Now the thing is that there is no market for cosmetics in this area. In order to buy cosmetic products and garments, I have to travel to another place which is located 3 km from here. Despite that, I try to keep as many products as I can at my shop. I mainly sell cosmetic products and garments at my shop. Apart from that, I provide mobile recharges for old people at my shop. In this area, there are a lot of people over seventy years of age. There is no mobile recharge shop here. That's why I offer mobile recharges at my shop for older people. So, this is how I am running my shop, but it's not like the business is good here. The reason for this is that most people prefer to do online shopping now. In fact, the introduction of online shopping has affected the business of most retailers like me. Nevertheless, I am able to make 200-300 sales every day. Sometimes the number of sales per day goes up to 500-600. If the market conditions are really good, then the number of sales can go up to 1000-1500.
My father is a part of grinder associations.
I searched for a location where the public is more. I found a good shop and took it. We have to figure out which location is good. I came to this site and finalized it. It was a new building, so the shop was vacant.
This place used to be a garage earlier too. He couldn’t run it properly so I took it. It's been a garage since 30-40 years; only owners are being changed. Yes; I am here since last 10 years. I mean I am the only one here since last 10 years.
This area was good, and there were no problems. My business was going well in the beginning. However, as the business declined, the income also decreased. I even struggled to pay the rent for several months. I had to borrow money from others. When the business is doing well, I repay them. Unfortunately, there are no savings. I am just trying to keep the business going.
At my store, I sell accessories like chargers, headphones, and Bluetooth devices to those who need them. Additionally, I offer repair services for mobile phones. I provide servicing and fixing for customers who bring in their mobile phones. Mobile servicing is my primary service. I also have mobile chargers and headphones available for sale at my store.
I decided to choose this location after I had a chat and I got a shop. There was a stationery store here. Then, I gradually stopped selling stationery items and started selling 'puja-paath' material. I bought the stationery shop from someone.
I selected this location because it is in a market area. It may seem chaotic, but it is a public area. The outer area is far, but the market area is right here. After 10 kms, you'll find a market, and then you will reach Allahabad city, so this is the main market area. This is also Allahabad, and the main market area is about 5-6 kms away. Therefore, people from villages who don't have access to a market come here first for marketing. This can also be considered as the city market.
How I choose vendors according to customers' needs. A customer will come here for 5 minutes, choose furniture, and the furniture will reach their house on the same day. So why would a customer go 5 kilometers in traffic for furniture? There is a question - will they provide service or not? It is far, but customers walk from this road only. They'll go to Shanti Puram through this way only. Teachers go to their jobs from here. We have a CRPF camp, so it is easy for them to come for 2 minutes and complain about their issues on this route. In today's date, nobody has so much time to go and complain. They will use it until it is fine. If it breaks, then throw it. Nobody has time to complain. Among 100%, 2-4% complain, otherwise, nobody complains. If somebody's route is this, then they think of coming and complaining for 2 minutes. They trust the nearby people. That's why I thought that a furniture shop would be best for this area. Then I opened a furniture shop according to the needs of the customers. At the start, we couldn't manufacture things. Then I saw that there are 4-5 guest houses. Without invitation, I visited the guest houses in the evening. I saw what things people give during weddings, what quality, and range those products are. Then I thought that I have to keep products in that range only. Then I met 1-2 furniture shopkeepers and asked them where they bring things from and who their vendors are. They didn't provide me with the right information. Among 10, 8 answered me wrong, and 2 answered me right. Then I started taking things from those 2, like from the local market of Banaras. Then I went to Delhi, where I got to know about gerili wood. The wholesaler is selling only for his profit. The motive of the wholesaler is to sell cheap and attractive things so that the shopkeeper will sell it at a higher price. But our concept was not that. Our concept was that the materials from the wholesaler should be good because if we are selling, that will show our reputation as well. If I give bad products, then he might take it today, this year, next year. After that, he will not take it, and he will tell 4 people. Those 4 people will tell 8 more people that our products only look good but their quality is zero. During the opening, we bought products from the vendor only for show. I also sold it to some people. I kept it for 15-20 days.
We chose this location because it's in the main market. It's on the main street.
I got married in 2011. I started my business in 2016. Initially, I operated the business from home. I specialize in selling unique products, specifically pure fabric clothes. I am the only one in the entire Pratapgarh region who sells pure fabric clothes. I exclusively purchase pure fabric and sell it. Additionally, I also buy designer clothes. Pure chiffon and georgette fabrics are not sold here. Only clothes from Surat are available. I source my products from Jaipur and Kolkata. Kolkata has pure georgette fabric, while Jaipur has the craftsmanship. I obtain my products from there and do not buy anything from Surat. Jaipur is known for its bandhani work, while Kolkata has pure fabric but lacks the craftsmanship. Jaipur specializes in handwork.
I started my business in 2016 from home, and after a year or so, I opened a shop. However, there were some problems, such as my husband's business declining. Nevertheless, I decided to proceed with my business despite the lack of support. When I went to Kolkata and saw the fabrics, I liked them and thought I should sell them here. In Surat, the work is not good, but in the whole of Pratapgarh, there are 250-300 Maarwadi families. Maarwadi Chowk has 250-300 families. Therefore, they had to obtain fabrics from Kolkata or through someone else. When people learned that I am selling clothes from Jaipur and Kolkata, they became interested in my products. I mostly have regular customers who appreciate and wear the clothes I sell. Other customers don't usually come because I don't offer affordable options, and they are unfamiliar with pure fabrics. These fabrics are not washed at home; they are only dry cleaned.
Yes, when I was forced and people told me to start it. So I went to Kolkata and bought the clothes. I bought clothes for only Rs 20k - Rs 30k. I gave them to my masi and they purchased them from me and really liked them. They ordered more, saying that other people are asking for them. So when I went again, I got clothes for Rs 50k because there was pure fabric available there. And the profit margin is good for clothes made with pure fabric. People aren't aware of the price of pure fabrics. I get clothes from the place where they are made. So I get clothes at a slightly higher rate than the manufacturing rate. If I get them from here, then the cost will be higher. So I got them from there and started slowly. Then I built it into a boutique. I have 2-3 tailors who stitch blouses for me. If people ask for a fancy blouse, I show the photos to the tailor and get them made for customers.
I decided that I wanted to open a shop. There were problems in the house. The house isn't big, so it used to get congested. Customers used to come, and children were also there. I faced problems. I asked for my husband’s support and told him that I wanted a shop. So I got furniture made. With everyone’s help, I set up this shop. I started with 20 sarees. I don’t have a lot, but it's enough for me. I sell antique clothes, and whatever money comes in, I use to get more stuff. I don’t want to become a big businessman. I want people to like it, and I will eventually get there. Right now, I want to tell more people about what I sell, which are pure fabric clothes. I want them to come and check and tell me how good it is to wear during the summer. I don’t want a lot of profit or a big shop.
I chose this location because all 22 shops here actually belong to my father-in-law. They rented it to me with a proper agreement. They didn't rent it to me without a proper agreement just because I am a daughter-in-law. I made a proper agreement for 11 months and I pay the electricity bill. My husband told me that he won't allow me to do business outside in the Punjabi market. My son was very young, around 5-6 years old. He said there would be problems and advised me to start from here. He said that we'll see when it grows. That's what he said. My husband told me that. The family doesn't want me to go outside and work. They want me to open a business near the house so that I don't have to go far. They think that as a woman, it won't look good if I go out and work.
Actually, I work in industrial electrical. I deal with electrical related equipment in the factory. And whatever is needed in the industry, I deal with that particular thing. I also deal with domestic items.
I haven't started it myself. In the field of electrical, we already have a contractual firm. We also have a sister concern firm.
Recently payments through UPI has increased, small payments that is around 10k rupees. I get those through UPI and the bigger payments are done through Checks and bank transfer
My name is P. I have been in this business for 6 years. We have a section for competition books, stationery, and degrees. This is a retail shop. The term "degree" refers to BA, BSc. We provide these books to students. We are the newest shop in Pratapgarh. We are also the newest in the trade. You may have seen many other shops, some with a history of 40 years or even 50 years. However, we are the newest here as we opened this shop just 6 years ago.
This shop is for rent. Our relative, Mr. Mishra, owns this house. The monthly rent is Rs.20,000. We pay for this shop and the one below, which is used as a godown. Electricity is not included in the rent. There is also a warehouse available for inventory storage.
People of all ages come to me. From young children to older children. I also have people who are studying for the IAS exam. I also have people who are starting in the playgroup. You could say that anyone who needs books will come to me.
I believe this location will be suitable because there is a college in Pratapgarh, which is the only degree college in the area. However, the college closes at 3 pm, so I suggested that you come after that time to ensure we can have a conversation. When the college is open, there is always a crowd of children, which is my busiest time. Therefore, it would be best for us to avoid talking during that period.
The building was opened. When we moved from real estate business, we decided to start it here. I thought they would charge a high rent for it. However, our relatives insisted on not accepting anything less than 20k, as they were already receiving that much in rent. They also didn't ask for the deposit of 1 or 2 lakhs. So, I agreed and we began the work. It was a difficult time at the beginning, but soon after starting the business, my father became very ill. We had to take him to Gurgaon and admit him for about a month. This happened within a year of starting. Fortunately, he recovered there. Things are going well now.
Yes, I chose this location. This is square only for the four wheelers. Here lathe machine and vehicle’s work was done since before. This location is here since before, here earlier trucks used to get repaired. My shop is on rent. The owner of this shop had truck business. He used to repair trucks and road rollers and everything. He stopped that work and so I overtook this work here. On opposite side there were 2-3 more shops but they closed down. One shop was of oil, he used to sell all types of oil in his shop. So this square is here since 1985. Yes. Earlier Bhandara was there only but because of highway Bhandara has got extended till here. Here long route vehicles pass by and trucks halt here so it is called the square. In 1985 there were no buildings or anything in this area. Only here at the square repair shops were there.
I actually deal in seeds. This market has been here for a long time. There are many shops here, and all the nearby villages come here to buy seeds. There is a market here called Mandi, where farmers bring their crops to sell and then buy seeds from us.
Yes, I chose this location because it is near the market, and there is potential in this business. I mean, I saw some potential, that's why I opened this shop.
No, we don’t do anything, we just bring the fertilizers that the farmers need and we give it to them. Yes, medico and all, we check the disease and give them the medicine accordingly.
It has been 10 to 12 years now in this business. I tried two or three other businesses before this, but I live here, and the market is here, and I saw some potential here, that is why I opened this shop.
Yes, I focus on paddy because people grow paddy here. So, I have to focus on that only. Now people are growing rice here. After they harvest the rice, they will plant vegetables. When the season changes, I bring stuff accordingly. The thing is, after this paddy, they will start planting wheat and Chana, which we call Harbara.
Yes, I have to keep everything because some people grow grains in summer, and some people grow wheat, while others grow Chana. Some people only grow vegetables; they don't grow grains. And there are some who only grow grains, like people who don't have much time for farming. So, for grains, you don't have to pay as much attention. But if you grow vegetables, then you have to check on them every day. Yes, I need to keep pesticides because without pesticides, you won't be able to grow anything.
My brother-in-law helped me in finding the area and providing the initial amount. We did not take any loans. The shops were less in this area, so we decided to start one. But as of now there are nearly 20 shops in this area.
Customers are main. We are in the shop and if there are no customers, how will I pay the rent and current bill? How do we eat? We trust customers and are sitting here. We eat because of them. We cannot eat if there are no customers. Customers are first. Customers are very important than us.
My shop is on the main road and not anywhere inside the streets. People who pass by will come and buy. My regular customers also recommend shop to others.
I am having a fancy store. I sell fancy items, mobile recharge, toys, gift items, and stationery. We do everything. I have been doing this for the past 10 to 12 years. It has been running. I have all the items including fancy bangles. Whatever is moving maximum I do that. I do mobile recharge and SIM cards.
Regarding purchase of products, I got the information from a friend. I am purchasing all the items from Chennai. We purchased it in Parrys. The wholesale market is cheaper in Chennai than Coimbatore. My friend chose a few shops and helped me purchase things. He helped me for initial setup and I did marketing based on the movement. I am the sole owner. We also kept stationery as there is a school nearby. There is a station opposite. They come and ask for pen, pencil, and paper. As we have everything they need, there is movement. It's a small thing but we need movement, right? We aim to attract customers.
Mostly ladies are customers. When it comes to fancy, maximum ladies and when it comes to stationery, it's the kids.
I started in 2000 and it was a successful business until Corona hit. However, since then, 90% of people, including myself, have been facing business losses. This is not just limited to my area, but it seems to be happening everywhere. While I cannot speak for the entire country of India, I can certainly say that in Nagpur, Maharashtra, and the places where I conduct business, everyone is experiencing business downturns. Almost all businesses are running at a loss, including shops like Shera suits, as the owner himself has informed me.
Because we are already in a competition, I have been in the shop for 27 years, and here there is another shop, which has been going on for at least 15 years. And the market, because of the water, the customers are not coming. I also had two girls, so I have now made one because the business is going down.
I am currently running this business alone. My friend has returned, but his mother mistreats him and blames me, saying that he learned bad things from staying with me. She also says that he has moved forward while I stayed behind. During that time, my brother was also with us. We used to live together, and I helped him open his second shop. However, he closed it for his own reasons. I also opened another shop, an ice cream parlor, but I couldn't manage it. After getting married in 2010, I handed it over to my nephew. It was located here. So, my nephew, you must have seen it. R.S. Baker's shop was on the right side.
Today, it has been 27 years. For the past 18-20 years, I have been attracting customers from various locations, within a distance of 3-4-5 kilometers. I make an effort to guide them on the suitable makeup based on their needs. Is it for a light or dark complexion? Do they require face powder? I also advise them on the necessary steps before applying makeup and recommend products for oily and dry skin. I inform them to take it and be satisfied. I inform them to go and take the testers. They can come back after 15-20 days. I don't have any issues. I allow them to be satisfied.
I sell ayurvedic, homeopathic and allopathic products since 2016. Yes, we have to get a license and we have to get an approval from Mumbai.
There are hospitals nearby, that’s why I decided to open the shop here. I have one shop on the road too, here at Yadav Nagar square. We have partners and we manage over the phone.
This one is not online but but that one is. I provide deliveries and the people can use the app as well. These days everything can be done through WhatsApp.
My sister's daughter's name is the name of the store. My son's name is Prerit, but I didn't think Prerit Collection sounded good. I didn't feel like this name was suitable for a clothing shop for women. That's why I decided that since she is my sister's daughter and very young, Ayesha Collection would be perfect.
Actually, I started this business in 2015. I have a job and this business is mine. I graduated in Computer Engineering. Then, I wanted to open a cyber café. I started with my own computer. I bought a printer and began the business. So, I have been running this business for 6 or 7 years since then. I worked hard to purchase all the products for this shop and I faced many struggles, but eventually, I was able to establish this business. My shop is running smoothly and I don't have any problems. I have a staff member in my shop who has been here for the last few months. His father is close to me.
This is a cyber café where we offer services such as Xerox, lamination, and spiral binding. Additionally, I sell baby toys in my shop and also stock Milton products. We also have cold drinks and a variety of household goods available. Furthermore, we offer a range of cleaning items, including mugs and more.
I started this business only using my computer and printer. Then I expanded my shop. For one year, I had a Xerox machine and cyber services. Then I started selling plastic items, followed by toys and Milton. Gradually, the growth increased.
I chose this location because it is my house. The house next to it is also mine. We have been staying here since 1980. I was born in this house. All the elderly people in this area know me and my father, as my father developed this neighborhood and was the president. Therefore, everyone knows us. Since my house is located on the main road and I have space here, I have opened a shop here. I don't have to pay rent because it is my own building and my own shop. The plus point is that my house is beside the main road. That's why I have many benefits.
That's like when I started this, I had a system and a small printer. After 2 to 3 months, I got a computer. Then I had an old Canon Xerox machine. It was old and bigger, and used to consume a lot of electricity. I didn't have much money at that time. Then slowly, I started doing lamination and spiral binding. That's how I started this shop.
We keep all kinds of grocery and cosmetic. We keep everyday household items- also face wash and so as well as light kind of everyday use cosmetics. And also rice and pulses- we also keep biscuits.
When I built my shop, there were no flats, and my father decided to invest in this land we purchased. That's why we chose this location. Actually, my father had seen this area developing, so he decided to buy here, and other people were also buying over here.
We started this shop 10-12 years ago. It is a hardware and electricals store. I was unemployed and needed to do something. That's when I started this shop by taking a loan.
So to find my shop, you only have to take a few steps. I cannot really offer anything exclusive that Google Maps cannot help you with. I don't think I can make my presence felt on Facebook or Google Maps. There is nothing that I can put on Instagram or WhatsApp. What I have is very normal and everyday, and you can find it in any mall or in Big Bazaar. You can also find it in other supermarkets. It would have been special if I had made some unique kind of food, and then maybe people could have seen it on social media and come to me from far away. I could have used Facebook to draw attention to my special kind of food. If you walk just two steps away from my shop, you will find another shop just like mine. So, I don't think there is anything special about it, and I don't see why it is important to put it on Google Maps either. The only thing is that people can see my shop in a specific location and use it to come here.
I kept Himalaya because it's a herbal product and it's good. I use it myself and I find it very nice. It's a very old company. I have seen a Himalaya shop in Banaras and I saw hordes of Japanese, Chinese, and Korean people buying many Himalaya products in large numbers and taking them back to their countries. They must have considered the quality before purchasing, and they are not the kind of people to buy something just like that. Why were they purchasing only Himalaya products and not something else? So, I think it is good for us as well.
The reason that I have kept cosmetic products is because they are daily use items. You use face wash to wash and clean your face, and you will definitely need soap as well. Everything you see here is for everyday use, and there are also some items that children will need every day. This is why all these products are kept in the shop, and that is the purpose of having them in my shop. It is very common to use deodorant as well, and if you step out of the house, you will need it. There is no specific thought behind it! These are products that I use every day, and I am sure others also require them on a daily basis, so they will demand them from the shop. It is not solely based on customer requirements; I decide based on what I require and what I see. If you look at the products here, they are items that you need every day. For example, there is face wash, and you might be using a different brand, but you definitely must be using face wash. You will need one tube per month, so we keep monthly and daily use items. You must also be using deodorant and baby cream.
My shop is a garments shop. I used to have a private job. It soon dawned on me that I could work for 12-24 hours and not feel happy. I knew that I couldn't please anyone by doing that. I thought that this would be a better way to make ends meet as one cannot live in today's inflation. You need to average about 600 a day. it is no use otherwise. Keeping all of that in mind, I opened this shop. I had a private job in the hotel line. I was a room boy. I worked as a steward. I used to pick up luggage for customers.
I am S. I have completed my Grade 10. After my marriage, it has been 14 years since I came here. It's been 2 years since we opened the shop. We already have a franchise that has been running for 8 years now, and I was taking care of that. So, in this line, there is no other shop like this with this idea. I started the shop here. On Sundays, we will earn about 30K, and on the other days, we earn around 20K. The franchise is locked because there is no one to take care of the store. We only open it in the evenings.
I started this business, "The Fancy Bag," selling handbags. Previously, I used to sell sarees and other fancy items from home. However, we made the decision to open a physical shop instead. My mother, who is from Tirichandur, also had a fancy shop there where she sold fancy items and slippers. When my brother came here, the sales declined. In Tirichandur, the sales were seasonal, but here they are consistent throughout the year. Therefore, we decided to open our shop here.
We started the shop in 2009. By 2012, we had 13 shops- all mobile businesses. Then in 2013, there was online shopping like Amazon, Flipkart, and this business became very challenging to sustain. So, 60-70% of our sales moved online, which also reduced foot traffic in our physical shops. Consequently, we downsized, and now we have only three shops.
I was interested in electronics and music. I have been interested in TV, radio, and amplifiers since I was a kid. Now, even countries like China are assembling amplifiers. Now, everything is ready-made. So, the mobile field started to grow in 2007-08. The first brand I saw was Intex, and smartphones from their brand were very popular in Tamil Nadu. Samsung was next, but it wasn't Android; it was called Tizen. My friends suggested becoming a distributor of Intex. We thought of opening a mobile shop for retail sales. I became the super-stockist of Intex, Fly mobile, Kate Touch, and Lemon. We supplied to Erode and all districts. A super-stockist means I received the products and supplied them to a distributor, who then sold them to retailers and finally to customers. I thought that instead of doing this, we could open many branches and engage in direct counter sales to retail customers. So, I opened 13 shops, and it was going well.
Starting the Business: If we invested 5 lakhs, we could get 15-20 lakhs worth of products on credit. Since the company was new to the market, they operated on a credit basis. They also assessed the shopkeeper's standing in the industry and how long they had been in the business. I had a friend named Albert Edwin, who is a prominent millionaire in Coimbatore. I received support based on his connections. He had a relative who was the head of Samsung distribution, and that's how I acquired the initial products. In 2012, we began investing our own money, and we had over 1.5 crores in the market. Across the 13 shops, I was making between 10 to 15 lakhs in profit from accessories alone annually. This doesn't even include other sources of income, such as servicing, smartphone sales, second-hand sales, SIM activation, MNP, downloads, and more. However, I have now sold all of these shops.
All the shops were strategically located in prime areas. If you opened a shop in city outskirts, you'd open the shop at 9 in the morning and stay there until evening, but only a few people would pass by. That's why I chose main areas. If you invest in the heart of the city, it makes a difference in business. When 100 people pass by your shop, 10 of them might come in. The key is to encounter many people to generate more income. So, I chose to open a shop in a prominent location, at the bus stop, at a major junction. It's important to be in a prime spot for business.
My father gave idea to start a new branch with different name. I initially had no interest in entering this field, but my parents suggested that it's better to work in our company than for someone else. I entered this field because I aspired to be an entrepreneur from a young age. However, I didn't want to rely on my parents for investment, so I decided to work and earn on my own. I also struggled to find the right job. Eventually, my father stepped in to help me start a new business.
We specialize in manufacturing kitchen and hotel equipment, with a primary focus on grinders, ranging from domestic to commercial, including 20 and 40-liter models. We also export our products to foreign countries. While there are many popular products originating from Coimbatore, grinders hold a special place as they were first introduced here. In addition to grinders, we manufacture advanced TLC-controlled Muruku machines and Adirasam machines. Our factory produces a comprehensive range of kitchen and hotel equipment, from A to Z.
My father and I operate in the same business, but I primarily focus on the rural demand. In rural areas, there is a society where customers receive 30 to 35% subsidies for their loans. We reach out to such places through our firm to raise awareness. Our primary concentration is on rural areas. Within the city, people are generally unaware of the government scheme through which they can receive 30 to 35% subsidies on bank loans for kitchen equipment. Rural residents are to some extent aware, but city people are often unaware that the government provides subsidies, especially to women entrepreneurs.
We have customers from entire South of India. We get bulk orders from foreign countries and we have dealers there. As we provide even commercial equipment. we receive order from north India also, we sell grinders there and we purchase from them too.
Our Wholesale business is always in bulk, there is finance and they always place orders with us- 100 to 200 pieces- but margin is less but continuous orders will be there. But in retail, we have more profit but sales are rare.
We have insurance for the factory.
I am from Tirunelveli, Sathangam. I am a farmer. I came to Tiruppur 30 years ago. I initially joined a company job and then started my own business by saving some money. I am now in a better position. I opened this shop 30 years ago. At first, I had a grocery shop, and then I had a bakery shop. Since I couldn't find manpower, I started a chappal shop 20 years ago. Now the business is declining, so I am planning to venture into another business. All chappal shops in Tiruppur are closing down. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, I haven't had any business. I am planning to start something that is in demand.
There are nearly 20 textile shops in the area. The stock will be the same. There is a nearby shop and he is having only men’s wear. I have all the items. Some persons will keep all the items low. Pant shirt means only pant shirt. It will be like that. We actually keep all the items like sarees, chudidhar, nightie, in-skirt, pants, shirt, vests, briefs, braciers, and shimmies. All items are available.