“Is opening a mini supermarket profitable?” Or “How much capital does a mini supermarket business need?”. That is the question that many of you have come to Uplevo’s fanpage to look forward to answering.
In recent years, many individuals and units have been very successful when choosing to focus on investing in this field. However, the reality of opening a mini supermarket is not easy. Just like other areas, when you first enter the business you may not know where to start, what to prepare and note, …
If you are interested in the mini supermarket model but do not know where to start, this article will give you more information about the planning steps of a mini supermarket business.
The main content of the article
- Mini supermarket business market
- 6 steps to open an effective mini supermarket
How is the mini supermarket business market going?
Currently, the mini supermarket model is a new form of purchase that is popular with many consumers. Instead of choosing to buy goods and food at grocery stores or in markets, consumers choose to go to mini supermarkets to save time and save money.
Moreover, the products in the mini supermarket have a listed price, clear origin, quality assurance, so they have received the trust of customers.
But competitors that are running mini supermarkets are not that small number. Looking sideways around, you can see the big brands like Vinmart or Kmart. Especially when the convenience store model has the same items and customers with the mini supermarket model. In other words, you will have to fight more with rivals such as Circle K, Shop & Go, 7Eleven …
To answer the question “Is a mini supermarket business profitable?” It is definitely yes. If there is no interest, the big brands have “put the hat off” then. However, interest or not, much or less depends on your business plan, how your market experience is …
Because everyone admits to one thing: “If it was easy to do business, it would not be my turn to make money.” So, please refer to Uplevo’s mini experience below.
>>> Experience in open grocery
6-step process of opening an effective Mini Supermarket
Step 1: Choose a suitable mini supermarket model
Currently, on the market there are three most popular mini supermarket business models that consumers often encounter are:
- Mini marketing model of domestic popular consumer goods.
- Mini supermarket model that are selling 60% of common goods, 40% of imported goods.
- Mini supermarket model that are selling 40% of common goods, 60% of imported goods.
Each model has its own advantages and disadvantages that we cannot assess which model brings the best effect. The choice of business model depends largely on the market research and the capital you have. So, any model can work for you.
Determining your business model is extremely important and is the first step you need to take to open a mini supermarket effectively. This decision is also a factor influencing the next steps. Therefore, you should spend more time researching and researching before choosing.
Step 2: Prepare the investment capital
Without capital you will not carry out any business plans. Capital is an extremely important thing that every business person must think about. Each business model has its own characteristics that determine the capital it can meet.
Therefore, after selecting a business model, you need to determine the capital structure suitable for that model. This is not subjective because the miscalculation of capital is one of the main causes of business failure.
You must have a detailed plan, which records all the expenses you will invest. With the opening of a mini supermarket, you need to have basic expenses such as: Cost of renting space, investment cost of goods source, cost of decorating, staffing cost, cost of installing equipment, and some other costs.
Step 3: Choose an appropriate location to open a mini supermarket
Mini supermarkets often sell essential products to serve the needs of each family, so potential customers are everywhere. However, in order to invest in a mini supermarket that earns the best profit, choosing the right location is an important first factor.
The experience of opening a mini supermarket is to choose crowded places. The bigger the streers are, the more convenient it is for running a mini supermarket. You can also choose to open a mini supermarket on small roads, but make sure the traffic is not too difficult, is a visible place, easy to find.
In addition, you should not choose locations that have high density of other mini supermarkets to minimize the level of competition.
The second thing that needs to note about the place of business is the premises. From practical experience, we recommend that you open a mini supermarket with a model space and standards to organize your goods neatly.
Usually, a mini supermarket with an area of 70 m2 to 120 m2 is sufficient. Do not use premises that are too small or too large. Please consider designing extra space for parking to ensure safety when customers come to your mini supermarket.
Step 4: Find reliable sources
Source of goods is a factor that directly affects your capital and revenue. Therefore, this step requires your investment accurately and thoroughly.
In the early stages of opening a store, you should contact directly distributors, manufacturers or wholesale stores. By this way, you will be offered wholesale prices, receive direct offers on prices, promotions, promotions.
Besides, we can commit to the form of delivery, payment, commitment to return goods, commitment to product quality. After contacting the manufacturing company directly, they will provide you with the phone number of a regional distribution agent and will have staff on-site.
Besides, you can also import goods at wholesale markets. In the North can be mentioned: Northern Clue Market (Long Bien stitch gate), Southern Clue market (Lu temple), Dong Xuan market, La Phu market, Tho Tang market (Vinh Phuc). In the South, there are Tan Binh Market, An Dong Market, Kim Bien Market, Ba Chieu Market, …. These are all locations providing large consumer goods at good wholesale prices.
In addition, the search for more sources of imports is also a smart choice that meets the needs of consumers and has a variety of products in the supermarket.
If you intend to import goods from foreign countries, you can order them at major e-commerce sites or through intermediaries. Some outstanding e-commerce channels that you should know are: Ebay, Amazon (USA), Tmall, Alibaba (China), Gmarket (Korea), …
Step 5: Display goods effectively
Did you know that how merchandise is organized will affect sales? In an adequate area of a mini supermarket, in addition to arranging goods so neat and beautiful, store owners should also pay attention to buyer behavior.
If you pay attention, you will see that every person who comes to the supermarket will bring back big bags, not all products are original things they want to buy. The reason for this behavior is that the way the supermarket arranges goods affects the psychology of customers.
There are a few tips below about how to arrange goods for mini supermarkets that Uplevo will share with you.
- Convenience items should be placed near the payment counter: Buyers will have to stop here waiting for the payment staff so they have time to pay attention to the items displayed around. Or after paying, customers can spare a little change, they often buy some convenience items like chewing gum, lollipops, etc.
- Promotion items should be eye-catching and in front of the aisle: This seems to be the best way to get customers’ attention right after they enter. At the same time, dispersing the original purpose of the customer makes them quickly attracted to other products.
- The essential items to the innermost: At that time, the buyer is forced to go deep inside the supermarket, scanning through many shelves to find the necessary items. And so, most customers will have to “handy” to add a few items to their shopping cart.
- Children’s products are placed under low shelves: This arrangement helps children to be able to choose and ask parents to buy the products they love.
- Arrange related products side by side: Zoning and arranging related products side by side not only help you manage goods easier, but also help customers shop more conveniently. When customers plan to buy a product, they often think of other similar products so the rate of them buying more is very high.
That’s the way to guide the shopping psychology of customers extremely effectively that most people who open a mini supermarket apply.
Step 6: Make a marketing plan for your mini supermarket
Market competition is increasingly fierce. Customers have more choices about where to buy, about goods, about prices between mini supermarkets. Developing a marketing plan deploying customer services is the ultimate for your mini supermarket to grow and retain customers.
Marketing support activities that you can perform include:
- Accumulate points, give gifts by week and month
After every purchase at your mini supermarket, customers can get points cards.
Until the number of points that customers accumulate have enough value that you specify, they will be exchanged for gifts or discount cards, membership cards to receive incentives for subsequent orders.
- Discount, discount on sale to loyal customers
Psychology of customers like when the payment received the notice of discounts. Whether the amount is less or more, the discount will also feel different, preferred.
Establishing a good and sustainable relationship with customers in any business is also important to determine your success.
- Open online ordering and buying service to increase customer convenience
In the era of information technology development today, online shopping is no longer a stranger to anyone. So why not take advantage of that opportunity to promote and increase your brand awareness. You can simply set up a fanpage, Facebook, Zalo, Instagram, …
Invest more, you build your own sales website with the order and payment functions quickly and conveniently. Either way will bring great effects, so do not forget to develop the online market offline.
Above are the secrets to open super-mini supermarket that Uplevo has accumulated from reality to share with you. Hopefully this article has somewhat answered the questions and helped you. Good luck to you!