would be loving what I do and hopefully that would be evident. I have always worked in people oriented businesses and do for the most part enjoy dealing with people.Of course there are always some that you just can't make happy, I can accept that. - I would be open weekends but not late on weekdays. That is related to where my store would be located. - I would have a buyer incentive card. It would be done the way a favorite store of mine(several hours drive from my town) does it in that if you did not buy enough today to get it stamped you could save up your receipts until you did have enough. - I would offer classes. - As to stock I think having a good variety of each item is good, being able to offer say stamps for several different styles rather than a lot for just a couple of styles. That might have an influence on the number of different things I could offer. I have been in stores that have tons of stamps but I didn't buy any because they were not my style. - I would like to have a store that appeals to all types of paper crafters. I have been in several stores that were almost unfriendly to card makers, they considered themselves to be scrapbook oriented and made that clear. I will educate myself in scrapbooking because for all the paper crafting I do that is not one of them and it is a big part of the business. This is running really long so I will end it here. But please give me any advice you think would be helpful to me while I ponder the situation. BTW not too sure about coffee in a paper store. I think you are the right track with the paper crafting theme. There is local store here called the Queens Ink that follows that plan , you can google and go to the website.....good luck!!!! |
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Post by crazy4scraps on Aug 26, 2014 3:57:21 GMT
Having BTDT myself back when scrapbooking was in its infancy, I would offer this advice. Spend a good amount of time working up your business plan, and then spend more time still going over it again. Having a solid business plan will be a huge part of your success, so it's something you absolutely must do. Be prepared to spend more hours working than you ever imagined, for less pay than you've probably ever made in your life.  On an average day at my store, I would get there 1-2 hours before it opened every day so I could get things done that I wanted to do without any interruptions and would end up staying between a half hour to an hour after it closed to straighten things up, clean the bathroom, take out the trash, etc. If you do classes after hours, all of this will happen after the class lets out and people have had a chance to shop. It wouldn't be uncommon for me to leave the store at 10:30-11:30 or later on class nights. Don't fall in love with your inventory. I've seen this happen so often and it quickly spirals out of control. If something isn't literally FLYING out the door the minute it arrives and is shiny and new, start the discount process right away to get it to move. If they're not loving it when it's new and hot, they sure won't be loving it when it's tired and old. Do whatever it takes to get the inventory to turn even if it means selling at a loss. Don't bother with having a play area or corner for kids. Get a couple of fold up umbrella strollers instead and park them by the door for people to put their little ones into when they come in. It could save you potentially hundreds of dollars in damaged inventory. I wish someone would have given me that piece of advice much earlier on! I could probably go on and on, but these are probably the most important things I can think of off the top of my head. Good luck to you if you do it, it takes a special kind of person to own and run any kind of retail business these days. Both DH and I have done it and there is no way I could ever do it again. |
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Post by MargieH on Aug 26, 2014 12:58:04 GMT
Crazy4scraps, great advice! I worked for or have friends who are/were owners of LSSs. Make sure you have good reliable staff...expect turnover and drama that goes with it! LOL! Have a list of what you expect from them - from updating the blog/tweeter/FB page to taking out the trash. Don't expect them to read your mind. Always have a list of people in the back of your mind when someone decides to leave.
To increase your sales by having an online store - bring your inventory to them. Keep it updated and have someone dedicated to do the job.
I worked at a store that strived to be "high end" with a coffee machine, comfy leather chairs, wood paneling, etc. Let's say the coffee machine disappeared after the first year. Coffee costs money and it created extra work to maintain and clean up.
Yes, expect long hours and have a strong business plan. Good Luck!
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Post by crazy4scraps on Aug 26, 2014 15:18:38 GMT
LOL, I should add that when I had my store I must have had someone come in at least once a month and say, "It must be so much FUN to own a scrapbook store... You get to come here and play ALL DAY!" Ha ha, yeah, RIGHT. Not so much! Doing the creative stuff that you want to spend your time doing gets pushed all the way to the back burner because the business of running a *business* is what you really spend most of your time doing. Sad, but true.
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On an average day at my store, I would get there 1-2 hours before it opened every day so I could get things done that I wanted to do without any interruptions and would end up staying between a half hour to an hour after it closed to straighten things up, clean the bathroom, take out the trash, etc. If you do classes after hours, all of this will happen after the class lets out and people have had a chance to shop. It wouldn't be uncommon for me to leave the store at 10:30-11:30 or later on class nights.
