I need advice and some cool ideas, please help.?

Question

Hello everyone. I have a small giftshop in a small town, first it was run by my mom but now i´m all by myself. It has been there for nearly 18 years now but a few months ago, one of the neighbors who had a paper´s shop on the next block started to sell the kind of stuff I sell. I think that´s not fair, but the only thing I think I can do is to improve my own shop so the customers prefer to buy there.

I really, really need some cool ideas, like new stuff I can sell or new services I can offer, also cool original ideas for gift wrapping or decorating the place would be good.

Thank you everyone.

Answer 1

Most important thing is dont give up. More competition the better. What you must try to do is make some difference from what you were and what is available in the other shop.
First go through your sales history and examine what is in demand mostly, ex. 1. what type of items 2. the quality etc.
May be books or candles are more in demand. See whether you can sneak a peek into the other shop. I'm sure that other person started his business after giving a careful consideration to you who has been in business for 18 years.
Depending on your finances see whether you can change the stuff you have been selling, 'cos your stuff might be a little outdated. We cannot say from here 'cos it depends on what you have been selling. You can even put a small sale and get rid of the old stuff for a cheap price. that could attract more customers , but not for long.
Try to change the look too. As someone else has said you can put lanterna and candles to make the place attractive. Also go out of the town to a posh big gift shop and see what they have done. You dont have to copy or I'm not saying you should, but that will give you an idea as to what the trend is. You might not even be able to do everything they have done too.
My experiance with gift shops is that they must change with the seasons of the year as well as retaining some for someone who wants to buy something such as a b'day gift etc. Also if a person can get something inexpensive but looks good and of good quality the better. So dont give up. Do a bit of research as to the needs of your community.
Good luck!

Answer 2

Since I do not know what you are selling, I would also say try selling online through ebay or other website in addition to bring extra profit. How adding more things to your shop? Offer $2 extra for gift wrapping? Give them membership cards and then stamp it everytime they come back to your shop.

For example, if you have a really good customer name...Jenny...She comes to your shop and purchase it everytime she comes, then you make a little note or have a stamp....or anything that would prove that she came and had purchased something from your store before. Then the fifth time....or the sixth time Jenny comes back, you can give her like 20-30% percent off on her next purchase.

How about advertising the shop with colorful flyers? Or decorate it with cute animals? lol. Yeah, I am just throwing out ideas to you. I hope this was helpful and not too confusing. You know, you can even use the fact that your shop has been running for 18 years now. It gives people some kind of sense that this shop is so reliable that it can stay in business for almost 20 years! You just have to give more..."modern" atmosphere into it too.

Answer 3

Look at the reality....

1) It's extremely fair that someone else is selling against you.
2) If the shop is there 18 YEARS! and still small then either it's not a good business or there's no ambition or there's no market. if soemone else is sellign I guess they think you've no idea how to grow...and apparently that's right.
3) It's a SMALL giftshop in a SMALL town...how much more business is there to HAVE!

So what if you have more gift wrapping....how much could it grow? 5%???

Start getting really real...gifts are available everywhere and not many people, except the regualar customers, are going to come...mom had 18 years to build it.

Change it. Sell what's needed...things everyone needs...everyday...

Answer 4

Get to your local library and ask for, "Marketing without Money" by Nicholas E Bade. The book features 300 free or low cost ways to advertise your business. If your local library doesn't have it, see if they can order from another system. If all else fails look on Ebay, half and/or Amazon. Save the receipt because it is tax deductible... and then sell the used book in your store to another local business owner who will be sure to visit your shop to find out where you got all the new customers!!!

Answer 5

Try partnering up with your local or regional arts council. You can let local artists put in their stuff on commission, so it doesn't cost you a whole lot up front. My family owns an art gallery featuring mostly local glass artists. But it's the small gift shop type items like mugs and candle holders that are our bread and butter. Not the 5,000 glass sculptures.

Answer 6

If your town has anything unique about it, how about selling related stuff on line?
You can start by setting up an eBay store.
I think you do not want to get into a price war in small town,that's for sure.
To give more ideas, you must give more details in your question.

Answer 7

you can always put items in your shop in a nice neat appealing manner, you can also have candles or something to set a good mood in your business. you can have special sales or give samples (if that's possible) to attract people. and its always a good thing to make friends with the customers and chat with them. having colorful decorations outside and around town that will attract people...that's some advice. good luck!!

Answer 8

It might be pricy, but you could put in a photo developing machine there. You could lower prices, but I'm should that would suck. Try offering some (but not all) of the same products your competition does. But, make yourself unique at the same time. Good luck.

Answer 9

Here's just one idea for you...I this on tv and thought it looked like a unique gift idea so I ordered a couple gift tins for my neices and nephews. They are selling cookies along with edible ink in markers for the kids to color. The cookies have pre-printed images to be filled in on them ~for all occasions. On the website they sell display cases for stores and you can buy in bulk for resale. Here's the site if you want to check it out:

http://www.foodoodler.com/holiday-cookie-kits/

Answer 10

For decorating use lots of lights and bright colors, try paper lanterns.