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How did the idea to do their own thing, or how I decided to open an online store.

Its online store I invented with a friend Nicholas Poluektov. It was he who persuaded me to do such a thing, claiming that the lead operators and drivers – it is essentially the same as the lead reporters than I am used to doing. He, like I, too, was a journalist, but a few years ago decided to leave journalism. Together with friends, he started his own business, which was called “Moonshine Kosogorov” and proved quite profitable. And now this role model sitting and waiting in front of a pizza “Margarita”, trying to support my idea. He has had its own reasons: as a businessman he thought held the expansion of its business. 2008 was a period of very height of the crisis, and it was at this time I lost my job. I offered to work on a new project, and when it was already running, it rolled. After that, continue to work in the media I do not want to.

The idea of ​​

Find a niche for your business was not as difficult. Even when the crisis in the yard, people still continue to eat. Of course, the restaurants have become less popular, as it turned out dinner at home is much cheaper. In addition, television stations, cooking at home has become very popular. People do not just eat at home, they have created from the products of new and interesting stravy. Thus, the idea for the business for a long time did not have to look for, but these are the arguments in favor of this idea had to find.
Will present some of them. First, online grocery stores were not so common. Second, many Internet users are familiar buy online all tend to start to use other services. Accordingly, it is possible to attract many new customers. Third, to open a case of this kind is sufficient amounts ranging from 700,000 to 1 million rubles, and it’s not so much. In addition, the organization and management of such business – the process simple, and most importantly, transparent. In addition, a similar experience I have had since I previously worked as an administrator.

But this had its shortcomings. Neither I nor my friend had never worked in the retail trade (he only worked with wholesale sales).
But in spite of this, we decided to pursue the case. Performing calculations on a napkin, we made sure that we are required not such a large sum, and the profits will begin to appear almost two to three months. Hiring drivers we had to do in 8000 rubles (but ultimately cost twice as much), and every order is an average of 100 rubles. In addition, it was necessary to hire an accountant, operator, to build a website. It looked very simple. And as in Moscow population of about 15 million inhabitants, is at least 10 orders a day we will be getting for sure. It remained only to find out who were our competitors, and we could be better than them.

Market Analysis

Hastily analyzing the market, we found out that there are three types of competitors. The strongest competitor is the supermarkets, who organized the order and delivery of products via the Internet. In addition to the supermarkets, have been online stores that specialize only in the delivery of food. Well, “platypus”, which we have decided to allocate a separate service. Why? Tell us about it below.

We decided that the major networks are not our competitors, because they have their regular customers, who are accustomed to a system of service and range of products offered by them. Our main competitors are online shopping, but for them to compete in attracting customers is not so difficult. First, the interface at the nickname, usually ugly, photos, poor quality, and the prices are quite high. Most of all we wanted to know how to lead their customers. And where exactly they are, so it’s in the “platypus”, which is practically a monopoly in this area. Therefore, we have defined it in a separate category.

The main issue is that to offer customers this, which is not yet at the “platypus”? Of course, we could not hope for that suppliers offer us such prices, because the volume of purchases from us is much lower and, as practice shows, the price plays a crucial role in the selection of products. But there are exceptions. On this we have decided to play. The main idea of ​​our project was the quality service and individual approach to each client.

What does a quality service? This is an opportunity not only to receive the order at the appointed time, but in the proper form. With regard to the second point about the personal touch, we even put forward the slogan on its base. So this is a store with a “human face”. The range will be expanded depending on whether they want our customers. Also on the main page of our online store we have created a book of suggestions and complaints. In the end, we found a weapon in the fight for customers, we only plan the plan of attack.

And there is a new question: “What are we going to sell? ‘. So I have previously worked as a journalist, the market research is not particularly trust. Therefore, we have taken the form sections of our store, which included pastries, groceries, juices and water, household cleaning, hygiene, children’s goods, and other little things that may be useful both in the home and at the cottage. All perishable foods such as sausages, vegetables and dairy we immediately deleted from the range, it is not only required a storage cost, but also the delivery problem. Soon we had to carry these products in the range, but more on that later.

We did not compete with the “platypus” or “Auchan”, so have focused on groceries. We offer consumers not only high quality but also attractive prices.

Getting to practice

My main task was to manage the store. And in April 2009, we rented a small office room, worth 15,000 rubles per 1 m ² per year, as well as stock, valued at 4,500 rubles per 1 m ² per year. In addition, the office and the warehouse we shot almost in the center of Moscow. We were very fortunate to find a warehouse at a reasonable price, as well as groceries should be stored at temperatures above 25 ⁰ C, the room was filmed in the basement of the business center. Of course, we could save by renting a room somewhere in the suburbs, but in terms of speed of delivery, it was the most convenient option, as all districts of Moscow were equidistant from the center.

For registration of our company – “OnoVamNaDom” took 11 000. Ososbo should thank my partner, because he came up with the name of the store. It’s called a smile, and thus the sympathy of many, and I certainly enjoyed it.

Domain onovamnadom.ru we recorded very quickly, but here’s domain onovamnado.ru we bought from physical persons, in order to avoid the appearance of a clone in the future. At it’s all gone wrong and a lot – just € 200.

Somewhere within three months we have suffered with the site, despite the fact that the company is holding its promotion promised that everything will be ready in three weeks. But that will not stop for a long time.

This was followed by filling in the warehouse merchandise, that’s gone on for another month and a half of our initial costs. Our spin-doctors were former journalist colleagues who also lost their jobs because of the crisis. It remains to find two drivers with personal transport, but this was no problem. In late August 2009, our online store has been opened. It remains to wait for orders.

The first clients were friends. But the real orders, we waited another month. Our napkin calculations have failed, and then had to change and the whole concept of an online store. What will discuss in the next article.

CEO and co-owner of the grocery online store onovamnadom.ru, Natalia Kulakov