It is all hands on deck at the moment in the Self Group and the pressure is on.
We are opening up our first unique Self Mart discount store this month and my intention is to roll out another ten within the company over the next five years.
In addition to this 100 stores nationwide through franchises.
The concept of discount stores I have analysed for many years and the formula that we are using is a recipe for success!
The top three discount stores in the UK are TJ Hughes, Wilkinsons and Primark.
My discount store concept is a mixture of all the above stores, but with a difference.
I will continue to buy clearance/bankrupt and surplus items for the Self Mart stores, with many products bought at lower than manufacturers cost, buying in this manner will on occasions enable my customers to also buy at lower than manufacturing costs! This concept will enable me to sell at low prices, attracting the consumers to my store again and again, not only will this attract return customers but also launch a great viral marketing campaign, you cannot go wrong with word of mouth, the cheapest and best advertising around!
Many of the above stores start with the concept of selling clearance/bankrupt and surplus stock but there tends to be a limit of what is offered to you and they can not keep the continuity with different lines that are offered. This is why they start importing goods directly, these products are manufactured at a low cost to enable them to be sold at a low cost, and this of course affects the quality of the end product.
Our intention is to continue to buy clearance/bankrupt and surplus stock under the manufacturing costs, and to expand our wings worldwide to keep the continuity of ever changing stock.
Our stores will offer the customer, on a regular basis, a total changing of aisles, where one day they may have seen stationary and books, photo albums etc and the next the aisle may be replaced with branded perfumes and cosmetics…
Self Trading is rapidly expanding and we are always looking to recruit more ambitious people to the team. People with great ambitions and the drive to make a success of their life are always welcome!! With the opening of the Self Mart stores we will begin to look at recruiting for these, it is non stop in my world!