Stationery stores are one of the oldest and most profitable businesses. In Mexico, stationery stores even sold gifts, liquor and other curiosities. If you are thinking of starting in this business but you don’t know how to put a stationeryIn this post you will find many answers.
First of all, you should know that investing in a stationery business is a good idea. Contrary to what many people think, a stationery store is a business that, although it may be more booming during the school season, is always in high demand.
In addition, now you can incorporate all the facilities of the digital world to take your business to the next level. 💡
Here are ten simple but effective steps that will help you start a successful stationery business.
How to put a successful stationery?
- Look for providers.
- Compare prices.
- Invest in basic products.
- List innovative and rare products.
- Choose the star products.
- Condition your point of sale or online store.
- Open your social networks.
- Make a digital product catalog.
- Promote your products on Instagram and Pinterest.
- Reinvest in products with good sales.
1. Look for suppliers
The search and choice of suppliers is a fundamental step to set up a stationery. Well, as in any business, suppliers are responsible for supplying the products. Ideally, look for options that offer preferential prices and analyze the one with whom you do business.
To choose the most suitable for your business, it also analyzes the quality and type of products, as well as the impact of the relationship on your business. Look for both manufacturers and distributors.
2. Compare prices
If you decide that the best option for you is to purchase the products from a wholesale company specialized in this type of product; Search for all companies that distribute those products. Compare prices, analyze the advantages and find convenient deals for you.
📌 Tip: Find out if there are providers that offer you low-cost shipping or benefits for being a recurring customer.
3. Invest in commodities
The key to successfully starting a small stationery store is to get the most out of your initial investment. Invest in products that do not depend on any temporality, that is, in products that are necessary in the daily lives of homes, schools and businesses.
Do you remember that I told you that many stationery stores sold gifts or even liquor? The reason is, that a constant flow of money is sought. But the ideal is to look for products that are related to the main line of business.
Some of the basics for stationery are: graphite pencils, colored pencils, pens, notebooks of various sizes, notebooks, folders and folders, materials for school models, white sheets, etc.
Prints and copies are one of the most important services in a stationery store. Do not forget to buy a printer or multifunctional to offer the possibility of photocopying.
4. List innovative and rare products
In addition to all the basic things mentioned above, you should consider offering innovative products or services in your stationery store. Take advantage of the rage for Japanese culture and incorporate kawaii products and trends into your stationery, such as journaling.
For example, look for pens, tape, notebooks, erasers, or any other item or miniature with cartoonish motifs of trendy characters, pastel colors, or super cute designs. Today the demand for these products has grown. Start small and you will see that very soon you will recover your investment thanks to how cute these products are.
There are even trends in types of markers or containers to organize a study. The opportunities are not only closed to children’s trends or school seasons, adults also consume this type of article.
5. Choose the star products
Even if your stationery is a small business, you must offer an excellent service experience. Part of this has to do with anticipating which stationery products are going to be the most requested by your customers depending on the season.
In other words, your star product during the school season may be notebooks, cardboard and prints. While during the holidays the markers and planners or mandala notebooks are the best sellers. Make sure you always have the star products according to the season so that your customers want to return to buy from your business.
6. Condition your premises or online store
All businesses need a point of sale, whether physical or digital. If it is a local or physical store, you must have a pleasant space that allows you to organize the merchandise and protect it to keep it clean and undamaged.
Buy display cases and showcase-type shelves so that the products are in full view. Use fabrics and elements that help decorate the shelves, take advantage of textures to highlight small products. Use the colors of the papers you sell as a decoration element.
On the other hand, for an online store or social networks; You will need product photography and scenery to mount your products in an eye-catching way. Make sure that the photographs you take of the products you offer are of very good quality so that your buyers can appreciate all their features in detail.
📌 Tip: Set up different payment methods such as bank transfers, card payment, PayPal and deferred payment options or .
7. Open your social networks
Today they have become a valuable tool, not only to connect with people, but also an immediate source of information that users turn to when they need information about a product or service. Derived from this, they are also a great way to find potential customers.
Therefore, promoting your stationery on social networks can be considered a key point to start successfully. Consider, first of all, which are the social networks in which you should have a presence according to the clients you want to reach. For example: Facebook is one of the most popular networks among parents and you can create a page with your location to share it in the groups of the surrounding neighborhoods. A great way to advertise your services!
Other networks like WhatsApp will help you communicate with your customers and receive orders or to share your catalog. On the other hand, Instagram and Pinterest are useful for sharing and content that helps you create a community, but don’t get overwhelmed, that can be later.
📌 Tip: make the most of social media advertising, an advertising channel that offers a lot of versatility, even if your budget is limited.
8. Make a virtual catalog
Making a digital catalog of the stationery products you offer will allow your potential customers to check the characteristics, price and availability. Also, it is a great way to publicize your business.
To create your digital catalog, consider the following: choose the appropriate format, personalize it with the name of your small stationery store, use very good quality photos so that details of the products can be seen, include a description, price and specifications of each of them. products, print it, publish it and share it.
Do you want to learn for free? 😉
9. Promote your products on Instagram and Pinterest
Remember that they are here to stay and are becoming more natural. It is important that you know the characteristics of each social network to get the most out of it.
Instagram is a platform based on images in which you must post extremely striking photos and videos as it will be the ideal way for your customers, or potential customers, to want to purchase your products. and create videos where you show in detail each of the products you offer or tutorial videos where you show how to use them.
Continuing with this idea of ​​the visual, it is another image-based social network ideal for promoting products. Through the publication of images or short videos where you show not only your product but also how to use it, you should inspire your followers to buy from your stationery store.
10. Reinvest in products with good sales
As in any business, it will be essential that you keep good control of your finances and sales. Regardless of whether it is a small stationery store at home or an online stationery store, you must analyze sales and keep track of your business. This will allow you, in addition to managing profits and expenses, to know in which products it is worth reinvesting, how much you can have for new investments in new products or which items are not leaving a very good profit margin.
Consider that two types of products will be essential to keep your stationery afloat: star products and basic products. The star products are essential to grow your business since, despite needing medium or high economic investment; the gain they make is almost immediate.
Invest in products that are on trend such as pastel or metallic markers, coloring books of popular characters or glitters of all colors and presentations.
Regarding basic products, they are fundamental because they do not require a lot of investment and their sale is not subject to temporalities.
What is needed to open a stationery store?
- Stock
- permissions
- Local or online store
- Social networks
To start your stationery business, in addition to stocking the business inventory and decorating and adapting the space, it is necessary to comply with some legal procedures that will allow you to comply with the necessary requirements and regulations. Those with physical premises are land use license and, in some cases, operating license. You will also need a company name to pay taxes, such as the corresponding one.
How much money does it take to open a stationery store?
A stationery store is one of those businesses that do not need much initial investment. A viable option is to start at home and gradually grow your stationery. If you have children or work in an office, you can take the opportunity to sell with acquaintances.
To start this business you must divide your investment into two parts; one for merchandise and one for expenses. Take into account the rent of the premises or your website, payment of services, furniture and the permits or procedures that you must carry out.
Budget to start with a stationery
Many people wonder how much it costs to set up a stationery store? An approximate budget calculating furniture, paperwork, rent for a small space and decoration is $15,000 MXN and $20,000 MXN for initial merchandise. Also, stocking your stationery on a monthly basis could cost you around $5,000. Of course, these amounts are a standard, you can adapt your stationery and the products you sell to your budget. The important thing is to start.
How to put a stationery with little money?
- Start without a venue
- Sell ​​stationery online
These are two options to start in this business without the need to invest a lot of money. I’ll tell you a little more in detail about each one.
1. Start without a venue
Start a small stationery…
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