Madhavi

This shop is the wish of my wife. A girl can understand the best products for girls. So, she decided to open a ladies' corner. She did everything. She took decision on this.

As I took ownership of this shop... My English teacher constructed this flat. So, he informed me and told me to buy a flat. So, in 2011, I bought this flat. Then the flat remained empty for 5-6 years. I started running this shop in 2016.

I run a business, while she is free. He is a housewife. Previously, she was an employee, so she asked, "Why should I work under someone? I can do my own business since I have a shop. I work as a civil contractor.” She thought if she give time in this shop and open her own business she would get more freedom and get profit also.

I give her time. During Puja time, I have to spend a long time here because she has pressure at this time. The rest of the time, she handles everything alone. She goes to the market and does everything. She decides where she would invest and how much she would invest. Everything is her decision. She asks me once if she should do it.

Now there is a market of competition. Nowadays, online businesses are also present. So, in that case, we have little pressure.

Yes, a girl works here. She arrives after 11 am. She stays in the next lane, and her elder sister used to work here before. After her sister got married, she started working here. During puja time, I only keep staff. The rest of the time, I don't keep any staff. During Puja, the demand is high, so we have pressure. There are many other shops here. If people see 50 people standing in my shop, they will go to another shop. In that case, if I keep two staff members, it becomes convenient for me. I can show the products to the customers, and the girl can also show products to the customers. So, we can handle 3 to 4 people at a time. Mostly I keep staff during Puja time for 2-3 months. I keep staff from August till after Diwali. If my business gets expanded and pressure increases then I will have to keep staffs. As we two stay in the shop we can manage.

First is where I am purchasing the product. You have to buy the right product. This is a factor. To run a shop, you should have goodwill; from this place, you will get the goodwill. If I buy the product from a local shop, in the container of Pond's, they can keep some other product as well, but I can't get to know that. So, if I buy a branded product, there is no chance of this.

Next is stock. I need to keep all products in my shop. If I don't keep products in the shop, customers will not come. If I have products, customers will come to my shop. So, next is the customer. I need to have good behavior with customers. Next, if I can invest more in my shop, this shop will run well. Since I am there to help her, staff is not required throughout the year.

That's like when I receive new stock of jewelry, then I update the status on WhatsApp. The customers see that, and sometimes they ask for something as a special order, so they also send me a message on WhatsApp. We cannot call all the time, and sometimes I write them a message that their product has arrived, and then they come and pick it up. I communicate with the customer about this, and if I need to show something, I take a photo and send it. Customers like to see the collection live. Then sometimes a customer comes and wants to show it to someone, so she makes a video call on WhatsApp to her family member and shows it. That's what happens during the video call. All of this is done on WhatsApp Business, I don't use it on personal WhatsApp. All the customers are on WhatsApp Business. You can learn about the WhatsApp Business app by searching for it. It's like when you have this question in mind about whether you can open another account on WhatsApp or not, and then you can use WhatsApp Business for this. That's why you don't always need to rely on someone else for information.

Sometimes we have to bring products from Kolkata as well. So, I go there. It is not impossible, but when the products are readily available, we need to search for that place. There are many shops in Kolkata Barobazar. Out of those, I need to select two or three shops. We can get to know about them from some reliable sources. Suppose I ask someone, "I need this product, so where can I get a good quality product?" He tells me, "You can go to that shop." So, I go there and buy products from them for 2 to 4 days. Then I ask him if I can find a better option for this or that item, and he gives me the address. When I go to the market and roam around, I experience something. Today I have met you, and you can introduce me to 10 other people as well. That is the wholesale market. Definitely, there are both positive and negative aspects. I buy from this shop, and they give me a 55% discount on any product. I am just mentioning this. But in the next shop, they give a 30% or 34% discount. If we trust some shopkeepers, we go to them directly because even though they charge a higher price, I can believe that they would never give me any bad product. Choosing the shopkeeper is very tough. If the wholesaler gives me less, I can also give the customer less. In that case, my goodwill will be good. If he gives me 35% less, I can also give 10 or 12% less to the customers. In that case, my goodwill will still be good.

We strive to maintain a unique collection in this competitive market. If a product is not available in other shops, it should be available in mine. I have a variety of sets, but I also have many unique collections. The number of unique products you can keep in your shop determines this. For example, if the MRP of a product is 340 and another shopkeeper is selling it for 320, I can sell it for 5 rupees less and the customer will buy it from me. This also makes a difference. The wholesale market is located in one place and everyone goes there. When I go, the shopkeepers from my neighboring shops also go there, and we meet there. We all purchase from the same market. From there, we buy 5 different items from 5 different shops. I bought products from 5 or 6 shops, while he bought products from 2 shops.

We try to keep unique items in the shop. That's why I said, "Suppose you have gone to two shops and I have gone to three shops. He has gone to 6 shops." The wholesalers also purchase the products from somewhere. Some of them collect from Bombay; some collect from Delhi or Kolkata. Some bring the collection from Delhi and some take the collection from Kolkata. Now, not all people keep all kinds of items. If I find something unique, I buy it. What he thinks is unique, he also buys. One factor is price, and the other is goodwill. You should have goodwill and good behavior.

Customers see online and they show us the picture and ask if this is available. However, it is only available online and not in the offline market. Online products are delivered to us after a few days. If they show it online today, it will be delivered to us after 6 months because the local shop needs time to create the same design. If they like any design they send us and ask if it is available and if we bring some unique products, we also send them the pictures on WhatsApp. If anyone likes they say keep it for me, I will come tomorrow to take that set.

Customers can also purchase products on credit. For example, if a customer wants to buy an earring but doesn't have money at the moment, they can leave their phone number and come back after 2 days to make the payment. In this case, I provide a credit option. I write this in a notebook and I keep the record in mobile also.

Wholesalers and distributors have joined us in the WhatsApp group. We have to go to the market daily, mostly every other day. We can go there and if there is anything new, we purchase it. The regular items are normal. They post photos in their group, so we get to know if something new has arrived. Then we go and buy or book that item over the phone. They do post photos. Their customers are there on WhatsApp group. Everyone can see it. We are also the members in the Wholesaler group.

Yes. I use this notebook roughly. I write down what people buy so that I can maintain the stock. Then we note how much we have to spend daily. I write the credit of customers in another notebook. I also write the names of customers. For example, if anyone takes a product worth 500 on credit, I write it in that notebook. I write everything here. If I get someone's phone number, I write it here. I write how much I could sell daily. I write what I told to whom. Some company people provide products here, so I have to make their payment weekly. I keep daily calculations on it. I save the numbers on my mobile. On the due copy, I write "due" and on the sale copy, I write "sale."

It happens, if I like something and I don't have enough money to buy it, so I make a compromise. Wholesalers provide products on credit and they also keep a record of it. They send me the amount on WhatsApp as well. I also keep a note stating that I took the product on credit for this amount.

The more you purchase from the wholesaler you have a good relationship with, the more services they will provide you. You keep going to the same place and you know each other. Like I have seen the photo and I liked the collection. Now that the season is ongoing, any collection can get sold out. So, I called them and asked them to reserve that item for me. They agreed to keep it. This is a loyal customer. They know she will come and purchase it.

I would watch videos of wholesalers on YouTube to find out which is the largest wholesaler in Kolkata. I often see people vlogging about their shops on YouTube. I might have asked someone to vlog about my channel, and then they would have done it for my shop. However, I didn't do it. Instead, I would search for a good wholesaler for jewelry in Kolkata on YouTube, where they would show me the available options. I prefer using YouTube for this purpose rather than Google, as Google is more suitable for personal searches rather than business-related ones.

I have added Phone Pe and from there I can see everything is shown. I have checked on Google Maps and my shop is displayed there. It's a local business, so people from outside this area don't come here, and Google Maps doesn't have much impact on it.

Then I also use Okay Credit, and the customer receives a message from the Okay Credit app. The customer's phone number is added to it. I can see how much dues I have given to that customer through this application, and she also receives a message. I also have the data. They come to the shop and give me money. Some customers pay monthly, and some customers say they will make the payment within 10 days. It depends on the customer's loyalty. The reminder setting option is also available. The people who pay monthly receive a message on the due date automatically. Someone added me to the group, and that's how I got to know about Okay Credit. I can also see ads on social media. I got to know about it through the Wholesaler group.

The connectivity with the customer was improved after using WhatsApp Business.

The price difference would be known after watching YouTube as well. You can go there and see many things, including different collections. You can also get the collection from there. Here, you will find everything. It's like someone would increase the price by 10 rupees and someone would reduce it. There are bigger wholesalers and smaller ones as well. They would do the wholesale from there and then we would get it. There is more opportunity for variety. When I need to purchase so much more then I would go once in a year. That’s not for daily basis. The local market is fine for that.

I mostly purchase goods from Asansol. It's like Kolkata, and you can see the collection while sitting there. You can see what the collection is like in Kolkata, and you can also see it here. If you like something, you can take a screenshot. This is shown, and you can get that item here. You will see the collection.

You can see the prices of the goods in the shop, and we can see how different they are. It's like watching those videos where we can understand the difference, but when we get closer, it's not that much. We would see that there are only 2 to 5 differences, but if you purchase more from one shopkeeper, it's also much more. That's the difference. If you reduce the price by 2 rupees here, it would have an effect on the local market. That's because we have a wholesaler here, and people do purchase from there, so the price would be limited. If you reduce the price by 2 rupees more, customers would come closer to you. They would buy from where they get a lower price.

I have not considered selling online yet because it requires GST and other requirements that I currently do not have. If I find that there are no other options, I will have to consider it. You need to have GST for Amazon and Meesho in order to sell. Since I do not have GST at the moment, I would not be able to manage this. If I realize that it is not possible without selling online, then I will have to go for it. Selling online requires maintaining the stock fully. Wholesale companies and retail companies can do online business. For example, the price of a particular design is displayed as 24-36, which means the seller can sell as many as they can get within that range. Once the collection is finished, we will obtain it. Then the collection will also be finished.

In the Corona period, people have been using online platforms more frequently, and now this trend is becoming more popular due to the increased prices online. This trend is emerging now, but its impact has originated from the online sphere. People can conveniently stay at home and make purchases online, whereas for this particular product, they need to visit the physical store. I would personally take advantage of this option, and regular customers would also benefit from it. They don't receive genuine products from online sources, so they prefer to visit the shop and purchase the product there. Customers tend to choose any jewelry they come across. The online market is thriving. That has impacted a bit on sale for sure.

I was talking about the exchange process. It has already been exchanged and we don't want to exchange it any further. This would become problematic if it keeps happening repeatedly. It's like you had taken it and then you didn't take it, but by that time someone else could have also chosen it. That's why it would be problematic for the jewelry if the collection goes out and then comes back in again. That's why I don't want to exchange the jewelry unless there is a problem. For example, if she didn't find any faults here and then took it home and found a fault, she can do that if she returns it immediately, but after 7-10 days it cannot be replaced. I would say we cannot exchange this. If she took it in the morning and then called after reaching home, or else if she saw it in the evening and called me to say this, then I would ask her to bring it and I will change it. It is also fine if she took it at night and comes to change it the next day evening. However, if it exceeds 2 to 3 days, then it is not possible.

Customers don't like certain products. There is one thing for cosmetic products, if they are not opened, I would change them. The product may or may not suit the skin, someone may not like it after getting home, and they can exchange it. But for jewelry options, we do not exchange them during the season. This is the time and even during the wedding season, we do not exchange any goods that are sold. If she had fully checked here and then saw it again at home.

The WhatsApp is more useful to me than Facebook, that's why I don't use it much. I sold garments online once before, and even then I didn't get much response from Facebook, but I did get a response from WhatsApp. The main customers are added on WhatsApp.

I do use Facebook normally, like others do, and I also used it for my business in the past. I used to post photos, but now I don't have time due to work pressure. When I had 100 pieces of jewelry, I had to post all 100 and not only that, I had to respond to customers when they asked for something. I don't have enough time for this now. I have posted before, but I didn't receive much response. Only my local customers responded. They would come to my store regardless of what I posted on Facebook. They also come through WhatsApp status. I have never received responses from all over India. I didn't join Facebook groups because it is costly and I don't need to do anything on them.

I cannot give time to my kid. That's the issue. Now, this is the frustration that would be there. I am not able to give her time. That's the issue. I would say life gets adjusted sometimes. In the morning, I have to go out of the house for sure. I may or may not eat, and whether the food is cooked or not, I have to go because I have to open the shop. If I don't do that, then there would be a problem. I can do anything, but for the shop, I have to go out. Then, I have to go back home, eat, take a bath, and then again I have to come back and open the shop. Then I have one focus on shop and business. I would not think of the food at all. I would do the business without eating as well. During the seasonal time, we have to adjust to this. That's all depending on the season.

I have to manage both business and family. Sometimes the brain gets overwhelmed. The external pressure can sometimes affect the family. We both do the household chores. It's not like I do everything alone. He also cooperates. If there is work at home, he helps with that too. I don't spend much time on cleaning and sweeping at home.

Yes, I do give discounts to customers. It's not based on MRP. I would also have some margin if I buy the product and not sell it for 10 rupees. I may have bought it for 7 rupees, so I would discount one rupee for the customer. This would make the customer happy and I would also have more profit. The valuable customers would get a better discount. The normal customers who just come and go would get a regular one. If a customer is good and makes a purchase of around 2000-3000, then I would definitely have to give them a higher margin. A customer who has been coming to me for a long time, I understand her preferences. She doesn't always purchase goods worth 1000 rupees, sometimes it's 200 rupees as well. However, she occasionally comes and buys goods worth 2000 rupees. She is a loyal customer and always visits me. That's the place that is meant for customers like her, and I have to make room for her.

Whatsapp is something that makes me more connected to the customers. When I meet a customer, I take their WhatsApp number and provide mine as well. This way, when I have a new collection, you can see it on WhatsApp. I save the numbers of new customers so they can see the collection and we can communicate. By communicating, I can build a relationship with the customer.

Nowadays, social media apps are extremely important for staying connected with people. Their significance is also increasing over time. Only time will tell if they will surpass online selling. It's like how the government applies taxes on certain things; we cannot predict the outcome. Customers claim that they pay more online and less offline. Therefore, we need to observe how this will affect the market. Online shopping is like not seeing the product before selecting it, whereas shopping in a physical store allows you to see and then purchase the item, which adds another value. Although you can order things online, you still prefer going to the market and physically holding the product. I believe this preference will never diminish, despite the rise of online shopping. It's like there might be a difference in color when you see something on your phone compared to seeing it in reality. If you see something online, that's fine, but it will be packaged and delivered. So, there is a chance of a store falling short. However, in a physical shop, you can inspect the product before purchasing. If you order online and find a defect, it may be difficult to return. But if you buy from a local shop, you can easily exchange it.

The personal loan would have less interest than a business loan. That's why I have taken 2 to 3 personal loans, and those are currently running. I would invest from there. There are many small micro finance companies, if you have solid business then they would give you to 2-3 lakhs also. Their staff boys would come and give me offer. If there is season then they would roam around. Now the weather is down so we cannot see them. They would normally come and offer for this. They would come and take the contact number. They would call you and ask you again and again that you need this or not, and when you say yes. They would take the documents.

I would like to make many changes for the expansion. I would also add more racks. I have these plans as well. I could do this in the current year, but I couldn't do it because I have opened another shop next to mine. I have a plan to expand this shop and add more products to it. I would also include more different items. I have done these kinds of items here. That one is rented, so I have to pay rent. If I can increase the income here, then I won't need to pay rent. I can expand this place and maintain 12 items now, and then I can maintain 24 items as well. I can do many things when I have space; otherwise, I cannot.

I have kept jewellery on open display because that's how customers get attracted. At first, they used to ask for it, and since I have displayed it, people see it and get the idea that I have this kind of goods in the shop. If someone likes something they see on display, they can also get it. I have seen this in 10 other shops and got the idea. I have also seen this display in wholesale. It would have attractive goods.

That bangles, creams, and other cosmetic products have grown slowly. At first, I didn't have much of these. I used to keep what I thought customers would need. Then, when customers came and asked for more, I started keeping one pack of each. I found that they were sold so fast, so I started getting 10 packs of each. That's how I maintained the stock and had an idea of what I would need. The Kajal would always be needed, so I made sure to have it in stock. I also kept various varieties.

I can post ads on social media. I have not yet done this, but I would do it if needed. Currently, I am running ads in the local area where there are many shops. However, why would someone from another place come here? If I need to attract customers, I could establish a relationship with them on Facebook. They could then come to meet me and make a purchase. However, this is not necessary because my existing customers are already connected with me on social media. They like to see updates about my lifestyle on Facebook. I can inform them about the products through WhatsApp and Messenger, and they can come and purchase them. This approach is more suitable for known customers rather than unknown ones. I don't use Facebook much and I don't post photos or anything like that. I do get customers automatically connected when I share the number; then they get connected. I would ask for this, like if you have come to my shop for the first time, then I will ask for this. I would share my number, and they would also save it, and then send me a message like "Hi" or "Hello," and then I add them. They would see my status and then ask for the price as well.

QR code has experienced significant growth. It is similar to when someone has 100 rupees with them and goes to a shop, but finds something they like worth 500 rupees. They can quickly make the purchase using the QR code. This is beneficial for those who prefer not to carry any credit with them while shopping. Even if they don't have cash, they can still make the payment online. This is a major advantage. Personally, I never carry cash and prefer to make online payments wherever I go. When I realized the benefits of QR code payments, I also introduced it to my customers. With QR code payments, customers can even make online payments when the shop is closed for 2 days. Online payments have significantly contributed to the growth of businesses.

I do keep things like a hair dryer or one or two items when there is a customer requirement. I don't know what the customer would ask for. I have also made this sale, so I would keep this if someone has a demand for it. I can get this, but she may not like it and she might ask me to get something better. I would have a better option as well. I would not have anything bad at all; you can use this even 10 years later and it will still work.

I do belong to the business family and I did a job also. I could not accept the atmosphere of the job. If you have a bossy attitude, then you would have a problem considering others as a boss. I thought I could do this also. Then I thought of increasing the property and doing something in that regard.

When there's a crowd in the shop and a customer asks for something but then leaves without taking it, that can be a cause for concern. Both of us are there, along with the staff, and we manage it. Customer may have asked for something from behind. Now I am handling two customers here, and there are also some other people here. Meanwhile, he is also handling two customers. I need to keep this in mind and be active when there are more customers. Both the brain and ear should be active. Then, I should also keep in mind whether she got what she wanted or not. I may ask her to stay for 5 minutes, and then she can go to another shop where there are fewer people.

During puja time, 11pm or 11:30pm would be quite normal. The people close to my shop would come at night because there would be a crowd in the evening. So, I have to keep some time open for them as they don't like crowds. That's why there would be so much crowd in the evening, and they would see this and not come at that time. Instead, they would think of coming at 11pm. I would have to open some time for them and talk to them as well. If they come and go without talking, customers would leave. But when we talk, a relationship can be built with the customer. I have to take care of this and consider it while running the business. The men wouldn't talk much; they would come, get what they need, and leave. However, the ladies would come and talk for some time. They would ask for things, so we have to give them an extra 10 to 15 minutes. After that, we have to arrange everything again and check the stock that was sold. That's how it would take from 12am to 12:30am.

During the Puja time, this would be different. I have to wake up in the morning, and if my husband is not there, I have to open the shop. Otherwise, the staff would have the pressure to open the shop at 9 am for sure. Currently, the shop opens at 10 am, but after 7 days, it will open at 9 am because it takes time to arrange everything after opening. I have to open the shop, clean, and organize the goods. Sometimes, when the goods are finished, I have to go to the market as well. The shop would close by 2 pm or 2:30 pm. Before 7 days of Puja, the shop would remain open until 3:30 pm or 4 pm. Then, it would be closed for 1 hour and reopen at 5:30 pm or 5 pm.