How I opened a housewares and household goods store. New trade formats in the tableware market. Pop-up stores

* Calculations use average data for Russia

1. PROJECT SUMMARY

The goal of the project is to open a tableware store in a city with a population of more than 1 million people for the retail sale of tableware and household items. A feature of the project is a promising cooperation with private craftsmen and the sale of author's dishes, which is a competitive advantage.

For the implementation of the project, a room of 50 m2 is rented, located in a shopping center.

The target audience is the female population of the city aged 20-60 with an average income level. The price segment is medium.

The initial investment is 1,000,000 rubles. Investment costs directed to the acquisition commercial equipment, the initial purchase of goods and the formation of working capital, which will cover the losses of the initial periods. The bulk of the required investment is in inventory, which accounts for 50%. Own funds will be used to implement the project.

The financial calculations cover the five-year period of the project's operation. Revenue and net profit forecasts are based on a sales plan of 400 sales per month and an average bill of 1,500 rubles. According to the calculations, the initial investment will pay off in 12 months of work. The profitability of sales in the first year of operation will be 9.4%, while the industry average is 8%. Integral project performance indicators are presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Key performance indicators of the project

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE INDUSTRY AND COMPANY

Tableware is a consumer good and is valued not only as a household item, but also as an element of decor. Demand for it always remains on enough high level for several reasons. Firstly, most of the dishes are quite fragile and break easily; secondly, it is interconnected with the dynamics of real estate sales, since usually new settlers prefer to purchase new dishes; thirdly, dishes and sets are one of the most popular gift options; Fourthly, the dishes are affected fashion trends, so many consumers want to upgrade it; fourthly, customers spontaneously purchase dishes that they like. To date, the market is represented by a variety of goods of various types of dishes and price categories, which allows you to satisfy any demand.

The dynamics of the development of the tableware market directly depends on the well-being of the population. According to statistics, the income of the population against the backdrop of negative GDP dynamics in 2015 decreased by 4% and continued to fall in 2016. The decrease in buying activity led to a decrease in the volume of retail sales of tableware in various market segments. It is possible to maintain the level of sales in the tableware market due to the intensity of discount promotions in retail stores. At the same time, in 2016 there is an increase in the cost of dishes by 10%.

At the end of 2016, the tableware market in quantitative terms reached 1.47 billion pieces, demonstrating an increase of 3%. Over the past two years, there has been a slight decline in the market, which is explained both by a decrease in purchasing power and a decrease in imported products due to the exchange rate. Tableware imports decreased by 34% in 2015, and its share in the Russian market was 46% (against 59% in 2014). Against this background, domestic producers felt much more confident, which was reflected in the growth in the production of tableware. Thus, the production of glassware increased in 2016 by 5.4%, porcelain - by 6%, while the production of ceramic tableware decreased by 3.4%.

Summing up, we can distinguish the following trends in the market for tableware in Russia:

Decrease in buying activity;

Shifting buyers between different price segments;

Reduction of imported products and import substitution policy;

Growth of investments in this industry, which arose as a result of reduced competition from foreign suppliers;

Departure of many sellers from the market;

Growth in sales of tableware in the online trading segment;

Decreased profitability of the dishware business;

Intensity of promotions in dishware retail to stimulate consumer demand;

Revision of assortment policy and decrease in product quality;

Decreased markup on crockery.

Thus, there is a downward trend in the tableware market, which, according to analysts, should change to a positive trend during 2017.

Despite the negative market trends, this type of business is still quite in demand.

3. DESCRIPTION OF GOODS AND SERVICES

This project involves the opening of a tableware shop for the purpose of retailing tableware and household items. The assortment of the store includes the following product groups: glassware, porcelain, ceramics, cutlery, tableware, kitchen utensils, kitchen textiles and decor. The project provides for a multi-brand store format, which will allow the best way meet changing consumer demand and offer more wide range of. The store will specialize only in retail.

The store will operate in a self-service format. As practice shows, such a system contributes to the growth of sales. Products in the store will be divided into categories: kitchenware, tableware (by segments - porcelain, ceramics, glass) and kitchen textiles.

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To form the assortment, a thorough analysis of the manufacturers of tableware that are on the market should be carried out. A competent approach to the choice of assortment will allow you to avoid excess inventory, reduce the likelihood of illiquid assets and increase turnover.

When forming an assortment, it is necessary to consider the following recommendations:

Give preference to white dishes - this classic option is most in demand, as it is suitable for any interior and is quite democratic in design;

For the initial stage, the optimal number of suppliers is 4-5 brands;

Take into account the interest of buyers in a particular type of dishes: the most popular is porcelain dishes, and recently the demand for glassware has been growing;

The need for a variety of assortment with novelties, catchy and bright dishes. Its share in the assortment should be small, but such dishes usually attract the attention of buyers;

The need for souvenirs, tableware and cooking utensils - each of these segments provides about a third of income during the year;

Apart from famous brands and classic dishes, you can complement the assortment with original and original products made by private craftsmen. Today, there are many talented craftsmen on the market who make author's dishes. Thanks to the sale of such products, you can declare the uniqueness of the range and stand out in the market.

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For the implementation of this project, the assortment was compiled taking into account all the above recommendations. For convenience, the entire range is structured by product type. Table 2 provides a list of products and manufacturers with which cooperation can be established.

Table 2. Planned assortment of a dishware store

At the initial stage, it is planned to work with five manufacturers that have proven themselves in the market: Dulevo porcelain factory, Pilot glass factory, Pskov potter, Aluminum Metallurg Rus, Belarusian flax.

4. SALES AND MARKETING

The target audience of the dishware store is the female population of the city aged 20-60 with an average income level. It is assumed that at the initial stage, the main buyers will be visitors to the shopping center who accidentally entered the store, where the outlet will be located. Over time, it is planned to form a client base and advertise the store.

To attract visitors to the store, a well-thought-out marketing strategy is necessary. Before opening a store, you should place an ad at the outlet and consider event marketing. It is advisable to time the discount promotion to the opening day or offer the first visitors a loyalty card. An interesting and original option for the opening action is the drawing of a certificate for a master class at a pottery school. You can spread the word about the opening in the media or hand out leaflets inviting you to the store. An effective advertising tool will be a decorated showcase that will attract the attention of potential customers. According to marketing research, 70% of customers enter the store because they are attracted to a beautifully designed window display. The cost of window dressing is an average of 25,000 rubles. A bright sign will help to focus attention on the store. An advertising sign will cost around 15,000, including installation.

Competent registration of a trading floor is an important element of marketing strategy. When placing products on the shelves, the following principles of displaying goods should be observed: dishes should be displayed systematically (taking into account manufacturers, colors, etc.) and without clutter, which will reduce the perception of the assortment by the buyer.

You can also create accounts on social networks, where store products, information about discounts and promotions will be posted. You can hold a “circle” campaign for a repost - this will expand the audience of consumers. You can run a "product of the week" promotion, offering customers to purchase a certain category of product at a discount.

Another attraction tool is a unique offer, i.e. the presence in the store of a product / service that is not provided by competitors. This will force the consumer to come to your store. For example, it can be dishes handmade, unusual dishes from different countries, etc.

This project provides for the following promotional tools:

Promotion with drawing of a free certificate for a master class in pottery -1500 rubles;

Window dressing - 25,000 rubles;

Distribution of leaflets with a 10% discount coupon - 3500 rubles.

It will take an average of 3 to 6 months to promote the store and reach the desired sales volumes - during this time, buyers have time to get to know and get used to the new outlet.

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When planning the volume of sales, some seasonality of the dishware business should be taken into account - in the cold season, they often buy dishes for tea and coffee, and in the summer months - dishes for cold drinks. During the New Year and spring holidays, sales volumes increase by 2-3 times, the greatest demand is for giftware.

The planned sales volume is calculated based on the average check amount of 1,500 rubles and the number of customers - 400 people per month. Thus, the average amount of revenue will be 600,000 rubles per month. It is planned to reach the declared sales volume in the fourth month of the store operation.

5. PRODUCTION PLAN

The implementation of this project includes the following stages:

1) Business registration. No special permits are required for retailing tableware. However, the dishes are included in the list of products subject to mandatory certification by the decision of the State Standard. This should be taken into account when choosing tableware suppliers.

To open a dishware store, you will need to collect a package of documents, which includes a sanitary and epidemiological conclusion from Rospotrebnadzor, permission from the fire inspectorate, and regulatory documents for the store.

For reference commercial activities an LLC is registered with a simplified taxation system (“income minus expenses” at a rate of 15%). Type of activity according to OKVED-2:

47.78 Other retail trade services in specialized stores.

2) Choice of location. As with any retail establishment, location plays an important role. The location assessment of a store takes into account such components as area characteristics, ease of parking, foot traffic intensity, visibility and noteworthiness, proximity to similar enterprises. The required store area is at least 40 m2. For a store with a self-service system, an area of ​​​​at least 50 m2 is desirable. However, it all depends on the scale of the store and the assortment.

This project provides for the lease of premises in a shopping and entertainment center. It is important that there is no analogue store on its territory, which reduces the level of competition. The advantage of this location is the continuous flow of potential buyers. The main disadvantage is the high rent. A retail space of 50 m2 costs about 50,000 rubles on average.

3) Equipment of the retail space and the interior of the store. The interior of the store plays an important role in the perception of customers. The retail space should be bright and cozy, imitating a home environment. When choosing the premises for the store, the criterion for the suitability of the pavilion for the start of work was taken into account, so there are no repair costs. The decor of the room will need 15,000 rubles. In addition, you should purchase commercial equipment - racks, showcases, cash counter, cash register. Since the store operates in a self-service format, several racks will be required on which the goods will be placed. For the initial stage, one cash desk is equipped in the store, however, when the planned sales volume is reached, a second cash desk will be installed. Table 3 shows the main equipment costs, which amount to 132,000 rubles.

Table 3 Equipment Costs

4) Purchase of goods. Having decided on the suppliers, it is necessary to purchase goods for the store. Practice shows that for a small dishware store, 500,000 rubles will be enough to form the initial assortment. Based on the specifics of demand and the conditions of suppliers, it will be necessary to purchase additional goods. The main thing in this matter is to correctly calculate the required volume of goods in order to diversify the assortment, but to exclude illiquid assets and oversaturation of product shelves.

5) Recruitment. The main staff in the store are sales assistants. It is on them that the success of trading largely depends. Portrait of a sales assistant: a middle-aged woman, smiling and polite, who knows a lot about crockery paraphernalia and is able to convey information to the buyer in an understandable form. Practice shows that it is this type of seller that inspires the most confidence in the average buyer. The key criteria in the selection of personnel are communication skills, responsibility, courtesy, and the ability to work with people. For the initial stage of the store operation, two sales assistants and two cashiers will be required. A shift work schedule is provided, one sales assistant and a cashier work in each shift. The functions of a manager and accountant are assigned to the entrepreneur himself - this will save money in the first months of work.

Before starting work, the staff must be trained, having familiarized themselves with the range of products, their characteristics and sales technology.

6. ORGANIZATIONAL PLAN

The preparatory stage lasts about two months, during which it is envisaged to go through registration procedures, establish partnerships with suppliers, search suitable premises, recruitment, purchase of equipment and goods.

In this project, the entrepreneur performs the main functions of a manager - he goes through all registration procedures, recruits personnel, negotiates with landlords and suppliers, purchases goods, is engaged in strategic promotion of the store, and controls sellers.

Sales assistants and cashiers work in the store to carry out the trading process. Since the store is open daily, a 2/2 shift schedule should be established. Shift - a cashier serving the cash desk, and a sales assistant working in the hall.

The opening hours of the store coincide with the opening hours of the shopping center - from 10:00 to 22:00. Based on these conditions, the staffing table is formed. The wage fund is 106,600 rubles.

Table 4. Staffing and payroll

8. FINANCIAL PLAN

The financial plan takes into account all income and expenses of the project, the planning horizon is 5 years.

To launch the project, it is necessary to calculate the amount of investment. To do this, you need to determine the costs for the purchase of equipment, the initial purchase of goods and the formation of working capital, which will cover the losses of the initial periods. The initial investment for opening a dishware store is 1,000,000 rubles. The main part of the required investments falls on commodity stocks - their share is 50%; 30% accounted for working capital, 13.2% for the purchase of equipment, and the remaining 6.8% - for advertising, business registration and arrangement of retail space. The project is funded by equity. The main investment cost items are shown in Table 5.

Table 5. Investment costs

Variable costs consist of the cost of purchasing goods. To simplify financial calculations, variable costs are calculated based on the sum of the average check and a fixed trade margin of 60%.

Fixed costs are made up of rent, utility bills, payroll, advertising costs and depreciation. The amount of depreciation is determined by the straight-line method, based on the useful life of fixed assets in 5 years. Fixed costs also include tax deductions, which are not presented in this table, since their amount is not fixed, but depends on the amount of revenue.

Table 6. Fixed costs

Thus, fixed monthly expenses were determined in the amount of 179,100 rubles.

8. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

The payback period of the project with an initial investment of 1,000,000 rubles is 12 months. The net monthly profit of the project upon reaching the planned sales volumes will be about 50,000 rubles. It is planned to reach the planned sales volume in the fourth month of operation. The profitability of sales in the first year of operation will be 9.4%, while the industry average is 8%. The return on investment is 13.6%, and the internal rate of return exceeds the discount rate and is equal to 9.72%.

The financial plan takes into account the optimistic sales forecast that can be expected due to the store's favorable location and high traffic of potential buyers.

9. POSSIBLE RISKS

To assess the risk component of the project, it is necessary to analyze external and internal factors. The specifics of the institution determines the following risks of activity:

Increase in purchase prices for goods, unscrupulous suppliers. In the first case, there is a risk of increasing costs and, as a result, the selling price, which may negatively affect demand. In the second case, the risk is associated with interruptions in the trading process due to a lack of goods. It is possible to reduce the likelihood of these threats with a competent choice of suppliers and the inclusion in the contract of all necessary conditions which provide liability supplier in case of their violation;

Insufficient level of demand. This risk is one of the most probable and may arise due to both low solvency of demand and high distribution costs. It is possible to reduce the risk with careful planning of the store's activities and financial results, competent choice of retail space, holding various promotions and discounts, stimulating repeat purchases, flexible pricing;

Reaction of competitors. Since the tableware market is quite saturated and the competition is high, the behavior of competitors can have a strong influence. To minimize it, it is necessary to create your own client base, constantly monitor the market, have a customer loyalty program and create competitive advantages;

property risks. This category includes the risks associated with damage and theft. Crockery is a rather fragile item, so it is not uncommon for it to be damaged. The self-service system increases the likelihood of this risk occurring. Minimizing the threat will allow the sales assistant to check the goods that enter the store, control the situation on the trading floor.

Problems with personnel, which means low qualification, staff turnover, lack of motivation of employees. The easiest way to reduce this risk is at the stage of recruitment, hiring employees who meet all the requirements. It is also worth considering bonus motivation for employees;

Decrease in the reputation of the store among the target audience due to errors in management or a decrease in the quality of services. It is possible to mitigate the risk with constant monitoring of the quality of goods and services, receiving feedback from store customers and taking corrective measures.

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Trading is one of the most sought after sources of income. If you are attracted to the job own business, consider opening a china shop. Draw up and carefully work out a business plan for a dishware store, and the result will not be long in coming. Try to open a store and it will become your reliable and constant source of income.

Why is it profitable to trade dishes today?

Firstly, people have always had, have and will have the desire to stand out from the crowd. Each hostess is always happy to surprise her guests and loved ones with serving both a festive and everyday table. An important role in the dishware business was played by the Soviet shortage - a time when people had a desire to be different, but this was impossible for one simple reason: everyone ate and drank from the same cups and plates, because there were no others at that time. Therefore, nowadays it is very valuable for people to have something beautiful and unusual in the house. This also applies to dishes.

Secondly, the sale of tableware is significantly influenced by social factors. Luxurious sets are must-have gifts for a wedding or housewarming. The more people buy houses and apartments, the stronger the demand for dishes for arranging new housing increases.

Thirdly, the constant change in fashion trends always entails a demand for dishes. Now in stores you can find plates not only round, but also oval, square and even triangular in shape, while having different colors. The ever-expanding assortment is another guarantee of successful trading.

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The success of your business will depend on the preparation of a business plan.

A well-written business plan will help open a store and become the key to success and future profits.

Therefore, approach this issue responsibly and use the advice of specialists who will analyze your business plan and check the correctness of the calculations.

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Manufacturers and suppliers

First you need to decide on the brands of manufacturers that will be presented for sale. According to the price range, manufacturers are divided into classes:

• low - Turkey, China;
• medium - Poland, Belarus;
• high - France, Czech Republic, Italy.

Having studied in detail the range of different brands, proceed to the selection of future suppliers. Check out their terms and conditions. For suppliers, a very important criterion is the fulfillment of the conditions by the customer. In order for your further cooperation to be profitable and successful for both parties, familiarize yourself with the terms of payment and delivery of products in advance, highlight all the pros and cons for yourself.

The next step is to define the target audience. It depends on which point you want to open: mono- or multi-brand. For beginners, it is better to focus on the second option, as it is more flexible. Without certain experience and skills in the trade of dishes, it is quite difficult to early stages represent only one company.

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Premises: location, area, interior

To open a glassware store, you need to choose the right location. It is important that the outlet is located in densely populated and passable areas. The best option would be the location of a china shop in a large shopping center. With this arrangement, a constant flow of visitors is ensured. It will not be superfluous to familiarize yourself with nearby competitors, as well as evaluate their pricing policy in relation to the product they sell. The rental price of the premises will vary depending on the location, the availability of parking lots and the convenience of access roads.

When choosing a premises, it is necessary to take into account the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe outlet. To organize a small store minimum area will be 60 sq. m. The footage depends on the number of zones and the range of products. Dishes are selected according to their purpose and divided into zones, for example, festive - in one zone, everyday - in another.

An important step is the interior design of the store. This will also affect the cost of purchasing equipment (cash register, showcases, shelves, racks, etc.), information about which should be included in the business plan. If you work with manufacturers directly, they can provide commercial equipment for their products. In branded racks, dishes will look more impressive. The downside is that foreign manufacturers cooperate exclusively on a prepaid basis, but in cases where amounts of several tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars are involved, it is possible to get a discount of up to 10%.

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Recruitment and advertising

Seriously, you need to approach the choice of personnel. Sales consultants can be the key to both trading success and failure. Therefore, it is necessary to train staff on product characteristics and sales techniques before opening a store. Enough six sellers who will work in three shifts. It is recommended to hire charming and attractive women who themselves love to cook and set the table. If sellers like the product they are selling, they will be able to communicate the benefits of the product competently and convince the buyer to buy.

To attract future customers, you need to create an effective advertising company. Use the following advertising methods:

• own site;
• outdoor advertising;
• advertising in local media;
• advertising in local culinary magazines and newspapers;
• product placement on television (dishes are provided for use in culinary programs).

The customer loyalty system is one of the main competitive advantages of any store. Therefore, it is necessary to create a system of discounts, as well as to carry out promotions with drawings and prizes. Your job is to keep client base, and visitors who will be in the store for the first time, to make your regular customers.

Topic: Medieval cities of Kazakhstan (X- StartXIIIcc)

- more quality construction fortifications)

We have a verbal description of the city.

What is the next stage of work?

Now a group of experts, having received a verbal description of the cities, begins to work. Your task is to draw a general "portrait" - a plan of a medieval Kazakhstani city using all the available characteristics.

And we will listen to the speech of "important witnesses", without which our understanding of the medieval city would not be complete.

I think that the report of "important witnesses" was really important and interesting. In it we met new terms. Let's try to explain them again:

Houses-korzhyns-

I see our experts have already finished their work. Let's ask them to show us the same “portrait” of a medieval city we are looking for.

Today at the lesson we talked about the medieval cities of South Kazakhstan and Zhetysu. This region is truly considered an oasis of urban culture. However, inX- XIIcenturies settled culture begins to spread in the central and eastern regions of our country. Recent archaeological studies have shown that the capital of our state, the city of Astana, has a much longer history than previously thought. Now you will watch a film about the Bozok settlement prepared by high school students and try to answer the questions:

What is special about this city? How does it differ from the cities already listed?

So, our research has come to an end.

Do you think it was successful?

Remember what was the purpose of our lesson? Have we managed to find the appearance of a medieval city?

(Exemplary answer: how he looks, his signs, characteristics)

Performance

group number 1

(medieval Taraz)

Performance

group number 2

(medieval Otrar)

oral defense of the results of work with a slide presentation.

Several students read out the notes in the notebooks compiled according to the performance.

Experts ask clarifying questions to researchers.

Approximate answer: drawing up a portrait - a plan of the city.

Experts - using the information received, draw a plan of the city.

Speech by a group of "important witnesses" with a message about a medieval city dwelling. (with a slide presentation) Researchers write down its characteristic features in a notebook.

A group of experts defends the painted "portrait" - the plan of the city.

The rest express their opinion about the work, name the features that were highlighted when performing an independent task.

The students watch the movie and complete the task.

The performances of both groups were prepared by the students in advance according to the following plan:

1. Literature studied

The history of the city

2. Rationale for the choice of this city for the presentation.

3. The structure of the city, features of internal development.

4. The role of the city on the Great Silk Road and in the history of Kazakhstan.

Speaking students develop the ability to speak in front of an audience, teamwork allows you to feel more comfortable in front of an audience. The rest learn to listen, hear and highlight the main thing from the report, correctly pose questions to the speaker.

Students list short but interesting information they have prepared together with the teacher. The performance also provides an opportunity to prove oneself, to show oneself from the best side.

Such work allows you to consolidate the studied material.

Acquaintance with research work high school students.

The connection between the history of the country and the history of the native city.

I would like to end our lesson with the words of the wonderful poet and archaeologist Valentin Berestov, in which he managed to convey a wonderful moment of meeting with the past:

Among the ruins, in clay and dust,

Archaeologists have found a smile.

From the shards scattered around

A beautiful face formed all of a sudden.

Illuminated with a living smile,

It's wonderfully different

From flawless but soulless faces

Solemn goddesses or queens.

The moon has risen. And long by the moon

We stood on the fortress wall.

The departed world lay at our feet,

But I couldn't call him a stranger.

After all, in this ancient clay and dust

Archaeologists have found a smile.

I hope that today at the lesson the past smiled at us, it became closer and clearer.

Thank you for your work.

Annex 1. (Speech by researchers)

Taraz

In the place where the quarters of the modern city of Taraz, an important industrial and cultural center of the country, are now located, there are the remains of one of the largest medieval cities in Kazakhstan, known to historians as Taraz (Talas).

Archaeologists testify that at the turn of the eras, at the end of the 1st century. BC e., early 1st c. e. Taraz was formed as a city. First mention it is contained in Byzantine sources and refers to the end of the 6th century. Subsequently, almost all medieval geographers, historians, travelers wrote about Taraz, because the city occupied one of the central positions on the Great Silk Road.

Ibn Haukal wrote: "Taraz is a place of trade between Muslims and Turks" . Al-Maqdisi said: “Taraz is a large, fortified city, with many gardens, densely populated, it has a moat, four gates and a populated rabad. A large river flows at the gates of the city, part of the city is on the other side of the river. A road crosses the river, the cathedral mosque is located among the bazaars. Taraz was the center of the Turgesh and then the Karluk Khaganates.

We chose this city to explore because:

1. Mentions about him are often found on the pages of our textbook. In particular, when studying the topic of the Great Silk Road, we saw that Taraz was an important trade hub. Roads passed through it both to the East and to the West.

2. In 2002, Kazakhstan celebrated the 2000th anniversary of Taraz, and it was interesting for us to explore the city with such an ancient history.

The structure of the city, building features:

Excavations have shown that the oldest part of it was citadel. The residence of an influential person was located in this most fortified part of the city. Adjacent to the citadel was a walled area of ​​the city called Shahristan . It housed a wealthy population: officials, merchants, landowners, clergy. Trade and craft suburbs adjoined the walls of shakhristan from all sides - rabads. They housed craft workshops, the dwellings of masters, as well as the huts of the poor urban people.

The borders of Taraz, as scientists have established, were heavily guarded against sudden attacks by enemies.

In the 11th-12th centuries. during the reign of the Karakhanid dynasty in Central Asia, Taraz reaches its peak in its heyday. At this time, it becomes the capital of one of the specific possessions. His political independence manifested itself primarily in the local minting of coins on behalf of the Taraz rulers. Taraz had its own mint. The area of ​​the city itself is increasing, primarily due to the rabad.

In connection with the adoption of Islam by the Karakhanids as the state religion, a new element in urban planning is the construction of mosques and the construction of oriental baths.

In 2007, in the city center on the territory of rabad "No. 3", not far from the Karakhan mausoleum, archaeologists found remains of an ancient mosque . As a result of the examination, historians came to the conclusion that the time of the creation of this structure dates back to about the 8th century, which can be attributed to the early period of Islam in Kazakhstan. In addition to the collection of ancient coins, fragments of the ancient Koran were found here. Today, the remains of the manuscript are kept in the mosque so that every connoisseur of ancient culture can touch them.
Archaeologists discovered in the eastern part of Shahristan remains of an 11th century bathhouse . The bath room was multi-domed, had 7 rooms for various purposes, was heated by heated air circulating in channels laid under the floor and shelves. The baths were brought clay water pipes . The same aqueducts supplied the city with water. The water supply was "connected" to the river. Talas, under the pressure of its rapid current, water was supplied to all parts of the city.

Under the Karakhanids, a number of remarkable mausoleums were built in Taraz and its environs, of which the mausoleums of Aisha-bibi and Babadzhi-Khatun have come down to us almost in their original form.

Taraz was called in ancient times city ​​of merchants . Narrow streets, like streams, flocked to the center - the many-voiced bazaar .Bazaar in Taraz was the center of all life. A city with citadels, caravanserais, adobe huts, deaf patios, workshops of artisans arose in connection with the bazaar and around the bazaar. It seems that people from all over the world flocked to the marketplace to sell, buy or exchange something. Everything could be bought and sold in the bazaar. And the ancients truly said: "Taraz bazaar is a mirror of the world".

In the 12th - early 13th century. Semirechye became the scene of bloody military clashes, many cities were plundered and destroyed. Khorezmshah Mohammed, Karakitays, Mongols defeated Taraz. After that, the city could no longer recover, although life was revived in it. The city is known later under the name Yangi. In the 19th century on the ruins of Taraz, Aulie-Ata arose, which then became known as Dzhambul. In 1998, the city was returned to its ancient name - Taraz.

City value:

Taraz is not only a Kazakh city, it belongs to Eurasia, as it is a junction of caravan routes, a center of crafts and trade, science and culture of a huge continent.

Otrar.

Otrar(kaz. Otyrar) - a settlement in the Otrar district of the South Kazakhstan region.

The settlement is located in the lower reaches of the Arys River at its confluence with the Syr Darya.

The largest settlement of the Otrar oasis is also known as Tarband, Turarband, Turar, Farab.

The emergence of the city

The heyday of the Otrar oasis falls on the period from the 1st to the 13th century AD.

In the first centuries of our millennium, the first buildings of Otrar appeared. In the 7th-8th centuries. Otrar is an early feudal city. In the 9th-12th centuries, Otrar experienced its heyday, coinciding with the characteristic rise of the culture of Central Asia and Kazakhstan. The city exists until the 18th century.

There is a lot of information about the city in written sources. Al-Maqdisi at the end of the 10th century wrote: “This is a large city, since it could field up to 70 thousand troops, had a cathedral mosque in shakhristan, bazaars in rabad.”
We chose this city to explore for several reasons:

1. Back in the fifth grade, we learned the story of the death of Otrar from the troops of Genghis Khan. We were very interested to know the early history of this heroic city.

2. Otrar was a junction of caravan routes, the center of the district, a large city of medieval Kazakhstan, so it can provide a lot of information about the development of medieval urban culture. Today Otrar is one of the most studied ancient cities of Kazakhstan.

3. Otrar is the birthplace of the famous scientist - Abu - Nasir al - Farabi, who was called "the second Aristotle". This also arouses interest in the history of the city.

The structure of the city, building features.

Otrar consisted of three parts: the citadel, shahristan and rabad. The central part of the city had a pentagonal layout and was surrounded on all sides by a wall. In the corners there were round towers for guarding and protection in case of an enemy attack. In 10-12 centuries. there is a better construction of defensive structures .. The thickness of the lower fortress wall reached 6.2 m, and narrowed upwards to 1.5 m. At the highest point, the height of the citadel reaches 20 meters, and the total area occupies more than 20 hectares.

There were three entrances to the city: two were located opposite each other in the southern and northeastern walls, the third was in the middle of the western wall. The southern gate was the main one. The central street divided the city into 2 unequal parts. From the main street departed at a right angle of the street, which rested against the walls. In parallel, there were 6 more main streets, and along the perimeter - a ring street. In front of the northern and western gates were trade areas.

Suburb (rabad ) was also surrounded by a wall, which was built in the 10th-12th centuries. This indicates an improvement in the construction of defensive structures. There was a moat around this wall.
Located in the northeastern part of the city trading area where pottery was sold. BUT pottery located in the southern part of the city on an elevated area. Houses were built on both sides of the street. They had residential and utility rooms. A little further away from them, handicraft workshops were erected in a row. Among them "Potter's Quarter" ” was built away from residential buildings. Compared with the early Middle Ages, the areas of the "potters' quarters" during the heyday increased by 2-2.5 times. Accordingly, the number of other structures, buildings, residential buildings also increased.

In Otrar there was your mint.

During the excavations in the northwestern part of the Otrar settlement, the remains of two oriental baths 11th-12th centuries The first had rooms for washing, a dressing room, a rest room, two laundry annexes, rooms for making tea. The bathhouse had a firebox and water tanks. Well water was used for needs. waste water led out into the water intake pit. The second bath was located in the northern part of the city and was intended for ordinary, poor people. The city had a water supply and sewerage system.

Meaning of Otrar:

1. During the developed Middle Ages, South Kazakhstan, together with the Otrar oasis, becomes one of the largest centers of urban civilization in Kazakhstan and throughout Central Asia.

2. Otrar was a major center on the Great Silk Road, a meeting point different cultures and civilizations. The culture of Otrar influenced the life of the entire Syrdarya region.

On Otrar, an international project of UNESCO - Kazakhstan - Japan on "Conservation and preservation of the ancient city of Otrar" is being implemented. A mosque, a bathhouse, a complex of pottery workshops and walls are being conserved. Since 2004, the state program "Revival of ancient Otrar" has been operating. According to the plan of archaeologists and restorers, Otrar will be turned into a medieval town-museum.

Appendix 2. (Speech by "important witnesses")

Housing story:

We know very well what our apartments look like. We were interested in what was the dwelling in medieval cities.

The houses of ordinary citizens were one-story. Houses were built of clay bricks.

Houses were often divided into 2 parts: residential and household. The living area was smaller. The farmhouse housed a barnyard, storage for grain. This suggests that the townspeople were engaged in agriculture.

The houses were interesting korzhyns. Such houses appeared in the centuries. They are named so because they look like a saddle bag with two compartments. These are three-room houses, the rooms are built in a row. In the middle there is a room in the form of a corridor and on both sides there are two entrances to other rooms.

It's cold outside now, so I was wondering how a medieval house was heated?

The house was tandoor- a clay oven for heating a medieval house and baking cakes. A chimney was located near it, with the help of which the dwelling was heated. The whole family gathered around the hearth. For any people at all times, the hearth was a symbol of family unity, it was treated with respect.

And I was interested in furniture:

There were no cabinets. In the walls, to the right of the tandoor, there were niches for dishes, for lamps, and for storing tools.

The role of sofas in the modern concept was performed sufas- clay platforms for rest, located along the walls. In prosperous houses, under the sufas and floors, chimneys were arranged from the stove for heating. That is, modern heated floors were obtained.

And the medieval inhabitants had ... fridge. A large earthenware vessel, dug into the cold ground up to the neck, perfectly preserved salted meat for several days, or even weeks. In almost every excavated house, archaeologists have invariably found such a refrigerator jug.

Water supply and sewerage:

We were especially surprised by the difference from European dwellings and cities. From the history of the Middle Ages, we remember that in European cities there was no sewage system and very often slops were poured onto the head of a gaping passerby. Garbage was also thrown into the street. This was not the case in medieval Kazakh cities. Garbage wells were arranged near each house. In the 12th century, tashnau appeared - sanitary cleaning devices designed to drain dirty water after washing hands and dishes. They were done like this:

A hole was dug in front of the hearth, 2-3 meters deep. A large clay pot with a broken bottom was placed at the edge of the pit. From above, the mouth of the jug was lined with bricks. Pipes were installed in the lower part of the tashnau, through which water was drained.

Also in the cities there were water pipes through which water flowed to detached houses or quarter wells.

We realized that the medieval dwelling was very comfortable.

The market has always promptly supplied the townspeople with everything they need first-hand. Let us first turn to the "Description of the Voronezh governorship of 1785". Here is how it answered the question of what the trade of the merchants of Voronezh consists of:

“They send to the ports: St. Petersburg - lard, wax, bristles, hares and foam, buying it from rural villagers, as well as from their brothers, who they buy, driving through the villages and from rural residents who come to the city for auction ... to Taganrog and Khersonsky, in addition to iron, cow butter and pressed caviar are transported, receiving caviar along the Volga River from places lying from Tsaritsyn to Astrakhan, cow butter from villagers, and iron from Moscow and other places, as well as from iron factories. From the ports they bring in return: from the first - sugar, coffee, grape wines, block paint, alum, etc., and from the last two ports they receive White Sea wines and vegetables in exchange for what they export, which everyone sells both in the city itself and in different places of the Russian Empire ...

They release foreign and Russian cloth to Siberia and various places along the Orenburg line, and so on, receiving it from Moscow and from other places and from their own factories. And from there they bring fur products, foxes, wolves and corsoks ...

They buy up bread, which is sent by water on budars ... to Cherkassk, the fortress of St. Demetrius of Rostov, Azov, Taganrog ... They trade in shops: some in brocade, silk, woolen and paper goods, tea, coffee, sugar, haberdashery items and other goods, they buy them in Moscow and at Little Russian fairs ... Others with iron and iron things, horse harness, shoes, wooden utensils and other things, but they get it from Moscow, Yaroslavl, from the Lebedyanskaya Trinity fair and from iron factories ... "

Before the reconstruction of the city on a regular basis, until the mid-1770s, the historical market place was a square with wooden trading rows in the area of ​​​​Pyatnitskaya Church (the old church partially survived on Kostya Strelyuka Street). This area has been "originally commercial" since the time when there was a military fortress nearby. In all Russian cities, the main market square arose near the fortress walls. The fortress of the XVI-XVII centuries towered on the coastal hills, in the area of ​​​​the modern main building Voronezh University. To the north of it, on a flat mountainous terrain, market trade was born. There it continued into the 18th century, when the spiritual center of the city with the main city cathedral was formed on the site of the former fortress (in 1836 the Mitrofanovsky Monastery was opened here). Local historian of the XIX century A. Shishkin wrote that until 1774 Voronezh did not yet have a large trade, but nevertheless, along the alley that went from the cathedral to the Pyatnitskaya Church, “there were shops of red goods, where they sold kumach, taffeta, damask, pearls, Chinese ... There was a rush of the female population here, who chose outfits, received rumors, etc. ” From Pyatnitskaya Square, the rows stretched further, "where there were already goods of a coarse grade: leather, soap, copper, cast iron, shoes, wool, scourgings, bells, dishes, etc." “The eminent, ancient merchant families of Voronezh, such as: Titov, Krivoshein, Klochkov, Gardenin, Sidelnikov, Molotsky, Tulinov, Eliseev and others - had their vast premises here”, in their hands and held, “mainly the entire wholesale and retail". The shops of the “red goods” (that is, with materials) of the merchant family of the Krivosheins were especially famous.

According to the general plan of 1774, the main market squares with capital stone rows of shops were arranged on the axis of a new shopping street - Bolshaya Moskovskaya, or New Moscowskaya (now Plekhanovskaya). This story is resurrected by the plans of the city, stored in the central archives of Russia. Not far from its beginning, Novaya Moskovskaya crossed Gostiny Dvor, where imported goods were sold, including clothing (later this square was called Round Rows, after the shape of the shops). Further, in the central part, the street passed through a whole complex of main trading places and squares. The core was an ensemble of shopping malls, enclosed between Ostrogozhskaya (now Pushkinskaya) and Malaya Dvoryanskaya (F.Engels) streets. The rows made up an open rectangle on the plan, splitting into four L-shaped elements. Brick rows consisted of separate shops-sections, which were built, docking with neighbors, by private merchants - merchants and philistines. Therefore, the ensemble was created with difficulties, not immediately, but gradually, until the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. According to the data of 1799, there were 255 shops-cells in Ovsyany, Svechny, Zhelezny, Rybny, Shchepny, Degtyarny and other central rows of the city, and at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries the ensemble was expanded. Inside the main trading rectangle, a new cathedral was built - Trinity, or Smolensky (in 1836 it will become a cathedral). On the sides of the central rectangular part of the square, there were two more symmetrical, vast and rectangular market spaces.

And right up to revolutionary times, the main Voronezh markets were located in this upper part of the city, on large squares. The name Horse Square (later Starokonnaya, now - Lenin Square) comes from the horse trade, which was carried out here until the second half of the 19th century. On Khlebnaya Square (now there is a covered market) they traded grain and flour goods, on Shchepnaya (the territory of the Research Institute of Communications) - various wooden products.

Khlebnaya Square had a vast space free from shops and could accommodate up to three thousand carts. At the beginning of the 20th century, it happened that peasant carts with goods filled not only the entire square, but also the surrounding streets. Over time, the squares were overgrown with new buildings, old shops were modernized, which destroyed the whole ensemble.

Away from the central squares were: the old Myasnaya Square (now Sovetskaya), which existed in the middle of the 18th century, where meat was sold, and the relatively new Sennaya Square (the territory of the Central Trade Union Stadium), where hay and fodder were brought for sale.

On a smaller scale, trade was carried out at the Maiden's Market (near the Pokrovsky Maiden Monastery, on the current Sakko and Vantsetgi Streets), at the Popov Market (at the break of Stepan Razin Street, this market was nicknamed in ancient times from several priests' houses), at the Chernavsky Market ( on the bank of the river, near the bridge of the same name), on Monastyrskaya, or Mitrofanovskaya, Square (near the Mitrofanov Monastery).

Each major market was open all seven days of the week, but each had its own special "market days". In general, in the provincial center, according to the "Memorial book of the Voronezh province for 1909", the market days were Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. For the places allotted in the markets, it was necessary to pay to the local, municipal treasury. In addition, some shopping arcades belonged to the city government, and the city had constant income from renting them out. The most notable were the so-called public galleries. However, on market days, during the influx of wagons with "rural products", no fees were charged from the peasants.

In addition to shops, they traded from tables, stalls, tents, which had oilcloth or mat awnings. Judging by the materials of the regional archive, since the 1870s, the city authorities have firmly taken the organization of markets and supervision over them into their own hands. Trading places and premises in the marketplaces were rented out at the first public auction. It was a very profitable article of the city budget, only in 1906 it gave about 34.5 thousand rubles. The tenant, having made an annual contribution to the city cash desk, received the right to trade without hindrance.

Due to the ever-lean city treasury, the local government had big problems with the reconstruction of the so-called "public galleries". They stood near the Smolensk Cathedral, there were four of them, and they were rented out for cheap establishments - shops, stalls, taverns. There were many stories and tales about local incidents among the people, and galleries were a big headache for the city government. The "1st public gallery" with a primitive dining room - the famous "Glutton" - was first built according to the plan of 1787, but not as it should have been. According to the viceroy V.A. Chertkov, instead of a stone building, "wooden huts were made ... making a disgrace." Later, the gallery acquired a more solid brick appearance, but primitive premises turned out to be facing the street - canopies made of matting and iron, resting on stone pillars. In the 1880s, the Obzhorka was somewhat improved, rebuilt into a one-story building with turrets and a tavern inside, but it soon fell into disrepair, and the common tavern, as V.G. Veselovsky, "turned into an arena of exploits of the dregs of urban life." In 1910, the commission of the City Duma, created to regulate trade in the squares, concluded that the notorious "Obzhorka" "is a fetid disgusting cesspool, a shelter for ragamuffins and prostitutes" and that its further proximity to the cathedral is absolutely impossible. In 1914, the rebuilding of the gallery began in the form of a beautiful two-story commercial building, designed by the city architect M.N. Zamyatin, but due to the wartime crisis, the work was delayed until 1917.

For the urban layman, the bazaar was associated with abundance. The turnover included a wide variety of products, up to delicacies: lemons, oranges, grapes. The range depends on the season. Meat in large quantities was usually sold in autumn, fish - in Lent, eggs and cottage cheese - before Easter. The variety of goods was also influenced by the occupations of local residents. Boots, stockings, mittens, and bonnets were brought from the suburban settlements of Pridachi and Chizhovka; from the villages of the Nizhnedevitsky district - solid canvas; The Zatsepin farm near Zemlyansk was famous for felt boots.

With the abundance of the market, substandard products were not uncommon. Sellers were not yet required to have medical books, but at the end of the 19th century there was already sanitary control. The cattle sold were subject to veterinary inspection. In 1900, a “microscopic” laboratory was set up on Khlebnaya Square to check the quality of products. For trade in stale herring, spoiled eggs or diluted sour cream, they were fined.

The activities of dealers who surrounded the city and tried to prevent the peasants from reaching the market squares were considered a great evil. Products bought at a low price were sold at exorbitant prices. The rise in prices prompted the City Duma to adopt a resolution in 1891 that prohibited the purchase of rye flour, fish, meat, dairy products, eggs, vegetables and fruits for resale within the city. In 1910, the Gadu Duma established the positions of city bazaar headman and his assistant, since by that time the bazaar areas had become extremely cramped and polluted.

There were many ways to deceive the buyer. The seller, taking advantage of the ignorance and lack of observation of the client, put weights of lesser weight. This is a body kit "for impudence." And there was a body kit “with an approach”, when a large mass of the product was taken against the requested amount, and with a slight push it was thrown onto the scales. After that, the seller cut off the excess part with a knife on the scales, pressing hard. Merchants often had the wrong weights and scales. The metric system of measures was not popular, and it was not mandatory, since few people understood it. The City Duma, in order to avoid abuses, banned decimal scales in trading places. Pounds, poods and other old measures were more in use. To accustom the people to grams and kilograms, it took a lot of effort and time, this was realized only in the 1920-1930s.

In the market, prices for all goods were significantly lower than in city shops and shops. Nevertheless, all the inhabitants of the market professed the principle of "buy low, sell high." Trading is a kind of ritual with a share of entertainment and excitement. Even the names of the money had their own flavor: a copper coin of half a kopeck was called “polushka” or “grosh”, a three kopeck coin was called “altyn”, a silver coin of 10 kopecks was called a dime. A ruble note was called a "ruble note", a ten - a "red note". A hundred-ruble was first called "rainbow" for its pale multi-colored color, and later it was already called "Katya" - because of the portrait of Catherine II. So they said to each other: “two “Katenka”, “three “Katenka”.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the principle of division into rows was common to all markets, where trade in homogeneous goods was located. However, by the beginning of the 20th century, with the development of private trade and the cramped marketplaces, there was no longer a strict specialization of marketplaces.

There were such areas where trade in one or another product lasted for many decades. For example, on Khlebnaya Square - bread. On the contrary, some types of trade were transferred over time from one area to another, trying to streamline them. For example, in 1871 the sale earthenware was transferred from the city center to the outskirts of Sennaya Square, and in 1892 the Push Market (or, simply, the "flea market", "crowd"), located near the Smolensky Cathedral, was transferred to Starokonnaya Square. The most needed product - various products - was sold in many markets. Closer to the revolution, it was often possible to buy a wide variety of goods in one square. So, Meat Square was surrounded by meat rows, but in its center they sold drill and firewood, coal, and boards. In 1907, when a plan was put forward to erect a monument to I.S. Nikitin, "Voronezh Telegraph" wrote: "In the meantime, we continue to buy firewood, cabbage on Myasnaya Square, sniff the smell of stinking fish and contemplate huge heaps of dumped and undelivered manure - a rival in the aroma of stinking fish." Another example: pottery was offered both on Starokonnaya and Devichenskaya squares.

The sale of the main edible supplies, in addition to Khlebnaya Square, focused on Shchepnaya - in the 1870s, the city government identified places there for trading in many products (vegetables, fruits, meat, poultry), for which it built 11 booth pavilions that belonged to the city. In 1879, in the same place, in a special gallery, the new main city scales (manufactured by the American company Fairbanks) were installed. The authorities decided to eliminate cart and sleigh trade in this square, but some disobedient merchants, not being afraid of the police, still continued to sell both carts and sledges, and thus retained the name “Schepnaya Square”.

Markets often determined the nature of the surrounding development. Inns and hotels with taverns and taverns stretched along several sides of Shchepnaya and Khlebnaya squares. An extensive architectural complex of former hotel buildings has been preserved to this day.

In Soviet times, the bazaar trade subsided. The Grain Market was the first to close, as the trade in bread passed to the state. Only during the years of NEP market passions temporarily returned to the city. The old grocery market on the former Shchepnaya Square lasted the longest: until the opening of the covered Central Market on the former Khlebnaya Square in 1972.

Today, bazaar trade is in full swing again, although the problems are still the same: the poor sanitary condition of trading places, falsification of goods, evasion of payment for the right to trade, the appearance of scammers ... But, despite this, mini-markets make life easier for ordinary Voronezh residents.

See: Popov P.A., Firsov B.A. Old Voronezh. pp.141-146.

Incomes of residents of large cities are constantly growing, along with them, consumer demand for a variety of product groups is growing. Demand creates supply and new ideas for enterprising people. For example, a profitable type of business is opening a dishware store. Entrepreneurs in this segment feel confident and make plans for business development. But where should you start organizing such an outlet and how to achieve the success of the store?

White dishes are the most sought after

Why is the demand for tableware growing, and why do people buy new sets of plates, cups and salad bowls again and again? Natalya Dmitrenko, director of a large china shop "Porceliana" (Poltava), believes that the growth in sales of utensils is influenced by an increase in demand for real estate, an increased number of divorce proceedings. When moving, divorces, the dishes break and you have to purchase new sets. Young families moving to a new home very often seek to acquire new dishes.

It is impossible to buy all the necessary utensils in one trip, especially since factories are constantly expanding their product lines. Stores actively use merchandising techniques, laying out dishes so spectacularly that it is very difficult to resist a beautiful teapot, sugar bowl or cake dish. Trends are also constantly changing: today rounded shapes are considered fashionable, after a while - square ones, then the most unusual colors are considered relevant. For entrepreneurs who decide to open their own dishware store, seasoned market players recommend showing some moderation when choosing a trading assortment.

According to business consultant Elena Oliynichenko, it is better for beginners to focus on white dishes - this option is considered a win-win. Any dish looks great on white dishes, and when setting the table, you can use a variety of tablecloths, napkins, and kitchen utensils. The demand for transparent dishes is not decreasing either. It is undesirable at first to experiment with expensive designer dishes, with unusual plates and cups: there is a serious risk of losing money.

Porcelain tableware is a sales leader

Ms. Oliynichenko is sure that it is better for novice businessmen to give preference to porcelain products. Porcelain has excellent hygienic performance, excellent thermal conductivity, aesthetic properties. There is a stable demand for porcelain tableware. An additional plus of porcelain: the dishes are a kind of advertising medium. Some companies purchase large batches of white porcelain cups, which have their logo applied on them and use the cups as corporate souvenirs.

Tatyana Lebedinets, head of the Serviro chain of tableware stores, which belongs to the MIRS company, believes that the ideal assortment for a tableware store would be souvenir products, as well as utensils for table setting and cooking. Each of the three segments during the year will provide a third of the income of the trading establishment.

Target audience - middle class

According to Ms. Lebedinets, the most interesting audience for an entrepreneur who owns a china shop is the middle class - people with an income of a thousand dollars a month. According to the expert, the niche of stores oriented towards the representatives of the middle class is practically empty. Cheap dishes are offered in supermarkets, there are shops selling elite models. A stratum of middle-class citizens has formed in the country who want to purchase high-quality dishes at affordable prices. Dishes are purchased not only for the home, but also for restaurants and cafes, which are often owned by the middle class. Ms. Lebedinets is sure that it is the middle class that pays special attention to environmental qualities utensils. So entrepreneurs betting on this customer segment should consider environmental safety goods.

Kitchenware store location

Kitchenware store location - the most important aspect that an entrepreneur has to deal with. The store can be freestanding, or located in a shopping center as a boutique. The main point - the outlet should be located as close as possible to the "anchor". Tatyana Lebedinets explains that absolutely all kitchenware stores need “anchors” that attract customer traffic. No matter how beautifully and correctly designed a china shop is, if buyers do not come to the establishment in sufficient numbers, the trade will go neither shaky nor roll. People want to receive trading services in a complex - to purchase not only products, but also household goods. Expert Elena Oliynichenko is sure that a dishware store can function in residential areas - the outskirts of cities are rapidly being built up with shopping centers, and in some areas there are 100 thousand inhabitants, which is quite consistent with the population of a small city.

Room selection

The premise for a complex store of tableware should have a minimum of 50-60 square meters of area. Larger trade establishments are equipped for 100 and even 200 square meters. The footage directly depends on the assortment: different dishes require equipment for shopping areas. Dishes intended for cooking are placed in one zone, used for serving - in another, souvenir models are placed in the third. If a businessman wants to work with one thing, for example, with serving utensils, it is quite possible to use a smaller room.

How to start a kitchenware business

Experts cite the following statistics: only every tenth visitor to a china shop buys dishes, the average amount of purchases is approximately $100. Trade becomes profitable only with a trade margin of at least 25-30 percent.

The multi-brand format allows you to establish contacts with well-known manufacturers of tableware. In this sense, the Frankfurt International Fair can be recommended. Direct work with manufacturers is also convenient because factories in most cases provide the client with professional commercial equipment - racks equipped with a lighting system. Foreign suppliers work exclusively on prepayment: the amount of purchases must be discussed separately.

Natalya Dmitrenko considers it unlikely that a businessman will be offered a discount when purchasing goods for a not very large amount (from 5 thousand US dollars). If the agreement provides for the purchase of dishes for several tens of thousands of dollars, the discount can be from 7 to 10 percent.

How much money do you need to open a cookware store

When starting a business, about 100 thousand dollars will have to be allocated for the formation of an assortment. Further costs for the goods will depend on the trade turnover.

1. Purchase of commercial equipment (showcases, racks) - from 80 thousand rubles.
2. 1 month rental deposit - from 50 thousand rubles.
3. Creation of a commodity stock - from 400 thousand rubles.
4. Advertising and promotion of the store (advertising sign, distribution of leaflets, advertising in the media, creation of a website, etc.) - from 70 thousand rubles.
5. Organizational expenses (registration of a business, preparation of permits, transportation costs) - from 30 thousand rubles.
6. Other expenses - from 100 thousand rubles.

TOTAL: from 730 thousand rubles.

Entrepreneurs new to the segment should not pay attention to the transience of tableware fashion and think about the need to get rid of irrelevant leftover goods. Manufacturers present new items every year, but this does not mean that everything old is immediately sent to the dustbin of history. Tatyana Lebedinets explains that changes most often affect design, production technologies practically do not change. Technological breakthroughs are extremely rare in the glassware industry, so you should look for a product that differs from others in the manufacturing process. It is precisely on innovative manufacturers who have their own "chip" that you need to bet on.

The advertisement is engine of the trade

Mrs. Lebedinets states that, despite the weak saturation of the tableware market, it is extremely difficult to occupy your own niche. By advertising, merchandising techniques, the buyer needs to be inspired with the idea that it is precisely such dishes that he needs: this is the only way to make the client part with the money.

It is much more difficult for a single dishware store to attract customers than for a chain store. Unfortunately, the culture of table decoration in our country is in its infancy. Not everyone eats with a knife and fork, and very few families use a full set of cutlery in a formal setting. Many citizens do not know what certain models of dishes are intended for: glasses, plates different size. Sales consultants need to make every effort to impress the visitor with the need to purchase this or that thing. It is much more difficult for a separate store to carry out such work than for a trade institution belonging to a large network.

Competent staff is the main factor in the success of the dishware business

Kitchenware store salespeople need to be taught both sales techniques and product characteristics. Even a small shop of 50 m2 will need at least 6 salespeople who will work in shifts of three people. “The buyer is like a guest. He needs to be met in such a way that he wants to return, - says Tatyana Lebedinets. Therefore, shop assistants must be polite, friendly, attractive, they simply have to understand the dishes, as well as be able and love to cook. There is a simple truth in trading: a seller who does not like a product will not be able to sell it - the buyer simply will not believe him. Often, a person makes a purchase decision on a subconscious level. He may be embarrassed by the price and quality, but if he believes the seller, he will definitely return after a while and buy the goods.

The best shots are middle-aged women, business gurus say. Young girls do not often cook themselves, which cannot be said about the older generation, who cook themselves and can advise what kind of dishes to buy. Buyers trust such sellers more.

Sellers of a dishware store often combine several functions at once - a cashier and a consultant. The average salary of sellers is about 15-25 thousand rubles, depending on the revenue indicators. Quarterly bonuses are possible, which significantly increase the motivation of staff.

AT competition in the "dishes" market, you can survive only due to the quality of the goods and due to a loyal attitude towards the client. “If a person bought a product from you and was disappointed, he will no longer return (if his visit is not a reason to return the product),” explains Tatyana Lebedinets. The main secret the success of a cookware store is feedback from the buyer and his desire to return to you again. When a client purchases a quality product, comes home, puts it next to outdated dishes and understands that a lot needs to be changed. To use feedback to the maximum, the owners of outlets apply discounts and arrange all kinds of promotions.

Seasonality in the trade in dishes, although there is, is very insignificant: dishes for coffee and tea are bought in winter time, for picnics and soft drinks - in summer.