Some ideas..

[phoenixblend]

My little sister has surprised me with the announcement that she will be opening up a Jewellery shop.

Anywho - I'm looking for some interesting ideas to launch the shop and get the name about town and I've always been impressed with some of the things you guys come up with.

The background is it will be a small shop selling nice quality but fairly cheap jewellery and accessories (£1 - £20 range) in a small town just outside Bristol. No particular target customer. She hopes to make it feel quite premium and let the prices surprise people.

Any ideas please?

[pugwash4x4]

phoenixblend said:

premium and let the prices surprise people.

Eeeek- no customer focus and wants the best of both worlds? tread carefully!

Things like Jewelry have a HAlO effect- if it's priced cheaply then premium customers will think it is cheap and wont buy it- and if the shop is too nice then the certain type of customer who buys cheap jewelry wont go there!

She needs some good PR or marketing (or a shop with a lot of footfall next to it) to get the business launched- BUT without a taget audience it can be very very hard to market effectively.

suspect she probably has some idea who she wants but she hasn't really thought about it- does she want 9 carat gold chain wearing chavs, or the sloane ranger type? she can't have both (well not unless she is a true genius in which case she doesn't need advice from us lot!)

[phoenixblend]

pugwash4x4 said:

phoenixblend said:

premium and let the prices surprise people.

Eeeek- no customer focus and wants the best of both worlds? tread carefully!

Things like Jewelry have a HAlO effect- if it's priced cheaply then premium customers will think it is cheap and wont buy it- and if the shop is too nice then the certain type of customer who buys cheap jewelry wont go there!

Hi Pugwash - this was my initial thought too. But after discussing this we decided that people in a small town will go and visit (or at least look through the window) to see what it's about. Also women will go into shops just to browse even if they KNOW they can;t afford anything. She hope's the premium independant look will get people to spend there instead of the only competitor in the area, Peacocks.

One idea we have had is to hand out flyers (nothing new) but to anyone who looks like a potential customer we will give them a flyer with one earring in. The idea being that they have to visit the shop to get the other one. I hope to rope in a performer of some kind to make some noise outside during the opening. Know anyone in the Bristol area?

[StevieBee]

phoenixblend said:

One idea we have had is to hand out flyers (nothing new) but to anyone who looks like a potential customer we will give them a flyer with one earring in. The idea being that they have to visit the shop to get the other one. I hope to rope in a performer of some kind to make some noise outside during the opening. Know anyone in the Bristol area?

That's quite a good idea actually!

Forget the idea of celebrity endorsement. Those that would make an impact you won't be able to afford and those you can afford will have little impact if any.

If you need someone / people simply to attract attention, I'd suggest a group called Weapons of Sound. Plymouth based but will travel up the M5! PM and I'll send you the details.

[jamesuk28]

[/quote]

One idea we have had is to hand out flyers (nothing new) but to anyone who looks like a potential customer we will give them a flyer with one earring in.
[/quote]

A good idea if all the "one" earings are totally different, otherwise what will happen is you will hand out 1 earning to girl 1, who will then press gang all her mates and family to walk past and get another. At the end of the day they will have circa 400 earrinigs most of them matching pairs.

ETA I guess you could just hand out left hand earrings only

Edited by jamesuk28 on Tuesday 15th July 09:58

[Horse_Apple]

phoenixblend said:

My little sister has surprised me with the announcement that she will be opening up a Jewellery shop.

Anywho - I'm looking for some interesting ideas to launch the shop and get the name about town and I've always been impressed with some of the things you guys come up with.

The background is it will be a small shop selling nice quality but fairly cheap jewellery and accessories (£1 - £20 range) in a small town just outside Bristol. No particular target customer. She hopes to make it feel quite premium and let the prices surprise people.

Any ideas please?

What's the daily cost of opening the shop door?

What's the average margin on a sale (bearing in mind that each customer is likely to buy one item).

How many customers will you need a day to break even?

Are there that many people in the town?

While rents will be cheaper than a prime City location it is invariably the rule that you need such a location to obtain the footfall to sell sufficient stock.

Uber crude example:

Annual Rent £12,000
Salary £25,000
Staff costs £5,000
Insurance £2,000
Heating/lighting £2,000
Marketing £5,000
Others £5,000

Annual £56,000
Monthly £4,667
Daily £207.41

Average sale £10
Average Margin £5

Number of sales needed per day: 41.5


The killer is that 0.5 you need to find every day. How many midgets live in the town?

[phoenixblend]

Horse_Apple said:

...Accountancy bits and bobs...
Average sale £10
Average Margin £5

Number of sales needed per day: 41.5

The killer is that 0.5 you need to find every day. How many midgets live in the town?

This has been left to my Dad who is an accountant - so no idea! I do know that margins on jewellery are surprisingly high - more like 400% but on low value amounts.


In other news - I've finished the poster for the window whilst the shops being re-fitted. Whatdaya think?


www.thedesigntailor.com


Edit - It will be 60" x 40' (about 1 x 1.5 metres)

Edited by phoenixblend on Tuesday 15th July 10:47

[KingRichard]

phoenixblend said:

Horse_Apple said:

...Accountancy bits and bobs...
Average sale £10
Average Margin £5

Number of sales needed per day: 41.5

The killer is that 0.5 you need to find every day. How many midgets live in the town?

This has been left to my Dad who is an accountant - so no idea! I do know that margins on jewellery are surprisingly high - more like 400% but on low value amounts.


In other news - I've finished the poster for the window whilst the shops being re-fitted. Whatdaya think?


www.thedesigntailor.com


Edit - It will be 60" x 40' (about 1 x 1.5 metres)

Edited by phoenixblend on Tuesday 15th July 10:47

If that's the case, I'd look at building sales upon sales. ie; Buy this necklace, get the matching earrings half price. Buy the earrings, get a pair of cufflinks for the old man for a fiver. etc.

In the same vein as McDonalds talk up every sale (Large Meal? Milkshake? Dessert for 30p? etc...) you could do that, but every level they go to the deal gets better

It's all possible if you have those kinds of margins to play with!

Oh, and the poster. It's very nice to look at, but without reading it you could be opening an art gallery, a bar, a restaurant, a clothes shop, a beauticians or anything.

You'll notice H. Samuel and the other high street jewellers use massive high resolution pictures of their sparkling products in the window. Maybe you should make it more obvious what is coming to town!

[Horse_Apple]

phoenixblend said:

Horse_Apple said:

...Accountancy bits and bobs...
Average sale £10
Average Margin £5

Number of sales needed per day: 41.5

The killer is that 0.5 you need to find every day. How many midgets live in the town?

This has been left to my Dad who is an accountant - so no idea! I do know that margins on jewellery are surprisingly high - more like 400% but on low value amounts.


In other news - I've finished the poster for the window whilst the shops being re-fitted. Whatdaya think?


www.thedesigntailor.com


Edit - It will be 60" x 40' (about 1 x 1.5 metres)

Edited by phoenixblend on Tuesday 15th July 10:47

I'm always a devil's advocate on these things so don't take this the wrong way

Margins like that tend to be on the very high end of the market and then they are eroded massively by the security and insurance costs of a high end jewellers.

At the bottom end, selling pretty plastic from China, with just one outlet you won't secure those margins as you can't source in size from the manufacturer but have to buy in small amounts via trade fairs.

Shops like Accesorize make it work as they have prime footfall locations, and economies of scale.

The concept of forcing each customer to make multiple purchases is very important, but unlike a MacD's these local people won't be pouring in the next day to buy the same again.

One of the most important things to do is to spend a week sitting in the town measuring general footfall and also the average number of walk-ins to a comparable business and also number of sales.

Retail is exremely tough at the best of times and is on the brink of getting a real shoeing.

This also raises another issue as to the quality of the town centre lets. How many units are big chains which stand a better chance of surviving and holding the town off from becoming a ghost town in a big downturn?

I'm vry bearish at present and I feel that we are entering a time that will see young people forced to stop spending as their money and credit facilities are drying up fast.

[SGirl]

phoenixblend said:

Also women will go into shops just to browse even if they KNOW they can;t afford anything.

Is that women in general, then? Most of the women I know wouldn't do that. I certainly wouldn't.

Also, re. the poster. "Keynsham is about to get stylish"? Sorry, but that would put me off instantly. "Get stylish" - it's clumsy English and wouldn't sit well with the kind of people who could afford premium products. Why not reword that slightly and make it something like "Style is coming to Keynsham", or " Keynsham - the new style capital of <wherever, don't know where Keynsham is >"?

Edited by SGirl on Tuesday 15th July 11:22

[phoenixblend]

Thanks Kingrichard and Horse-Apple.

You are right - This is the reason for the high quality feel brand - Even with the low amounts she'l be buying in she's found really nice quality products for silly prices. For instance = one suplier she showed me makes Sterling silver and amber goods, hand crafted in Scotland yet they allow 300% - 450% markup and still are competive with Accessorize and the such (I wonder what markup they have!). How ever as you rightly pointed out there are massive overheads and big risks starting any retailer.

I'm so glad I chose to be a designer - I can't think in pence so couldn't run a shop. Also when the going gets tough the tough gets marketing. If things aren't tough, well lets upgrade the website to keep things fresh!

once again guys - thanks for the input keep it coming!

[phoenixblend]

SGirl said:

phoenixblend said:

Also women will go into shops just to browse even if they KNOW they can;t afford anything.

Is that women in general, then? Most of the women I know wouldn't do that. I certainly wouldn't.

Also, re. the poster. "Keynsham is about to get stylish"? Sorry, but that would put me off instantly. "Get stylish" - it's clumsy English and wouldn't sit well with the kind of people who could afford premium products. Why not reword that slightly and make it something like "Style is coming to Keynsham", or " Keynsham - the new style capital of <wherever, don't know where Keynsham is >"?

Edited by SGirl on Tuesday 15th July 11:22

Thanks Sgirl - both good points

[Horse_Apple]

SGirl said:

phoenixblend said:

Also women will go into shops just to browse even if they KNOW they can;t afford anything.

Is that women in general, then? Most of the women I know wouldn't do that. I certainly wouldn't.

Also, re. the poster. "Keynsham is about to get stylish"? Sorry, but that would put me off instantly. "Get stylish" - it's clumsy English and wouldn't sit well with the kind of people who could afford premium products. Why not reword that slightly and make it something like "Style is coming to Keynsham", or " Keynsham - the new style capital of <wherever, don't know where Keynsham is >"?

Edited by SGirl on Tuesday 15th July 11:22

That also implies that the town isn't already stylish and thus instantly calls your potential customers tramps and losers while being a little condescending. Honesty has no place in marketing

With a slogan like that you'd want to use positive and flattering words that ensure that they know that you know that they are the cutting edge and superior to other towns. The old 'Springfield v Shelbyville'

[richardxjr]

Don't know Bristol area at all, but is this small town busy all week as well as Saturday? Instead of a full shop in a small town, I'd perhaps be looking to start in one of those indoor market type places in the city centre, if one exists of course!

Party plan would work well with ths type of product. Friend started a jewellery business from home, doing very well, party plan and now online too. No overheads. Bit different though, she designs and makes the stock herself, which retails £10 to £50.

[KingRichard]

Horse_Apple said:

SGirl said:

phoenixblend said:

Also women will go into shops just to browse even if they KNOW they can;t afford anything.

Is that women in general, then? Most of the women I know wouldn't do that. I certainly wouldn't.

Also, re. the poster. "Keynsham is about to get stylish"? Sorry, but that would put me off instantly. "Get stylish" - it's clumsy English and wouldn't sit well with the kind of people who could afford premium products. Why not reword that slightly and make it something like "Style is coming to Keynsham", or " Keynsham - the new style capital of <wherever, don't know where Keynsham is >"?

Edited by SGirl on Tuesday 15th July 11:22

That also implies that the town isn't already stylish and thus instantly calls your potential customers tramps and losers while being a little condescending. Honesty has no place in marketing

With a slogan like that you'd want to use positive and flattering words that ensure that they know that you know that they are the cutting edge and superior to other towns. The old 'Springfield v Shelbyville'

Milan - Paris - New York - Keynsham?

Our jewellery prices put the 'Keen' in Keynsham

[Horse_Apple]

KingRichard said:

Horse_Apple said:

SGirl said:

phoenixblend said:

Also women will go into shops just to browse even if they KNOW they can;t afford anything.

Is that women in general, then? Most of the women I know wouldn't do that. I certainly wouldn't.

Also, re. the poster. "Keynsham is about to get stylish"? Sorry, but that would put me off instantly. "Get stylish" - it's clumsy English and wouldn't sit well with the kind of people who could afford premium products. Why not reword that slightly and make it something like "Style is coming to Keynsham", or " Keynsham - the new style capital of <wherever, don't know where Keynsham is >"?

Edited by SGirl on Tuesday 15th July 11:22

That also implies that the town isn't already stylish and thus instantly calls your potential customers tramps and losers while being a little condescending. Honesty has no place in marketing

With a slogan like that you'd want to use positive and flattering words that ensure that they know that you know that they are the cutting edge and superior to other towns. The old 'Springfield v Shelbyville'

Milan - Paris - New York - Keynsham?

Genius.

We take the Sham out of Keynsham?

[SGirl]

Horse_Apple said:

Genius.

We take the Sham out of Keynsham?

Keen on style? Come to Keynsham!

Keen + style = Keynsham!

Er.

[phoenixblend]

Hee hee - some good slogans there - It's a pity I had just gone to press already! I'll see if it's too late.

RichardXJR - My sis actually started doing parties in pubs to test the market last Christmas. One thing I found interesting is people picked things up and judged quality by weight. "ooh this ones heavy!"

I wish that worked when picking men too - I would be a sex god!

The parties were really successful and cleared stock quickly so I think she'll be doing that come this Christmas.

[KingRichard]

phoenixblend said:

Hee hee - some good slogans there - It's a pity I had just gone to press already! I'll see if it's too late.

RichardXJR - My sis actually started doing parties in pubs to test the market last Christmas. One thing I found interesting is people picked things up and judged quality by weight. "ooh this ones heavy!"

I wish that worked when picking men too - I would be a sex god!

The parties were really successful and cleared stock quickly so I think she'll be doing that come this Christmas.

Make hollow jewellery and fill it with lead then

[walm]

Without doing the footfall analysis Horse Apple suggested your sister could be in real trouble and fast.
It is quick and simple to do and without it you have no idea whether the 41.5 that H.A. calculated is in the bag or beyond the realms of possibility.

If the website is going to be so wonderful then she should be working from home rather than on the high street.