Business plan for a household chemicals store. How to open a household chemicals and cosmetics store from scratch

Household chemicals are a product that is as necessary in life and households as fire, water or a knife. Soap and shampoo, sticky fly tapes and mosquito repellent strips, colognes and varnishes, washing powders and dishwashing detergents are products whose sales are not even in the hundreds, but in the thousands and millions. This gives rise to quite a lot of competition, but demand is so much greater than supply that investing in this business will pay off in any case.

The first question that usually worries an entrepreneur is whether it is profitable to open a business in this area. The second question is how to open a household chemicals store from scratch. We will try to give a comprehensive answer to both questions.

About the benefits of opening a store

Let's start with whether, in general, it is worth investing in a business selling household chemicals or is it better to do, for example, or.

The advantages of such an enterprise are obvious:

  • Household chemicals are a product that no housewife can do without;
  • Products in such a store can lie on the shelves even for several years without losing their useful qualities;
  • You can always cooperate with the manufacturers of a new product, the advertising of which has not yet set everyone’s teeth on edge, and receive additional income from its sale;
  • If the store presents goods from European manufacturers or products that are difficult to find in other stores, your income will also change for the better;
  • This industry allows entrepreneurs to trade not only on a large scale but also on a small scale. If you cannot or do not want to open an entire department store, open a small stall near residential buildings. Then trade will go briskly, and goods will not linger on the shelves.

With the average cost of starting a business being around $50,000, a store can break even within a few months and generate a stable income of around $5,000.

Store opening

After doubts that opening a store is sufficiently justified have been completely dispelled, it’s time to find out what you need to open a household chemicals store. First of all, we determine the source of finance. Financial investments in this business are small, but you will have to think about where to get money. If you are an experienced businessman, there will be no problems with this: money can be transferred from other projects. And if not? It is best to borrow from friends and relatives or look for an investor. Loans and selling property are an unjustified risk, and saving money through honest work can take too much time.

The next point is the development of a business plan for a household chemicals store.

Documentation

To register a business, register yourself as a private entrepreneur, select the field of activity according to the classifier, and the taxation system. Then you will need permits from the fire and sanitary-epidemiological stations.

Room

For stores selling essential goods, the most important and responsible expense will be renting or purchasing premises. It must be large enough to accommodate both the sales floor and the warehouse for goods. The premises should be located so that there are no other household stores nearby, and the number of people passing daily should be as high as possible.

The best option would be to choose a room, apartment or stall near a residential area or in a residential area. An area of ​​100 square meters should be enough for all your needs, so you don’t need to look for mansions for your small business. And keep in mind: the closer to the center, the more expensive the rent.

Repair and equipment

You don’t have to host special guests in the store, so it doesn’t require any special repairs. Much more important is the equipment.

To run your business successfully you will need:

  • Shelving (metal or wood);
  • Shelves;
  • Counter (possibly transparent);
  • Chairs (for the seller in the sales area and for the sellers’ rest room);
  • Oh yes, how to open a household chemicals store if there is no cash register? A cash register is required. You can also install surveillance cameras.

It’s clear that all these preparations are good for a small store, but for a stall several counters are enough.

Purchase of goods

Before opening a store for household chemicals and cosmetics or just household chemicals, you need to decide on the assortment. This can only be detergents and hygiene products, but it can also be cosmetics and even dishes, garbage bags and things needed for the kitchen.

It is worth noting that cosmetics are rarely in demand in small household stores. Women instinctively believe that cheap cosmetics are inferior to their expensive haute couture counterparts. If you can convince them, well, you're in luck. The same women actively buy hair dye, henna, basma, cream for hands, face and other parts of the body, and other hygiene items.

Wholesale or retail?

Wholesale purchases of goods are your key to success, because such purchases provide discounts from suppliers. It is better if the assortment is varied so that each buyer can choose what he is used to using.

Choose the most profitable method of delivering goods. It's even better if you can benefit from your supplier relationships. You can purchase the cheapest goods at wholesale prices directly from the manufacturing factory. Expensive, imported or simply out-of-town product - through intermediaries. You and the manufacturer can be useful to each other: advertising his products will bring you additional benefits.

Staff

Recruiting salespeople and managers is no less important than purchasing goods. Sellers must, first of all, be pleasant in communication; it is advisable to have a health certificate.

To staff a medium-sized store with one cash register, you will need the following minimum staffing:

  1. Cashier (one or two people);
  2. Consultant (optional, the cashier can also advise);
  3. Accountant;
  4. Security guard;
  5. Cleaning woman.

For small stalls, a security guard and a cleaning lady are not necessary, and one seller is enough. An accountant can come when reports need to be completed. You can also hire a store manager if you are unable or unwilling to perform this function.

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Advertising

Advertising is what will finally complement the image of your company. It has long been known that with its help you can sell anything. A household goods store does not need loud advertising. A website and banners on the Internet will not help your promotion, but lucrative offers can work in your favor.

Promotional offers

Promotions such as “Discount of the week”, “2 for the price of one” will help you not only promote yourself, but also gain the favor of the consumer. Perhaps a bright and beautiful sign and some booklets inside the area would not hurt you. You should not expect that your advertising will hook a potential buyer so much that he will pass by the same exact store near his home to visit yours. Well, there will be plenty of buyers within the microdistrict.

conclusions

As a result, we can conclude that household chemicals are a business where you are unlikely to become a tycoon, but you may well be able to find your niche. Yes, the competition is big and the initial amount is not so small for a person who does not have a Swiss bank account, but the game is worth the candle.

The main thing is to correctly estimate the scale of trade and the approximate number of buyers. Sometimes the store will have to be reduced to a kiosk. Sometimes the stall will have to be expanded to a supermarket. I hope our advice will help you here.

To open a household chemicals store from scratch and achieve high profitability, you need to analyze the market and competitors, create an assortment of products, and select a suitable premises. It will take a lot of time to register an enterprise and obtain permits. In many ways, efficiency and profit levels will depend on the ability to find wholesalers who supply products at discounted prices. Proper display of goods, carrying out advertising campaigns - all this affects the amount of income received. Therefore, you need to understand all this in detail.

The relevance of opening a household chemicals store

Many aspiring entrepreneurs want to open a household chemicals store in a small town. This is not surprising, because such products belong to everyday goods. Every person makes purchases in such stores with different frequencies every month.

As a result, only one family spends from 2,000 to 4,000 rubles per month. Some people spend significantly more, preferring branded products.

Modern citizens are accustomed to making their own purchases, so it is better to spend a little more money, but give customers the opportunity to choose the products themselves and pay for them at the checkout. Having a sales consultant will be an additional plus.

Benefits of working in the household chemicals industry

An aspiring entrepreneur, before opening his own business, must figure out whether the direction he has chosen is profitable or not. To do this, you need to evaluate all the advantages and disadvantages of the idea.

Selling household chemicals is an idea that can bring good income. The prerequisites for this are the following advantages:

  • high demand for products, and for the most part it does not depend on the economic situation in the country and in a particular family;
  • ease of starting a business - there is no need to license your activities or have any specific education;
  • long shelf life of products makes it possible not to constantly monitor demand - this can be done once a month or less often, the main thing is to ensure that the most popular product is always in stock.

In terms of demand among the population, a household chemicals store can only be compared with grocery stores. People go to them for shopping very often. Therefore, there is no doubt about the profitability of such a retail outlet. At the same time, storing household chemicals is much easier than storing food.

One of the disadvantages is the high level of competition - it will not be easy to win your place in the market. In many ways, the level of income will depend on the correct choice of location and marketing strategy. To attract your customers, you can offer a system of discounts or loyalty programs, exclusive products.

Registration moments

Opening a household chemicals store from scratch will require registering your business. It should be noted right away that this type of activity does not fall under the licensing law. This means that you will not have to obtain the corresponding document. But you won’t be able to completely avoid paperwork. You will have to get the following documents:

  1. permission from the SES;
  2. permission from the fire department;
  3. an official lease agreement for the premises (if it is owned, an appropriate certificate will be required);
  4. quality certificates of conformity for the supplied products (you need to request them from your wholesale suppliers);
  5. agreement for garbage and solid waste removal, recycling of fluorescent lamps, if available.

It will be impossible to do without officially registering your activities. The organizational form here can be any. But in a small town it is more appropriate to use an individual entrepreneur, especially if a new businessman opens a store. When registering in the application, you will need to indicate OKVED code 47.75 - “Retail trade in cosmetics and personal care products in specialized stores.”

Choosing a tax system is an equally important stage. The level of profit received and tax deductions will depend on it.

If the store area is less than 150 m2, then you can choose UTII. Otherwise, you should stick to the simplified tax system “income minus expenses.” This is the simplified version that you should choose, because the markup in this area is not too large, and there are other costs.

Premises for a household chemicals store

Sometimes even experienced entrepreneurs don’t know where to start opening a household chemicals store. One of the most important points is choosing the right location for trading. The store must be located in a crowded or residential area. The last option is acceptable if there are a large number of residents nearby and there are no competitors. The most successful placement methods are considered to be the following:

  • on the first floors of residential buildings in houses and areas with a large number of residents;
  • on the first floors of large shopping centers.

Entrepreneurs are often afraid to open household chemicals outlets near supermarkets. They explain this by the fact that such establishments already have the corresponding goods. But in fact, it turns out that supermarket visitors actively buy household chemicals from nearby stores as well. This demand is explained by a much larger assortment and a more favorable price.

If you plan to open a small store, then a room with an area of ​​100 m2 will be enough. On them it will be possible to place the sales floor itself with shelving, a warehouse and a room for staff and their belongings.

Equipment purchase

As such, expensive equipment for a household chemicals store is not required. It will be enough to purchase the following:

  • racks and shelves;
  • showcases;
  • KKM (1 - 2 pieces will be enough);
  • storage chambers;
  • carts and baskets.

If you plan to open a self-service store, then you should additionally think about installing CCTV cameras and a panic button. This will protect against theft and illegal intrusion into the premises.

Definition of assortment

The level of income and profit will depend on two components - the breadth of the product range and the price of the product. You should not inflate the cost, since the level of competition in this niche is high. It is better to focus on average market prices. The list of products sold should include the following categories of goods:

  • hair care products (including shampoos, masks, conditioners);
  • shower gels and soap (liquid and bar);
  • oral care products (toothbrushes and pastes, mouth fresheners);
  • baby products (diapers, creams, etc.);
  • napkins, toilet paper;
  • detergents and sponges, rags;
  • laundry detergents (powders, bleaches, conditioners).

Additionally, the store can display products from related categories - perfumes, stationery, underwear, hosiery and costume jewelry.

When deciding on an assortment, you need to think not only about product categories, but also about their prices.

It is better to make the cost of popular products less than that of competitors, since buyers usually remember the prices for such products. But cheaper products can be sold at higher prices.

Where to buy products?

It is very important to find wholesale suppliers of goods. You can purchase products at wholesale stores or from private traders. It is important that they provide quality certificates. They may be needed by buyers or regulatory authorities.

The markup on household chemicals ranges from 10 to 35% on average. Moreover, the number of items usually varies from 5,000 to 10,000 varieties of goods.

You can try to arrange the supply of goods directly from manufacturing plants. Then the size of the markup will be even more impressive, which means the store’s profit level will also increase.

Advertising: the most effective methods of promotion

The correctness of the marketing strategy will largely determine the attitude of potential buyers towards the store and their interest in the newly emerged outlet. The more advertising there is, the more clients will appear, but here you also need to know when to stop. The greatest emphasis should be placed on the following promotion formats:

  1. distributing leaflets near the store;
  2. posting posters nearby;
  3. posting advertisements on the Internet - on city forums, in local groups;
  4. advertising on TV.

The last promotion option is more appropriate for large stores, so it is not advisable for small retail outlets to use it.

You can additionally attract customers by developing your own loyalty program. It may involve the accumulation of bonuses, the issuance of discount and savings cards, and the holding of promotions.

The specialty of the store could be the sale of a separate line of products. It may be a well-known brand that is loved by Russians. You can give it a separate stand or stained glass window and offer the most favorable prices.

Financial results

Opening a small store will require an investment of 300,000 - 500,000 rubles in a small town. For large cities, the starting capital may be 2 - 3 times higher. The profit level per month can reach 100,000 - 200,000 rubles and more. The profitability of such a business is about 15 - 20%. Payback on average can vary from 6 months to 2 years.

The correctness of the strategy and respectful attitude towards the client are the keys to success, which can multiply the entrepreneur’s profit. And coupled with high quality service and the presence of loyalty programs, you can acquire regular customers in just a few months.

Many aspiring entrepreneurs, thinking about starting their own business, consider opening a store. What does a person who decides to become an entrepreneur need and how to open a household chemicals store from scratch? Is it profitable?

Everyday goods

Unlike food, cleaning products and washing powders have a long and sometimes unlimited shelf life; in addition, they are used up quickly. This is especially true for personal hygiene products and washing powders. This means that goods are in high demand among buyers. Storing such inventory does not require refrigeration or other special commercial equipment.

A well-organized, thoughtful and well-located store selling cosmetics and cleaning products will be popular with good housewives and will not leave its owner without profit even in a crisis. In addition to all of the above, this type of trade does not require licensing. So, what does it take to open a household chemicals store?

Business plan for a household chemicals store

Before taking concrete steps in this area, it is necessary to draw up a business plan for a store selling household chemicals, which must include an analysis of competitors and an assessment of the presence of potential buyers in the most suitable places for the store. The walkability of a location and pedestrian traffic are no less important than the absence of competitors nearby.

To open, it is important to decide on the choice of target audience, to understand who will be the buyer of these products. A business plan for a household chemicals store should include calculation of financial investments, reaching the break-even point and analysis of demand.

Registration

Which organizational and legal form to choose for running the business of a store is the choice of every entrepreneur. Both individual entrepreneurs and LLCs have pros and cons. It all depends on the size of the budget and the correct assessment of the planned profit. You can make your choice either independently or by getting a free consultation at the Small Business Development Center. It will also help in choosing.

There is always a demand for household chemicals: neither seasonal fluctuations nor the crisis affect it. After all, even in the most difficult times, people want to live in beautiful, well-maintained housing. Every day we clean, do laundry, wash dishes, take a shower...

Manufacturers meet customers halfway and offer high-quality and inexpensive products of various categories - on store shelves you can find disinfectants, detergents, laundry detergents, cleaning products, disinfectants and, of course, cosmetics.

Today we will talk in detail about how to draw up a business plan for a household chemicals and cosmetics store.

Selling household chemicals is an excellent choice for a budding entrepreneur

Due to the specific characteristics of the goods themselves, trading household chemicals has many advantages. In particular, this is explained by the fact that:

  • most funds are spent quite quickly, and the average family replenishes their reserves at least 1-2 times a month;
  • Almost all products have a long shelf life and do not require special storage conditions;
  • due to the fact that the average cost per unit of goods is low, you can immediately purchase a fairly large assortment;
  • as an entrepreneur, you can choose any format of trade - from a drive-thru store to a hardware market.

Of course, it will not be easy to compete with major market players - almost every city has its own chain of household chemical stores. However, there are always places that have not yet been “captured” by networkers. In addition, it should be taken into account that it is simply impossible to present in one store the products of all brands that are on the market at once. And you can use this factor to your advantage.

Step 1. Organizational issues and registration

A lot depends on the store format you choose. If we are talking about a small retail outlet, it will be enough to register as an individual entrepreneur.

However, if you are drawing up a business plan for a household chemicals and cosmetics store with the prospect of developing into a chain of stores, you should immediately take this into account and open an LLC.

In the case of a small store, you can limit yourself to trading from behind the counter. But if the size of the premises allows, it is better to organize self-service or mixed trade (some of the products are put away in display cases, and some are placed on shelves for free access).

Trade licensing is not required in this case.

In addition, it is important to choose the name of the household chemicals store. It should be simple, bright and memorable, because this is the “face” of your business. If you really don’t have enough imagination, you can choose the name of a “classic” type of household chemicals store - for example, “Housewife”, “Cinderella”, “Domovenok”, “Shine”. You can use beautiful women's names or flower names. They are not too complex and are well recognizable. Remember that “whatever you call the ship, that’s how it will sail.”

Step 2. Selecting a room

It’s no secret that the right choice of premises is one of the main factors of your success. Sleeping areas can be “cut off” immediately - as a rule, they have long been monopolized by large supermarkets and department stores with a large selection of products, to which people have long been accustomed.

But on the central streets of the city, a household chemicals store will be very useful. Ideally, you can rent a room located near grocery stores or right on the territory of one of them. Why is this so? It’s all very simple: at the same time as food products, people, as a rule, also purchase household chemicals.

The area of ​​the room must be at least 100 m2. Naturally, it must undergo high-quality repairs. The rental price in modern shopping centers ranges from 5 to 20 dollars per 1 m2.

Step 3. Determine the assortment

When drawing up a business plan for a household chemicals and cosmetics store, you definitely need to decide on the range of products that you will offer to your customers. It is desirable that in your store customers can find not only household chemicals, but also personal hygiene products, as well as cosmetics and perfumes.

Which products sell out the fastest? First of all this:

  • face, body and hair care products;
  • shaving products;
  • cleaning and detergents;
  • shoe care products;
  • decorative cosmetics and perfumes;
  • washing powders;
  • hosiery products;
  • all kinds of beautiful gift sets.

If you do not plan to create a highly specialized store selling luxury products, it is better to focus on mid-price products that are in great demand.

Separately, it is worth mentioning that in order to increase trade turnover, it is recommended to reduce the trade margin at the initial stage. It’s hard to imagine that customers will bypass a store that offers the goods they need at affordable prices.

The number of product items should vary between 5-15 thousand. That is, available products should be aimed at citizens with different levels of income.

Step 4. Purchase of equipment

Go ahead. How to equip a household chemicals store? The basic set includes counters, racks and display cases. Behind the counter there is a cash register area (it is advisable to have 1-3 cash registers at your disposal). Shelving is located in the sales area, along the walls and in the center of the room.

It is important that there is a sufficiently large distance between them so that customers can move freely around the store. If we are talking about a self-service store, there should be shopping baskets and cells at the very entrance where people can leave their things.

You can save a lot of money by buying used equipment. However, in pursuit of cheapness, you should not grab the first counter offer. How well your store is designed directly determines its image and, as a result, your profit. Therefore, if you can’t find used equipment in good condition, it’s better not to skimp and buy new one - the money spent will quickly pay off.