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A Guide On Starting A Leading Building Materials Store Like The Orchard Supply Company

By Stephanie Allen


A good hardware business should provide both contractors and residents with a reliable place to get their building materials from. If you want to start such a venture, you need to be passionate about it and consider several factors too. Here are important tips on starting a successful store like the Orchard Supply Company.

Do your market research. Irrespective of the business that one wants to start, doing an extensive market research is important. There are a number feasibility studies that you need to carry out in the course of your research. The reports you get from such studies will help you determine whether your idea is viable or not. One of the things that you should seek to find out from the research is existing demand for what you plan to sell.

Develop a good business plan. You can never start a company successfully with planning. You are therefore advised to write down a plan that will guide how you operate your store. The document you come up with will also come in handy when seeking a bank loan. Additionally, it should include various strategies with regards to sales, marketing and exit. Still, the plan should contain both sales and financial projections.

Once your plan is ready, you will need to look for financing. There are different ways of financing any new business. First, you can apply for a loan from your bank or any other financial institution of your choice. Additionally, you can finance your startup through your personal savings, partnering with an investor or liquidating some of your assets. The amount you raise should be enough to meet your stock requirements.

Decide on where to locate your startup. It is important to carefully think about the right place to locate your store. This is because the place you choose will greatly determine whether you succeed or fail. Before making a decision here, it is therefore important to take certain factors into account. First, asses the kind of potential that an area offers in terms of growth.

Accessibility is another critical issue to look into when deciding on where to locate your shop. The place that you are considering should be surrounded by a good transport network. Keep in mind that it should be extremely easy and convenient for your customers to visit your shop. Additionally, your suppliers should also not face any difficulties when delivering your orders.

Choose your suppliers. You will have to determine where to buy your stock from. Before choosing a source, be sure that you have looked into pricing, consistency in deliveries, quality etc. To find a few sources to consider, do your research. There are lots of valuable information you can find through soliciting for recommendations and searching online.

Market your venture. For the people around to know about your business, you have to market it aggressively. This requires choosing your marketing strategy and methods carefully. Luckily for you, there are cheaper and very effective ways to conduct marketing available for startups. These include the use of various social media platforms.




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