Thread: Possible new shop in Nelson

Traditional retail sux, you would not catch me dead opening another store(have done a few over the years in a comparable industry) as you can't compete with online and your main trading is always going to be lunch time,after normal work hours and weekends. eg the times you would rather be with family or out hunting.
Getting good staff who have the info,customer service skills and who will work when you need them for what you can pay them is very very hard so say good buy to your life. And average staff or worse just drive folk to the net.

Can you do a online biz to service the same market? If you are local you could even have a small showroom at your distribution centre that's only open during your normal working day if you find you need it.

Joe blow is always going to sleepwalk into the big chains that can do the big advertising,and the informed,been in the game cust will seek you out even if you don't have a Main Street store-they know what they want so it's about the service,back up and most importantly the price.

I hate sounding doom and gloom but it's the reality of retail in NZ,esp in smaller centres like nelson

Do an online shop, set your page up really well so its appealing and easy to use. Make sure you have good fast communication with anybody that enquires about something. And spend $$$$$ on advertising.

That way you are not paying for a lease on a shopfront and dont have to ramp up prices so much? Its something i have wanted to do myself. Especially since i know what cost price is on some products from wholesalers here and comparing that to shelf prices makes me shudder a bit. Although if you start undercutting some of the bigger chains they do start threatening to pull support from the wholesalers, if you are using the same wholesaler as them. Its a bit of a circle and the bigger chains will win that one as the wholesaler isnt willing to lose the larger financial customer. Thank fuck nzar15 came along.

Edit: to slow typing that, res beat me to it.

Yep the bigger guys don't like competition & push the wholesales around ......heard it several times from different sources...

If I go ahead with it, I will only be doing it in a small way, during normal hours or by appointment, it will be a sideline.

yea a store after working hours, say open from 3-9pm weekdays and open weekends.

but the other thing is that every man and his dog here are going to be on your tail wanting great deals on everything

Originally Posted by scoped

yea a store after working hours, say open from 3-9pm weekdays and open weekends.

but the other thing is that every man and his dog here are going to be on your tail wanting great deals on everything

If I do it it will be from 7-5 Monday to Friday, after hours by appointment

Great deals aren't a problem

Get a decent website thats easy to find things on.

Also keep it upto date. A couple of times buying stuff from guncity pay then a day or 2 later they email saying they dont have what i paid for in stock but I can get so and so for an extra $20.

Get a decent website thats easy to find things on.

Also keep it upto date. A couple of times buying stuff from guncity pay then a day or 2 later they email saying they dont have what i paid for in stock but I can get so and so for an extra $20.

Originally Posted by mikee

I might.......................depends on what you charge me

Waaaayy too much for you bro

I think discerning/informed hunters & shooters probably don't give H&F much money & source their gear from other places.

Robbie at Gunworks has been quite clever in adding a small shop on to his workshop, using trade me & developing his web site to sell the basics, I know that's pissed a few places in town off, LOL

Your all know all bastards anyway, what do you need advice for! i go in and tell them what i want. If i want to know any technical details i call the supplier. Its a pretty good system for me. My local HF guys are pretty good with deals both timaru and oamaru.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The only time i grace a hunting and fishing store is to have a laugh at there prices.

Originally Posted by outdoorlad

I think discerning/informed hunters & shooters probably don't give H&F much money & source their gear from other places.

Robbie at Gunworks has been quite clever in adding a small shop on to his workshop, using trade me & developing his web site to sell the basics, I know that's pissed a few places in town off, LOL

Yep, and he is way closer to me than the shops in town. Very good staff as well.

Originally Posted by kiwijames

Woolly? your expectations aren't very high. Nice enough guy but same useless HnF garbage.

I chewed his ear about his dork mate Matt Watson and he took it in good humour so he is ok by me.Does not ram something down your throat if you want buy some thing.