How to open a business selling building materials. How to open a hardware store from scratch. Vulnerable sides of the project

Opening your own store building materials may seem like an uncomplicated and low-investment business. But is it really so?

In Yekaterinburg at the moment there are more than 100 stores of building materials. Among them there are both small highly specialized shops and large hypermarkets that occupy thousands of square meters and have a huge range of products. So how do you stand out in this market?

This business plan is designed to open a small building materials store in the center of the newly built residential complex "Kamenny Ruchey". The store development strategy allows you to save on attracting customers, meeting the most important requirements of the modern market environment: flexibility and mobility.

Of course, this business does not promise to bring you millions of dollars in profit, but to have Fixed salary 100-150 thousand rubles is quite realistic. As advantages this business it can be noted that the main investments fall on working capital... That is, if necessary, you can quickly release the invested funds.

The main thing is to clearly identify the target audience and try to satisfy its needs as much as possible when choosing an assortment of building materials.

Sum initial investment is 893 600 rubles.

Maximum revenue - RUB 1,168,333

Break-even point period is 4 months.

WITH rock return on investment is 13 months.

Maximum profit- RUB 147 800

2. Description of the business, product or service

Each of us, sooner or later, has to deal with the need for repair. And this issue becomes especially relevant after the acquisition of a new apartment. However, when planning to begin renovations, few homeowners understand how difficult the process is. In order for the repairs to be completed faster, it is necessary to ensure an uninterrupted supply of materials. And since there is not always time and opportunity to go to large hypermarkets, a small building materials store located nearby will be very useful.

The main idea of ​​opening a building materials store "ByStroyka" is to open a small building materials store in an area that is actively being built up. The opening of the store is planned at the time when the housing will be delivered, and the owners of the apartments will start repairing, starting with the stage of rough finishing of the premises.

"ByStroyka" opens for the period when apartment owners move into houses. As soon as the residential complex is occupied, the store moves to another block under construction. The life of a store in one place is 3 years.

In order to realize this idea, it is necessary to minimize the financial as well as the time spent on opening a new store. For example, indoor repairs are done with minimal investment in the style of industrial design. This does not require high-quality finishing materials and qualified specialists. The main thing is to keep it clean and dry. And as shop equipment collapsible metal racks are selected, which are easy to transport and install.

Assortment of building materials store

The assortment of the building materials store will be focused on all stages of the interior decoration of the premises. Thus, the store satisfies the needs of both those who want to purchase all the materials necessary for repairs in one place, and those who are simply not ready to travel far to buy missing parts.

Most of the assortment will be displayed on the sales floor. Buyers will also be able to browse supplier catalogs through which to place an order. The suppliers include both foreign and domestic manufacturers.

An approximate list of goods:

1. Building mixes: plaster, putty, leveling mix;
2. Tile adhesive;
3. Plasterboard sheets;
4. Self-leveling floors;
5. Paints;
6. PVC pipes;
7. Reinforced-plastic pipes;
8. Polypropylene wires;
9. Construction tools;
10. Electrical goods;
11. Wallpaper;
12. Ceramic tiles, etc.

Due to its limited size and small warehouse stocks, the ByStroyka building materials store is able to quickly adapt to changes in customer demand.

3. Description of the sales market

The difficulty of opening a building materials store is that there are many building hypermarkets and retail companies on the market that provide a huge range of products. Large networks cover all stages of construction and repair - from the beginning of construction to finishing the premises. In addition, it is impossible to compete with such companies on price due to the huge difference in the scale of activities.

Nevertheless, it is possible to occupy your niche in this business if you choose the right location, think over the store's assortment, and carefully organize the process of delivering materials to the end consumer.

It is best to open a hardware store among new buildings and near road junctions. The location of the ByStroyka store is Yekaterinburg, Kamenny Ruchey residential complex. Completion date of the residential complex is the IV quarter of 2015. Address - st. Shcherbakov. The residential complex consists of 4 buildings with 26 floors. The total number of apartments is 904. The first three floors will be used as retail space.

The target audience store "ByStroyka" - the owners of apartments in the residential complex "Kamenny Ruchey".

The main purpose of opening a store is to facilitate the process of conducting renovation works as well as ensure a smooth supply of materials to target customers.

The main advantage of the store is that it opens on the ground floor or in the basement of new buildings. In other words, it is the nearest building materials store for the designated target audience. That is, the store will have no competitors in terms of location.

In addition, since the store is close, there is no need for customers to take stock. It is possible to calculate required amount material for each stage of work and place an order in advance. This allows customers reduce the cost of delivery of materials.

SWOT analysis

Strengths of the project	Vulnerable sides of the project
Location; Quality of service; Range; The ability to change the range of products, flexibly respond to demand; Close proximity to end consumer; Sale of assortment in stock and on order.	Small warehouse; Lack of great wholesale discount from suppliers due to low production volumes.
Opportunities and prospects	Environmental threats
The settlement of the area will provide an increase in the level of demand; After full occupancy, the store moves to another area under construction.	Increase in prices for raw materials and supplies; Disruptions in the supply of materials.

Due to the fact that the modern real estate market is unstable, a building materials store must be flexible in every sense. The ByStroyka store meets the requirements of mobility: we easily adapt to changes in customer demand and change location, focusing on the target audience.

4. Sales and Marketing

The main principles of the company are flexibility and mobility.

Flexibility allows you to quickly adapt to changes in customer demand, as well as capture an audience of various incomes.

Mobility allows you to be in close proximity to the target customer.

This business strategy is out of competition, since there is no need to wait until the client finds our company. We ourselves find a client and provide him with comfortable conditions for cooperation.

It is important that the building materials store has a bright sign. The sign should be on the facade of the building, and also clearly visible from the side of the road when moving in any direction. The cost of the sign is 60,000 rubles.

In order for the target audience to know about the opening of the store, it is planned to distribute leaflets inside the residential complex. The flyer provides a 10% discount on the first purchase.

After this additional attraction is not required, since the client receives a sufficient number of benefits from cooperation: no need for delivery, convenient location, quality service, relatively low prices.

5. Production plan

6. Organizational structure

Minimum staff - 7 people:

1. Director;
2. Purchasing manager;
3. Accountant;
4. 2 seller-cashiers;
5. 2 sales consultants.

Cashier and shop assistant work in pairs and at the same time are in the trading floor. They can replace each other in the workplace during periods of active sales.

Responsibilities of the seller-consultant:

1. Provide quality assistance to clients in the selection of materials;
2. Form applications for ordering materials;
3. Carry out the acceptance of goods to the warehouse;
4. To lay out goods on racks trading floor;
5. Monitor changes in demand, participate in the formation of the assortment of goods in stock (together with the purchasing manager).

Obligations of the seller-cashier:

1. Release goods to customers, accept payment, issue checks;
2. To Work with cash register and the 1C program;
3. Make a return and exchange of materials;
4. Monitor the conformity of the availability of goods in the warehouse and in the program;
5. If necessary, replace or partially take over the duties of a sales assistant.

The volume of sales directly depends on the quality of the work of the sales floor employees. After all, they are the ones who establish contact with the end consumer. Therefore, sellers should be well versed in the range of products, have an idea of technical characteristics materials, be able to sell related products. They must be friendly and sociable, stress-resistant and resourceful, they are required to be able to quickly resolve conflict situations.

The work schedule of sellers is 2 working days / 2 days off. Opening hours - from 9.00 to 22.00. Salary - 20,000 rubles + bonus (1% of revenue)

Also, once a month, an inventory of the warehouse is carried out, in which all employees of the trading floor participate. Inventory is carried out outside working hours and is paid separately - 250 rubles per hour.

Duties of the purchasing manager:

1. Search for suppliers, conclusion of contracts;
2. Serving large clients: from ordering to delivery;
3. Formation of an assortment of goods (together with a sales assistant);
4. Drawing up a supply chain and searching for a transport company;
5. Study competitive market, search for opportunities to expand the range;
6. Formation of a pricing strategy (together with the director).

The purchasing manager should be a proactive employee who researches the market on a daily basis and looks for opportunities to reduce the purchase cost of materials. He must quickly find opportunities for profitable cooperation with wholesale companies and distributors, and maintain further relationships.

Purchase manager's work schedule - 5 working days / 2 days off. Opening hours: from 9.00 to 19.00. Salary - 25,000 rubles + premium (1.5% of revenue).

Duties of an accountant:

1. Organization accounting companies;
2. Timely submission of reports;
3. Cashier management;
4. Control over the inventory;
5. Execution of directors' orders.

An accountant must be an attentive and demanding person who structures and maintains the procedure for maintaining the entire document flow of the company. He should also regularly monitor changes in legislation and find opportunities to reduce costs in the area of ​​mandatory payments.

The accountant's work schedule is 5 working days / 2 days off. Opening hours: 9.00 - 18.00. Salary - 25,000 rubles.

Duties of the director:

1. Manage store employees;
2. Develop a development strategy for the company;
3. Research the real estate market, as well as look for opportunities to expand the company;
4. Prescribe job descriptions, systematize the work of all employees;
5. Replace employees if necessary;
6. Analysis of the company's activities, development of measures to improve the quality of trade.

In our store, the duties of the store director are performed by the owner. He controls the entire process of the store from the conclusion of an agreement with suppliers to the delivery of goods to the end consumer. But his responsibilities include not only ensuring the smooth operation of the store, but also looking for further ways of development. First, he needs to carefully monitor changes in demand, depending on what stage of repair is the majority of buyers. Secondly, he needs to look for opportunities to move the store to another block under construction after the full settlement of the residential complex, on the territory of which the store is located at the moment, takes place. That is, the store must have time to move before the revenue falls below costs.

Insofar as own business can be compared to a child, the owner's work schedule is not limited. The main task is to always be aware of both internal business changes and external market changes. The owner's salary depends on the profit of the store, as well as on the decision on the distribution of profits.

The general payroll fund per month (excluding bonuses) - 130,000 rubles.

7. Financial plan

Investment costs

Income and expenses

The revenues of the hardware store are calculated based on the size of the potential market.

The volume of the potential market is equal to the number of apartments in a residential complex. 20% of apartment owners are purchased exclusively in construction hypermarkets, respectively, only 80% of potential buyers will enter our store. Of these, 50% are active customers who regularly order and purchase necessary materials... The frequency of purchases varies from 4 to 8 times a month. Another 30% make purchases from 2 to 4 times a month. The remaining 20% ​​of customers visit the store only when necessary, their visit frequency is 1-2 times a month.

Also, do not forget that, on average, apartment renovation lasts from 6 months to 1 year. That is, during this particular period, an individual customer makes active purchases.

Average check in a hardware store - 5 thousand rubles.

Based on this, we calculate the estimated revenue.

Market size and revenue potential
Total number of potential buyers
The size of the target market of regular customers, of which:
make purchases 4-8 times a month
make purchases 2-4 times a month
make purchases 1-2 times a month
Average check, rub.
Average revenue per month, rubles	1 168 333
Revenue per month for the initial period (first 6 months), rub.	584 166,5

Full settlement in new buildings occurs within 3 years from the commissioning of houses. But the change in the activity of clients has the following tendency: in the first six months, the revenue is gradually increasing to 500,000 rubles, since the apartment owners are just beginning to carry out repair work. After about 8 months - a year, the store reaches its maximum revenue. During this period, there is an active settlement of the residential complex. Almost every apartment is being renovated at various stages of finishing. This level is kept for one and a half years, after which the settlement comes to an end, and the revenue drops sharply.

The mark-up for building materials ranges from 40-70%. Let's take an average markup of 50%. Consequently, the average revenue after deducting material costs will be 194,722 rubles. And the maximum revenue minus the cost of materials will be 389,450 rubles.

Consider the structure of fixed costs:

Cost structure of a hardware store
Premises for rent
Salary for employees per month - salary
Tax + social security contributions
Rent a gazelle for a month
Communication services
Communal payments

In any settlement Russia always has and will need to build objects for various purposes. And they decay over time and require repair. This means that we cannot do without building and finishing materials in our life. Hence the conclusion - the sale of such goods is a demanded and profitable business.

Reconomica today I will share with you, dear readers, the experience of a successful entrepreneur who combined the production of building materials with the sale of not only their own, but also similar products from other companies.

The main tool for the development of this business was the organization of an office for receiving orders from consumers for similar goods. You will learn about the positive and negative aspects, the benefits received and the prospects of the specified business.

Greetings. My name is Mark. I am 37 years old. I am from Astrakhan. Now I am selling tiles, tiles, decorative mosaic and many more related products for construction, renovation and interior decoration.

I don't have a store, but an order-receiving office. The trade turnover ranges from one and a half to two million rubles a month, from March to November inclusive.

Sales go with the onset of the construction season and until its end. I will briefly tell you how I came to this type of activity.

My first steps in the construction business

It all started with the manufacture of paving slabs, I organized this business in 2014.

Production of paving slabs.

The production was not going very well. There was only enough money for renting premises, wages working personnel and payment of taxes.

At first, he worked with practically no profit. There were orders all the time, but it was almost impossible to make money on them.

There was a need to increase the volume of production and reach serious customers. This step required a huge investment in production. There were no such opportunities.

Choosing a direction for the further development of the case

The further path of business development was vaguely seen. It was necessary either to solve something urgently, or to stop entrepreneurial activity.

How did the idea come up

An acquaintance of mine, worked at that time on leadership position, in a manufacturing company that specialized in the manufacture of bricks and concrete products. He suggested to me the ways of further development.

Finding ways to promote your business

I thought that first the production was built, and then the produced goods were sold, and the business was flourishing. Maybe this happens on paper, in fantastic business plans, but not in reality. First, you need to trade someone else's goods and replenish the client base, and when a steady demand arises, you can open your own production, if it is profitable.

Opening up without market knowledge and experience is a recipe for failure.

Proof of this is the multitude of small businesses that opened and closed, while collecting large debts.

First mistakes

I was like that too. I read a dilettante business plan in some social network... Everything seemed easy and simple. But in fact, he almost said goodbye to the money invested and was ready to sell his car to pay off the accumulated debts.

Business is a science and a way of life. This craft can be mastered. The main thing - correct setting goals and finding a shortcut to it.

Initially, I wanted to try a business with which I was unfamiliar. Business does not tolerate amateurishness. Especially in manufacturing. It took a long and difficult time to get out of this situation. It is very good that an experienced person was found who told me what to do next.

Stages of opening and developing a sales office

Choosing a trading location and its purpose

Even if there is no one to sit there, the sales office should be in order to:

• accept clients;
• present products;
• conclude an agreement.

Terms of renting premises

On the territory where I rented a production workshop, there was a free space. Its area was 150 m², the rental price was 15 thousand rubles. per month, no utility bills. The total amount of payments was approximately 18 thousand rubles. per month. I took this step reluctantly.

Equipping the office with everything you need

For full-fledged trading, you needed:

• furniture;
• racks;
• a computer;
• a printer;
• various office supplies.

I spent 70 thousand rubles on the furnishings and equipment of the office.

The furniture was the cheapest. The printer was also included in this price, the computer had to be brought from home. The retail space was large, but there were no other options.

Equipping a full-fledged office is costly.

Later, the area of ​​this office was not enough.

Methods for displaying products on the sales floor

The first thing I did was put my products on display. Since there was a lot of space, he laid out the paving slabs in all sorts of options. He combined two or even four different colors of tiles of the same model, which could be laid in different colors.

Displaying samples of paving slabs is a necessary attribute of sales.

Thus, in a workshop, I could not show my products.

Expansion of the range of building materials

So I became a representative of a mini-factory for the production of building materials.

In the trading floor he exhibited the bricks they made, and placed catalogs of the rest of the products, which, due to their large dimensions, could not be delivered in the office.

Display of samples of bricks and other products in the sales office.

I placed samples of floor slabs and foundation blocks near the gate of my workshop.

Promotional activities

The next question was about information support trade - marketing.

The office was on the road. The administration allowed advertising banners to be placed on the building. I made two 1m by 4m stretch lines to hang on different sides of the building. Their cost was 8 thousand rubles.

And they also made a portable stand, which was located in front of the entrance to the building. Its price was 2 thousand rubles.

From 4 thousand to 7 thousand rubles were spent on the promotion of products in Avito, newspapers, the production of leaflets and business cards. per month.

How to make money selling construction products from third-party companies

As a result of the increased demand for their products and the inability to satisfy the needs of consumers with the available production facilities, it was necessary to urgently make some kind of decision.

Reasons for contacting other manufacturers

There was no money to expand production, and I didn't really want to increase it.

In the warm season, rent could still be paid, but in winter, when there are almost no orders, and production room need to be heated, the cost of rent was significantly affordable.

The decision was to negotiate the sale of tiles from other manufacturers .

My advantages when choosing a partner

In the modern market, the problem of any manufacturer is the sale of products. In such an environment, with fierce competition, manufacturers who do not have their own distribution channels become hostages of sellers.

if I have good customer, then the company provides the minimum wholesale price for the product.

The manufacturer always has a need for Money ah - these are debts on wages, rent, debts for the supplied raw materials, or simply a person has a loan in the bank.

The manufacturer is always happy to sell, even with a minimum wrap on the product. I took advantage of this position.

Very often, sales made more money than the manufacturer.

Positive Business Shifts Drive Further Growth

When organizing any business, constant movement forward is necessary. Otherwise - stagnation.

Significant progress in trade after the conclusion of the partnership agreement

It turned out to be easy to find a manufacturer for cooperation. We signed a contract with him. The list of products on display far exceeded my product release. A quarter of the space was occupied by an exhibition of their products.

I started looking for suppliers who can provide exhibition samples, stands, catalogs and other promotional items for free.

Finding new ways to increase sales

And also a certain style of work in such auctions came to light. It was necessary for the manufacturer or wholesaler, whose products I represent, to release the goods from the warehouse at the sales price in their office.

Not everyone agreed to such cooperation, but still there were entrepreneurs who wanted to expand. They also had conditions - if I represent their assortment, then I no longer work with anyone.

Samples of reinforced concrete products in an open area.

Optimization of the retail space

The trading floor began to fill up with samples of various goods. Then he divided the trade zones. On the production site, he placed the largest specimens - reinforced concrete products.

Samples of roofing.

They were joined by samples of timber, roofing, mesh, metal products - everything related to construction.

Samples of rolled metal.

I divided the office space into three parts - an office and two halls. The first hall served as a display of products for construction and landscaping, the second hall presented materials for the decoration of rooms and bathrooms.

Trade hall with samples of finishing materials.

I filled the empty seats in the sales areas with goods that fit the topic. For example, two stands were added to the trading floor - one with LED lighting, the second represented manufacturers of pools for private plots, saunas, baths.

Temporary setbacks are inevitable

Not all positions were profitable. Some goods or services have never been sold. For example, I have never accepted an order for the manufacture of a pool or a fountain. Bathroom mosaics sold very poorly and took up a lot of space, but bright and beautiful stands with such samples had a positive effect on buyers.

Not everything is for sale, but some products create a good atmosphere on the sales floor.

How much does the trade in building materials bring?

I will briefly tell you about the profit received from the sale of building and finishing materials.

Amount of markups on goods

I made a markup on the goods sold from 10 to 30%. The highest mark-up is for paving slabs and building materials.

And also tiles, porcelain stoneware, tiles and countertops made of natural stone go well. The average markup was 20%.

What does income depend on?

If the turnover that passed through my office amounted to 1 million rubles, then I still have about 200 thousand rubles of profit.

From there taxes, deductions, rent, advertising costs and the salary of the seller, accountant are deducted.

Half of this amount remains. If at the height of the season it is possible to sell for 2-3 million rubles, then the costs are the same, and the profit increases. I wrote my turnover above. It's not hard to calculate how much the business brings me clean.

But do not forget that January and February are months with almost no revenue. However, it is necessary to pay for the rent, and pay wages to the employees of the enterprise. And to do this, during the busy season, you need to work hard.

My method of organizing trading

Some, after reading the article, may think that I am an ordinary speculator, and buyers do not receive anything when purchasing goods through my sales office. If that were the case, then customers would not come here.

Consulting buyers on goods

I have relied on advice to consumers regarding the characteristics of the building materials purchased. In addition, he did not accept low-quality goods for sale.

Consumers did not need to run after sellers and beg for illiterate advice about the product they were selling, since I knew everything and could answer customers any question.

Application of software

He also mastered computer 3D modeling, and did projects for the renovation of premises for free with the calculation of the consumable material.

For example, the program calculated the number of tiles for a bathroom accurately, and customers did not have to purchase unnecessary material, such as tiles and glue.

Design service

Also, my salesperson provided design services and helped buyers decide on colors, sizes and finishes.

This is very hard work.

An impeccable reputation of a businessman is an important component of a successful business

Another advantage is reputation. For three years of work, he did not let anyone down, so they installed with me business relationship wholesale consumers.

It would seem that construction firms can themselves go to manufacturing plants, where they can purchase goods in large quantities.

But, apparently, there are problems that prevent such actions.

When words do not diverge from deeds, it is a reputation that also pays off.

Our reader Vlad Petrov sent us his story about how he developed wholesale business associated with the sale of building materials and soil. We pass the microphone to him.

The story began in 2013. I was constantly pondering all kinds of business ideas, even though I was working in a factory at the time. Apparently, the books by Robert Kiyosaki really influenced me. I was not going to give up, I tried various projects, but it was all frivolous, I quickly got bored, and I again switched to looking for a new "secret of success."

These ideas sat in my head, from time to time I discussed them with various acquaintances. My next idea was to start decorating the premises - to hire craftsmen and take orders. Although, I have never dealt with this area - I just thought that this idea is clear, which means that it is easier to implement.

And somehow I met with my friend, whom I had not seen for several months. We talked about this and that, and I suggested that he do such a business. He told me that he himself does not really imagine this process, and does not want to get involved with it. But instead, he suggested that I do cargo transportation, what he does himself.

I knew that he was carrying some kind of land, but I never asked him what it was. He immediately outlined in general outline his activities and invited to join. I did not immediately dare to take such a step, but the idea sunk into my soul.

At first, I began to connect to such a business in my free time - in the evenings I posted ads on the Internet on free boards and called construction companies from DublGis.

Of course, big money with this approach, it could not come - in order to make money properly, you need to immerse yourself in the activity. Therefore, after a while, I again plunged into the factory routine, abandoned the search for clients and worked on the knurled one.

I read the correct words in a couple of books from different business coaches: until a person desperately needs to make money, he will not hit a finger. I don't know how anyone has it, but that was just my case.

I still couldn't find myself a girl with whom I would like to build serious relationship- I got to know each other right and left - on the street, in parks and general companies, but it didn't work out and that's it, even if you crack. But one fine day I still found such a girl and was already going to marry.

But the salary at the plant would definitely not be enough to provide for the family. So I phoned a friend and asked if his proposal was valid. He said yes. And so it began new stage in my life.

We started working in the winter, every day I came to the apartment rented by my friend, phoned customers, posted ads, sometimes, overcoming my fear, I got out to construction sites, talked with foremen, went out to supply managers.

The first two months, of course, were difficult - there were a lot of calls, there was little sense, as a rule, I heard the same thing - “call back in the spring” or “send a commercial offer by mail”.

Well, this was not a reason to give up - I set a goal to work here for at least six months so that I could talk about something. And I really didn't want to go back to the plant.

Closer to February, the situation began to improve - the first, thin stream of customers ran. For February I have already earned 26 thousand rubles- more than at the factory. “Well, not bad for the winter month,” I thought. Eh, I would know what will happen in March ...

March turned out to be hot - applications poured from a cornucopia - people responded to my commercial offers, called on ads, some even bought something on the go - during my first call to them.

When at the end of March I calculated how much I earned, the figure turned out to be interesting - 111 thousand... 7 times more than in a factory - not bad, isn't it?

Of course, not all months have been so successful, but still, my income on average increased 4 times compared to last year - and this is just the beginning. It was a pleasant feeling when I was negotiating for a long time, shaking down the price with everyone, and in the end, cars with sand fly to the construction site all day.

Analyzing the year of my work in such a business, I came to the conclusion that the main method of recruiting a client base is cold calling. Competition in such a business is not bad, therefore, directors of firms and suppliers rarely sit down at the phone and look for who will bring them rubble - a line of firms ready to carry materials has already lined up for them.

Detours of construction sites are also very useful - as I went to a construction site and asked the foreman for the number of the deputy director of the developer company. They mainly rent premises, they rarely build, so I would not find such a company in the catalog construction companies... And for this object alone, we brought them about 1,500 tons of sand with crushed stone, and removed from them 1000 cubic meters of soil with construction waste. Therefore, detours should not be neglected.

However, ads cannot be disregarded either - not only are there private traders who bring more than 5,000 rubles from one transaction, and construction firms they still call sometimes. This happens when they need some kind of scarce product - used road slabs or soil, or when the object is far out of town, and the range of prices for delivery to that address can be very large - it makes sense to compare suppliers.

So, according to the ads, I found 3 large clients, one was delivered about 800 tons of sand with crushed stone during the year, and a couple more were transported soil with crushed stone. Therefore, use all the working methods of finding clients and do not discount anything.

Not so long ago, the thought came to my mind - why not help others and help people earn money the same way I do?

The global economic crisis has had a negative impact on the construction industry. However, despite a significant reduction in construction volumes, there is a stable demand for construction materials and related products. In order to identify the relevance of this direction, a businessman needs to carefully analyze the current state of the market. Only after the nature of consumer desires has been determined and competitors are assessed, it is possible to start developing a business model for the future enterprise. Below, we propose to discuss the question of how to open a hardware store from scratch.

The hardware store is one of the most demanded and profitable species business

The relevance of the construction business

A detailed analysis of the selected market segment allows an entrepreneur to assess the level of demand for his idea. According to statistics, today there is a high growth rate in the area under consideration. The increased demand for building materials is due to the growing number of new buildings, shopping malls and other construction projects. Based on this fact, we can conclude that this direction practically not tied to economic conditions... For creating successful business the entrepreneur needs to take care of the formation of the initial customer base and product range. Particular attention should be paid to various organizational issues related to the opening point of sale.

At the stage of preparation, the future businessman needs to decide on the format of trade. Taking an early decision, the entrepreneur gets the opportunity to study in advance all the subtleties of future activities. In case of insufficient funds to open a large retail outlet, it is recommended to start with a highly specialized store. This choice will allow you to build up the main customer base, which will be a kind of advertising for the store. To receive you need to positive reviews and reputation, an entrepreneur needs to choose only high-quality materials to form a product line. This factor contributes to the launch of word of mouth, the effectiveness of which exceeds the effectiveness of many classic marketing tools.

It is important to understand that people who want to purchase building materials are not limited in their choice of stores. In order for a potential client to choose an entrepreneur's store, it will be necessary to develop several different methods of dealing with competitors.

It is possible to attract customers only through low prices, high-quality goods or exclusive products, which other merchants do not have.

Before starting to create a business, the future store owner needs to carefully study the specifics of his city. The choice of a location where several firms working in a similar direction are already operating requires the development of a special marketing strategy based on low prices... In this case, it is possible to increase the profitability of the business only due to large client traffic. For this purpose, it is best to choose crowded points of the city with a high level of traffic. The availability of the store will be one of the advantages that will force potential clients contact exactly this point.

It is recommended to evaluate the work of competitors taking into account the chosen concept and format. Today there are three main areas, each of which has its own unique specifics. Let's take a look at the features of each of the formats:

1. Wholesale and retail sales. This business format is more attractive for those entrepreneurs who have own production... The presence of a workshop can significantly reduce the size of the initial investment. As a rule, such points are located near central markets... For implementation of this project you will need a property with a large area, where various goods will be displayed. The value of the mark-up for the assortment varies from fifteen to forty percent. The main advantage of this area is the ability to interact with both ordinary customers and construction companies that will purchase goods in large quantities.
2. Highly specialized store. According to experts in the field of marketing, this trading format has lost its relevance. Typically, these stores specialize in two or three product groups, in the form of different types of cement, primer or paint. It is important to note that this format commercial activities has a high risk of loss.
3. General store. The assortment presented in such stores includes several hundred headings. One of the advantages of this format is the relatively low threshold for entering the business. Even with a small amount of money, a competent businessman can organize a profitable and successful project.

Construction works people lead almost always: when there is enough finance, they start new construction, when there is a crisis in the yard, they repair what has already been built

Business plan for opening a building materials store

When drawing up a business plan for a hardware store, it is very important to pay special attention to small details.... This applies to both the determination of the organizational status of the future business and the formation of the assortment. Attention to detail will significantly reduce organizational costs and accelerate the pace of project implementation.

Registration procedure

At this stage, the future businessman needs to make a choice between the status of a legal entity and a private entrepreneur. This choice should take into account the format and scale of the business being created. If you want to open a small retail store, it is enough to register as an individual entrepreneur. To open a trading network or large supermarket you will need to create a limited liability company.

One of the important points of the registration procedure is the choice of codes economic activity... In the case of a hardware store, it is recommended to select the code "47.52". The use of this cipher allows an entrepreneur to engage in retail sale paints and varnishes, hardware and glass. As additional codes, it is recommended to select those values ​​that correspond to the specifics of the selected format.

Choosing a suitable room

Before starting to search for real estate, an entrepreneur needs to carefully study a number of basic parameters with which the selection of specific objects is carried out. The most optimal location is the construction market. In addition, you can choose one of the areas where new residential buildings are being actively built. When choosing a specific point, you need to take into account both the location of competitors and the availability of parking spaces. These actions will help to significantly increase the flow of customers who will buy building materials in large quantities. It is very important that cargo vans and cars can drive up to the selected location. Typically, these properties can be found closer to the city outskirts.

You should also highlight the lack of strict requirements for the room itself. The only requirement of the control authorities is the removal of real estate from the housing stock. To organize an average store, you will need an area of ​​more than one hundred and fifty square meters. Another advantage of this direction is the possibility of refusing to carry out repair work. In order to start work, it is enough to bring the premises into compliance with the SES standards.

The store will be in demand regardless of whether it is in a small or big city you are planning to open it

Equipment purchase

Shop equipment is essential. Not every buyer will want to purchase goods at those points where it is difficult to find products of interest on their own. From this we can conclude that the presence trade equipment designed for displaying goods is one of the mandatory requirements. To get started, you will need to purchase several demonstration podiums and tables, racks and shelves.

The business plan for a store of finishing materials should contain information about the total cost of purchasing commercial equipment. To acquire all of the above equipment, you will need to spend from one hundred to one hundred and fifty thousand. The rest necessary equipment can be purchased after opening a point and making adjustments to the product line.

Product range

To organize a multi-profile store, you will need to conclude agreements with several sales representatives, which will be able to provide all the necessary products. It is very important to find suppliers who can handle high volumes. You also need to understand that not all companies will want to cooperate with newcomers.

The initial assortment should include about five hundred different products. At this stage, it is recommended to select exclusively demanded product groups. Attempts to experiment with assortment can lead to the appearance of the first losses. The initial product line should include paints and varnishes, adhesives and finishing materials, as well as fasteners. In addition, you will need to purchase expendable materials(sandpaper, grout, etc.), as well as construction equipment.

Product display also plays a significant role. Each product group must be visible from anywhere in the sales area. Many experts in this area recommend using the widest possible range. During the first months of work, the entrepreneur must carefully study consumer demand to identify the products in demand. It is very important that each product group is represented by several products from different price categories. This step will allow you to interact with both highly paying customers and those people who wish to purchase low-cost products.

Before opening your own hardware store, it is worthwhile to monitor the region and see how developed the construction industry is.

Hiring

The quality of service is one of the advantages that allows you to win in competitive struggle. First-class service creates a large customer base. Every person hired as a seller must know all the characteristics of the presented goods and have knowledge in the construction industry. Special attention deserves a question related to the construction of a work schedule. Typically, hardware stores are open twelve hours a day, seven days a week. To work in such a mode, you will need several salesmen working in shifts.

To improve trading efficiency, it is necessary to introduce a bonus payment system. To the established amount of salary, you need to add a certain percentage of total sales... This approach guarantees decency, accuracy and precise execution of their job duties on the part of employees.

Marketing and advertising

When developing a marketing strategy, it is necessary to determine in advance what advertising tools will be used to promote the project. ... Start off advertising campaign it is necessary several months before the opening of the outlet... The best results are given by advertising banners placed along busy streets. In addition, advertisements on cars can be ordered. The involvement of the media is relevant only for large metropolitan areas. In the provinces, this advertising tool will not bring the desired result.

It is very important to pre-develop a program of bonuses and discounts for regular customers. The distribution of discount cards can be organized on the opening day of the outlet. In addition to the initial advertising costs, you should consider monthly expenses aimed at maintaining the result obtained.

The financial analysis

When conducting financial analysis it is very important to consider the format of the store and its location. The costs of passing the registration procedure vary from ten to twenty thousand rubles. You should also take into account the cost of purchasing trading equipment and starter assortment. The size of this article can reach two hundred thousand rubles. Another fifty thousand will be required for repair work and preparation of the premises.

The largest item of monthly expenses is the rental of real estate. The cost of the monthly rental of premises that meets all the necessary requirements is about thirty thousand rubles. You should also take into account the costs of forming a salary fund, paying taxes and replenishing the range. The total amount of monthly expenses can reach three hundred thousand rubles.

To calculate the profitability of this enterprise, it is necessary to take into account the value of the product margin. Setting a forty-five percent mark-up allows you to receive revenue in the amount of three hundred and fifty thousand rubles. In this case, the entrepreneur's net income will be only fifty thousand. Based on these calculations, we can conclude that the payback period of the project will be about three years. However, in practice, there is a significantly higher level of profit, which allows you to recoup your capital within eighteen months.

The target audience of a hardware store, as a rule, includes several groups of potential consumers at once.

Taxation

In order to determine the optimal form of taxation, it should be taken into account as a specificity trading activities and legal status. Individual entrepreneurs it is recommended to use single tax on imputed income. The use of this regime can significantly reduce the impact of the tax burden on a developing business.

In the case of LLC, it is more expedient to use a simplified taxation regime according to the “income minus expenses” system. Selecting this mode allows you to calculate the taxable base on the basis of net income.

What to make a mark-up for building materials

As we have already noted above, the level of the commodity mark-up for building materials varies from fifteen to fifty percent. However, when developing a pricing policy, it is very important to take into account several nuances. One of these nuances is the economic characteristics of the region. You need to understand that elite products intended for people with high incomes will remain unclaimed in small provinces.

Another important factor is the cost of goods from competitors. In order to entice their customers, it is necessary to set prices a few percent lower than in the stores of opponents.

What to do with competitors

When creating a general-purpose construction store, an entrepreneur needs to be ready to compete with large retail chains. The only way to get large customer traffic is through the availability of highly specialized products. In order to introduce such products into the assortment, you will need competent sellers who know all the features of the products presented.

Another important advantage of small shops is their convenient location. Many large shopping centers located closer to the outskirts of the city, which may be inconvenient for most clients. Another way to win the competition is to cooperate with large clients in the form of construction companies. The conclusion of such contracts can significantly increase the profitability of the business.

The amount of investment in a hardware store will depend on the format in which you open

Conclusions (+ video)

In this article, we examined the question of how to open a building materials store from scratch. In order to master this market, an entrepreneur needs a well-developed business plan, built taking into account all the subtleties and nuances of this area. The presence of a step-by-step guide greatly simplifies the implementation of the project and prevents the emergence of possible risks.

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How to build sales of building materials on the Internet

Despite the difficult macroeconomic situation, the market for online sales of building materials in Russia is growing. Moreover, this is happening not in spite of, but rather due to the crisis, which forced large manufacturers to look for new opportunities to market their products. This is the conclusion reached by the participants of the round table “Internet in the sales service. Effective Strategies for Online Trading in Building Materials ”. At the same time, according to experts, manufacturers of building materials should not rush to the Internet like headlong.

Sales are growing at large retailers

In general, the online sales market in Russia is not that large in terms of volume: about 2.5-3% of the turnover of goods in Russia. Unsurprisingly, according to commercial director online editions "East West Digital News" Vlada Shirobokova, growth is observed in almost all main parameters. Sales in rubles, pieces and the number of orders are growing.

At the same time, the regions are growing faster than both capitals. This is due precisely to the fact that in Moscow and St. Petersburg the online retail market is more saturated and the competition is tougher. Another trend: up to 50-60% of orders come from mobile phones and tablets.

The largest players show the best growth due to the fact that they have the main traffic and built relationships with customers. In general, about 600 players are involved in online retail in Russia, but only three to five of them can be called really large.

In general, Russia in this sense is only at the very beginning of the path. In this segment, we have only 3.5 purchases per capita per year. China is the leader in the global online retail market, followed by the United States, followed by Britain and France.

“The fact that we are not among the leaders is actually a positive phenomenon,” says Vlad Shirobokov. - Regardless of any perturbations in our economy, we have room to grow.

By the way, according to the head of the industrial sales department of Yandex Sergey Timokhin, DIY niche ( do it yourself — (eng.) do it yourself - a chain of stores for construction and repair — Ed.) stands out from the general background of online sales.

“In general, the number of requests to the DIY segment is increasing from year to year,” says Sergey Timokhin. - This is clearly a positive trend. Compared to electronics and fashion, where interest is declining today, searches per user in DIY are growing.

How much does it cost to build a website

Today, on the building materials market, many large companies trying to find new opportunities to market their brands. One of these channels is the Internet. It would seem that he launched a website, established a complex of order service operations (fulfillment), and everything will be fine. But it was not there…

According to the director of Internet commerce “ Leroy Merlin» Nikolay Kozak, there are some serious problems here that you will surely have to face. The first of them is the degree of readiness of one's own team for such an innovation.

“I would recommend that you start structural transformations in the company,” the expert advises. - Because the employees who work in the "stone" stores will start to panic: they say, the Internet is taking away our sales, soon we will all be fired, etc.

I agree with Nikolay Kozak and the head of IT solutions in the business of Saint-Gobain Olga Kuznetsova.

- When there is a marketing department for a group of products, which has its own strategy and its own vision, then when building online sales you need to listen to everyone, give everyone a place on the site, - the specialist shares his experience. - Why is our banner in last place, why our picture is not the same, etc.? Oddly enough it sounds, but it is very difficult to negotiate with your colleagues. Any cross-functional communication, when several departments are involved in the process, this is a separate dissertation ...

The second challenge is logistics. What is good for a retail chain, it will not work at all on the Internet. This is a completely different story, requiring huge investments and a different approach.

Well, the third "nightmare" is IT systems, with which you will have to get acquainted in detail.

- You have to find out what the launch of digital platforms is, what is the ID of a product, client, order, - warns Nikolai Kozak. - And you will also have to understand what 24/7 support is and how scary it is when your site, on which hundreds of thousands of customers “land” every day, suddenly falls, and something needs to be done urgently with it ...

According to the specialist, for online sales to be successful, a company that has decided to go online will have to recruit a team of “very amazing people” at a basic level, who, on the one hand, know the customer and retail well, and on the other, look ahead and are ready to master new sales mechanisms.

There is one more problem - the relationship with offline distributors. For example, some experts say that the launch of sales on the Internet is not a matter of one year. A manufacturer must clearly build relationships between online retailers and offline distributors, and understand how these two channels will interact on the same territory.

If we sum up all these "buts", then the launch of such an Internet site, according to experts, will cost the manufacturer about 10 million rubles.

How profitable is selling on the Internet

You also need to be aware that online sales are not a panacea, but only one of the distribution channels. First, the price of a product on a brand site is often higher than that of a distributor. Since this price is the result of negotiations between the incom director and the directors of areas, partners and competitors within the company. After all, if a distributor sells one brand, then on the site you will not allow yourself that.

Secondly, not the entire product line can be sold through the network. Head of the Central Department for Marketing and Sales of the KNAUF CIS Group Alexey Zimin, for example, that there are goods that are better and more convenient to sell only through distributors: they will give the client all the necessary consultations on the spot and show how to work with them.

However, there are undoubted advantages to online sales. According to Olga Kuznetsova, when buying goods from a manufacturer via the Internet, people believe that they will receive a quality product.

“Someone wants to buy online because they receive the necessary information,” the expert shares his experience. - It seems to him that the manufacturer will give the most reliable, high-quality information about the product or solution.

Mostly private traders are looking for building materials on the Web, since it is more convenient to control cash flow... For the most part, these are people who are unlikely to make repairs themselves, but participate in decision-making. In addition, as a rule, foremen and foremen are looking for goods on the Internet.

Where is the best place to sell

If a manufacturer decides to go online on its own, then, according to experts, it is better to start in Moscow or St. Petersburg. Here the market is well-established and it is much easier to find executors for the same order fulfillment. Capitals can be used to hone the experience of direct selling and customer interactions. But one should not forget about the regions either.

“Regions are our future,” Nikolai Kozak emphasizes. - At one time, an excellent program "Internet to every school" was implemented in the country for laying fiber-optic communications. As a result, the penetration of the Internet into the regions has increased significantly.

Nikolai Kozak recommends starting expansion into the subjects of the federation from Yekaterinburg, and then connecting Novosibirsk and other regions with million-plus cities.

“There are models that can be calculated, they are quite simple,” the specialist continues. - This is traffic on your site, average salary in the region, the number of universities and online stores. As a result, it is possible to achieve an average growth rate of about 20% per year.

If not themselves, then who?

However, it is not at all necessary to open your own website: existing DIY chains can be used to sell the most popular brands. The largest of them are Leroy Merlin, where the ratio of Internet sales to the total turnover of the company in the retail segment reaches 7%, Home Décor - up to 7.3%. This series also includes such well-known networks as OBI, Castorama, K-Rauta.

Petrovich and OTTO Group deserve special mention. Here, online sales reach 80%, since they simply do not have “stone” stores where offline customers could come.

These companies are constantly improving their service, investing decent investments in the development of digital strategies, expanding the geography of sales, and focusing on integrated solutions.

However, it is worth recalling that such networks are not interested in promoting brands, therefore, working with them cannot be limited solely to simply giving them the goods for sale. You need to be ready for joint planning, shelf modeling, research on customer preferences, up to the creation of a special brand specifically for online sales.

Be that as it may, the market situation is constantly changing. Consolidation trends are now being observed. According to Vlad Shirobokov, 19 out of a hundred incom-players in the DIY market are present in one way or another, but in a year there will be 10 or 15 of them.

“If in 2010, when the user typed the query“ store ”, some specific brands were found there only in 10% of cases, then in 2015 this figure has already reached about 46%,” says Sergey Timokhin. “This means that many users have an association and that a particular product group is associated with a particular store.

According to the expert, today, in terms of reaching user demand, sites that expand the range of their product groups are winning. However, there are still only a few stores in Russia that can cover all customer needs.

“The future belongs to stores that will be able to provide the user with a single solution, that is, the entire set of what he needs for repair or construction,” the specialist believes.

As you can see, any manufacturer of building materials needs to do online sales. Today, this is perhaps the only sales channel that shows, albeit small, but growth. Which method to choose: your own website or existing DIY networks is up to the businessman himself, depending on his needs and the degree of his own courage.

“And don't forget about mobile,” reminds Vlad Shirobokov. - If you are not on mobile now, next year you will not be anywhere.

Prepared by Alexander GUSEV, Evgeny GORCHAKOV

REFERENCE

According to the information presented at the round table, "Leroy Merlin" delivers goods within a radius of 300 km, "Saint Gobain" - 100 km. Return of goods from "Leroy Merlin" is possible within 100 days to any store of the chain, from "Saint Gobain" - within 14 days.

 

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