I try to give discounts to all my customers. It’s not compulsory that I will give discounts to only a few customers. My strategy is that if I sell products at a fixed price, then customers won’t buy them from me. So, I have to rotate my business and the amount that I am investing in my business without stopping the product sales. I can’t keep the products in stock at my shop. I have to sell products at a discount of 10-15 percent. Once I sell the products that I already have at my shop, I will be able to buy new products. Now, if I talk about products that people are using today, they may not want to use these same products tomorrow as new products are getting launched in the market every day. That’s why I always try to sell the products which I already have in stock. Once I do that, I can buy new products and sell them at my shop. So, this is how I am running my business and my shop.
Inventory means keeping different types of products in stock. Now, if I keep a wide range of products at my shop, more customers will come to my shop. It will increase the customer flow at my shop. When the customer flow increases, I have to hire more staff to work at my shop and deal with the customers. But if I don't keep a wide range of products at my shop, the customer flow won't increase. In that case, there would be no point in hiring more staff. So, the first thing that I have to do is to invest in products and keep them in stock. Once I have done that, the customer flow at my shop will increase, and then I can hire more staff to work at my shop. Once I have done all these things, I will become a wholesaler.
The thing is, I will purchase products from the vendors first and then keep those products in stock. After that, I will wait for customers to come to my shop and buy those products. I will be able to clear my stock only when customers come to my shop. If I can't clear my stock, there is no point in hiring more staff as I won't be able to pay them. So, it would be good to place the staff in last place. I can deal with the customers by myself. But if I am getting too many customers at my shop, especially during the Durga Puja, I have to hire a few people to work at my shop and deal with all the customers. Even during the off-season, there are times when I get a lot of customers at my shop. So, it's not like I hire staff and let them go. I hire staff on a permanent basis.
The salesman has a company app on his phone. So, the salesman will ask me about all the products that I need for my shop. I will tell him that I need Lakme products like Lakme compact, Lakme foundation, and Lakme 9to5, and I need Elle 8. With the help of the app, the salesman shows us different shades in which the products come. In this way, I select the products that I want him to deliver to my shop.
If I talk about the main company distributors, they don't visit shops. But the representatives from various companies do visit my shop whenever a new product is launched in the market. They give me banners for the new product and provide me with all the information about the product. If I find that the product is good, I will purchase it and sell it at my shop.
No, I don't buy anything online. If I don't find what I need here, I go to J C Road. However, this rarely happens. There are many parts shops over there, and you can buy from any of them. Sometimes, you have to visit multiple shops to find a specific part.
No, only after I open a vehicle, I come to know which part has gone bad, and then I buy it. If I can get it nearby, it takes half an hour or one hour. If I can't find it nearby, it can take up to a week. I ask the nearby shop to get it, and they ask another person, and so on. This process takes 4-5 days to a week. During this time, the vehicle remains with me.
When I go to buy parts, my shop always remains open. Only during the half-hour lunch time, my shop is closed. There is a CCTV camera, so I don't feel afraid. The CCTV is not mine; the owner of my shop has installed it. I don't have someone to sit there when I have to go.
No. I know what I can get at the nearby shop. I call him and ask for availability. He asks me to send a photo of the part on WhatsApp, and then he tells me if it's available after seeing the message. Every vehicle doesn't have the same parts. For example, the Activa has 4 models. If I ask him about Activa parts, he asks for the part photo on WhatsApp. For JC Road, I have to carry the old part along. No, I don't have any contact over JC Road. There are many shops there, so I have to search there.
You can tell just by looking whether the part is good; whether it is of good quality. No, there are genuine parts, original parts available. There are copies available too; but you can tell by looking. I use genuine parts if the customer is ready to pay. If it's a bargaining customer I use copied parts. I tell the customer beforehand whether I will use original or copied part and repair will be done under the customers’ budget.
I close the shop from 2-5 pm. I cannot sit for the whole day. The shop is open from 10.30 am - 2 pm. Then from 5-9 pm. I have more customers in the evening. From 2-5 PM, I do nothing. I may have something to buy. I may have to go somewhere. I go to the market during that time if any item is out of stock, I go and get it.
If items are out of stock and customers are demanding them, I assure them that they will be available by the evening of the next day. If those items are available in nearby shops, I procure them from there. I ask the customers to wait for a while. I have some shops where I have contacts. There are some shops 1-2 km away. Customers wait in my shop while I go to procure the items. I ask my neighboring shopkeepers to keep an eye out. It usually takes 5 minutes to come back.
I get my items from wholesale shops. It is from Chickpet where there are many shops. I don't buy from a single shop; it is from different shops. I have to get shirts from a shop. It is mostly from a shop. As the business is down, the sales are also less. I go there only once a year. I have a wholesaler for suitings and another for sarees.
I select the wholesale shops based on rates. I go to 2-3 shops and select the shop that offers the lowest rates. The quality is the same everywhere. If there is a saree for Rs.500, we can get it at different rates in different shops. It depends on the profit they make. I choose the shops that give me the lowest rate. That is how I make my decision. It is essential. Otherwise, the wholesalers will overcharge us. They may even charge Rs.50 more per item. It is important to be careful. I also ask the workers for rates. I ask the owners for rates as well. If they quote the same rate, I purchase items from them. Sometimes, the staff and owners may quote different rates. It is not good to buy from them.
For sarees, I have to check and buy. There are new designs daily. If we get old designs, then we cannot sell them. No, for sarees, we have to check and purchase. Once I purchase, I get an auto and bring the items. They will drop the items here. I have an Activa of my daughter. I use that. If it is a small bundle, I bring it on Activa. If the bundle is big, the auto drops them here. They charge 60-70 per bundle. I buy only what is needed. If the sarees are light, I can bring around 100 sarees. If the sarees are heavy, it will be 25-30. If the sarees are very heavy, I bring only 20-25.
I have to go and check the items before buying from wholesalers. Otherwise, I will get bad items. I will get the good ones even when I make a phone call. But they will send items that are not sold there. I may have to sell them off at half the price. That will be a loss for me.
I purchase mobile phone parts from the HP Road market. I visit different shops to find the best discount and buy from the shop with the lowest price. Since all the shops offer the same quality, there is no need to compare. Before making a purchase, I inspect the products for any defects right there in the shop. Usually, a quick visual inspection is enough. For example, if it's a display, I check for any damages. Sometimes, I even ask the shop to test a part by turning it on. I buy various components such as mobile displays, microphones, speakers, etc. And yes, I test them before making the purchase.
I open the shop in the morning at 10 and close it at 2 in the afternoon. Then I open the shop again at 4 and close it at 8 at night. From 2-4 PM, I go home, sit with my parents, have lunch, and spend some time with my kids and wife. If I have time, I go to the market, buy materials, and maintain stock. My nephew handles the shop between 2-4 PM.
When we go to buy clothes, they show us the types of clothes and we pick whatever we like. We choose the types that suit my shop and the type of customers I have. We know what types of customers come to my shop. There are no high-end customers. Normal customers come, so we get normal clothes.
First, we will purchase the goods. Even if there are no workers, we can still proceed with the deal as long as the goods are full. That's why I have mentioned the workers last, because their presence is not essential for the deal.
This is important because we need to buy the goods first and keep them in our shop. When customers come, we will need workers to assist. Vendors are important because we rely on them to purchase goods. We buy goods from Delhi, Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, and Bombay. My husband and I go to Delhi, but we don't go to Bombay because we would have to close the shop for 3-4 days. We close the shop on Sunday, so we go to Delhi on Saturday to do the shopping and return in the morning to open it on Monday. No, we don't buy from Prayagraj because the prices are high and the variety is limited. There are many shops in Delhi, and Gandhinagar is a large market where we find all types of clothes and the variety we need. The local shopkeeper only keeps one variety. And we have to buy everything.
We chose these Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Delhi. The kurtis are better in Ahemdabad. T-shirts and tops are nice in Bombay. They are affordable. They will cost Rs.20 to Rs.30 more in Delhi. If we get the T-shirts from Bombay, it will cost us Rs.20 less. If we get the T-shirts from Delhi, it will cost us Rs.20 to Rs.25 more. The same goes for the kurtis. They are manufactured in Ahmedabad. They come to Delhi from Ahmedabad only. I buy kurtis and kid’s clothes from Delhi because I don't go to Ahmedabad and Mumbai all the time. I go there rarely. We mostly go to Delhi. Maximum products come from Delhi.
I go to Ahmedabad when there is a season. My husband went to Ahmedabad when it was Teej. He goes when it is the wedding season. We go to Ahmedabad and Mumbai when there is a festival or wedding season coming up. We get kurtis, lehengas, sets, and suits. We get a lot of variety there. Apart from that, we get a very low rate for the kurtis. The kurtis and suits go from Ahmedabad to Delhi. There is a brand called MK. MK's Kurtis and Riya's Kurtis are from Ahmedabad. They are sent to Delhi. Woolen products are from Ludhiana. They go to Delhi when they are made in Ludhiana.
At that time, when my husband goes to buy inventory, customers come and we deal with them. I inform the workers about their tasks. I create a list of the products we need and give it to my husband. We restock the goods when their quantity decreases. I instruct him on what to bring based on the customer's demand.
We go to the market to buy items for our shop. We buy whatever the wholesaler shows us and whatever we like from that collection. We ask the wholesaler if there are any problems with the color and if they will fade after one wash or not. We simply ask for the company's details. We choose clothes from companies that offer good quality products and avoid local ones. Yes, the clothes from Om and MK are good, so we mostly buy clothes from those companies to prevent customer complaints. I also keep an eye on the market trends while purchasing clothes from wholesalers. The color is the main factor, along with good variety and quality materials.
In Delhi, there is a shop called Mirchi Waala on Tank Road. The variety of clothes they offer is excellent. The tops and other garments are very fashionable. You won't find such clothes anywhere else. You will discover this when you visit the market. We just need to remember one thing: ask the locals for recommendations on where to find fancy clothes. They will provide us with the necessary information.
I have been a part of the sangathan since the beginning. As a Khandelwal, I knew what people liked and bought clothes accordingly. I personally purchase the clothes every time, going on my own and staying outside for 4 days with my staff. I don't order online. I am familiar with women's fashion and understand their concerns, such as lace, so I carefully inspect the work before making a purchase. Handwork can irritate the skin and stomach, so I make sure to check before buying.
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.
By God's grace, I have everything, including a house. I need to earn at least 30K per month, which I don't get. I have been trying to improve my business, but I am unable to do so. I know how to do a lot of jobs. I have worked in a grocery shop, a jewel shop, an iron shop, an arrack shop, and a whiskey shop. I have also worked in cinema theatres. Customers come to me because I have all quality stuff in chappals which comes from Bangalore also. I have nice models as well. Mainly, I have all the models that they want. So, through word of mouth, sales are going well. But now, I want to start a business that is actually in demand. I am planning to open ice-cream or juice shop. There are no shops close by, so it may work out for me. I am experienced to open any type of business by God’s grace. I want to open the new business in the same shop. As This place is very familiar and nostalgic to me. I can go anywhere without any fear, even if it means leaving my family behind for a few days.
Yes, in the beginning, my in-laws asked me not to go. They said, "How will you go alone?" My sister-in-law stays in Kolkata, so they asked me to stay at her place. She will take you there. So I did it. Nobody stays in Jaipur. I used to go alone. I got scared in the beginning, but I stayed and bought things in the hotel of my choice. I used to get up at 7 and leave by 9. The market opens up at 10. I used to roam in the market and see. There are problems, but I do it. I took the clothes on my own and didn't use transport for it. I have used transport to get my inventory, but I had a loss of Rs 10k as they used to steal it. I am not a big businessman. I started with getting Rs 1 lakh inventory. So I used to get it on my own in the beginning.
I used to travel long distances to buy books. I did this to ensure that no customer would leave unsatisfied. I would write down their requirements and make sure to fulfill them within 2 days. This was our way of keeping our customers happy. It has been years since I last visited Allahabad, but in the first two years, I had to go there for three days. This was done to ensure that no customer would be disappointed and that they would not have to return. Another important aspect is inventory. Having enough goods in stock is crucial. If a customer comes and we don't have what they need, they will leave. Additionally, the behavior of our staff is also vital. If our staff is not friendly and helpful, customers will not return. That's why I provide training to my staff on how to interact with customers. Lastly, there are vendors who visit us. We try our best to accommodate them with the goods we have available, but we cannot provide them with items we don't have in stock.
In retail, let's say we have goods for competitive exams. We receive these goods on Monday. We send the requisition of the day to Allahabad in the evening. The bundle arrives on Monday morning at 8 am, including books and other stationary goods. Stationary goods come directly from the company, usually 3-4 times a month.
No, I don't go there. Nowadays, you can do it on your phone. Just make phone calls or use WhatsApp. I can place orders on WhatsApp as well. You just have to write the name of the product and quantity. Just make a list and send it to that person.
If something goes wrong with the dealer happens then I can buy it from somewhere else.
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.
When it comes to fancy items, choices of customers change every year and not just 10 years. If you have the same collection the next day also, they will ask if it is old. We have been purchasing items every 3 months. We also purchase items in limited quantities. I don’t worry about cost as things don't expire. Only Cosmetics only expire. I will take in less quantity. Other items I will take more. Depending on customer preferences, items can sell out slowly or be fast moving. We need to purchase it once every 3 months or else we cannot manage it. We go to Chennai only for Diwali. Other times, we purchase items locally.
Yearly once I go to Chennai . I usually buy from one person. I used to take from 2 or 3 shops regularly. They used to tell us that you took this collection last time and don't want this. They used to show us what's new. They remember us as we go there regularly. They will guide that you may be having this stock, so take this instead. They give us new collections. If you go to some new shops, they will try to sell their old stock. In my store, I also try to first sell off the old stock, we sell the new stock later. That's how they do it. It's not a problem to go to a new supplier, but it's an old shop and we go to a new supplier, they will give us the old stock. They will try to lower the price and push the products. So sometimes, if we are not careful enough, we can get stuck with old stock.
Wherever I go, particularly in Chennai, we could buy things only after paying the cash upfront. There is no credit in Chennai. They will give us the collection and we will take whatever we want. If they show 1000 items we are going to choose 10. We will take whatever we need and which is not there. When we purchased it for the first time, we purchased everything. There was a lot of waste and also sales. It took me 2-3 years to understand this.
I made a list. If girls come, I will go to the market in 30 minutes. I go to the market every day. The special thing is that I stopped getting goods from any company. I joined a program with a company. I am happy with them. Other companies want me to get 12 items. They want me to get 12 items. Every company comes to take an order. I don't get from them. If I go to the market, I get 2 items. If I go to the market, I get 2 items every day. Or if I make a phone call, I get my cosmetics from Indora Chowk at 9.30-10 am. Or I get it before the shop opens in the morning. Sometimes I go to the market in the afternoon.
We need to go and get it. I purchase the goods from the shopkeepers who are selling it at a good price. There are 4-5 shops. I buy the goods from all of them. Then I buy it from them. I buy from the shops that have more quantity and variety.
This is a WhatsApp group for a business called Novelty Shop. We share updates about the new varieties we receive. I saw a new variety this morning and I have shared it on WhatsApp. When we visit the shop, we can see what is available and buy whatever we like.
There are very few vendors who come and make deliveries. If we have to buy in bulk quantities, then they come and deliver. I go and get it myself from the market for smaller orders. Currently, there are 2 to 3 markets. There are 2 stores in Ganji Peth, and there is one more at Aggression Square.
No, I don't search for stores; they are all really old. It depends on the time. I try to save time for commuting. For example, there is one wholesaler at Yadav Nagar and another one at Mahindra Nagar. We should call them first and check if they have the medicines available or not. If they say they have it, then we go to them and take it instead of going to the market and purchasing it.
No, I did not try Big Basket, but I have tried Jio. It is the PharmEasy app. There is also the Tata 1mg app. Netmed is available as well. There is a distributor called Aashirwad. Jio is good. If we place an order today, the stock will be delivered tomorrow. After that, Aashirwad distributor is also good. Here, if we place an order at 12 noon, the stock will be delivered to our counter around 3-3.30 pm. The mode of payment is cash. If they have the stock, they will show it as available; otherwise, they will show it as out of stock.
When choosing new stocks, I keep in mind factors such as advertisements, emerging patterns, and customer demand. I provide stocks to customers based on these considerations.
Vendors are like a network, where you discover new vendors through existing ones. If someone likes a Saree or Kurta that I have, they will likely recommend my shop to others. This is how I find new vendors. I don't have fixed vendors because when I need to buy stock, I don't have a specific shop in mind. I explore multiple shops in the market and then make a purchase from whichever one I prefer. Personally, I prefer buying from Gandhi Bagh, which is a wholesale market. If you stick to one shop then you don’t find what you are looking for. That is why I explore four shops and then buy it.
I never felt the need to take a loan before, but now I want to borrow money. My grandad is against it, as I mentioned earlier, and he doesn't allow me to do it. Perhaps someone has deceived him in the past, someone may have borrowed money and never paid it back, that's why he refuses. I mean, I want to borrow money, but if I can find a suitable loan, I will definitely take it. I will take the loan if I want to purchase more stock, in other words, if I want to expand my business. I will get the loan from wherever the interest rate is lower, because that's what you prioritize, isn't it?
I call and inform them on WhatsApp that these goods are required. They send the sample. They create a bill and send us the bill on WhatsApp. I send them the payment amount on PhonePe. Sometimes I also make purchases on credit. Later, I pay off the credit and they send me the goods by transport. This process continues in this manner. Now, if I order any unique product, then I have to go there. If they call me to see some new and unique items, in that case, I also visit their place and choose the color and items. Both my wife and I like to see and touch the product before ordering because if I like it, the customer will also like it. I think in that way. That's why I handle everything on my own.
I don't need any vendors for cyber. They come and give papers to my shop. When the ink is over, I call them and they come to refill the ink. I have to purchase the materials. In some cases, I have to purchase from Kolkata, and in some cases, I have to purchase from Asansol. If it is very urgent, I have to purchase from Durgapur as well. When I went to purchase from Kolkata, my wife went with me, so we roamed around the Barobazar area. I stayed at the house of my relative. On the second day, I ordered goods from 2 to 3 shops after seeing all the products myself. I also contacted the transport and brought the goods by transport. Then, when I went to Asansol, I realized that I was getting the same goods at the same price, but the transportation cost was lower. So, I started purchasing goods from Asansol. Now, I order goods by phone.
When I go to Asansol, I search for products there. And when I go to Kolkata, I also search. I search by myself. Last month, I went to Asansol. From there, I bring products. Before going to that shop, I survey the market to see if any new products have come in. I compare the prices. If I survey 4-5 shops, I get an idea of the price. If I visit 4 to 5 shops, I have an idea that in this shop, this product costs this much. When I go to my regular vendor, I check if that item is available there and I try to know the price. Then I can understand where the price is higher. If I see that a shopkeeper is charging me more, then I don't buy from him. Obviously, I buy from the shop where the price is lower. But the person from whom I buy the product is very good, he offers a reasonable price. It is his wholesale shop.
There's no fixed vendor, actually. When it is very urgent, I can't go to Kolkata or Asansol. Then I have a fixed vendor in Benachiti from whom I bring products. In Asansol, I also have a fixed vendor from whom I bring products. Additionally, I search for new shops and check the product quality there.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Boys who work for distributors come to our shop, and they will also have to make calls to us because that is a very important part of what they do. So, they call us, and if I feel that I can sell what they have, then I get it to the shop. They call us and come with all the items, asking us if we would like something new. They tell us to give it a try because sometimes the products are good, according to them. I will have to worry about the cost because if it's a new and very expensive product, then I am not sure if people will buy it.
I check if customers want that product and if there are advertisements on TV, as well as if people are demanding that product. People asking or searching for products will give me a hint, and then I stock that.
Online means we have everything from Asian Paints, and the company has already added those. From the ads of Asian Paints, we are Asian Paints dealers. Only our names and phone numbers are given there.
I need to buy goods from vendors. I don't buy goods worth 1-2 lakh. I make local purchases. I buy from wholesale markets and stock my place. I do Asansol Local Purchases. They are about 2km away and I can purchase goods worth say 20k or so. They also give some amount of credit.
We selected Asian Paints because it is the best among all paints. That's why. Earlier, we used to sell products from 2-3 different companies. However, we noticed that the sales of Asian Paints were higher. This is one point. Additionally, the quality of Asian Paints is superior compared to other companies. That's why we decided to remove all other companies and only focus on Asian Paints. Asian Paints is much better. Previously, we used to sell Gautam and other brands. Before that, we sold Berger. Asian Paints has been available in our shop since the beginning.
We sell those god's pictures. People put them at home. Customers ask for them. So we thought of keeping them. Each product depends on customer demand. 4-5 customers came and they asked for the same product. So we are keeping these. If ten customers come asking for the same product, that means there is demand for that product. And if one or two customers come for some product, that means there is not much demand for that product. Keeping that in mind, we keep products. We also consider whether a product is included in hardware or not. We need to know that as well.
Masons buy those brooms. Whoever does masonry work, they need this. Masons only ask for this. They need this. Everything is kept based on customer demand. We ask and get to know the requirements of ten masons. Out of ten people, whichever item all ten of them are asking for, we keep that. When they come to buy something, we ask them at that time. After they make their purchase, they stand here for two minutes. And at that time, we have some conversations. We ask them what else they need. And we also ask which company's product is better. And we only keep those materials. For example, ten painters came and we asked all ten of them which company is better, like Asian Paints, Berger, Nerolac? All of them mentioned Asian Paints. So, we started to carry Asian Paints. Overall, we carry whichever products have more demand. We take reviews from customers, painters... Then we keep our stock.
Customers are like that; they won't leave. They will inquire about the rates and point out that the rates are different from other stores. For example, a product may be sold for Rs 13 there, but here it will be priced at Rs. 15. Customers will mention that there is a difference of Rs 2. This could be because the item is in higher demand there than here. Some people understand when we explain, while others don't. There is nothing like that the item will sell off in the end. I will calculate how many items will be needed for that week accordingly. So, if I take something for Rs 100, it will come down to Rs 75. Therefore, I will get only 10 pieces. Just because the rates will go down, doesn't mean I will get 15 cases, as I would incur a loss of Rs 25. I won't do such a thing.
With suppliers, I will only buy it if there is a customer inquiry, so even if two customers are asking, I will buy and keep the item. Maybe 3-4 pieces of that product/brand.
We always buy the items requested by the customer. Specifically in this area, whatever they are asking for, we will purchase and keep in stock. If they come asking for a specific brand, and if we suggest something new, they will definitely not buy it. That's how the people here are. Mostly, I have seen it like that.
We buy new packs of the stock only when the old packs are sold out. We generally buy only 5 packs. They are usually sold out within a week. Then we restock them again the following week. If they ask for a new product and that product is not there, we ask them to come next day or in the evening. By that time, we buy that item and store it in our shop.
Vendors give us a lower rate. We add one or two profits and sell. Since we opened this shop, we have been purchasing from them exclusively. They are the only wholesale shop in this area. We buy items like mixture and murukku from another shop. I buy vegetables from the mandi market. He goes to the market at about 5 AM and comes back at 6.30 AM. We buy only 1 or 2 kgs of vegetables. We don't sell them in large quantities; we sell them at a fixed price. One bundle for 10 rupees. We measure and keep them as bundles. We keep them pre-packed and then customers take whatever they want. We buy all the vegetables like carrots and beans. We try to sell the entire lot. If we are unable to sell, we give them away to people in need.
We buy milk daily. Generally, we have an idea of how much we need. If there is an event, we may need more. If it runs out, we buy an extra 2 liters the next day. If we have too much stock, we try to finish the old stock and buy less for the next day. After finishing the stock, we start fresh again the next day with 10 liters. Sometimes sales are very low, especially during rainy days, and we may not have any packets to give to customers. We buy around 20 to 25 liters in different quantities such as 250 ml, 500 ml, and 1 liter. My husband buys fruits from the market, mostly in raw form. Once they ripen, we hang them. Some of them I sell in bulk.
My husband gets vegetables and fruits by a 2-wheeler. When he goes in the morning, he only gets vegetables and fruits. Then he buys grocery items when he goes again for the second time. Sometimes he goes after 6 PM and buys the grocery items.
We don't buy a large quantity of stock. We only buy when the packet is finished, otherwise it will go bad. We only buy 3 kilos at a time. When it runs out, we buy more. The customers asked us to add dried chili to prevent insects. These steps are only taken in the wholesale shop. We don't do anything else.
There are other shop owners who have a chappal shop. I ask them about their suppliers. If it is the VKC brand, we have the article number. We can ask for the number and they will send the pieces to us. VKC is a branded item, so they will have all the same items. They give us a catalogue and we can also order through that. I trust them because we have a good relationship. [shows the catalogue] These are all provided by the company. They take our name, phone number, and if there is a new article model, it will come to us directly. We ask them for new models, and if they have them, they will send them to us. I buy through a sub-dealer. We can find a sub-dealer with the help of the article number. I buy at least once a week. We can look for more varieties when we go to purchase. They will also respond by phone, but the product may not be the same. So, it is better to buy directly. Sometimes we will not get size 7. If we want extra pieces in size 7, we can specifically ask for them.
We buy the number of pieces based on the size demand. Sizes 8 and 9 are in higher demand. It also depends on the area. In this area, they ask for size 8. If we get it as a set, we buy extra pieces of sizes 8 and 9. We buy 1 set of 10, 1 set of 6, and 1 set of 7.
Wholesalers have a fixed price. They don’t give offers. If we pay in cash, we would get an extra 2 percent discount. Suppose we are buying for 10 lakhs; we can go and buy more. Usually, we buy stock worth 1.5 lakhs in a month. In a year, it is 18 lakhs. But now it does not sell even for 30,000. Sales are low. It should at least sell for 5000 in a day for us to afford it. We will get a profit of 1500 rupees with a 30 percent profit margin. If I get a 30 percent profit, I would earn a profit of 1500 rupees. Even if I spend about 500 on rent, I can save 1000 rupees. If it sells for 2000 rupees per day, then I would only earn 600 rupees, which would be a loss for me. My expenses come from the income I earn from the shop. My turnover would be very low. So, it is not affordable.
Depending on the product, I used to get supplies from different places. Sarees are from Gujarat. Lining and Kurtas are again from North- Surat, Ahmedabad, Bhilwara, Pali, etc. Shirts from Erode, Madurai. Pants are from Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Braciers, shimmies, and panties and leggings everything is from Tiruppur.
If we order on the phone, vendors will deliver. Bundles will come in the lorry and we need to pick up. To order stock, I will check how many pieces are there in 38 inches shirt half and full. If the pieces are less in half and more in full means I will decide not to take full and order half hand shirts as it is fast moving. I will see all that and order. I place order may be every 6 months. Each time the condition will differ. Definitely we place a Diwali order. Maximum 75% we will order for new stocks. 25% are there now. If the place is not enough we keep in the godown, at the back of the shop.
I don't have any other apps for business. I have Jio app, AJIO. They are giving us wholesale items. I buy items like socks, towels, kerchiefs, etc.. Then there is a company called Udaan. They came here and did marketing. I have that. Local shops are also using apps. Hindustan (company) items like soap, toys, etc. are available online. If we click necessary items online, they will deliver it and we pay in cash on delivery. I purchase 80% from outside and only 20% online. I like to go and purchase. I like to see things and purchase things. That's why I go out to purchase myself