How to open an auto parts store without initial capital? How to Start an Auto Parts Store and Keep Profits Business Plan for Selling Auto Parts

The number of cars is constantly growing, and this happens regardless of the economic situation. Therefore, auto parts are always needed, and this need is growing along with the number of vehicles.

So this business has a future, especially if our roads continue to be adapted only for tractors.

Auto parts store: is it profitable

One of the best sources of information is the experience of competitors, even if they are potential ones.

Moreover, it is necessary to study it exactly where you plan to start your own business.

At the same time, it must be remembered that the personal enterprise itself will be a little further - where the number of car service points is less. This will make it possible not to get lost immediately, at the first stage.

That is, the area of study should be large enough, and the conclusions should be somewhat generalized, with a tendency to formulate patterns.

You can immediately see that there will be many competitors. For collecting information, this is good, but for doing business, not so much.

Having more or less decided on the area of the proposed location of the future source of mega-incomes, you should study the demand market. You need to see what the range of available stores is, what products are scarce, what manufacturers are best bought.

In general, this should be dealt with closely, you need to be interested in everything: from suppliers to staff salaries. Particular attention should be paid to ways to promote their services and advertising campaigns.

When analyzing the experience of already established businessmen, one should also pay attention to how a prosperous or even just a successful store is located. Surely there is a parking lot or gas station nearby, or garages.

Even if there is no obvious source of buyers, you should try to figure out what kind of contingent mainly buys in the store, perhaps the assortment will help you understand what kind of cars and what kind of people. This is necessary in order to understand relatively clearly where exactly and how to ensure the influx of consumers into your store.

Prices are noticeably lower (because a lot of time was spent looking for suppliers, lucrative contracts were concluded with them).
The store's advertising is set at the highest level available at this stage.
Billboards are everywhere where there are motorists: in parking lots, near garages, at gas stations, somewhere not far from a competitor's point.
As well as in stores whose products may be of interest to motorists of all levels.
And on each billboard, on each sticker there is a detailed instruction on how to find the store.
Attractive discounts, savings cards (but such that you can really save something), promotions and sales.
Helpful and competent staff.
Not only the entrances to the store are convenient, but also the approaches.

Every car needs repair and maintenance. Even the best cars break down periodically and require oil changes, brake fluid, brake pads, and more.

Most car enthusiasts are constantly improving and upgrading their cars, so the demand for upgraded technical parts, advanced audio systems, air conditioning systems, alarms, DVRs will stop only with the disappearance of the last car.

How much does it cost to open an auto parts store

If you simply dryly calculate the costs that a novice entrepreneur will have to bear, then the amount will not be fantastic, no more than 1.5 - 2 million rubles. However, we must remember that a stable profit will be only in a year or two, so we must count on a fairly long period of stay in cramped circumstances.

The main costs are:

Room rental. (depending on store location)
It cannot be cheap, as the store must be located in a profitable location.
Room renovation.
The premises itself should be prepared for trade and be sufficiently presentable and attractive.

In addition, it should provide for a minimum comfort for staff who will be at work all day, or even for days.
Trade equipment, furniture.
Purchase of spare parts.
Staff salary.
Payment of utilities and internet.
Marketing and advertising expenses.
Payment for parking spaces for customers.

It is worth having an amount in reserve equal to at least half of the funds spent on the tasks listed above - just in case of an unforeseen event!

Auto parts for Russian cars or foreign cars

At the initial stage, the easiest way to reach the buyer is to organize a trade in spare parts with a specialization in car brands. It can be domestic Volga, Zhiguli or Gazelle.

Our cars are in need of repair and quality parts, and here you can look at India. There, people are happy and proud to buy and use their mahindras and marutis, they are cheaply and easily repaired (manufacturers provide this opportunity), and as a result, the domestic auto industry is flourishing.

And in our country, for now, we only contribute to the prosperity and strengthening of foreign brands.

It is also important that the trade in domestic spare parts requires less money to start, while the purchase of parts for foreign cars will require significant investments.

Learn how to open an auto parts store from scratch in the video.

What parts are in high demand?

First of all, these are body parts. This is the part of the car that suffers most from the aggressive external environment and is damaged as a result of collisions and accidents.

The most vulnerable doors, mirrors, bumpers. Then, they have an expiration date, after which they should be changed.

Windshields, headlights, trunk lids also periodically require replacement, and this is only on the outside.

As long as there are bad roads, the demand for repair services will not decrease. From potholes, suspension and chassis elements are most often damaged.

Engine parts are also in demand, and electronic components are in increasing demand as cars become smarter.

One of the most important spare parts is the brake pad, it is changed not even in the event of a breakdown, but at the slightest sign of a malfunction, not only the degree of traffic safety, but also the life of its owner sometimes depends on this part.

The demand for air and oil filters will never fall - the operation of the engine depends on them.

In addition, auto tuning elements are in great demand.

How to open an auto parts store (registration)

Having decided to do work "for yourself", it follows that this is a standard business start from scratch and simpler in terms of interaction with the law (including the Tax Code).

To get started, documents are submitted to the tax office:

application for registration of an individual entrepreneur.
passport and its photocopy.
TIN and a photocopy from it. If the TIN has not yet been assigned, then you should write an application for the assignment of the TIN.
receipt of payment of state duty.

It is not worth wasting time and filing documents for citizens who were declared bankrupt less than a year ago, there are other restrictions on filing such a petition with government agencies.

In general, in this matter, you can contact a law office, they will help you collect and process all the necessary documents for registering an individual entrepreneur, as well as advise on opening an account, printing and other organizational and legal issues.

This will take about a week.

Where should your store be located (premises selection)

Deciding gradually with the specialization of the future store, one should not forget the selection of a suitable premises for trade. For starters, you should rely on rent, preferably long-term.

If the business is successful enough, the premises can subsequently be bought out (this condition must be provided for in the lease agreement).

Standard advice: locate the outlet in a place where there is a lot of traffic, not only automobile, but also pedestrian. You should immediately enable the possibility of parking customers, if not nearby, then at least close to the store - some spare parts are very large.

The cost of premises in places that are optimal for trade is high, so you should not strive to rent a huge room, but you should pay attention to the condition of the electrical wiring and water and sewer system, whether there is ventilation and how much it is possible to carry out if it is not.

First, the chosen place should be carefully examined for the presence of a number of competitors. If they exist, and other accommodation options do not stand up to comparison, then it must be borne in mind that the proximity to a retail outlet of a similar orientation will have an impact on business, on the assortment.

The location on the first floor is better, although this condition is not the main thing. Sometimes people don't go up to the second floor very willingly.

And if you manage to open a point near the car service, then you can consider it good luck.

The store must have a sales area of at least 20 sq. m., the warehouse is much larger. Some parts and accessories take up a lot of space, so in any case, the warehouse should be larger than the trading floor.

So, if there is a desire to save money, then this is not worth it, but you can completely do without the management's office and the accountant's premises.

If the warehouse is located elsewhere, then you will have to arrange courier delivery, or provide the buyer with the opportunity to call in and pick up their purchase on their own.

Naturally, the premises must comply with fire safety standards, about which you will have to obtain the conclusion of the inspector of the Ministry of Emergencies, you will also have to obtain the conclusion of Rospotrebnadzor (previously it was called SES).

Along the way, you will immediately need to find out how garbage is removed in the rented premises and take care of the question of where and how much to pay for this service.

Commercial equipment for an auto parts store

Such a question as the correct placement of goods, the overall attractiveness of the appearance of the store, although it seems to be of secondary importance, however, has an impact on the success of the trade as a whole.

This can help racks, counters and showcases, which can be found in many in the relevant stores or online.

Goods can be big:

doors;
bumpers;
wheels;
engines, etc.;

and small ones:

gears;
components for the brake system, ignition system;
various gaskets;
fenders, etc.

There are also a number of items that you need to have:

various tools;
oils;
antifreezes;
car care products.

For a large assortment, shelving must be strong enough, and small goods must be visible and attract attention. Walking through the store, the buyer should get an idea of the proposed range of spare parts and related products.

Do not forget about hanging systems, this will save space and show the product in the best way.

Glazed showcases on an aluminum frame are strong enough and provide a good overview of the goods offered. Small profile or chipboard counters will help to properly group the goods and prevent the buyer from getting lost in the assortment.

For premises with a specific layout or, if desired, to create an individual store design. Equipment under the order.

If there is a desire to save money, then you can find a sufficient number of offers of used equipment, in any case, you need to consider such categories of goods as:

counters for small parts;
racks for small parts and related products;
hanging elements;
display cabinets;
durable shelving.

Where to get goods for an auto parts store

To begin solving the problem with the choice of assortment, one should study the supply market. What exactly is in constant demand among car owners, goods that advise each other, car maintenance products that are sold out immediately - this information should be accumulated and used in planning your own business.

In addition, there are goods that the car owner always needs, which means that these goods should be in the store and in various configurations, in different price categories, in the form of sets and separately.

Of course, the selection of products on offer will only be truly adjusted when the store goes live. It will immediately be clear what exactly is leaving immediately, and what is stale on the shelves.

Constant updating and expansion of the assortment, constant change in the offer will allow step by step to bring the list of goods in line with demand in these conditions (and for your own store specifically). Flexible, constantly adapting to fluctuations in customer interest, the assortment, in which you can find both familiar and beloved products, as well as new ones, will definitely start to make a profit.

You should carefully study the list of suppliers and not only in terms of price. High-quality goods, the ability to deliver it on time are the components of the success of cooperation with the supplier of the goods.

And the source of receipt of goods should not be one, it is better to have several suppliers in stock, this will ensure the flow of goods to the store under any conditions and fluctuations in the country's economy. It is better to pay attention to suppliers with a fairly narrow specialization, and even better - to dealers who have official ties with the manufacturer of the goods.

Selling certified goods from the manufacturer is always better than selling through third parties, even if the cost of the original unit is slightly higher. But the possibility of getting a fake is reduced.

The best option is to find the possibility of establishing relationships with manufacturers of spare parts and other goods for cars, including European ones. This incredibly raises the prestige of the trading enterprise.

It is also possible to create a narrow specialization industry in the store for a particular brand of car, if there is direct contact with the manufacturer, the store sign will also be decorated with the logo of this car.

Before entering into negotiations with suppliers, you should collect information about it, check, if possible, how reliable and mandatory it is. The profit and reputation of the store, and the success of the enterprise as a whole, depend on the right choice of partners.

Recruitment

There is no way to run a business alone, so you will have to select people who, in theory, will have to grow and get richer along with the enterprise.

So, absolutely necessary:

manager (conclusion of agreements for the supply of goods, work with personnel, organization of the work process);
if the manager or owner has sufficient knowledge and can keep the bookkeeping of the store, this is fine, otherwise, an accountant is simply necessary;
sellers (or seller).
These should be not just people to be present in the hall, but professionals.
Cars that are well versed in the device, because sometimes buyers do not even know the name of this or that part;
if delivery of the purchase to the client is envisaged, a driver is needed;
room cleaner.

Auto parts store marketing and advertising

Work on promoting goods should be set up so that the goods are sold themselves, without additional efforts on the part of the staff. The term "marketing" itself means actions that result in the recognition and immediate satisfaction of demand and needs in the chosen direction.

Accordingly, it is necessary to be aware of all existing and potential needs for the product, the sale of which is the goal of the enterprise.

There must be a notification about the existence of a store in the maximum available radius. Information boards should also be placed wherever this need may arise.

It can be a parking lot, a transport company (here, in general, you should try to attract attention, this is very promising), an exhibition, a gas station.

Constant advertising in the first positions in newspapers, especially thematic ones, as well as on radio, television, exhibitions and wherever a motorist's eye can fall. Layout of flyers in mailboxes will also be beneficial.

A good result is the sale of goods at a discount for regular customers or gifts - necessary for the car - when buying 2 or more units of goods.

Also important is the attractive arrangement of goods in the windows. This is a trifle, but it is worth paying a little attention to it, because the effectiveness of this has already been proven.

How to open an online auto parts store

In fact, you can start selling auto parts without a trading floor and staff. This refers to the creation of a trading site, with a virtual trading floor.

Savings can be assessed by inquiring about the cost of renting retail space in the most favorable locations, as well as the cost of parking spaces, staff salaries and many other points.

Having registered as an individual entrepreneur, or as an LLC, you should start developing an attractive website, by visiting which you can pick up any part, any product for your car.

If you have the skills to work on the Internet, you can try to make a website yourself, but it is better to immediately contact the masters of their craft and order from a web studio. It is better to be placed on paid sites, it is much more solid, although there are also free resources.

Immediately you need to find out how taxes are charged on Internet income, and expand your knowledge in the field of Internet money and existing payment systems.

It is necessary to consider how exactly the buyer will be able to receive the ordered goods. It can be sent by mail or arrange courier delivery.

As long as the volume of sales is small, the owner of an online store can deliver the goods personally, this will save money.

But only the trading floor will be virtual. All the same, you will have to search for premises, however, only for a warehouse.

Also relevant is the issue of the supply of goods and accounting.

In addition, an online store can be well combined with a real trading establishment, or the creation can be kept in mind as a promising task.

Although, observing the increasing popularity of online shopping, it can be assumed that, perhaps, soon this will no longer be so relevant.

How to open an online auto parts store can be found in the video.

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Every year there are more and more cars. This process is likely to only grow. And as a result, the demand for spare parts for them will increase. According to experts, this market in Russia is increasing every year by 20%. Despite such growth, the development of a business on spare parts has certain difficulties.

Consider the features of this type of business, the possibility of opening an auto parts store, their types, outline a business plan. At the end of the article, we will give a small sample calculation for opening an auto parts store. With a well-thought-out approach, the auto parts business is not only profitable, but also promising, fast-growing.

Characteristics of the business

In the 20th century, there was an opinion: in order to organize a business, it is not necessary to understand the reality, it is enough to “understand” the business in general. Several successful examples of such enterprises were cited (for many tens or even hundreds of thousands of unknown unsuccessful attempts). And this still happens ... But if you don’t have a governor’s dad or additional sources of income, say, from drugs with which you support (launder) a business that you don’t understand, it’s better to look into the details. Otherwise, the best, most experienced and knowledgeable manager of your business (after all, 20-30 thousand rubles of salary is enough for him, right? He only understands, and does not know how to “run a business”) sooner or later will leave you without this source of income ... in the strength of the fact that he understands, and you do not.

auto parts market

The first feature of the auto parts trade is their huge variety.. And here there is no great interchangeability, as, for example, in a grocery store - white bread can be used instead of black bread. Accordingly, if you do not think over the assortment, sales, specialization, etc. you can get a warehouse of illiquid goods.

This feature is associated with a wide variety of equipment on the market, which will only expand over time, even taking into account the ongoing process of unifying spare parts.

Several approaches to product selection have been developed:

Specialization. The store specializes in a certain market segment: auto parts for foreign cars, auto parts for old cars, etc. Or even narrower specializations, say, auto parts for right-hand drive cars or specific companies, models or car parts in general (transmission, bodywork, etc.).
Universalization. Such stores are either in small villages or huge car supermarkets. Most of the auto parts in them are sold under the order. In the presence of mostly the most popular goods.
Consumables. Close to department stores, but the emphasis is on the hottest, locale-focused items.

Somewhat apart online auto parts store. First, each of the approaches can include an Internet component. Secondly, an online store can work without a traditional point of sale at all. Those. directly "from the wheels" or by mail. In the auto parts sales segment, most likely, in the near future, the online store, as an independent phenomenon, will not replace traditional stores. This is primarily due to the fact that many motorists need advice, which is not always possible to conduct on the Internet. On the other hand, as a business tool, the Internet is very convenient: orders, selection of spare parts, delivery, etc.

First of all, you need to decide what product to fill the store with.. It has to do with financial resources. It is clear that department stores will require more significant investments, the level of illiquid goods in them will be higher, as a result, there will be more funds in long-term turnover. There is also a direct relationship with the area where the store is located: demand (what cars prevail) and supply (density of competition).

Download a ready-made auto parts store business plan, current for 2019, you can from our trusted partners "Biplane". Download link.

Balance of supply and demand

A few words about supply and demand, since we are talking about this topic. Almost everywhere there is a demand for a wide range of auto parts. Therefore, it makes sense to analyze the market for the balance of supply and demand in a particular place, the proposed opening of a store.

The following gradation is proposed:

high demand, many offers;
high demand, not enough supply;
moderate demand for a group of goods, not enough supply;
low demand for specialized goods, almost no supply.

An explanation of the gradation is required. Firstly, this does not mean universal products, such products can be sold in any auto shop as related products. This refers to the orientation of the store to the auto parts of specific cars, depending on the location.

In cases where high demand is identified, even with a large number of offers, there are always options to maneuver. Initially, this is the location of the store. With great demand, motorists often buy goods at the nearest store. Then the pricing policy: suppliers, cost reduction, etc.

With moderate demand, i.e. there are certain cars, in relatively small quantities, but spare parts for them can not be found everywhere. Specialty shop focused on a wide range of not too common cars.

And the last case: there is a specific technique, but spare parts for it are not available on the market. Actually a case of a specialty store. It makes sense in large cities. Usually not mass sales, but for very expensive cars.

In our opinion, these are the market niches that can be considered. A ready-made business plan for an auto parts store must necessarily include a well-developed analysis of supply and demand. No matter how carefully the initial analysis is carried out, in some part it will still be erroneous due to the lack of statistics. In addition, trends in the car market change over time. That's why demand-supply analysis will need to be carried out constantly. In the operating store mode, it is somewhat simplified: sales statistics and statistics of customer requests, plus an analysis of the car market in the region.

room

The premises depend on the chosen business option and the specific content of the store. The more general store, the more space required. Such shops begin with small pavilions from 20 sq. meters.

The filling of the store is also dictated by its location. The most convenient location for small shops near service stations, repair shops, car markets, etc.

Large department stores and specialized special requirements are not. Perhaps for large universal auto shops it is desirable to have a good entrance and ample parking. And the owners of special equipment will also come to the only specialized store outside the city if the solution to their problems is provided in it.

Staff

The key point in organizing an auto parts store is recruitment. Special requirements for the selection of sales consultants. According to experts, half of the success in this business depends on the qualifications of the seller. A qualified seller must understand the technique, navigate in spare parts, the possibility of replacing them with others, access the Internet in order to find the answer to the question in time and place an order. Only in the background is the ability to sell. The fact is that the best manager can temporarily ensure sales growth until a number of problems accumulate due to his technical incompetence: return of goods, compensation for losses, etc. Therefore, in a store selling spare parts, the seller-techie of the seller-manager is a priority.

There are no special requirements for the rest of the staff. The number of staff also depends on the format of the store. In a small kiosk, one or two is enough. A large store may consist of several departments with the appropriate set of personnel: salespeople, consultants, movers, etc.

Marketing

Like any highly competitive business, an auto parts store needs thoughtful marketing. The larger the store, the higher the investment in marketing should be.

Marketing includes interrelated:

advertising policy;
work to attract regular customers;
market expansion;
analysis of the competitive environment.

A small pavilion needs a sign and work with regular customers. Business expansion entails the attraction of other tools: complex services, discounts, promotions, etc. In addition, it is desirable to include in marketing plans a flexible response to changes in the competitive environment, up to the exclusion of certain goods from the sale.

A large proportion of spare parts in small car dealerships are sold to order. And here it is important to establish stable relations with suppliers of auto parts, to ensure fast and reliable logistics. The speed of order execution is another important factor in the development of a car dealership..

Documentation

The activity does not require licensing. The form of ownership depends on the convenience of work. If part of the buyers are planned to be organizations, then in this case various forms of corporatization are more convenient. In most cases, IP is sufficient.

Documentation:

a set of constituent documents;
a set of necessary contracts (with customers, with suppliers, leases, etc.);
a set of internal documentation (order log, sales log, etc.).

Approximate costing

The financial plan completes the auto parts store business plan. The financial plan is the final document, focusing on which you can evaluate the profitability of the business. To develop a financial plan, it is necessary to initially clarify all other points. We will give a small approximate calculation to assess business opportunities. Generally given business is characterized by a fairly significant initial investment.

Initial data. Small pavilion - 50 sq.m., rented. 2 sales assistants. The average markup is 30%. The average expected monthly revenue is 0.6 - 1.0 million rubles.

In addition, the initial filling of the store will require, according to various estimates, from 1.5 to 2.0 million rubles.

We get approximately 20 - 100 thousand rubles per month of net profit. Payback from six months to one and a half years after reaching the point of profitability. Conclusion on profitability can be up to six months.

On the Internet at the moment there is a lot of information about how and where to sell goods remotely. One of the remote ways of selling is selling on the Internet. This method is currently included in the most common methods of distance selling, and is constantly gaining momentum due to the development of technology and an increase in the number of potential buyers on the Internet.

Today we will write about where you can look for your potential consumer of automotive parts.

1)Sales by Internet directories are usually catalogs in which we indicate what we sell (commercial offer), contact details (full name, phone number, website if any). If the catalog is promoted, then of course there is a chance that a potential client will get through the search engine into the catalog on your page with information. But this is unlikely because: Com. the offer, as a rule, is of a general nature, placed in several sources and does not carry unique information.

Of course, this type of online trading is also quite common and effective, but I think that this is a good addition to the main site, for example, buying a minimum package of services. And then imagine, for the maximum package you give, for example, 250 euros, for a year 3000 euros. Where is the logic? You can create a full-fledged online store.

3) If we consider Internet site directories, here you specify information only about your site! Many online directories of sites do not even have the ability to provide contact information. They serve to increase the data of your site in the eyes of search engines. Perhaps when there were few automotive online stores, this way of selling your product was relevant, but now it is practically zero.

6) Let's discuss the services where you place your price lists with the goods you have. An example of directory data is Hotline and price.ua(in Ukraine). These services place their products through a price list with images, now it is possible to connect your store to these services and when the price changes on your site, the price in this catalog automatically changes. You pay the service for the fact that a potential client went to your page or went to your site. This service makes it possible to compare goods in price, and whoever has this product is cheaper than the one in the table is higher. But as we understand, auto parts are not a mobile phone or headphones. There is another specificity here, of course, in such services you can sell batteries, rugs, tires, but there is no point in selling spare parts. I may be wrong, but this is my opinion! Prices for these services can be viewed on the website, but I will say right away that they are not cheap. Therefore, I think it is better to hold this money until more competent thoughts and moves.

8)Spam and advertisements by mailboxes, ICQ, etc., as you understand, perhaps this system is effective in other areas. Yes, mailing brings results, but only if the mailing is targeted, that is, for specific clients. And if a potential client has a commercial vehicle and constantly needs to repair the fleet. For ordinary people who have a maximum of 2 cars in the family, this mailing will only annoy.

9) There are services for finding spare parts for consumers. That is, if a client needs a spare part, he enters the site and enters the vehicle data into the form on the site, indicates the necessary spare part and contact details. This data is seen by all registered car dealerships on this resource, or they receive it by e-mail. They process the application, contact the client and offer them their price. This service has recently been in demand, because the client does not need to run around the shops or call customers. He just needs to specify the data and the seller will call them himself. This service is free for the buyer, and the seller pays from 5-15 euros for the services provided, depending on the service. If the site is promoted, there are enough orders in it.

There are many similar services and tools for selling goods, and I am sure that they will appear with new innovations, new mechanisms, new ideas. But there are practically no sharpened public services that provide services for the sale of spare parts only.

Transport has always been in demand, so even in a crisis, a car is in demand among buyers. Starting your business in the automotive industry does not necessarily mean opening a car dealership. This is a more costly option for future profits. Immediately desire - I want to act from a lower segment of the automotive market. How to open an auto parts store? You need to follow the instructions, and a clear strategy can stabilize income in the near future.

We make out the activity

There are several options for registering a business. If we consider an auto parts store from scratch, then a less costly and troublesome format is an individual entrepreneur. A beginner will need to collect the necessary list of documents:

Submission of an application for registration of IP.
Passport entrepreneurs and TIN.
Certificate of payment of state duty.
Obtaining permission from the SES and the fire service.

Legal business registration will prevent risks for the entrepreneur.

Decide on the format of the store

After legalizing the business, you should decide on the specialization of the outlet. Huge range of options:

Profile store (sale of spare parts only from a specific manufacturer).
Universal direction - the outlet specializes in goods for all brands of cars.
Large salon, including service stations.

Where to begin? To make a choice will help: analysis of competition, prices for goods, and demand for products in the city where the IP was opened.

Important: a retail outlet with a narrow focus (“Gazelle” or “Volga”) should only work with an established customer base.

Room and location

The success factor largely depends on the location and premises for the outlet. Criterias of choice:

Start a business in a high traffic sector.
Narrowing the circle of competition.
Availability of car parking.

The size of the premises for an auto parts store should not be less than 50 square meters. m., here the area for the warehouse zone is also taken into account. The lease of a retail outlet minimizes the costs of an entrepreneur; a business from scratch does not involve the purchase of premises due to small capital.

Important: If something is missing in the room, you should contact the designers.

Suppliers

A popular cooperation in the car market is one or two purchasers of goods. Preference is given to official representatives who supply only high-quality parts for cars. You should start your search with intermediaries of these companies. Main selection factors:

Dealer reputation.
Product quality.
Feedback from other customers.
Experience in the automotive aftermarket.
Profitable price.
Long-term cooperation.
Possibility to return defective parts.

Attention should be paid to the narrow supply profile. This will provide worthy competition to other stores (selling rare oil for cars or unique accessories).

Tip: An additional item in the store adds profit, thanks to a significant markup on parts. To correctly distribute the cost of spare parts, you need to analyze the prices of competitors. Where to start, it is better to study the current catalogs of other stores.

Purchase of equipment

Your business provides for taking into account all the nuances, so you will need equipment for a retail outlet. Rental of kits for the premises is possible from the representatives who supply the goods. Scroll:

Showcase.
Shelving.
Cabinets.
Racks.
Cash machine.
Computer and printer.

The equipment is placed according to the area of the room. The store must have access for the buyer, so everything is distributed with comfort in mind.

Important: the equipment must correspond to the size of the room; without this requirement, the work of the store will become inconvenient.

Staff

How to open an auto parts store without employees? At the first stage, such a step is simply impossible. It is expensive to be an accountant and a salesperson on your own, so you need to select several consultants. Here, the selection of personnel requires a separate approach:

The future employee should be well versed in cars.
Some experience with spare parts.
Friendliness.
The presence of tolerance.
Persuasiveness.

These qualities will help to avoid conflict situations with clients. An entrepreneur must be 100% confident in his employees, it is better to hire staff with a trial period. The organization of an auto parts store from scratch will not work without an accountant and a security guard.

Important: any retail outlet requires well-coordinated work, therefore a personnel control system is introduced (installation of surveillance cameras and monetary motivation of employees).

We form an assortment

High profitability and low segment of entry into the business from scratch, the auto parts market includes a lot of competition. An entrepreneur must choose the specialization that will always be in demand. Let it be a small assortment of auto parts, but this strategy will allow you to stay afloat for a long time. List of goods that will be sold in any market conditions:

Headlights, bumpers, engines.
Side doors and mirrors.
Signal accessories.
Pendants.
Racks.

The assortment for a retail outlet necessarily includes several areas:

Spare parts for trucks of Russian and foreign manufacture (the occurrence of wear due to commercial work).
Auto Japanese manufacturers (right-hand drive). These rare parts are purchased from suppliers in the minimum amount, but it is better to make the service “to order”.
Parts for passenger cars (Russian cars are often repaired).

Tip: in addition to the main product, you need to introduce anti-freeze products, winter and summer tires, special solvents

Marketing moves

Advertising plays a significant role in business from scratch, in order to move forward, a quality strategy should be developed. An auto parts outlet does not require colorful signage or unique logos. The best option is an attractive name, and an interesting call for buyers. Attracting customers is impossible without additional tools:

Distribution of brochures and leaflets.
Internet posting.
Providing free consultations.
Discounts for regular customers.

Normalization of income depends on sales, in order to establish a balance in the store, you need to attract your circle of customers.

Work on the Internet

Everyone who starts his own business immediately allocates a separate sector of income. In a situation with an auto parts store, the right decision is to open an online store. This income will be an effective link in the overall system. And in order to study in more detail all the nuances of creating an online store, we recommend that you read the article. Activity Start Options:

Site creation.
IP registration.
Organization of the Internet catalog.
Convenient order form.
Work with official representatives.

An online store selling auto parts is a relevant niche and does not require large expenses.

Important: having resorted to creating an online store, you should choose the optimal payment system for goods for customers.

business financial plan

It is important to know that in order to open your own business, you need start-up capital:

Equipment rental - from 50,000 thousand rubles.
Cosmetic repairs of the premises - from 60,000 thousand rubles.
Initial purchase of goods - from 1,500,000 million rubles.
Advertising - from 45,000 thousand rubles.

Initial costs for opening an auto parts store - from 1,800,000 million rubles.

The monthly amount in favor of conducting activities includes:

Staff salary - from 50,000 thousand rubles.
Rent of space - from 50,000 thousand rubles.
Utility payments - from 15,000 thousand rubles.
Payment of taxes - from 10,000 thousand rubles.

Costs each month - from 125,000 thousand rubles.

The payback of the project includes: extra charge - 25% for expensive goods, 100% for car accessories. Approximate profit for a store in a busy place is 180,000 thousand rubles. You can recoup the costs of your business after 12 months.

An auto parts store, especially focused on foreign cars, has fundamental differences from most retail outlets. The owner has to professionally know cars as a technical object, since the goods sold by him at retail or small wholesale affect the safety of vehicles.

“Despite the fact that manufacturers are responsible, the problems can be very serious,” says Andrey Mikhailov, director of the Avto-Rhinoceros store. - I happened to have threats against me for selling supposedly counterfeit goods that caused an accident. Therefore, I do not advise amateurs to go into this business, if only because they cannot prove their case.

On the other hand, many experts consider this business an interesting business that guarantees a stable income in most cases. So, let's figure out where to start auto parts trade and what you need to know to make your business successful.

the right thing

For a product to be in demand, it must be in demand. This axiom fully applies to the sales of parts and assemblies for cars. This is evidenced by the annual 10-15% growth in the capacity of the Russian market in this direction. Experts are confident that, despite the growth in the value of the currency, in two or three years, auto parts worth $65 billion will be sold in Russia.

"It's huge and dynamically developing segment of the economy, which every day involves more and more new participants, - states Michael Wales from the UK, specialist of the Automotive Russia project. “We can safely predict the opening of new stores.”

In other words, in terms of macroeconomic indicators, owning an auto parts store can be considered a profitable undertaking. I wonder what the sellers themselves think about this? Here is one of their opinions:

“In Russia, especially in the provinces, there is a cult of cars. Now there is a demand from customers from the first and second waves of mass purchases of foreign cars. These are people who purchased their imported "iron horses" in 2005-2010. It was just time for them to either sell the car cheaply in conditions, or put the existing equipment in order. Most often they do the latter. Demand for auto parts is growing steadily.”

Specialization and marketing

Sellers, and experts, still advise opening stores with specialization. “I have ten years of experience in store activities in various cities,” writes forum member Prometheus_1974. - Do not mix spare parts from VAZ and from foreign cars. Although there is a rapprochement, but these are fundamentally different businesses.”

This is the first. Secondly, experienced marketers are striving for diversification and believe that retail should cover 70-80% of the turnover, and the remaining 20-30% should be tied to small-scale wholesale contracts:

“… end consumers of spare parts, such as large banks, factories, large and medium-sized businesses, that is, those who have their own fleet,” advises AndreiZ from Izhevsk. “In this case, the requirements are somewhat different: clarity of work with documents, high quality of spare parts and, of course, a commission (no comment).”

Thus, a businessman who plans to open his own store must clearly build a sales concept, that is, decide on the type of cars whose spare parts he plans to sell, and the range of potential customers.

Practical Tips

A novice businessman will definitely face the problem of selecting a special code for each spare part in relation to the type of car brand. If this topic is irrelevant for experienced sellers, then novice marketers will have to “sweat” for catalogs, which, by the way, are not cheap. However, they can be downloaded via torrent, although this is “long and dreary”.

Meanwhile, Andrei Mikhailov believes that there is no universal assortment in car dealerships, since each area has its own statistics. But in any case, when answering the question of how to open your own auto parts business, he advises starting with consumables, in particular, all types of light bulbs, filters, brake pads, candles, assorted oils and auto chemicals.

For example, according to many directors, the top products in spare parts stores today are:

Mann oil filters (20-30% of the market capacity);
spark plugs NGK V-Line (40%);
Brembo brake discs (10%);
Castrol Magnatec 10W-40 oil (35%).

In general, for small and medium-sized cities with a population of up to 500 thousand people, the emphasis should be on spare parts for cars with a price tag of 500-700 thousand rubles. Therefore, the choice of commodity items should be appropriate.

“Count how many customers left you because you have expensive oil? - asks AndreiZ from Izhevsk. - Perhaps it would be easier to just make a slightly lower discount on Esso-Mobil? If you still decide to supplement the range with cheap oils, then choose oils from second-line brands, but not obvious outsiders in quality. I can advise something like Ravenol, but in no case Zeke, Hado and Mannol. Everything written with success can be extended to other commodity items.

conclusions

Since the range of spare parts in the regions is different, the starting conditions necessary for opening a retail outlet will also differ. Some will need millions of rubles to start in a prestigious center, others will focus on sleeping areas, believing that 600 thousand rubles will be able to satiate the initial hunger of trade turnover. Both will be right in their own way.

However, “... it's easier to open a store if you already have a car service,” Andrey Mikhailov is sure. “In this case, you will clearly know what “your local car owners” are ordering, who, at the request of your master, will go to your store.” If you have your own workshop for two or three boxes, then it will not take much money to start a store, say 700-800 thousand. “Moreover, the profit will appear in three months,” the entrepreneur is sure.

However, you can also focus on ready-made business plans compiled by consulting companies. Some of them recommend having a starting budget of 6,000,000 rubles, promising a three-year payback period.

In other words, the break-even point can be passed in one quarter, or, as in the well-known proverb, the promised three years are waiting. It all depends on the professionalism and preparation of the startup.