How to start a children's clothing store from scratch: a proven way to create a successful business. How to open a children's store How to open a children's clothing boutique

The demand for clothes for children remains stable from year to year. Each family invariably spends part of the budget on kids, because they grow and their wardrobe needs to be constantly updated.

Therefore, the business project of opening a small shop with an assortment of suits, dresses and pants will be profitable and profitable. Such or a megalopolis - there will be good demand everywhere.

You don’t know how to open a children's clothing store from scratch and many unsolvable questions arise?

How much money should you invest in this venture?
What difficulties can arise during registration?
Which suppliers are best to work with?
How to prepare an optimal business plan yourself?

Then this article will be useful for you. But first things first.

Before starting your own business, you will need to collect information that will further help you understand the needs of buyers and assess the profitability of the enterprise.

According to analysts, the structure of spending on baby products is as follows: 34% are for clothing, 12% for shoes, 18% for toys and 36% for other goods, including diapers and food.

On the forums of active mothers of the city, in already open children's departments and centers, you need to find out the following:

the number of similar outlets;
their location, assortment, permanent contingent;
ease of placement of equipment, its variety and quantity;
level of customer satisfaction: what to like, what causes negative emotions, what is lacking in the range of products.

Another way to get information is to get a job as a sales assistant or administrator, and see the situation from the inside. So, you will gain valuable experience before starting your own business, you will be able to avoid common mistakes, learn the needs and difficulties of staff. Having understood the nuances of profitable sales and the organization of the workflow, you can understand whether you can do a lesson, you can carry it out, whether it is interesting. If there is no free money, and you have to take out a loan to open a store, then an entrepreneur who has at least minimal experience in this area will have a better chance of paying it off and getting profit.

How to attract buyers

Before opening a children's clothing store, you need to clearly understand that there is a lot of competition in this industry. In order for customers to come to you and want to buy, they need to be interested, surprised, encouraged. Find the highlight of your store:

Large assortment of seasonal clothing at low prices that you can procure from foreign or domestic suppliers.
The presence of expensive quality items from well-known manufacturers that you cannot find from competitors.
Bright, memorable environment that children like, the presence of a play area or playground.
A constant supply of new products, fashionable and beautiful accessories that are in demand in a particular period.

Definition of a narrow specialization

All outlets that sell things for children from birth to 15 years old are called children's. At the same time, some have a wide line of products for different ages, while others specialize in a specific age group.

For example:

clothing for special occasions and holidays;
accessories and things for newborns;
everything for preschoolers;
school uniform and other things for schoolchildren;
trendy wardrobe for teenagers;
clothing store for all ages.

For a novice entrepreneur, it will be easier and more understandable to sell things for one group. Then you can expand the range, and add new product lines as the business evolves.

Variety of offers

For starters, you can try your hand at offering customers clothes for the smallest children. Experts note that it is easiest to pick up a wide assortment for newborns, since fashion does not greatly affect tiny sliders or undershirts. Mothers pay attention mainly to the quality of the material, its naturalness, color, price, and then to the design. Hats and socks for babies do not go out of fashion, and you can always sell these products.

According to the latest statistics, the initial cost of buying all the essentials for a baby's birth (strollers, cribs, undershirts, diapers, etc.) range from $ 500 to $ 1,500.

When offering a new wardrobe to preschoolers, try to focus on strength and durability. Boys love comfortable clothes, and for girls, beauty is also important. They, imitating mothers and teachers, want to look stylish and original. Therefore, for them in the assortment of the store, hang dresses, bright sweaters and fluffy skirts.

Clothes for schoolchildren are similar to adults in details, cut. She should be stylish, as at this age the appearance plays a big role in the child's self-esteem. It is necessary to saturate the shelves with only modern novelties, the most popular. However, do not forget about the quality and convenience of things.

Room selection

A suitable place for a children's store is near a kindergarten, school, art house, polyclinic, that is, next to any childcare facility. The stream of parents meeting a child from school or from kindergarten will pass your point, and you will get potential clients.

In hypermarkets, shopping malls, in the children's section, the location is also quite good, because the number of buyers there is always large. When deciding on the location, weigh all the possible options, because income will depend on how good the choice you make.

The minimum store size is at least 20 m2. You can start with a small area, placing a minimum of equipment on it and choosing a narrow focus. But it is most comfortable to place goods, changing rooms and other equipment on 50 m2.

Of course, the size will be affected by the ratio of your financial capabilities and desires, but it should be remembered that in a small room, buyers will be cramped and uncomfortable.

A good store will surely have a place for two fitting rooms, several islands with a variety of goods, as well as free aisles for customers.

Exterior and furnishings of the premises

Facade. Children are attracted by everything that is bright, interesting, and unique. Therefore, the external appearance of the store should not be boring and gray; such small customers will not even want to enter. Transform your façade and shop windows into the home of cartoon characters. Let them laugh themselves and infect others with happiness. Add a sense of magic to the setting. If you have children and you know which characters they like best, use this. If you do not trust your own choice, contact the designer. He will offer you a professional design project.
Interior. If the baby with his parents came to you, try to keep him. Place a plasma panel on one of the walls, where fairy tales, children's films and cartoons will be broadcast. While the adults get acquainted with the assortment and choose the necessary things, the child will be busy watching and will not be capricious. Make a play area. Let the little sofa, chairs and a drawing table welcome the baby. Maybe there will be a slate board and crayon, maybe wax pencils and cardboard - find the best and non-profitable option. Adults will appreciate being able to choose things calmly while the child is busy. And they will be happy to return to you.
Lighting. It is more pleasant to make purchases in a light and cozy store, the goods and prices are better visible. Consider multi-level lighting for showcases, shelves and the entire area. Bright lighting is another way to grab attention.
Window dressing... It has been noticed that updating the wardrobe of mannequins in display cases increases the number of customers. Work on the look of your showcase, place popular or new models of things and accessories on it, do not forget to update them often.
Fitting rooms. In a children's store, the size of the fitting room should be designed for an adult and a child. It is convenient if it has a lot of hooks, a mirror, and a highchair or ottoman for the baby. The presence of just one fitting room will create inconvenience, a queue and negatively affect the mood of buyers. Better if there are two or three.

Supplier selection

Among the manufacturers of children's clothing, the Russian market more often includes products of Chinese, Turkish, Polish and domestic production. Check out the offers of different companies, pay attention to the discount system, read customer reviews on the Web. This will make it easier for you to decide on the most suitable firms.

For example, Chinese suppliers offer the most affordable prices. But note that the quality of the product will be appropriate. Recently, buyers have been fed up with short-lived and low-quality things, and do not strive to buy the cheapest. Polish manufacturers are positioning the naturalness and durability of products. Many Polish brands are quite popular. You can order the necessary batch of things on the Internet, saving your time.

However, things made in accordance with Russian GOSTs are in great demand. As a customer, it will be easier for you to work with domestic companies. After all, they provide a full package of required documents, the specified dimensions are fully consistent with the declared ones. Plus, they inspire consumer confidence. You can place an order in several ways, including by phone and on the Internet.

Staff

Your store's reputation will be built by attentive, responsive sellers. Therefore, try to spend time not only finding the appropriate squad, but also periodic training. It is good if the employees have experience in dealing with children. After all, these are special customers who will require patience and feel insincere.

You can hire two or four salespeople to work in shifts, who will come out one or two, respectively. Also, an administrator is needed in the hall. You can take on this role or assign it to an experienced employee.

Nuances of legal registration

The most convenient form of activity is individual entrepreneurship. As the owner of a small shop, it will not be difficult for you to cope with the system of tax obligations. You will be able to choose a special type of taxation, which is not affected by the size of income and turnover - imputed tax. It depends on the size of the area, the size of the staff and the equipment of the store.

In the trade department, you will receive a certificate of entry into the unified trade register. But keep in mind that if you are decorating a room that has not been previously used as a retail space, you will have to take care of this. Immediately contact the trade department for a permit, as well as Rospotrebnadzor, and the Fire Department. It will be a little easier if you rent an area in a hypermarket, where the administration deals with the issue of obtaining regulatory documents.

Approximate amount of investments

To draw up a business plan for a children's clothing store, you need to enter into it all the upcoming purchase costs, as well as monthly expenses. For a school store located in a large shopping center with an area of \u200b\u200b50 m2, the business plan will have the following points:

Purchase of productsIn assortment500,000

Name of service	Quantity (pcs.)	Cost, rub.)
Rent of premises for a month	—	50 000
Cash machine	1	30 000
Dummy	4	10 000
Hangers, panels with hooks	In assortment	40 000
Fitting room with mirror	2	20 000
Equipment	3 sections	30 000
Signboard	1	5 000
Auto nozzle	1	27
Lighting installation work	—	50 000
Corner for children	1	5 000
Fare	—	10 000
Total	—	750 000

The initial investment will be approximately 750,000 rubles. Moreover, the average profit for 1 month will be from 100,000 to 150,000 rubles. The project will pay off in 12-14 months.

When investing in the implementation of a business idea, do not forget about advertising. Otherwise, a small circle of potential buyers will learn about a large selection of goods, beautiful design, polite staff, and affordable prices.

Continuation of the video. Part 2.

It often happens that parents are even ready to save money on themselves in order to buy high quality food, toys and clothes for their children. Selling products for babies is one of the most promising areas of trade, so it will be interesting for young entrepreneurs to draw up a business plan for a children's store.

The trade markup for baby products is much higher than for adult products. This allows children's stores to generate large incomes even in times of economic crisis.

Today, different groups of baby products are sold in separate stores. For example, baby food and hygiene items can be bought at drugstores, and toys can be found at children's toy stores. It should be noted that this is somewhat inconvenient for parents. Most often, adults are forced to buy the necessary things in retail premises that are nearby, while the choice of stores that sell goods of the required group is small. Accordingly, it can take a whole day to buy a complete list of essentials. Therefore, it makes sense to open a one-stop children's store, which will sell all kinds of trade items for toddlers. Resourceful businessmen know this because they have already drawn up a business plan for a children's store.

It is important to open a retail space in which all the necessary goods for children will be sold in residential areas of large cities of Russia. The business plan in question can be used as a guide to organizing the operation of a one-stop children's store, which will sell hygiene items, food, strollers and baby car seats, clothes, and more.

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What actions does a business plan for a successful children's store involve?

In order to organize the profitable work of a retail space, you must:

analyze the market in which the store expects to operate;
decide on a product that potential customers of the children's store can get;
think over the methods of marketing the enterprise;
assess the need for resources that are needed to get started;
draw up the budget that will be needed to ensure the functioning of the store in the first month and year.

The business plan contains the items that are needed to successfully open a retail space for children.

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Analysis of the market for trade items for children

Analysis of the market for the sale of goods for children includes the following components:

determination of the target audience of this business;
market segmentation;
assessment of the competitive environment.

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Who is the target audience in the children's goods business

Baby products that are needed every day (food, diapers, etc.) are usually bought by mothers. Larger items (car child seats, strollers) are most often purchased by both parents. Accordingly, the target audience of the retail space, the business plan of which is described, is young families with children.

It is important to remember that potential buyers can also be friends of parents and relatives who may want to please the child with a small present (if they are visiting) or a full gift (on the occasion of a birthday).

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Segmentation of the market for the sale of goods for children

A department store that sells baby products can have a fairly large number of competitors, so it can count on success if it can accurately focus on its target market segments. It may be convenient for an entrepreneur to use segmentation by income level, mode of consumption and consumer attitude to the offered goods.

According to the level of income, buyers can be divided into three segments:

low income clients;
average income;
high-income buyers.

Low-income customers can make up a significant proportion of the target audience of a children's store. Representatives of this segment can be attracted with the help of special offers and discounts, discount programs, the possibility of purchasing some items (for example, diapers) by the piece.

Middle-income shoppers are the main customers of the children's goods store. High quality service, a wide range of products provided, the ability to purchase everything you need in one place - these are all the main methods of attracting this category of people.

As for attracting buyers with a high level of income, it should be said that the level of service provided, the quality of the offered products and a wide range of products play an important role for them.

Speaking about segmentation by consumption, it is worth mentioning that all parents who live in dormitory areas of the city can be combined into the following segments:

Moms who are on vacation. They are the main buyers. In this case, the business must create conditions for such customers to carry out the purchase of all goods of daily demand in the store. This can be influenced by the high speed and quality of service, a wide range of products provided.
Grandmothers who help mothers look after their children. Such clients will be concerned about the cost, so it is worth making sure that they have the opportunity to purchase everything they need at affordable prices. In addition, people in this segment are only interested in natural products.
Parents who work in the city center but often purchase essential supplies for their children on their way home from work. Since representatives of this segment have the opportunity to buy everything they need in the central regions, it is worth making sure that they have a desire to buy food for babies in their area.

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Advantages of a one-stop shop for baby products and the required company registration

This business plan for a children's store selling all possible types of goods for babies makes it possible to purchase everything you need in one place. All goods that are offered for sale in the store can be divided into 2 groups:

a group that consists of everyday items (diapers, food, napkins, and so on);
a group that contains items such as clothing, toys, strollers, car seats and the like.

A retail space whose business plan is being considered must be able to provide high quality customer service and have many advantages over stores selling toys or children's clothing.

List of benefits of one-stop baby store:

the opportunity to purchase all the items that the child will need;
there is an opportunity to buy such large goods as strollers or car seats, without leaving your area;
good prices, discount programs and promotions;
guarantee of the quality of baby food, compliance with all necessary standards for the storage of perishable goods.

A businessman must register as an individual entrepreneur or LLC. In addition, you need to obtain a food trading license and a retail permit.

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Calculating the amount of money that will be needed to open and maintain a children's goods store

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Rent of premises for a children's store

To start a children's supermarket, you need a room with an area of \u200b\u200b80-90 sq. m. Of these, about 40-50 square meters. m should be set aside for a sales area, and the rest of the area for storage rooms. The cost of renting a commercial space in large cities of Russia (the business plan does not include Moscow and St. Petersburg) varies considerably, but the average price in residential areas is 600 rubles per sq. m. Accordingly, the rent of the required area will cost the business owner approximately 48,000 rubles. monthly or 576,000 p. annually.

Market experts talk about how attractive and promising the field of children's goods is at almost every conference dedicated to e-commerce. The arguments are quite convincing - the market is fragmented, the average check is lower than in the electronics market, and the margin is higher. If you believe only in the bright prospects promised by the speakers, and do not go into details, then the opening of an online store of children's goods looks promising. For such giants as Yulmart or Sotmarket, who have recently opened the sale of children's goods, many of the problems in this area are not so terrible. But what about those for whom baby products are the basis of the assortment, and not just a department of the store?

Maria Sysoykina

Let's figure it out.

1. Emergency products for mothers - baby care products and baby food. The specifics are obvious: diapers, napkins, milk mixtures, jars of puree and boxes of cereals, as a rule, need to be delivered urgently, "right now, otherwise we have the last diaper left / the child has nothing to feed", etc. In addition, trading such goods requires a large and well-functioning warehouse - in addition to fast delivery, the buyer needs to be offered a wide range of products. For the sake of urgency, no mother will agree to abruptly switch to another brand of diapers or feed the baby with food from another manufacturer. For the seller, this means having his own delivery service, a large warehouse, and well-established work with suppliers.

2. Children's clothing and footwear... Here, the specificity is close to the clothing and footwear market as a whole - pronounced seasonality and the need for careful selection of the assortment, the customer's commitment to a particular brand.

The demand for children's clothing and footwear is always stable - children grow up quickly, they have to change clothes and shoes almost every season. But on the other hand, a child is unlikely to buy several pairs of shoes for different outfits, as adults do.

3. Toys and games.Toys are more often bought on holidays, for example, on New Year's Eve or for graduation from kindergarten. But there are probably no obvious recessions, except for the general summer one. Toys are bought all the time, for older children "consumables" are regularly purchased: pencils, paints, applications, etc. This segment is characterized by a wide assortment and a small average bill.

A fourth category could also be identified - children's furniture and strollers. But there is no special “childish” specifics there, the sphere is akin to the trade in furniture or any other large-sized goods. The purchases are most likely one-time. You will have to have a large warehouse, or increase the delivery time by bringing the purchase from the supplier's warehouse.

We talked about the features of each category of goods and about the "children's" market in general with people who have achieved success in their respective areas. Our experts today:

Shahin Musaev, founder and head of the online store pampik.com (trade in baby goods "ambulance")
Alexandra Brovchuk, founder and head of the online store kinderly.ru (clothes and shoes for children)
Konstantin Bocharsky, founder and head of toyzez.ru online toy store

So, let's figure out what you will need to pay attention to first.

Who buys baby products

Our experts are unanimous - mothers buy baby products. Even if a man is indicated as the recipient, in 9 cases out of 10 the order was made by a woman.

Shahin Musaev: “Even when a man places an order, it often happens that a woman stands behind him and dictates to him what, how and where to buy :)”.

Alexandra Brovchuk: “Almost all orders are for women. Even a man is indicated as the recipient, most likely, the order was still made by a woman. For example, there is a situation when you need to agree on an order, we call a man, and he answers: "No, no, no, call my wife, coordinate everything with her, but just bring me."

Konstantin Bocharsky: “Moms are the overwhelming majority. Dads are rare. Isolated cases. More often they act as "couriers" - to come, pick up what the wife said :). But at the same time, for example, there are quite a lot of men in subscribers to our educational-creative-game project "Children's Cookbook". Somewhere 70% and 30% probably. Those. in fact, the proportion of men who take an active and interested position on "children's issues" is quite a lot. But the planning and implementation of purchases is usually delegated to the wife. ".

Knowing your target audience, you can take into account many subtleties in communicating with it in advance. Sellers of children's products agree: mothers are a demanding audience. Good service and price are extremely important to them. They are quite receptive to discounts and promotions.

First of all, keep in mind that mothers (especially mothers of very young children) have a lot of different concerns, so you need to understand with understanding that a mother can behave very emotionally, she can order something, and then say that she did not order it. and / or ordered the wrong thing. For mom it is really VERY important that, for example, the pot is pink, and not yellow, blue, green or even light / dark pink.

Buyers of children's products, especially clothing and footwear, are very price sensitive. Children grow up quickly, you have to buy clothes all the time, and at the same time you want things to be of high quality, but not too expensive.

Alexandra Brovchuk notes that for mothers who have very young children (toddlers, preschoolers), a matter of time is very important. For example, delivery and fitting (if we are talking about clothes and shoes) must be carried out within a strictly specified period of time, when the child is awake, not in the kindergarten, not on a walk, etc.

But in matters of games and entertainment, moms are the best buyers.

Konstantin Bocharsky is pleased with the communication with them: “Moms - at least the ones we come across - are a very sensible buyer)) We are very comfortable with them. As a rule, they have a fairly serious level of understanding of what they need, understanding of what a child needs, deep knowledge of issues of upbringing, nutrition, child development, etc. In this sense, it is very convenient to communicate with them: the dialogue immediately goes to the "expert level" " ...

When to buy baby products

If you do decide to sell goods from the ambulance group - diapers, food, etc. - you are not afraid of seasonality. The demand for such goods is constant.

But with the rest of the goods it is more difficult. The obvious decline in sales occurs in the summer - it begins around the May holidays, when many families leave for summer cottages or resorts. Sales are going on, but it is extremely difficult to grow in these months. If the store cannot provide some unique service, for example, delivery to the dacha, then it will be difficult to sell in the summer months. The decline ends by August, when purchases of things for school and kindergarten begin actively.

Seasonality is especially pronounced in children's clothing and shoes.

Alexandra Brovchuk identifies 4 seasonal “waves”.

First wavecreated by those who buy things in advance: school uniforms in May, winter clothes in August, and outfits for the New Year holidays in November.

Second wave - the most powerful when the first weather burst occurred. For example, everyone knows that the first thaw occurs in late February - early March, and the first significant cold snap occurs in early October. Then for a while the weather returns to its former course, but, nevertheless, just then everyone rushes to buy seasonal clothes.

Third wave comes with the final onset of the season.

Last, fourth wave, comes at the end of the season, when the first discounts appear. Discounts, however, do not work for all clothes. For example, there are products that are always needed. For example, winter overalls are necessary for all children, while parents are trying to buy a quality item, even if it is quite expensive. And very often expensive seasonal clothes are purchased for the next year, for growth, but with a good discount. Therefore, as soon as sales begin, such goods are simply swept out of stores.

How to serve customers correctly

Moms are very meticulous and picky buyers. Before making a purchase, they must definitely find out the smallest details about the product, find the right price, choose the best delivery terms.

Provide the most complete assortment. And it's not just about diapers or nutrition. If mom put nine products in the basket, and the tenth was not in the right color, you risk being left alone with an abandoned basket. And the customer will find everything she needed on the website of your competitors.

Moms want to know everything, and if you organize a regularly updated section on the store's website with useful information (tips, stories, product stories), you will easily get a good percentage of regular customers.

Do not forget about the detailed descriptions of the goods - the stingy lines about "reliability and quality" from the manufacturer are unlikely to convince such a sophisticated buyer like mom.

Be prepared for constant phone calls - you will have to hire intelligent, calm and polite sales assistants who will be able to tell mothers about all your goods for a long time, if necessary, run to the warehouse, measure, weigh, compare, tell about the composition and materials, and , of course, will be able to distinguish the shade of fuchsia from just pink.

Take care of the delivery. This is important, first of all, for ambulance goods. According to Shahin Musayev, urgent delivery is important not only for diapers and food. “Sunscreens, mosquito repellent and swim diapers often need to be delivered before leaving for the train station or airport. A delay in delivery in such cases is tantamount to canceling the order.

The rest of the groups of goods can wait, unless, of course, they are not bought for a gift - after all, they also like to order gifts at the very last moment. "

This is confirmed by Konstantin Bocharsky: “We didn't feel a lot of demand for urgent deliveries. But recently, they nevertheless launched express delivery in Moscow (during the day, sometimes within several hours) and saw that, given such an opportunity, people willingly use it. In a bustling metropolis, planning is a common problem. If something goes wrong, you have to "plug the holes". For this, urgent delivery is very useful. "

In the case of clothing and footwear, there is no such urgency. Although, Alexandra Brovchuk notes that there are situations when you need it right now, for example, when the weather changes abruptly. “If the parents did not take care of it in time, for example, when the snow is suddenly melting, when there is mud and porridge outside, many people want to buy rubber boots right now. But in general, people are ready to wait until tomorrow. "

Now almost all clothing and footwear stores offer fitting. Of course, you should not offer the entire model range for fitting, it is worth somehow limiting the amount of clothes / shoes delivered in the order. You can choose from either two pairs of different sizes or two different models

How to compete

Considering the growing interest in the children's goods market, first of all, from large Internet hypermarkets, as well as from experienced entrepreneurs, and just a few business-savvy mothers and fathers who decided to open their own shop, you will have to take care of your place in the sun.

If you cannot match the price or range of the big players, then in the battle for the buyer your main weapon is service.

Shahin Musaev: " It seems to me that the easiest way is to make the purchase for moms as simple and understandable as possible, they really have enough worries without you. Therefore, I vote for the service. Prices, of course, matter (mothers are trying to save money), but as our experience shows, they are not of paramount importance. "

Alexandra Brovchuk shares her experience: “With large stores like Wildberries, which have recently been actively making up for the children's assortment, we compete with a more thorough approach to the customer. Our prices are about the same, but we cannot provide urgent delivery for all orders. But on the other hand, unlike any large store, we can provide a very good level of consultation: we do not have many orders, but nevertheless we receive about 10-15 requests per day with requests to measure such and such sandals, to see some details, clarify why two similar products from different manufacturers have a significant price difference. Although we carefully describe each product, indicate information about the composition of the product, all sorts of specifics, people still ask for something to tell in more detail. "

Alexandra believes that the task of creating good content should be put on stream. This is especially true for new products that are just appearing on the market. For example, Kuoma shoes are the same from year to year, and, perhaps, it makes no sense to feel and describe each shoe every time. But new brands of clothing brands in the kinlerly.ru store are carefully studied by managers. They already know what to look for: model, style, fabric composition, fastening fasteners, etc.

"Often, the manufacturers themselves provide us with less information than we ourselves receive by studying the product, and then post it on the site in the product card" - says Alexandra.

In large stores there is no such thing - they will answer your call with standard phrases from the description, then they will send you to the purchasing department, then they will offer you to leave a message and it will not end with anything.

But in the toy trade, the situation is slightly different. According to Konstantin Bocharsky, this market has long been the most defragmented - devoid of giants (in terms of other industries). Now these gaps are quickly filling up - large players from other sectors are entering the market, "old people" are growing. Scale-up remains the main strategy in the market so far. Moreover, it also becomes a survival strategy. It becomes more and more difficult to fight for traffic, and for a number of reasons it becomes easier the larger the business scale. " In this sense, the market will soon split into the camp of "rock monsters" and "bizarre animals" - believes Konstantin. "Monsters" will divide the market, and a lot of cute projects that implement exotic ideas in narrow niches will do business on the level of self-employment and a hobby. After that, apparently, the moment will come when both of them will start looking for new instruments of struggle. Perhaps it will be additional services, events, own production, offline activity, education, etc. While these processes, if guessed, are extremely weakly expressed».

What else to keep in mind

So, if you nevertheless decided to open an online store of children's goods, once again heed the advice of our experts.

Alexandra Brovchuk:

There's an obvious complication in children's clothing - inventory. The purchasing cycles last for a year, we ordered what we get in the summer in winter, and we will sell it in the fall and next winter. With such a long procurement cycle, planning skills are important, experience with prepayments is essential, etc.

It's easier with toys, but, nevertheless, the market is quite developed, and in order to buy from you, you need to invest in marketing and promotion.

It takes a lot of money and effort to compete with the same assortment that is everywhere. Such projects do not start to bring profit immediately.

Start working with a niche. You may not have huge turnovers, but you will have good margins, you can compete.

For example, there is children's transport - scooters, children's videos. There are many Chinese products that are sold everywhere. There are brands that are more expensive, but not better quality. And there are not many products there, you can sell the full line and all related products - and make good money on this.

Shahin Musaev:

In no case should you open an online children's goods store :). Especially if you are sure that it is very simple, and you know everything, everything, everything. I'm not kidding.
Don't try to sell EVERYTHING right away in the hope that you will thus increase your chances of selling at least something. Please, do not be a 1001 store that simply uploaded the prices of all suppliers to the site, which it managed to reach.
Answer the questions for yourself:

Incorrect answers: just, low prices, i do not know.

Konstantin Bocharsky:

Anyone who thinks about what he needs to do when entering this market will come up with a couple of dozen fair theses on his own. For example, finding your niche, your audience, a good understanding of the product, avoiding direct competition, service and every minute struggle for trust and loyalty, high quality of everything - from the website to personal communication. But what really is a "weapon of victory" ... I myself would like to know for sure :)
For several years of our work, we have diligently avoided direct and stupid competition, nevertheless, not forgetting to build muscle. I think that we will adhere to this strategy in the future. So far, practice shows that the market can be taken with scale and professionalism (in order to act quickly and immediately correctly). The hypothesis that the market can be taken with some kind of perpendicular idea seems sound, but so far, it seems to me, there are no vivid examples of such victories.

Chief editor of "ProGrabli".
Author of articles and editor of the DigitalWorkplace.ru project.
In the past - a programmer, PR specialist, freelance journalist, editor of the magazine "PC World".
Winner of the Online Retail Media Awards 2014 in the category "Best Journalist. Online Media / News Agencies".

Baby products are very popular. A parent wants to give his child all the best. He puts the needs of the baby first. Mommies are ready to spend large sums of money on their child. All families need goods for children, regardless of their social status and position in society. Demand creates supply. It is for this reason that more and more entrepreneurs are thinking about how to open a children's goods store?

How to open a children's goods store?

Children's stores are establishments that sell goods for children aged 0 to 15 years. Having decided to open a children's goods store, the entrepreneur must first decide on the format. There are shops that specialize in selling:

clothes for children of any age;
accessories for children;
clothes for the little ones;
clothes for children of primary school age;
supplies and accessories for the school;
school attendance forms;
clothing for teenagers;
sports equipment and costumes for children;
clothes for holidays and carnival costumes;
clothes for girls;
clothes for boys.

A store can be engaged in the sale of one direction of goods for children, or it can serve as a platform for the sale of several types of products.

Having decided on the format of the store, the entrepreneur must conduct a market analysis. You should start by studying your competitors. It is necessary to find out how many similar stores are already operating in the district. In addition, the entrepreneur must think over how he can attract potential customers to his establishment. Visit local parenting forums on the Internet to help resolve this issue. They will allow you to directly communicate with potential customers, ask them a question what is missing in the area and what products for children they would gladly purchase for their children. Here you can find out the approximate financial situation of potential customers and form an idea of \u200b\u200bthe price level.

To evaluate the business from the inside, to understand all its nuances and pitfalls, you can work for some time as a seller or administrator in a competitor's institution specializing in the sale of children's clothing.

Choice of ownership and taxation

Having decided to open a children's store, the entrepreneur must choose the form of ownership. Registration as an individual entrepreneur is suitable. The form of ownership is subject to fewer taxes and does not require complex reporting.

Then there is the choice of taxation. Here UTII is suitable. The amount of money that the state will have to pay does not depend on the amount of profit obtained in the process of trade and the amount of goods sold. The tax is calculated based on the physical characteristics of the children's clothing store. These include:

the area of \u200b\u200bthe territory where the products are sold;
the number of employees;
the amount of store equipment.

Document portfolio

permission from SES;
permission from the fire department;
permission from Rospotrebnadzor.

In the case when the premises are rented in the building of a shopping center, and it is not registered as a retail space, the administration of the center must obtain permission to sell goods from the City Trade Department.

A store specializing in the sale of children's goods must be entered in the Unified Trade Register. The entrepreneur is issued a certificate confirming this, which will be valid for 3 years.

Choosing a place for the store

The level of profit depends on the choice of the location of the future store

The premises for a children's goods store should not be less than 20 square meters. The optimal size is considered to be an area from 50 to 100 square meters. excluding the size of storage facilities. The store should be located near childcare facilities. This will increase the number of visitors to the point. Accommodation in a shopping center is suitable. The street on which the building is located must be passable. It is better to refuse the location in a residential area.

You should choose a room located at a distance from competitors. If this is not possible, you can organize a store selling children's goods next to a similar institution. But in this case, the business owner will have to offer visitors something that the competitor does not have. Perhaps he will be able to find a supplier who sells products at low prices. This will allow the entrepreneur to reduce the cost of the product without losing profit. A wide assortment that exceeds the list of competitor's products can also be a decisive factor for potential customers when choosing a store selling children's goods.

Having chosen the premises, the entrepreneur will have to carry out repairs in it. Bright colors should prevail in the design. They will attract the attention of young visitors. The interior must be original. You can place images of popular cartoon characters.

To make the interior attractive and bright, you should hire a professional designer to decorate the store. He will be able to organically bring to life all the ideas of the business owner for the sale of children's goods or offer his ideas.

Necessary equipment

The children's store does not require specialized equipment. For its normal functioning you will need:

racks for clothes;
racks;
cash machine;
showcases for product placement.

The equipment should fit into the overall interior of the store and match its design. The shelving should be bright.

Despite the small list, there should be a lot of equipment. Visitors' purchases are often spontaneous. For this reason, the product must be presented in a full range, and this will require a sufficient number of shelving and display cases. Over time, you can equip a children's play area and place TVs near fitting rooms, allowing you to pass the time while waiting. This will significantly increase the rating of the store in the eyes of buyers.

Store staff

At first, for the normal functioning of a children's clothing store, you will need:

accountant;
manager;
1-2 sellers;
cleaning lady.

All personnel must have health records. In their absence, it will not be possible to deal with the sale of baby food, if any. Sellers must work in shifts. All staff should be able to communicate with children, be polite and friendly.

The administrator is in charge of coordinating the work of the store. His position can be occupied by the business owner himself.

Shop assortment

The range of products depends on the area of \u200b\u200bthe outlet. If an adult store requires about 4 sizes of clothes of the same style, from a children's store there should be about 14 of them. The average children's store should include:

strollers;
kids toys;
childcare products;
car seats;
children's clothing and footwear.

For a store to be popular, it must have at least 30 different types of one product group. For this reason, an entrepreneur will need to find a large number of suppliers.

A children's store may specialize in one thing. This makes it much easier to present a wide range of products.

Point of sale suppliers

The most popular suppliers selling products on the Russian children's goods market are:

Russia;
Turkey;
China;
Poland.

The products of Russian manufacturers are of high quality. It complies with GOSTs. Suppliers from Russia have the necessary package of documents confirming the quality and safety for children. When cooperating with them, there will be less delivery problems. They sell products at a cost acceptable to consumers of all social strata. Russian manufacturers inspire more confidence in parents.

The prices of Chinese clothes are lower, but the quality will also be low. In cooperation with foreign suppliers, there may be a problem with the delivery of products. However, their product will help diversify the assortment and attract additional customers.

With suppliers from other countries, you can establish cooperation via the Internet.

Advertising

A children's store should have a noticeable outdoor sign. There should be a showcase in which the best examples of products are displayed. For regular customers, there must be a system of discounts and bonuses.

One of the popular innovations is the discount provided to the buyer for the birthday of the child.

television advertising;
advertisements in print media;
radio announcements;
distribution of advertising brochures;
creation of a website and a store page on social networks.

Business costs and return on investment

The amount of investments depends on the planned level of the establishment and the location. It will take about 1.5 million rubles to open a children's goods store.

Costs for opening a children's goods store (average):

Table. Capital investment

The average monthly net profit is about 250 thousand rubles. With this level of income, the business can pay off in 6 months.

When receiving discount cards that accumulate bonuses or discounts, visitors should be asked to fill out a questionnaire. Buyers must include their email address and residential address. This will form a customer base. By e-mail, you can inform about new arrivals of goods in the store. Perhaps something will interest the buyer. However, you should not send out too often. Constant spam only annoys customers.

How to organize a business on children's goods?

Selling baby products is a business that will always grow. Regardless of the political and economic situation in the country, parents are always engaged in raising children, investing a lot of time and effort into it. In order for a child to grow up in a comfortable environment, he needs a wide variety of products.
That is why there will always be demand for baby products, which means it is profitable to sell them.

Features of the business selling children's goods

The children's goods market is one of the most dynamically developing today. This is evidenced by companies operating in completely different formats. These can be hypermarkets, departments in large shopping centers, shops in residential areas, chain stores, fairs and even shops that operate only via the Internet. Typically, each type has its own customers.

Chain stores and hypermarkets cater to the needs of middle and high-income shoppers. Small shops and specialty fairs are more economical outlets.
You can also highlight the universal outlets and stores specializing in certain groups of goods (toys, goods for newborns, clothing, stores for expectant mothers).

We open a children's store

To open a children's goods store, it is necessary to analyze the market and decide on the type of point - will it be a department store or a highly specialized one. Further documents are registered. This process can take several months; in parallel, you can look after the premises for the store.

Ideally, this should be a detached building or a room with a separate entrance from the street. Consider renting space in a walkable shopping center. Since parents with children will partly come to the store, it is worth considering the possibility of lifting a baby carriage into the trading floor. This will significantly increase the number of visitors, and therefore buyers.

An equally important factor is transport accessibility. It should be convenient to get to the store by public transport (here an important factor is the presence of a nearby stop) or park your car in a convenient place.

If necessary, the premises should be repaired. It is better to choose bright colors, forcing children to stop and stay in the store longer. In addition, the store can be divided into zones using color. The more zones, the more interesting. In addition, if space permits, a small play area can be allocated where the kids can spend time while their parents shop.

Staff should be selected taking into account the specifics of the store. A very important quality for a seller is the ability and desire to communicate with children.

An equally important stage when opening a children's store is advertising policy. First of all, the store should have a bright, memorable sign. At the entrance, you can place several pillars, if possible, regularly change information there. Advertising on the Internet, on television, as well as in specialized institutions is excellent for children's stores. Do not forget that word of mouth was and remains the best advertisement.

When planning the opening hours of the store, you should consider the fact that many visitors will make purchases in the evening or on weekends. The optimal working time is up to 9 pm on weekdays. On weekends, you can close a little earlier. The longer the store is open, the more potential buyers will be able to get there.

What are the best baby products to sell?

If opportunities do not allow opening a hypermarket, you can limit yourself to a small range of children's products. In order to determine the specifics of the outlet, you should study the range of stores operating in the district. So, in a residential area it is not advisable to open a second store selling goods of the same orientation in the same price range. And you should not open a small shop next to a hypermarket - the profit will be much less than expected.

For example, it is best to open shops with goods for newborns near the maternity hospital. They can sell cots, strollers, walkers, diapers, clothes for the little ones, as well as toys, cosmetic and hygiene items and various related products - dishes, bottles, nipples. If space permits, you can allocate space for water, juices and baby food. Such an area is advisable in a forehead store regardless of location.

Stores in dormitory areas can make a wide range of clothing or toys. They also sell well stationery or art kits.

Shops selling everything for expectant mothers are very popular. There may be not only clothes for pregnant women, but also goods that will be required in the first year of a baby's life.

Specialized shops for creativity will attract parents of curious children, and shops with active games will appeal to parents whose children lead an active lifestyle.

How to organize the sale of children's products?

It's no secret that lately the Internet has taken up the entire large part of our life. And if earlier the purchase of goods through the global network was perceived as something risky, today this is not unusual. On the Internet, you can order food, furniture, household appliances, clothing, sporting goods. Baby products are no exception.

The bulk of buyers - young parents aged 25 to 40 with average income. Surely, many of them are fluent in a computer and can arrange the delivery of the necessary goods.

Selling baby products through an online store significantly reduces the seller's costs. There is no need to rent space or hire a large staff. In addition, storage costs are significantly reduced.

At the same time, to promote a web page, you will need to invest a certain amount of money to make the site stand out from competitors. It will be necessary to resolve the issue of payment and delivery. If self-pickup is possible, it will be necessary to rent a small office space. If the client will arrange the delivery of the order, the courier's assistance will be required.

Ideally, you can combine the sale at a stationary point and through an online store. Thus, you can significantly increase the number of potential customers.

Children's goods rental

A relatively new, but already in demand service is the rental of goods.

For this type of activity, both products that are in seasonal demand and products that are suitable only for a certain age are suitable.

Quite a profitable business is the rental of New Year's and holiday suits. As a rule, the baby can wear it only once, so the item remains in good condition. To organize rental services, you will need to purchase costumes for different ages. A great place to find potential clients is schools, as well as institutions of additional education, where New Year trees and festive events are held. As a rule, the clients of such companies become permanent and recommend the company to their friends.

Another product that will be in demand for rental is car seats. Such an accessory is useful for a trip for several days. In addition, some models of car seats are suitable for short-term use (a month or two). Therefore, it is more expedient to rent them than to buy new ones.

In addition, you can rent sports goods, toys, clothing and even books.

In order to draw up the correct assortment of the future rental point, you should study the range of nearby stores. Ideally, you should go there as a buyer and find out what is in high demand, what the target audience lacks.

A very important service that should be provided to your customers is the option of a redemption. If the child really likes the toy, the parents should be able to buy it. This will bring in most of the business income.

Another interesting service - opportunity for clients to donate their belongings. Perhaps this service will not bring much profit, but in this way it is possible to significantly increase customer loyalty.

Another idea for a baby products business

If you have a teacher training or hire such employees, you can organize a center for leisure with children. This can be a small space with a play area where customers can leave the child under the supervision of a caregiver for several hours. The service can be used regularly or as needed. The main thing is that adults feel confident in this center and can safely leave the kids there.

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